By Laura Woolfrey Macklem:
Growing up, my mother faithfully made corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick’s Day. During the rest of the year, she often made cabbage, ham and potatoes. Maybe it’s because...
My gingerbread loaf recipe, though, is a much-anticipated treat and baked in ornamental pans. With a deep, spiced flavor and soft crumb, it’s the perfect holiday breakfast treat.
Don’t get me wrong, I really do enjoy pumpkin and it’s employed in my kitchen in the fall and winter. But butternut squash is something I use all year because it doesn’t depend on heavy fall spices to lift the flavor. Pumpkin has to be gussied up, while butternut squash naturally can stand alone.
With fall and school starting, soup is on the mind of home cooks, often looking to the slow cooker for quick, comforting meals. There’s nothing like a bubbling pot of soup waiting for you after a busy day when fall hits. And even if it doesn’t feel like fall outside for you, the vibe is everywhere, so why not join in?
For years, I’ve been in search of the perfect pizza crust. My goal was a chewy, sturdy crust that could withstand a mountain of toppings and a thick pool of sauce. The trick is a crust with an easy bite but strong enough to meet my family’s appetite for ample toppings. It’s a versatile, trusty workhorse to dazzle your family and friends.
Quiche might conjure up thoughts of froo-froo French cooking for light appetites, but it’s actually a humble dish and a perfect receptacle for hearty leftovers.
Not only is homemade corned beef frugal, but you can cater the brine to match your tastes, and the quality is superior to anything found in the grocery store. Also, it’s fun to make.
Pumpkin pie is a must-have for Americans around the holidays. In fact, an estimated 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed every year at Thanksgiving. But what if I told you that’s not real pumpkin pie you’re eating?
One of my favorite childhood memories is traveling up the mountain to Julian, and eating pie at the Julian Pie Company. When I smell apple pie, it always takes me back to that cozy pie shop. Now, I also make my house cozy as I put up apples in all forms, not just pie. And my house, well when September hits and I’m preserving an apple bounty, it smells like Julian to me.
Prices are going up on groceries, and with all this talk about a possible meat shortage, people are starting to feel concerned. But what if instead of being worried, you turned stocking up into a delicious, creative adventure — a chance to learn new things while stashing away homemade convenience foods by canning? There is joy in this journey.
