When it's incredibly hot outside, like it has been this month,
standing by a hot stove is not something anyone wants to do. Grilling
outside is another option, but when it's too hot to even do that, what
do you do? Why not make a no-cook recipe, like a chilled soup? The
cooling qualities of a cold soup are perfect on days where you need a
refreshing respite from the sweltering heat. And there's no better way
to achieve that than with a cold soup.
The tradition of cold, raw soups comes by way of Spain and their famous
gazpachos. Originally, the recipe was made with just bread, garlic, and
oil (bread and oil were the thickeners and garlic helped cool the body
by way of sweating.) After the New World explorations, tomatoes were
added to the recipe, creating what we know of today as the classic
gazpacho. Many other nations have cold soups too, just think of borscht.
In Hungary cucumber soup is very popular during summer. The pairing of
cucumbers and yogurt is one that can be found in Mediterranean, Middle
Eastern, and Indian cuisines. This recipe takes inspiration from all of
these.
Retro Recipes and Traditional Fare
Retro Recipes and Traditional Fare
Crab and Chive Puffs
Easy and impressive food...I love it. Another quick and easy appetizer to make your dinner party go as smooth as possible.
This is the perfect finger-food. It is a breeze to make and serves lots of hungry mouths. You can even make them up the day before and bake them off right before guests arrive. Since it makes enough for a couple sheet trays, you can either bake them all together, if all guests arrive at the same time. Or bake one sheet tray at a time, having some available for guests who arrive late.
Either way, these buttery-tasting puffs will have everyone grabbing for more...make sure you grab a couple when they get passed the first time. They will disappear!
James Moore's Oscar Worthy Appetizer
This is one of the simplest recipes but always a crowd pleaser. Everything can be picked up at the grocery store – unless you’re in the mood to roast your own peppers – and assembled quickly at home. The recipe can easily be increased to make as many servings as your gathering requires. Trader Joes makes a great Fire Roasted Red Bell Pepper if you happen to have one nearby.
Rare Roast Beef with Boursin and Red Bell Pepper Appetizers
Makes 12 pieces
12 slices dark pumpernickel bread or rye cocktail bread
1/2 cup Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese, at room temperature
6 thinly sliced pieces deli rare roast beef, cut in half
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch wide strips
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or dill
Fresh ground black pepper
1. Spread each piece of bread with 2 teaspoons of Boursin cheese and place piece roast beef. Top with 3 pepper strips and sprinkle with thyme or dill and a few grinds of black pepper. Refrigerate for up to 3 hours and bring to room temperature before serving.
Blue Ribbon Streusel Topped Apple Pie
Now that we’re in the peak of apple picking season, I realized that I never posted a basic apple pie recipe. Some people find making pies a daunting task. There are stories, mostly said in hushed tones, about my mother throwing more than a few pie crusts against the wall.
I must admit, rolling out a homemade pie crust can be intimidating at first. There are several variables that can throw a “wrench” in your dough – humidity, temperature of the butter, amounts of water, types of flour, overworking the dough - all can influence the outcome of your crust.
Once you master a pie crust recipe, and you truly learn the “feel” of pastry in its various stages, it will be a breeze to roll out a pie. If it still seems too challenging, there are some acceptable store bought pie dough brands.
Wholly Wholesome, which has won the praise of Cook’s Illustrated, Good Housekeeping, Real Simple Magazine and CBS The Early Show, offers organic easy to use rolled pie dough and pre-made pie shells.
Pasta Salad Nicoise
Here's a great dish that does double duty: it can be dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. It's delicious served slightly warm or chilled. And it's especially great for a Friday night Lenten dinner. Using readily available ingredients including my favorite cans of tuna, this dish is light on the wallet too. For the best taste and texture use white albacore tuna packed in oil. It's much better than the chunk light in water.
My version of the French salad Niçoise is crossed with the American macaroni salad. Instead of boiled potatoes, I use pasta as a delicious alternative. Cavatappi, a corkscrew-shaped pasta, makes a playful addition, but elbow macaroni works well too. Green beans are quickly blanched and pasta is then cooked in the same pot before being combined with all the ingredients. A finish of briny olives and capers and a fresh vinaigrette make it feel like springtime on the Mediterranean coast.
More Articles ...
Welcome to the new One for the Table ...
Our Home Page will be different each time you arrive.
We're sure you'll find something to pique your interest...