From the category archives:

Suppers

Simple, Perfect Roast Chicken

by Laura 3 March 2012
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Cheesemaker Jodi Ohlsen Reed asked me about myself when I first met her.  I was nervous, writing about a local gem in Minnesota, my first such piece, and I didn’t expect to talk about myself.  I think I said something about it all being a blur, which is not what I meant to say, or [...]

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Braised Lamb Shanks

by Laura 1 March 2012
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My grandma was a letter writer.  I have sheaves of her letters, all typed and on thin, pale green paper.  They detail the buses she took, and in what weather, to the bank, to Mass, to help with the church rummage sale; the breakfasts and lunches and dinners she ate—toast with butter or peanut butter, [...]

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Bread and Jam for Frances & Spaghetti and Meatballs

by Laura 30 March 2011
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This is the first in a new series of posts. So many of my happiest hours were spent reading to my two children and cooking together. And so many splendid picture books lend themselves to a particular recipe, sometimes more.  When my Honey Girl and Sweet Boy were little ones, we walked to the library [...]

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Confetti Chili

by Laura 15 February 2011
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When I was in college, before college dining halls were paeans to choice, we waited in line to greet the food service ladies as they dished up whatever they had cooked that day.  We had dishes like Side of Clyde, Ziti Bake, and Party Rice.  Whenever that particular fare was served, my best friend would [...]

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Winter Supper: Swedish Meatballs, Rot Kraut, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Fennel and Green Apple Salad with Juniper Berries, & Swedish Rice Pudding with Spiced Sour Cherry Compote

by Laura 30 December 2010
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After two months spent preparing for Christmas, when it’s over the mood in our house is usually a little tired.  A long, gray winter lies ahead of us and the magic of Christmas is past.  It’s nice, then, to continue the festivities for a few days by making a meal or two like this one.  [...]

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Beef Brisket

by Laura 20 December 2010
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Our Honey Girl is home from college!   And since she is a consummate carnivore and lover of all things beef, I made a beef brisket for one of her first dinners home.  When she and our Sweet Boy were little, they took a turn cooking with me one night a week and planned menus.  After [...]

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Winter Supper: Beef Stew & Farmhouse Rolls

by Laura 12 December 2010
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There are a couple of simple keys to making a great beef stew.  Buy good beef, brown it really well on all sides, don’t crowd the pan during the process, and don’t move it while it’s browning.  If you do that, and mingle it with other best-quality ingredients, you can’t go wrong.  This is my [...]

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Thin Crust Pizza with Shepherd’s Way Farms’ Friesago, Shepherd’s Way Farms’ Merguez Lamb Sausage, & Fresh Chanterelles and Thyme

by Laura 27 November 2010
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Shepherd’ Way Farms’ cheeses are so sublime it almost feels wrong to cook with them.  Almost.  I dreamed up this pizza as a vehicle for their friesago as well as their delicious merguez lamb sausage.  It shows off their nuanced flavors without masking them.  And it’s the best pizza we’ve ever had. Shepherd’s Way Farms’ [...]

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Fall Supper: Pork Tenderloin with Autumn Sauce, Butternut Squash & Buttercream Potato Gratin, and Dark Magic Gingerbread with Butterscotch Sauce

by Laura 3 November 2010
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I remember the first day I joined my book group.  They had been meeting without additions to the group for about a decade, so I was a bit puzzled about why I had the good luck to be invited.  They were smart and well read and covered a wide political and religious spectrum.  But most [...]

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