I’ve started to feel a little under the weather (and the actual weather isn’t helping!) but hopefully nothing that a hearty bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup won’t solve. And of-course, I made Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch, but it is a bit of a “cheater” recipe: a rotisserie chicken from Whole Foods, meat removed and then the broth made from the carcass. Used little spaghetti-o pasta just because they are cute. Best soup that I have had in ages.
As we get closer to Thanksgiving, I usually find myself wanted to make a variation on the “cranberry sauce” theme, and this is the 5th variation of a “sauce”, “preserve” or”chutney” that I have made. It’s not really like “the stuff from the can” but is very fresh, very flavorful and is a great combo of cranberries, apples and rhubarb. Yes, rhubarb. It’s nearly impossible to find right now and definitely not “in season” but I had stashed some in my freezer, for occasions just like this. It’s got a little bit of a kick with hot pepper flakes and a little bit of warmth from just a smidge of clove. Quite nice, actually. Will keep in the fridge probably through Christmas.
The other day, we had Peas & Pearls! Now we have Sprinkles & Curls. Ok, so it’s just a cute way of saying tiny cherry tomatoes marketed as “sprinkles” and curly spaghetti, but I think that it’s funny. And if you don’t have either, you can make this recipe with cherry tomatoes and regular spaghetti as well. A super quick mostly hands off meal but also super delicious. The tomatoes are just bursting with flavor!
It’s salad season — summer in New England! I love all sorts of salad and Caesar is no exception. The dressing is key — yes, anchovies and really good parm are key. This is only the recipe for the dressing, because I think most people can figure out romaine lettuce, croutons and in this case, grilled chicken. Yum!
Stromboli aren’t something that I make very often, but I should make them more. Like calzone, they are pretty versatile and you can make them with a slew of fillings. They can be eaten warm or at room temperature and I personally think that they are a great alternative to a sandwich on a picnic. I made these with a sourdough (had to feed Alice!) but you can make it with a yeast pizza dough or even a store bought dough.