The Other Woman Cooks

Cold air smacked us in the face late last Wednesday night as we headed out of the airport. Bro and sis-in-law, John and Lois Kozikowski, whipped up traditional turkey feast which made our holiday enjoyable and pressure free after the long flight and late arrival the evening before. We were back from vacation, but we just didn't want to dive back into New England winter fare. We wanted to hold on to beautiful Puerto Rico. One way to do that was to recreate this mango poppyseed dressing at home. It took a couple of tries, but my third version tickled our taste buds. Accompanied by lean grilled London broil, it made for a meal that remembered the sunny days and sandy beaches of La Isla Bonita. MANGO POPPYSEED DRESSING 1/2 cup mango puree 1/8 cup superfine sugar Dash of salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon lime juice 3/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon poppy seeds Combine ...

Friends will attest to my tendency to bake after losing elections. Years ago, a good pal lost a shot at becoming state senator. I kneaded my way through the loss producing 27 loaves of poppy seed challah. The way I've been baking the last few days, you'd think we lost everything last Tuesday. I texted that thought to an ally this morning and she immediately wrote back, "Well, we did lose a lot." Democrats, and it's no secret that I'm a Democrat, experienced sea change. Some of us saw it coming, helpless against that tide, stayed home to save ourselves. For us in Massachusetts, we had to work hard, harder than we have in a long time, to hold our fort. And we did ... but the reverb from the national landscape affected me more than I thought. Not that I'm whining. The thing about elections is there's always another one. The good news? I've come up with a fabulous new quiche filling and savory butter crust recipe. H...

It was a big accomplishment to buck national trends and reelect our Democrats in Massachusetts. Can't help myself, friends, I'm a partisan cook when it comes to stirring up a political stew. It's been a busy week. Now, the only thing I want is to put my feet up, watch a couple of movies from the local library's DVD collection and relax. Sent JP to choose the flicks while I cooked up an old recipe of a childhood favorite. Sloppy Joes are simple really, and pretty basic. Hearty enough to settle down hungry tummies without much fuss and yummy, too. We're ready for a lazy evening and a weekend of doing nothing much at all! SORTA SLOPPY JOES 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 pound ground meat (lean beef, turkey or veal work well) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon seasoning rub (try McCormick's Montreal or Penzey's 4S) 1 medium onion, grated 1 small red bell pepper, chopped 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2 cups tomato sauce 1...

Starting at 7 a.m., our Democratic coordinated campaign poll checkers were on the job. That meant by 8 a.m., I was on the road to deliver treats. Volunteers were happily sipping gingerbread latte and Bob's Bakery crullers and paczki (a Chicopee E-day tradition) while homemade Greek lemon chicken soup simmered away on my stove top at home. Back at the phone bank, Democratic congressional campaign staffer Jeremiah brought in chicken and tomato pizza. Congressman Richie Neal is a big supporter of Farm to School programs. Scroll down this page link to see his picture celebrating local foods in schools. He knows first hand that fresh fruits and veggies are better for school children and that healthier GOTV eats make for happy energetic volunteers! GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP 8 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 ounce shot limoncello  1/2 cup grated carrots 1/2 cup minced celery 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 cu...