The Other Woman Cooks

Here in New England we love surf and turf. Add to that it's finally grilling season and let the games begin!  Steaks, burgers, BBQ ribs and chicken ... the list is long and mouth watering. Paired up with steamers or better yet, lobster, and we East Coast huggers are in heaven. But how to turn the usual summer menu into something special can be something of a challenge. Starting courses are a great way to set up the taste buds for a juicy main attraction.  Last night, we hosted our first backyard dinner party. And of course, surf and turf was on the menu. Check out our appetizer course, an attempted replication of a small plate Farmer Paul and I enjoyed more than 20 years ago at a bistro in Quebec City. It took us several tries over as many years to come up with a version that tickled our taste buds as much as the memory of that original dish. It's still not quite right, but this recipe is so good and so easy that we stopped experimenting. Follow up with a chopped salad...

Real life friend Roger Fisk passed this recipe along via Facebook. And he attributed the recipe as having been passed along to him from another friend of his. That’s the way it works in today’s world: we keep track of friends near and far electronically. Facebook, Twitter, most recently Google+ (anybody have a spare invitation?).Lots of us post pictures of dinner and share the recipes with each other: especially when local ingredients and backyard garden bounty take center stage. That is exactly the way this morning’s tomatoes became this evening’s summer supper! W ith the exception of using a pre-made frozen crust that was pre-made and frozen by me, I followed Roger's simple instructions. Roger said, “ A purist-I love it. I aspire to this!” I won’t criticize if you choose the store bought pre-made route but the savory crust recipe used here for this quiche is absolute heaven ...for aspiring purists everywhere!   TOMATE PROVENCAL TART ALA ROGER FISK Preheat oven to 400 degr...

When my sons were little, I wasn’t much of a cook. Not that when I did cook it was terrible but between being a Realtor to support my political habit added to family activities like Boy Scout meetings, piano lessons and soccer, we didn’t have much time to cook at home, even on weekends.  I hate to admit it but we downed more than our fair share of not so healthy fast food.  Then I discovered quesadillas in a Tex-Mex cook booklet at the grocery store check-out magazine rack... they sounded easy and lots healthier than B-K or Mickey D’s.   That was 25 years ago, before Chili’s and Chi-chis, On the Border and even Friendly’s came along and made Mexican favorites that rivaled Chinese take-out in popularity. We’ve tried them all but we actually prefer homemade. Easy, fast and always tastes fresher!    CHICKEN QUESADILLAS 1/2 pound thin slices uncooked chicken breast cutlets 1 tablespoon lime juice dash fresh ground salt and pepper  1/8 teaspoon crushed dried...

Whether planning a lazy Sunday morning family brunch or a bridal breakfast for your BFF, this is the perfect recipe. Add a platter of fresh fruit, bacon or sausage, juice and coffee (or maybe Mimosas and Bloody Marys). And the best part?  These pretty little pastry quiche cups can be baked ahead, refrigerated and re-warmed about 10 minutes at 350 degree F before serving. QUICHE PUFFS 3 eggs ¼ cup low fat milk dash salt 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/2 cup broccoli crowns, chopped cooked ½ cup crumbled goat cheese 1 sheet ready made puff pastry, thawed Unfold the thawed pastry and roll lightly with a rolling pin to smooth it out. Cut into 6 squares per sheet. Lightly spray a muffin pan with nonstick spray. Fit a piece of dough into each cup, pushing into the cup but leaving the edges sticking up. Mix together broccoli and goat cheese crumbles. Divide equally among each muffin cup lined with puff pastry. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper...

Friends come in all shapes and sizes, ethnic and lifestyle varieties. Makes life and dinner conversations lively and interesting.  But when it came to dietary preferences, especially when vegetarians and meat eaters sit at the same table, a menu that satisfied without someone feeling odd man out was a challenge. And then I found a recipe for mushroom leek pie: a big success at an informal buffet as a choice but not quite ready for a sit-down dinner party. So me being me, I fiddled around and came up with this super healthy and elegant adaptation at 220 calories per serving. Open with a flute of champagne, add a mixed green salad with your favorite dressing plus a fabulous dessert like Bananas Foster... who could complain???  SUPPER STRUDEL 1 cup thinly sliced leeks 1/2 cup canned vegetable broth 1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms (any kind will do, but we like Baby Bellas best) 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, defrosted 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces Chevre (mild goat cheese) ...

Recovering from the worst cold ever, the tide had turned and the former Family Sick became the Family Famished. Our throats are still a little sore and we're not 100% yet. But after a week of chicken soup and dry toast something more substantial, yet creamy and comforting seemed like a good idea. Three people ate four servings ... I guess they agreed! LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE 3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons flour Dash salt 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper Pinch cayenne pepper 1 1/2 cups milk 2 tablespoons brandy or dry sherry 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese 1 pound cooked lobster, shelled and cut into chunks 2 cups cooked corkscrew macaroni ½ cup cracker crumbs 1 tablespoon melted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On top of the stove melt butter in a medium pot; remove from heat. Stir in flour and add salt and peppers. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring until well mixed. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add tw...

My first encounter with soufflé was in a nice French restaurant in, believe it or not, Lowell, Massachusetts -- a rich puff of egg and cheese served with a deliriously savory drizzle of melted herb butter. I thought soufflé-making must be the apex of culinary achievement. One that I might reach someday if I managed to win the lottery, then be accepted for a French cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu. Then I found a recipe for individual asiago cheese bread puddings dusted with grated parmesan, and decided to give them a go one New Year’s Eve. They were puffy, delicious and easy. And they looked and tasted a lot like traditional soufflé. Not exactly the real thing but pretty darned tasty. My next experiment was to try different bread/cheese combos until I came up with just the right balance of flavor. Pair the cheese puffs with mini-caribou meatballs (pictured), and spiced shrimp as a small plate buffet accompanied by arugula and grape tomato salad. Add a pitcher of warm sangria and invite ...

I've been thinking a lot about the Canadian half of my family this week. An invitation from my cousin Herve and his wife for their daughter's wedding came in the mail, my cousin Jim, a good guy with a bad problem, died suddenly two days before Christmas, and I saw my cousin Lisa and her family at Mass over the holidays. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are more vivid memories than Christmas for me. My Canadian immigrant grandparents doled out little gifts on New Year's Day as was their tradition. Lipstick or pretty soaps for the girls, Matchbook cars for the boys and a dollar for the older kids. When I think about it now, several dozen grandchildren meant a big expense at a dollar each back in the 1950s and 60s. The family was big, the laughter loud and the food delicious! MEMERE'S POTATO BAKE (POMME DE TERRE AU GRATIN) 2 pounds all-purpose white potatoes (5-6 medium size potatoes) 1 cup milk 1 cup light cream 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese B...