You are an amazing cook. I have been away and bouncing from place to place, so there has not been any cooking on my end. Your daughter who is away must miss your table!

If I were at home (and if my home city were not in the midst of a strange heatwave,) I would make Marcella Hazan's Tricolore Minestrina. It's a potato based soup that is light and delicate. You dice carrots and celery and leave them al dente. I like to top mine with garlic croutons fresh out of the oven so that they sizzle when they land on the soup.

Here is the recipe from Essentials of Italian Cooking:

https://books.google.com/books?id=1FVLv7WS4C4C&pg=PT173&lpg=PT173&dq=marcella+hazan+tricolore+soup&source=bl&ots=UukOrr4l0k&sig=A5loAUWSfjxKer0EnrTCNrm_zjM&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjKnYWB34nXAhWHwiYKHQKrBIQQ6AEIVjAJ#v=onepage&q=marcella%20hazan%20tricolore%20soup&f=false

Goodness, you've been busy, mtn!

I really like the Sweet Tango apples, too, but I'm kind of conflicted about them. They're definitely not GMO--only apple genes in them--but the degree of embryonic/genetic manipulation it took to make them makes me a bit uneasy. For sure you could never achieve them by just crossing apple A with apple B.

This past weekend we had some friends over to watch the Penn State vs Michigan game. I made the White Chicken Chili from Once Upon a Chef. Everyone raved about it and asked for the recipe. If you try it, don't skip the lime... it makes the dish! https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/white-chicken-chili.html

FWIW, The spaghetti pie you posted is a traditional Italian way of using leftovers. We make frittatas out of leftover rice, spaghetti and vegetables (especially the insides of vegetables that are scooped out in order to make things like stuffed tomatoes and zucchini.)

Thank you Mtn for starting this post. Such tasty recipes you girls are all posting.I will have to give some of them a try. My favorites salads and other foods often include shavings of fresh parmesan cheese on top. I don't know about others here but I am starting to find the price getting a little too high lately. But I am having a hard time to give it up.

I will say that besides being an inspired cook the photos of your food is beautiful!

Martha, Those are not my photos! Goodness! : )

Lyban, I think there are other hard cheeses that are close to parmesan in flavor; they may be a better bargain? Or try Costco?

Cindy, what are these: Rancho Gordo cranberry beans. Canned or fresh? Can you post your recipe?

Rita, I have had spaghetti pie before but not w whole wheat pasta. It does change it, but we all liked it.

Prep, I don't make chili. I like it but I just have never made it for the family, not sure if they'd like the beans. I would like it though! Thanks for posting the link.

Writersblock, Not so much, I just have kept track of new things the past several weeks. I didn't know that about Sweet Tango. Hmm, what do you think about it?

Rita, Not really. Amazing cooks make up their own recipes! I'm a good rule follower. That soup sounds very good; I'm making it. Funny you should mention Marcella. A few weeks ago the NYT had an article about canned tomatoes, taste testing them. In the article they mention Marcella's famous sauce. Good canned tomatoes, butter, a whole onion. Cook it like 45 min, remove the onion. I know it sounds too simple but I think the sauce is TDF! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015178-marcella-hazans-tomato-sauce

I also planned to make another recipe she is known for, Cooked celery with tomato and proscuitto, but my plans changed and then I used the proscuitto in a salad. It sounds interesting though; I was going to make it for Unusual Italian night with our cooking club. FWIW, https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Sedano-e-Pomodori-Brasati-Braised-Celery-and-Tomato

These all look good. I haven't done a lot of cooking lately. DH has been away on business a lot and I've been doing mostly simple, no recipe food. Our farm share and eggs have gotten ahead of us, so we have some cooking to do when he gets back.

BTW, if you've never done a farm share or CSA membership, we've found it a great way to enjoy the freshest produce, sometimes try something new and seek out new ways to cook familiar items. It's been fun.

I didn't know that about Sweet Tango. Hmm, what do you think about it?

I'm glad you asked, since it made me think about why these new apples (there are many, including Honeycrisp) make me uneasy.

It's not that I object to people messing around with the development of fruit so much. I realize that since Hiroshima we've been irradiating seeds to see what would happen, for instance. But I think I'm dead against the new apples and also all those new grapes, and here's why.

First of all, it's primarily a way of giving Big Ag a grip on the few kinds of food they don't already control. These new fruits are all patented to death and you can't just order seeds or stock and plant an orchard or a vineyard. They are expensive to produce and the folks who produce them also have the deep pockets to make sure that they get the space in the grocery store.

For instance, I never see Thompson Seedless or Red Globe grapes in our stores here anymore, only things like Cotton Candy, Witches' Fingers, and so on. While the old varieties sell for about $2 lb around here, these are usually over $4, so I don't buy many grapes now because I really can't afford to do that very often.

Also, the main focus for all of these (although with apples they're a tad more sophisticated in what they seek) is brix over everything. I find old varieties that are well grown are plenty sweet enough for me. I don't need fruit to taste like candy.

So yeah, it makes me think of what happens when only these varieties are considered worth growing anymore. Personally, I prefer open-pollinated fruits/veggies to hybrids whenever it's feasible, so no, I'm not really in favor of SweeTango, even though it's an amazing-tasting apple. But 100% for sure Joe the organic farmer down the road isn't going to be growing it.

writer's block, thank you! I feel the same way. We are lucky where I live to have a fabulous farmer's market, with locally grown produce, including some old fashioned apple varieties. What I can't get there, I can usually find at my food - coop, all organic and as local as possible. But still, here I am living in the #1 apple producing state in the nation, yet toward the end of winter my co-op has to buy apples from New Zealand! Only reason I can imagine is that all these new varieties aren't good keepers and there is none in storage to get us through the winter. I love Braeburns, but no one can get them anymore from WA (organically grown at least) because the farmers are cutting down all their trees to plant the new patented varieties. Ugh!!

I made this the other night. It is called Chicken Calabrese. Here is a link to the video and recipe. Also, a photo from the website.

It is chicken, basil, garlic, parmesan and mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, white wine etc.

It was delicious!! I highly recommend it.

https://www.recipe30.com/chicken-calabrese-style.html/

I recently made this delicious recipe from the NY Times. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016135-rishia-zimmerns-chicken-with-shallots?action=click&module=RecipeBox&pgType=recipebox-page&region=all&rank=5

I subbed thyme for tarragon, since I have it in my garden. And used boneless, skinless thighs. I also used 1/2 C vermouth and 1 1/2 C unsalted stock. It was delicious. Served it with egg noodles and oven roasted broccoli. (photo from NY Times website)

I had never heard of spaghetti pie before this week and then I hear of it twice in two days. Isn't it funny how that happens?

My FIL is in rehab and my husband mentioned they served him spaghetti pie, which he didn't eat so my SIL ate it! The dietician had just reported that she's pleased that he eats 70% of his meals. But does he or does my SIL? If they wonder why he isn't gaining strength maybe they should forbid her from visiting during meal times.

Localeater, I've made that NY Times recipe several times and completely agree -- it is sooo good! My brother-in-law insists he could eat just the sauce with bread as a meal!

Ok, Local, I saw that recipe before in the NYT but never got around to it. I will now!

HHireno, That is funny! I think we had posted on here before about how the elderly eat, esp when in rehab or hospitals, nursing homes or even just assisted living. (they don't like veggies, etc, eat like kids). Someone on that thread pointed out you wouldn't like veggies either prepared from cans. So anyway, your story reminds me of what my (90ish) mom said about the Sweet Tango apples. When I visit I bring a picnic, esp fruit and cheese and crackers, her faves. I sliced some apple for her and she pronounced it "the best apple she had ever had in her life". It occurred to me that she probably never gets something like a nice crisp apple ... i bet most of the fruit is canned. NO wonder it tasted good!

AKT, I know my family would like that. Is it sort of like chicken parm but not breaded? Looks yummy.

WB, this time of yr in New england we are blessed for choice. I will make sure to give some of our apple business to locals. My whole family is eating 2+ apples a day now they r so good.

Las, We should do that. There is a waiting list for the local one. ONe good thing is it helps answer "what shall i make?" We have a nice fenced garden w raised beds and irrigation, and we used to grow lettuces, herbs, scallions, beets, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, carrots, cukes, pumpkin, watermelon, broccoli, cauliflower and haricots verts. But now that we spend most the summer in Maine it makes no sense so it lies fallow. : (

We have raised beds and grow mostly tomatoes and peppers -- some squash, eggplant, cukes, beans, lettuce, herbs. We haven't had much luck with pumpkins or watermelon though -- critters claim them before they are ready. We can a lot of the tomatoes, make salsa and such, so we use all the veggies. Picking up a box plus eggs today, in fact.

ATK, that looks so good. We have a few cherry tomatoes left and are getting more today. I think we will have to try that. Last batch went into a pasta sauce. We have also made this recipe several times -- as written and adding crumbled Italian Sausage. The recipe is from Food Network, credited to The Boston Bean, but is no longer on their site, so I am including it here. (Found a sweet potato gnocchi recipe I am going to have to try while looking for it..) I found the cooking times might be a bit on the long side, so watch and adjust as needed. If the sauce gets a bit dry, you can add a splash of the cooking water and/or a splash of wine. Sorry I didn't save the photo, but it's amazing.

Gnocchi W/ Garlic, Spinach, Mushroom & Grape Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup butter ( more or less)

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 -2 minced shallot

1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes

1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced ( crimini or white button) (we use brown)

1 1/2 cups fresh Baby Spinach ( frozen spinach work well too, just SQUEEZE the water out)

1 teaspoon thyme

kosher salt and pepper

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

10 ounces gnocchi, cooked according to directions (the ones from TJs work great here)

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1 tbsp of butter with 1/2 tsp of olive oil (this prevents the butter from burning) over med heat until melted. Add garlic and shallots. Cook 1-2 minutes, until soft.

Add cherry tomatoes and kosher salt to taste. Cook 8 minutes on low heat covered, until soft.

Add mushrooms and 1 tbsp of butter. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add baby spinach and thyme. Cook low for 5-8 more minutes. (Add cooked sausage if using).

Add 1 -2 tbsp more butter and a tiny bit of water to make a sauce to coat. Add pepper. Turn off heat, add Parmesan and hot cooked gnocchi.

Fun thread! I have already marked down a couple of these recipes to try. If you are in the mood for a fall-flavored biscotti, I made this last week. If you want to try it, here's the recipe (sorry, no link to it online):

Pumpkin Seed Cranberry Biscotti

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1/4 c canola oil

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract ( I use vanilla paste)

1/2 tsp almond extract

1-3/4 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 c salted pumpkin seeds or pepitas, toasted (I used pepitas)

1/2 c dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 d F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; combine. In medium bowl, beat sugar, eggs, oil and extracts. Gradually add dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture and mix well. Stir in seeds and cranberries. Dough will be sticky. Divide dough into two; place both onto a prepared baking sheet (coated with cooking spray). With lightly floured hands, shape each into a 12x2" rectangle. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and cool on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice with a serrated knife into 3/4" slices. Place slices, cut side down, onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes longer, watching closely, until lightly browned. Remove, flip over slices, and bake an additional 5 or 10 minutes until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container. Or eat them all immediately (J/K)

Love this thread! Trying one of the dishes tonight - not sure which yet. One recipe I have been making at least 2-3 times per month is Pinchos Morunos (Spanish pork bites). So simple, can prep the pork in advance which takes 5-10 minutes, and so delicious. It calls fro smoked paprika - I have made with smoked and with regular. The smoked really does add a good flavor, but it was still good with just regular paprika. I serve over rice or with a salad. This recipe is from Milk Street, Christopher Kimball's new adventure. It is locked down for members only on his site but this blogger made it and posted. Photo from her blog.

http://suesseasonalpalate.com/2016/12/10/december-10-2016-pinchos-morunos/

Mtn., Rancho Gordo are dried heirloom beans. Always read how good they were and I finally decided to give them a try. https://www.ranchogordo.com/

Artillery, that sounds really good! Did you remove the breasts before adding the tomatoes & garlic?

Localeater, saving yours too.

Aktillery, making your recipe tonight! Looks so good.

theclose, hope you love it! That Spanish pork looks yummy!

lascatz, that looks yummy!

Cindymac, no we kept the breasts in the pan the entire time.

So many great ideas here. Cindymac, you mentioned Cassouset. DH made it for dinner on Monday night and it was out of this world. He used a new to us recipe:Slow Cooker Cassoulet

My most recent new recipe was the original Toll House cookie, made with shortening instead of butter. It was an interesting experiment. We liked them, but not as much as the recipe with butter! I had to give about 3 dozen away to friends for a taste test, and to keep us from going back for more.

Toll House Cookies- a reveal

And last week I made spinach lasagna:

Bonnieann, I've never had cassoulet. This is the one I plan to try. Maybe next week.

https://www.prouditaliancook.com/2017/09/cassoulet-italian-style.html

Your spinach lasagna looks good!

These are some great new ideas. Thanks to Mtn for starting it.

I made this Carmelized Onion, Tomato and Feta Cheese Tart to take to a friend’s house recently. I had an abundance of fresh yellow and red cherry tomatoes so it was also pretty. Everyone raved about it. Except for the time in carmelizing the onions, it’s very easy. The original recipe called for goat cheese but I used Feta and was glad I did as our host had a couple of appetizers with goat cheese so it would have been an overload. And I’m not a huge fan of goat cheese really.

2 sheets puff pastry, thawed

1 to 1-1/2 cups carmelized onions

1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme

12-16 oz fresh cherry tomatoes, halved (I used a mix of red and yellow)

4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

Thaw 2 sheets frozen puff pastry sheets, either 24hours in refrigerator or 30 min - 1 hour on counter.

Carmelize 2-3 medium-large onions (1 onion makes about 1/2 cup carmelized but I like to use extra on this tart). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper.

Unfold a pastry onto lightly floured counter. Roll each pastry into a 10-inch square. (Can make into more of a 9x11 rectangle if desired to fit a cookie sheet.) Transfer to prepared baking sheets. Lightly brush a half inch border along edge of pastry with water; fold edges of pastry over 1/2inch to make a raised border.

Stir together onions and thyme. Spread onion mixture in an even layer over pastry, avoiding raised border. Arrange tomatoes and Feta cheese evenly over onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bake until pastry is puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer tart to cooling rack and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to cutting board, slice and serve.

I made Baked Ziti the other night. It was similar to the baked spaghetti in some ways in that I made it with andouille sausage and baked it in an iron skillet. So easy and we had lots left over. DH really liked it and it was quite easy.

Rita your recipe made me smile. I cooked in an Italian restaurant years ago and frequently made that Marcella recipe. The late Mrs Hazan also has 2 unusual "ugly but good" recipes: Pork braised in milk --fabulous paired withe her rather rich Polenta Romana and also a recipe for Broccoli braised in red wine. Both are satisfying winter fare.

Aktillery, delicious!! It’s similar to a recipe we’ve done quite a bit over the last year, but less complicated. Easy to put together. Thank you!!

lisaam, I make the pork in milk with the polenta Romana as well, but I missed the drunken broccoli somehow. I will try that as soon as I get home next week.

Man, that simple tomato sauce with the butter and onion is surprisingly good- really outstanding.

Yes, you are right about the tomato sauce recipe, simple and very nice flavor

Yes, my family loves that sauce now and there's no excuse not to make it, it is so easy.

The chicken recipe from the NYT was not beloved by all. I followed it exactly, and it may have been too much wine. And I went to a lot of trouble to find fresh tarragon, which might have made me overuse it. It almost had an anise quality. I liked it, didn't love it , and the kids were "eh".

Quick question : I am making dinner for a theatre group, maybe 16, to take to the school. I agreed to do tacos. I will take a crockpot with groundbeef browned up with Alton's Brown spice recipe, and all the fixings. Question, though ... what should I have as a vegetarian option?

TIA

i have a couple of ideas..

1. a friend made the cauliflower tacos from Thug Kitchen's cookbook. They were very good-- but honestly too many steps and layers I'd think for a lunch to take to the school. I would consider a variation though with some kind of spiced cauliflower.

2. I don't eat taco meat but I do make a hybrid fajita taco.. basically, roasted or grilled vegetables eaten with like a taco. It's easy and very tasty .. and also the right flavor profile. I usually do at least onions, red and yellow peppers and zucchini (other veggies as available)... and a combo of cayenne, chipotle and chili powder.

3. Not quite tacos but I make a great dish that's more like a burrito.. black beans in a flour tortilla with cilantro lime rice (I also do a variation with the veggies above). I made them for a niece last spring and they are now in her regular meal rotation. Very easy, they keep surprisingly well... and the cilantro lime rice is yum! I made them up in the morning, wrapped them in foil (like Neato Burrito does) and put them in the fridge. I served them much later in the day sliced in half and at room temperature.

Here's a recipe I found a while back. It turned out to be so delicious, that I make it every few weeks now.

BUTTERNUT PUFFS WITH SPINACH AND BROWN BUTTER

Prep Time: 10 minutes/ Bake Time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 half butternut squash
• 2 TBS flour
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 TBS butter
• 1 cup baby spinach, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F
2. Cover a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Place squash in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 8 minutes of high. Let cool.
4. Peel and cube squash. Put in blender or food processor with flour, cheese, egg and egg yolk. Blend on high until smooth and completely combined.
5. Spoon mixture into a baggie. Cut off one small end and pipe onto the cookie sheet into "tots" approx. 1"x1" or 1"x 1/2". This recipe should make about 30 tots.
6. Bake for 20 min.
7. In the meantime, add the butter to a small saucepan over a med-low heat. Continue to stir the butter until it turns brown and foamy. There should be little bits of brown in the mixture, but make sure not to burn it.
8. When tots are done, place in a serving bowl along with the spinach. Pour browned butter over. Toss quickly and gently to wilt the spinach some and coat the tots. Sprinkle with a bit more Asiago and serve.

Ohh Lynn that looks yummy!

Funky, the black bean burritos seem like a good idea, thx! I was thinking spinach quesadillas but worry about transport.

We just had this for dinner, a Cooking Light Slow cooker recipe.

I pickled cukes in addition to daikon.

Slow Cooker Korean Pork Lettuce Wraps

Mtn: you can make up a batch of TVP (Total Vegetable Protein). It will look very much like cooked ground beef, and can be seasoned with cumin, garlic, onion, and whatever you season your ground beef with for tacos. You can cook it in water or vegetable broth. Drain and then season. Just make sure that you label which is which, as they will look and taste very similar. BTW, you can buy TVP at places like Whole Foods and probably Trader Joes, etc. on the aisle where they sell their bagged grains like bulgur, quinoa, etc.

Mtn: Ever since you first mentioned making Spring Rolls and posted that recipe, I've been making them myself . . . but not with beef. I use either shrimp or pork. I tried tofu, too, but didn't much care for it like that.

I was having a bit of a time because the first batch of "spring roll skins" stuck to my quartz counter, then to a thin cotton towel, then to waxed paper (LOL). I also had difficulty getting the rolls tight enough. But, they turned out delicious. The next day I was having my nails done and mentioned to the Vietnamese guy who always does my nails about my making them. He's a great guy and a good cook (better than his wife by far, so he does most of the cooking). He and the other nail technicians gathered around me, all giving me helpful hints . . . and all were horrified that the original recipe called for beef (LOL)! And so, I'm getting better and better. I was coached to not let the skins set in the warm water for the advised time, as they continue to soften once out. And to make them on a wood cutting board. I do use cooked quinoa in place of the rice, as we don't eat rice. They all shook their heads at the quinoa, too. I tried at first making the rolls without rice, quinoa or the like. Bad move! Now, though, with the quinoa, shrimp, shredded carrots and greens, etc. they almost look restaurant worthy. Thanks again for the recipe!

I love making fresh spring rolls. I don't think I have tried rolling them on a wood cutting board. My china plates work as good as anything I have tried. They are a great way to use leftovers -- I just don't think about them often enough.

My friend who brought them to cooking club does them for parties a lot, which is a good idea. They are kind of creative, tactile, and you can put almost anything in them. She does a buffet with assorted proteins, noodles or rice, herbs, veggies raw or pickled, etc. People who have not done it before are pretty intrigued by the wraps, which look like plastic place mats before you put them in water.

ETA - one reason i like to use beef is because our local grocery store roasts their own and it is very good. So it is really a no-cook meal. I suppose the same it true if you use rotisserie chicken but we only eat organic meat and they can be hard to find.

Mtn let me know if you want a recipe for the rice-- I grabbed it off the internet but I did store it. I used my own Cuban black bean recipe (from my head) and the same with the grilled/roasted veggies. The rice is really key because it's so light and "bright" with the lime and cilantro. One tip-- don't be delicate with the salt!

Lynn that butternut recipe looks great! I can't wait to try it!

Black Beans and Rice: my Cubano friends call that dish Moors y Christianos (Moors and Christians) . Love the dish and have always gotten a kick out of the name.