My good news is that I am co-authoring a cookbook. The downside is that right now and for several weeks I am in a crunch phase with final recipe testing, writing and editing and so my weekly blog posts are not very weekly. Here’s the scoop on the book. Jamie Callison, The Executive Chef of [...]

Tasting beef brisket eluded me most of my life. I am not sure how this happened, considering my Mom grew up on a farm and my childhood was graced with the typical American beef recipes like pot roast and beef stew. So when I tasted it for the first time several years ago at my girlfriend’s [...]

When I initially began writing my blog, someone asked me if I was going to continue with it after the first year. And I thought to myself, why would she ask me that? She went on to explain how the name “A Year at The Table” had implied to her one year. It made sense [...]

For some, cooking is simply about getting food on the table and the faster the better. For many it’s a consuming passion without regard to a time element. And there’s the huge swath of people who fall somewhere in between. That’s where I put myself. But for me and for most of you who follow [...]

I’m sharing my obsession with two different vegetable preparations – Crispy Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Kale Chips. I’ve hesitated to post them because in my commitment to give you a main dish recipe, I hate to take a weekly post with a side dish. The other reason is that cauliflower is supposed to be this [...]

Recipes that use just one pan for cooking intrigue me, especially if they combine the protein, vegetable and carbohydrate all together. But only if they rely on the flavors of the central ingredients and not a can of creamed soup or a package of dry seasoning like the casseroles a generation of us were raised [...]

I am aiming for healthy and easy without sacrificing taste as my recipe priority for the month of January, especially after a December of lengthy meal preparation and consuming copious amounts of sugar, fat and alcohol. So, I’ll start fresh with seafood and hope you will join me with this Picatta style recipe. I have [...]

Christmas seemed to depart as quickly as it arrived this year. I found I hadn’t really done as much preparation as I have in past years and I was left to ask myself why? Having no other definitive reason than both of our kids were living at home this fall after having flown the coop [...]

Trees are budding and flower stems are poking out of the ground here in Seattle, hinting of warmer weather to come. But for now, warm winter soup will still grace my table. I am a lover of beans and especially when they are in a soup. Ever since I read Mark Bittman’s book Food Matters [...]

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Yaki Soba, it’s a Japanese fried noodle dish typically  made by stir-frying noodles with chicken, shrimp or beef and vegetables with a flavorful sauce. You could say it’s the Japanese equivalent of Chinese chow mein. The beauty of it is that it’s an all in one dish with [...]

Ah, such a simple dish, really.  Bread, ham and cheese. I’m tempted to say the French version of our American grilled cheese, but I think it works the other way around. I so distinctly remember my first croque monsieur in Paris at the very hip “le Pain et le Vin” wine bar just around the [...]

Is it spring already, someone.  No, winter carries on and I am a walking irony as I long for warmer temperatures and longer, light filled days, but my body is still craving warm and hearty type dinners. Go figure. So bring on the beef stroganoff.  Years ago, I used to make this recipe all the [...]

I apologize in advance for not providing you with a dinner recipe this week. But honestly I could not resist featuring this recipe because it is one of my absolute favorites and I love making them for Valentine’s  Day. My Grandma Blanche lived her entire life on a farm in North Dakota. She raised 10 [...]

This is one of my go-to simple favorites for an easy dinner. The best part is that you can use this recipe as a template and change it up by substituting fresh lime or orange for the lemon and cilantro for the parsley. It’s also delicious with fresh basil. About the chicken. I am a huge [...]

Coconut Shrimp tend to be considered “restaurant food”, something that most people do not make at home. The lack of a doable recipe, not enough time or unfamiliarity with buying and handling shrimp are possible reasons why people choose not to make them. The recipe I am arming you with here leaves you with no [...]

It’s in the dead of winter that I start longing for ingredients like juicy, ripe tomatoes and fresh basil to toss with pasta. I find my lack of inspiration with ingredients parallel to the cold, dark landscape that accompanies this time of year. One of my favorite winter pasta dishes is this recipe for Spaghetti [...]

Here’s a twist on a classic winter favorite.  Basmati or jasmine rice replaces the more traditional potatoes. It’s your choice whether to simmer it on the stove or in the oven. Wintery Beef Stew With Curry Makes 4-5 servings 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil 2 pounds beef stew meat kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper [...]

Something a little lighter, yet still in the category of wintery warm and hearty… Start to finish this can be on the table and ready to eat in 30 minutes. Happy New Year! Sauteed Rosemary Chicken on Wilted Spinach Makes 4 servings 4 slices bacon, chopped 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds) 1 tablespoon chopped [...]

Quite often I come across people who are not familiar with Petrale Sole. Awareness of this fish is similar to how it behaves at the bottom of the ocean. Shaped like an oval platter with one side of its skin olive brown and the other creamy white, it eludes predators, swimming incognito on the bottom [...]

This Chicken Riviera Salad was a favorite at the restaurant we owned many years ago and even though the restaurant is long gone, my family never tires of eating it. I know it seems a little crazy to grill in the winter, but I think it is a welcome change from what we regularly eat [...]

I think slow cookers are magical as they cook food for you while you are away from the kitchen. In the morning the ingredients go in and when you return later in the day they have turned into something fabulous smelling and wonderful tasting. For this reason they are perfect for taco meat. And while [...]

Who doesn’t like chicken noodle soup. It’s the ideal comfort food. I love it for Sunday night dinner or a weeknight meal. I often deliver it to friends who are feeling under the weather. A touch of tarragon adds a unique flavor to the soup. Some recipes have you make your own stock or broth, [...]

This is a Mexican dish originally created to use leftovers. Tortillas, chicken, cheese and chiles are layered to make a casserole style dish. But don’t use the word “casserole” with your family, because if they are anything like mine they will turn up their nose at the sound of this word. I like to prepare [...]

Here is a possibility for your Valentine’s Day dinner. Not only is this recipe quick and easy, it’s a less expensive way to say I love you than a pricey cut of beef or filet of seafood. I guarantee you will find as many recipe versions for Fettucine Carbonara as the number of people you [...]

  Okay – so this recipe is a little more involved than my last several posts. But believe me, it is worth it. I might suggest making it on a weekend the first time you try it, rather than during the week when you are in a hurry to eat. It still is not going [...]

I first learned about Cajun “blackened” seasoning in the 80’s when Paul Prudhomme made his splash on the culinary scene.  Typically, to prepare blackened fish you dip the fish fillet in butter and then coat it with blackened seasoning and sear it over high heat in a cast iron skillet. It is then served with [...]

This is one of my favorite winter dishes. It is easy to make during the week as it can be prepared start to finish in about an hour. Yet, it is special enough to serve to guests on the weekend. You can use either all chicken breast or thighs or a combination of breasts, thigh [...]

Don’t be mislead by the name of this recipe. It’s not a typical Mexican-style tortilla, but instead a classical Spanish egg dish made with potatoes in the circular shape of a tortilla. This is simple home cooking at its best.  All of the ingredients you can easily keep on hand so you put this together [...]