Sides
Looking for a side dish with a new twist? You have come to the right place. Interesting sides can really elevate a meal. This celery root slaw looks like the celeri remoulade I made weekly during my days in Paris. But shhhhhhhhhhhhhh. It’s got two secret ingredients that are a refreshing surprise – white cheddar and grated apple. You cannot tell by looking, but one bite and you’ll be a convert. And this Texmati Rice & Grilled Veggie Bowl is a side that does it all – part salad, part starch, part veggie and 100% tasty.
Do not come here if you are looking for a basic mayo-sodden coleslaw. Mais, no! Firecracker Cole Slaw relies on black sesame seed for the firecrackers, and sour cream and buttermilk for a creamy, yet tangy dressing. And if you love a good Tuscan bread salad – Panzanella, in Italian – here you go. I first came across this concept when working with famed London River Café chefs for the Today Show. Their dressing was a laborious squeezing of fresh tomatoes, but I have subbed in canned tomato juice that not only saves times but gives uniform success, regardless of the season. The salad is colorful, umami-rich with the anchovies, and a site for sore eyes. Best to make it during peak tomato season, though the dressing works all year round. But, don’t miss these Indian spiced potatoes or this corn and tomato salad that I call Everything But the Farmer, Farmers’ Market Salad!!
No-Recipe Charred Asparagus with Aged Balsamic & Manchego
Every now and then – LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND PEOPLE!!! – we deserve a real no-recipe recipe. Just take what you have and make it work. Since you are likely firing up the grill, this is one that you can throw on the side. Or if you are in a real hurry, you can throw...
Spring has Sprung: Edamame and Chickpea Fritters
You say fritters? I say falafel? Whatever you do….do NOT call the whole thing off. Something about these little beauties just screams ..."summer, she’s a-coming”. For me it’s the serious dose of herbs and lemon juice, my besties for brightening flavor. In this...
Mujadara: Good Enough to Give Up Your Birthright?
Muja what? I can hear you from here. Mujadara! You can spell it many ways and you can cook it even more. This dish – a combo of lentils and rice, sassed up with so many wintery spices that you will want it for your BFF – seems a lovely way to break bread and bow...
Julia Child, New York’s Bravest and Shishito Peppers: Live from New York
In this impending season of eating too much – and loving every minute of it – here’s an appetizer that is a real crowd pleaser and won’t bust the gut. Roasted shishito peppers! Super-fast to prep, full of flavor with just an occasional touch of heat, shishito...
My Big Fat Greek Salad
I created this salad earlier this summer – in part because it is so tasty (of course), and in part because it is a starch that is hearty and filling without being potato salad. Yawn. Plus that whole mayo aversion thing I got going. It made its first appearance at...
Meet Katy
Well, hello there! I’m Katy. And I’m all about Palate & Passion & Purpose. I’ve spent my whole life weaving together a passion for food, entertaining, and enjoying family & friends with a purpose for improving the lives of others. There’s no better way to live with purpose than to break bread with others. See how that all came full circle? And…I was lucky enough to make a career out of doing so!