Sorghum is an interesting grain with a rich heritage and unique flavor. Plus it's something of a superhero crop because it's one of the most efficient crops in conversion of solar energy, is environmentally friendly, requires less water than other grain crops and is … Continue reading →
Sweet Pea Risotto with Basil & Pancetta
I've partnered with Aneto to bring you this post! In celebration of Spring, I want to introduce you to a risotto featuring one of early Spring's finest bounties: The garden-fresh sweet pea. Aren't they simply irresistible? We had a really nice harvest of sweet peas last … Continue reading →
BEST Sweet & Sour Sauce
Get ready for a fast, simple, and deeeelicious Sweet & Sour Sauce! This sweet and sour sauce is perfect as a dipping sauce for potstickers, egg rolls, chicken nuggets and anything else your heart desires. Use also to incorporate into your favorite Chinese dishes like … Continue reading →
Lemon Dill Mustard Dressing
Dill has always been one of my favorite herbs. I've had success in growing nearly all of my culinary herbs from seed and planting them in my herb garden, but dill has been a challenge. I've been trying to grow it for the past three years and just haven't had much luck. I … Continue reading →
Authentic Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread)
If you've ever been to an Ethiopian restaurant - certainly if you've ever set foot in Ethiopia - you will have heard of injera. It's a sourdough flatbread unlike any other sourdough. It starts out looking like a crepe but then develops a unique porous and slightly spongy … Continue reading →
Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Soup
It's been a crazy week and I'm ready for the weekend, how about you? I've been nursing a case of strep throat with accompanying fever while still having to meet the day to day demands of taking my kids to their various activities and meeting deadlines of my own. … Continue reading →
Low Carb High Protein Nut & Seed Bread (Paleo)
In an attempt to burn a few excess pounds and to cut back on carbs generally, I've been focusing more on foods high in protein and healthy fats the past few weeks. High protein/high fat foods are more satiating, which means you're less likely to nibble throughout the day, … Continue reading →
Slow Cooker Chinese Fried Rice
Chinese fried rice has always been a favorite of mine, but it's a long process to get it right, to make it the way it's served in restaurants. And during the week I like to keep meals as quick and simple as possible. You too? And so I figured, why not? Practically … Continue reading →
Black Olive & Fig Tapenade with Roquefort
A special thank you to Lindsay® for sponsoring this post. Today's dish features one of the most influential foods in the world's history - olives - and takes us to the Provence region of southern France. Olives were first introduced to Marseilles by the Phoenicians 2500 … Continue reading →
Mozzarella-Stuffed Crispy Portobello Burgers (“One to Five” Cookbook Review + Giveaway!)
I received a copy of Chef Ryan's cookbook for review and all opinions are entirely my own. If you like easy, quick, affordable, and crowd-pleasing dishes (I do!) then you should check out this new cookbook from Chef Ryan Scott which has been endorsed by celebrated chefs … Continue reading →
Olive Rosemary Focaccia (How To Make Authentic Focaccia)
A special thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post! Few things smell better than the sweet aroma of yeast bread baking in the oven. Add to that the fragrance of rosemary and it's pretty much the closest thing to heaven. Focaccia. Rustic and romantic, this … Continue reading →
Caramel Pear Butter
If you're an apple butter fan you've got to try this with pears. A fuss-free recipe utilizing the slow cooker, simply dump in the ingredients and let the slow cooker work its magic. The result is a wonderfully deep, caramelized flavor that comes from slow cooking the pears … Continue reading →
Pistachio Lemon Cheese Balls with Basil & Olives
Thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post and to my readers for supporting the brands that help make The Daring Gourmet possible! Have you been to California? Where did you go and what were your favorite attractions? We've been several times, covering most … Continue reading →
BEST Macaroni Salad
Thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post and to my readers for supporting the brands that help make The Daring Gourmet possible! I know I don't have to tell you this one simple truth, that not all macaroni salads are created equal. Just go to any potluck and … Continue reading →
Burmese Yellow Split Pea Fritters (Baya Kyaw)
If yellow split peas aren't something you use very often, get ready for a fabulous way to put them to use! Crispy, spicy and flavorful, these Burmese yellow split pea fritters can be served as appetizers or the main course with your favorite dipping sauce. They can also … Continue reading →
Lemon Quinoa & Bean Salad
Quinoa is a fascinating food and it has long been lauded for its unique nutritional benefits. For example, you may have heard that it's a complete protein. What that means is that it contains all 9 essential amino acids that your body can't produce on its own but has to … Continue reading →
Southern Black-eyed Pea Salad (or Salsa)
The South has a tradition that goes back to the Civil War and says black-eyed peas bring good luck. Specifically, they bring good luck if they're eaten on New Year's Day. Now I realize I'm a few months late in the good luck game, but if the luck-bringing powers of the … Continue reading →
Authentic Schwäbische Käsespätzle (German Mac and Cheese)
Where I'm from in Stuttgart, Germany this dish is a classic - a quintessential Swabian comfort food dish. Homemade Spätzle are layered with gobs of shredded Emmentaler and geröstete Zwiebeln (caramelized onions) and then baked in the oven. I guess you could say it's … Continue reading →
BEST Authentic Homemade Hoisin Sauce
After some experimenting, I've finally cracked the case for the ultimate hoisin sauce! Hoisin sauce and Chinese food - the two go hand in hand. And if you're like me there have been too many times when you wanted to make a Chinese dish, scanned the ingredients, and … Continue reading →
Roasted Sweet Potato Fettuccine Alfredo
Even though the holidays are long over, our consumption of sweet potatoes doesn't have to be - nor should it be! Find out more about the U.S.history of sweet potato consumption and why you should be eating them throughout the year in my post on Curried Sweet Potato Soup … Continue reading →
Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Cereal
Here in western Washington State we've still got some chilly mornings. This week has been gorgeous here in western Washington and I'm crossing my fingers the weather stays that way for a while, especially while I'm preparing our garden beds outside for our vegetables. But … Continue reading →
BEST Homemade Black Bean Sauce (aka Black Bean Garlic Sauce or Black Bean Paste)
For those of you who know what this is, you already know the wonders it does for your Asian-inspired dishes. You'll also be happy to know how incredibly quick and easy it is to make yourself (all of 15 minutes). PLUS, it tastes even better than store-bought stuff AND you … Continue reading →
Roasted Cauliflower Chowder
This cozy chowder is packed with a myriad of delicious flavors. The star of the show: Roasted cauliflower. This chowder is so good it will even make the cauliflower-haters rethink their position. I've traditionally been fairly lukewarm towards cauliflower and my … Continue reading →
Curried Roasted Sweet Potato Soup with Tarragon
I love creamy soups. Their creamy texture and vibrant flavors all spell "comfort" to me. This deliciously rich and seductively silky soup showcases the sweet potato. An ancient tuber, sweet potatoes have been radiocarbon-dated in the Cook Islands to 1000 AD and are thought … Continue reading →
White Chocolate Cranberry & Pistachio Ice Cream
I've teamed up with Cuisinart to bring you this post. My husband and I were destined to love ice cream. We both come from a family of ice cream lovers. Coincidentally, it was both sets of our grandfathers who were especially passionate about ice cream. Among other … Continue reading →
How To Make The Best Homemade Vanilla Extract
You know a good vanilla extract when you unscrew the bottle and inhale. Lower quality extracts just lack the same depth and combination of fruity and earthy notes in their aroma. Nothing beats quality vanilla. But top quality vanilla extracts are expensive. For quality … Continue reading →
Fettuccine Alfredo + A Case for Tradition: Musso & Frank Grill
Thank you to Bon Appetit for sponsoring this post! The best Fettuccine Alfredo I've had was at Hollywood's oldest restaurant, the Musso and Frank Grill. Not coincidentally there's a reason for this and it goes back nearly 100 years. But first let me take you back … Continue reading →
Roasted Pumpkin Hummus
Thank you to Food Should Taste Good for sponsoring this post! This hummus simply ROCKS! I didn't get to eat as much of it as I would have liked, but I did try enough to know it's delicious. Here's what happened: Yesterday I prepared a healthy lunch for my 3 and … Continue reading →
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Few things say "comfort" like a plate piled high with macaroni and cheese. And I don't mean the boxed kind. I mean plump noodles drenched in a rich and creamy homemade cheese sauce. That's the kind! Well, 'tis the season to be pumpkin and so I've conjured up a truly … Continue reading →
White Bean & Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Dip
I looooove a good dip. Growing up I always had my staple favorites: French onion, sour cream & onion, a variety of cheese dips, and bean dip. In recent years I've really enjoyed experimenting with a variety of flavors and mediums. Here is one we really enjoyed and … Continue reading →
10-Minute Margherita Flatbread Pizzas
Thank you to La Brea Bakery for sponsoring this post! Pizza is pure bliss, don't you think? There's just something about that crispy-chewy bread crust topped with sauce, oozing cheese and any variety of toppings that speaks universal comfort. I enjoy all kinds of … Continue reading →
Creamy Rice Pudding with Yogurt (Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan)
Thank you to Silk for sponsoring this post! Aren't those rice puddings pretty? This recipe for Creamy Rice Pudding is super easy and adds an element of fun and variety by stirring in your yogurt of choice. The yogurt not only makes the rice pudding even creamier, it … Continue reading →
Peter Piper’s Pickled Peppers
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers that Peter Piper picked? (*scratching my head*) Have you ever stopped to really think … Continue reading →
Cream of Zucchini Soup with Gorgonzola
Picture this scenario: You're making a cream of vegetable soup, in this case zucchini, and you grab the half-and-half out of the fridge and start pouring it into the pot. Over a cup's worth later you look at the container in your hand and realize...you're pouring in … Continue reading →
Homemade Pickled Beets
I've always been a fan of pickled beets. I'm not sure how or when this love affair started, but even as a little girl I remember eagerly diving into these, whether at the dinner table or as a quick snack. Beets are healthy and superbly high in a variety of vitamins. I … Continue reading →
French Connection Sandwich (Two Ways)
Partnering with Castello for a Summer of Blue Cheese has a way of reconnecting me to my original home of Europe. Every time I sample some European cheese my mind is taken back to the lands and regions I spent my childhood through young … Continue reading →
Italian Zucchini Fritters
This is just one of several ways I've been trying to use up our plentiful harvest of zucchini. And by plentiful I mean the first crop was 20 pounds!! Second crop was 14 pounds and I haven't even picked the third round yet! We had a little extra room left in our garden … Continue reading →
Homemade Sweet Corn Relish
One of the things I love about canning is that it enables you to enjoy the fresh flavors of Summer produce long after the growing season is over. It's also a great way to make use of sales when you can buy in bulk for a good price and especially if you have your own garden … Continue reading →
Classic Creamy Potato Salad
Potato salads is one of those dishes practically everyone claims they have the best recipe for. Ugh, dangling participle. Okay, let's try that again: Potato salads is one of those dishes for which practically everyone claims they have the best recipe. (Sounds a little … Continue reading →
German Tomato Salad (Tomatensalat)
This is a fresh and vibrantly flavorful Summer tomato salad that is typical of the ones I know and love from Germany. Simple, quick and as easy as 1, 2, 3, all you have to do is cut up the tomatoes, onions, and herbs, prepare the vinaigrette, and pour the vinaigrette over … Continue reading →
