by Martha on August 7, 2009
It’s hard to beat boiled corn on the cob, especially when it is in season and freshly picked.
Boiling is the quickest, easiest, tastiest way to prepare fresh corn. Many people prefer grilling corn on the cob but I don’t think it is worth the extra time and effort.
Since boiling corn on the cob is one of those things we only tend to do a few times a year, it is easy to forget the details such as how long to boil it. And even for a recipe as simple as this, there are several varying opinions for how to boil corn on the cob. Some suggest salting the water, others to cover the pot.
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by Martha on July 28, 2009
I learned how to make egg salad in a serious way when I worked in my friend Colleen’s cafe several years ago. Her egg salad recipe was the simplest I’d ever seen and I’m still amazed at how many egg salad sandwiches were ordered.
It goes to show that often with cooking, as with life, simple is best.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy egg salad is spread on toast or an english muffin for an open-faced egg salad breakfast sandwich.
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by Martha on July 24, 2009
Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
Potato salad is a summertime classic. I can’t imagine a picnic or backyard barbecue without a big bowl of potato salad - the classic creamy kind.
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by Martha on August 14, 2008
T his simple corn salad is a wonderful way to take advantage of the delicious fresh corn flooding the markets at this time of year. The corn looked so fresh and delicious when I shopped Sunday morning I ended up buying way more than I needed and have been looking for ways to use it ever since. We’ve enjoyed corn fritters, corn chowder and this delicious simple summer corn salad that can be tossed together in one bowl.
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by Martha on July 24, 2008
This is a tasty pasta salad recipe perfect for hot summer evenings or toting to picnics and potlucks. It makes a big batch of pasta salad that keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.
I love it because it is full of tasty, colorful vegetables - red and green bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives - and dressed with a tangy vinaigrette.
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by Martha on July 20, 2008
I love potato salad and always seem to be experimenting with variations.
Growing up Mom only ever made potato salad one way - with lots of mayonnaise.
We liked it.
While I still love creamy potato salads, these days I prefer French style potato salads dressed with vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise.
The first potato salad sans mayo I ever made was called Greek Potato Salad. I think it came from one of Susan Branch’s beautifully illustrated cookbooks, possibly Heart of the Home, but I can’t be sure since many of my cookbooks, including that one, are in Wisconsin while I’m here in Phoenix. Is there such a thing as cookbook separation anxiety? If there is, I’ve got it.
Be forewarned, this potato salad recipe will only work for people who like feta cheese. If you don’t, you will probably have a similar reaction to the one my husband had when he tasted it - yuck!
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by Martha on May 28, 2008
T his simple salad has become a recent favorite around our house. I can’t seem to get enough since first making it at The Conscious Gourmet Cooking Retreat I attended in Sedona with my sister last month. All of the food was delicious, but this was a revelation — how can something so simple be so good?
With just three ingredients — romaine, dill, and scallions — and a simple vinaigrette, I find myself turning to it regularly.
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