Crispy Chicken Thighs and Warm Bread Salad and Raw Greenylicious Herb Soup

This meal was a triumph of fresh herbs and not-so-fresh bread. Toasted day-old bread cubes were a crunchy delight in the “Crispy Chicken Thighs & Warm Bread Salad,” from thekitchn.com. I included a beautiful bunch of fresh oregano in my bread salad, rather than arugula. It dazzled us, mild and green.

 

Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs and Roasted Cauliflower with Shallots and Golden Raisins

Take a look at the picture of my rendition of the “Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs,” from the April 2012 issue of Bon Appetit. It looks more like a thick stew, doesn’t it? That’s because my chosen small pasta was fregola, made of toasted semolina that swells into a marvelous chewy nugget. Hearty and crowd-pleasing. We loved this.

 

Shrimp, Kale and Cannellini Bean Casserole and Leek Soup with Dill Oil

Three winning ingredients called out to me from this recipe: the “Shrimp, Kale and Cannellini Bean Casserole,” from theperfectpantry.com. And the panko crumbs and grated parmesan promised a crispy topping. Easy enough to assemble, this casserole lacked the punch that I needed to enjoy it fully. What was missing? A sauce, perhaps?

 

Japanese Miso Soup with Soba Noodles

I’ve been eating miso soup for years, loyal to it ever since I took my first slurp in a Japanese restaurant long ago. And I’ve been making it myself for just as long, knowing how easily I can keep a tub of miso in my refrigerator. Now, my seven-year-old child is a strong advocate of miso soup. What’s not to like? It’s a flavorful, clear broth. My child orders this soup, first thing, when we go to Kiku, our neighborhood sushi place. So, when I saw the recipe for “Japanese Miso Soup with Soba Noodles,” in the February 2012 issue of Cuisine at Home (recipe below), I dared to make it for my child for the first time. Could my soup compare to my child’s favorite restaurant? Read on…

 

Chicken Barley Soup and Gougeres

“Mommy, I LOVE this!” These are musical words, and this is the song that I heard when I served the “Chicken Barley Soup,” from the October 2011 issue of Everyday Food, to my youngster. Such a flavorful broth, full of moist chicken, magnificent carrots, and perfect thyme. Barley’s texture is always phenomenal and crowd-pleasing.

 

Couscous and Cremini Stuffed Bell Peppers with Manchego and New England Fish Chowder

I like making stuffed peppers: they’re pretty and I can fill them with any pleasant food that I want. The recipe for “Couscous and Cremini Stuffed Bell Peppers with Manchego” made me think of Israeli couscous, which is that large pearl couscous that might remind you of the taste/feel of orzo pasta. And the lure of Manchego cheese is too strong for me to ignore.

 

Cold Tomato Soup and Pork Patties

The August 2011 issue of Bon Appetit informally presents the recipe for “Salmorejo (Cold Tomato Soup).” The recipe is so easygoing, in fact, that I was able to step away from my typical summertime gazpacho (see “Camille’s Yellow Gazpacho“) in order to try this one. A salmorejo is also a cold, Spanish tomato soup, but includes bread and almonds in its blend. Let me tell you: it is perfect.

 

Fresh Clam Chowder

I’ve returned from my recent vacation in Nantucket with a hankering for clam chowder. We ate it every day (or so it seemed) while we were there. My young child enjoyed being served a cup of chowder in a coffee mug, in the restaurants. I’ve since researched recipes and quickly confirmed that I would not dare use canned clams in a clam chowder (yikes!). I chose the recipe for “Fresh Clam Chowder,” from cooksrecipes.com, and gladly steamed 18 large cherrystone clams, to make a wonderfully thick chowder.

 

Salmon Pho and Spicy Lentil Tart with Pomegranate and Mint

There’s been a buzz, lately, about the Vietnamese noodle soup known as “pho,” so it’s about time I tried to prepare it. I found an unconventional recipe for “Salmon Pho,” in the June 2011 issue of Cuisine at Home (recipe below), where traditional beef broth is not used. Instead, I used a fishy vegetable broth, where fragrant cilantro stems and fresh ginger simmered. This soup was an exercise in assembly, meaning many components were shredded, chopped, and layered in. The biggest kick was adding the raw slices of salmon to the soup bowls, and allowing the hot broth to cook the salmon right there in your bowl. Neat!

 

Egg and Cheese Casserole with Leeks, Red Pepper, and Bacon and Green Tea Infused Sunroot Soup

Let’s swoon, for a moment, over a frittata. I made the “Egg and Cheese Casserole with Leeks, Red Pepper, and Bacon,” from theperfectpantry.com, knowing that a puffed-up omelet of baked eggs and cheese would win table-wide approval. Always easy, always tasty.