This is terrific with Roasted Chicken with Artichokes, Lemon, and Onions, stuffed into bell peppers, or as stuffing in a whole chicken.
For even more flavor, just prior to serving, add grated lemon zest,
Posts Tagged → the $50 dinner party (cookbook)
Curried Rice-Stuffed Peppers
This is a wonderful side or luncheon dish. The rice can also stand alone. Ben, my 10-year-old son, and Michael, my 21-year-old nephew, both love this dish.
Continue readingFour-Cheese Pasta
Mac and Cheese for grown-ups.
Continue readingMacaroni and Cheese
Finally, a Mac and Cheese that kids will love and parents will be happy to serve.
Continue readingBaked Pasta with Mozzarella and Tomato
You could call this lazy man’s lasagna, but it’s really a cross between lasagna and Mac and Cheese. It’s a perfect solution when you want the taste of lasagna but don’t want to do all the work. Assemble it in the morning and bake it at night.
Continue readingSpaghetti and Meatballs
The secret to forming meatballs is to keep your hands wet, which prevents the meat from sticking to your fingers. These meatballs, along with provolone cheese and your favorite sandwich trimmings, can also be stuffed inside a baguette or a sub.
Continue readingLinguini with Shrimp and Feta Cheese
This dish tastes wonderful at room temperature, which means you can make it ahead of time if you’re expecting dinner guests. Prepare the sauce early in the day and then cook the pasta later. Dinner can be on the table in 10 minutes.
Continue readingFettuccini Alfredo
Creamy and rich, this is the pasta my children beg for. (In fact, my daughter, Lauren, swears she could eat it every day.) And yet there’s nothing childlike about it.
Continue readingPasta with Creamy Tomato Sauce
I’ve been making this creamy, chunky pasta sauce since I was in college, and while I have endlessly altered it, it never diverges too far from the original.
Continue readingPasta with Smoked Salmon
Smoked Salmon doesn’t last very long in my house, but on those rare occasions when there is some left over from a Sunday brunch, this pasta salad offers a perfect vehicle to use it up.
Continue readingPasta with Artichoke Hearts
I hate to admit it (but must) that adding marinated artichokes to hot pasta sounds bizarre but in reality truly delightful. This dish can be made more substantial by adding poached or grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, and/or fresh mozzarella cubes.
Continue readingPasta with Garlic and Olive Oil
At Italian restaurants they call this pasta aglio e olio, but no matter the name, it’s a quick and easy dish, great for a late-night supper when there’s really nothing in the pantry. If you’re lucky enough to have a loaf of bread or the ingredients for a Caesar salad, you have yourself a fine meal.
Continue readingNo-Nonsense Ten-Minute Pasta Sauce
This sauce is the perfect one to make when there seems to be nothing in the house.
Continue readingPortobello Mushroom Pizza
This isn’t really side dish but rather a light summer supper or a lunch. My daughter, Lauren, loves these; she often takes them to school and reheats them in the microwave. These “pizzas” can be endlessly varied by adding cooked vegetables, pepperoni, roasted garlic, caramelized onions, or basically whatever you’d like on a pizza. Serve with a tossed salad.
Continue readingSpicy Roasted Potatoes with Cilantro, Peppers, and Scallions
Strong flavors make this new twist on roasted potatoes more flavorful, if not quite as versatile – and frankly, hard to stop eating. It’s good with simpler dishes like hamburger, grilled steak, and chicken. Try it instead of hash browns or home fries with eggs.
Continue readingRoasted Potatoes
This classic steakhouse side is a healthy alternative to French fries and a great breakfast accompaniment (without the garlic if you choose). You can substitute 1½ to 2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams for the new potatoes, or better yet, cook half each.
Continue readingPotato Gratin (or, in Boston, Scalloped Potatoes)
I owned a grain pan (a shallow oval enamel pan) for about 10 years before I ever used it. Somehow the pan just begged for a real gratin and this one was just what I dreamed of: creamy and rich with a crusty top. Finally, a gratin worth having a pan for.
Continue readingMashed Potatoes
Nothing says comfort food like mashed potatoes. Serve them with meatloaf or anything else. Form leftovers into patties and cook them like a burger, or mix them with shredded cheese and bake in a casserole for an easy version of scalloped potatoes.
Continue readingPan-Roasted Asparagus
This is my favorite way to cook asparagus, and it can be served with almost anything. Leftovers can be used in salads and omelets.
Continue readingRoasted Broccoli with Garlic and Ginger
Even die-hard broccoli haters will be persuaded to try tis spicy variation.
Continue readingMaple Cookies
I decided to make molasses cookies one night after putting the kids to bed, but I was out of molasses. So I decided to substitute maple syrup. These cookies turned out to be just what I was looking for: crisp on the edges and chewy in the center.
Continue readingHazelnut Shortbread
Makes about 4 dozen.
Continue readingPecan Sugar Cookies
Makes about 5 dozen.
Continue readingGingersnaps
If you like your gingersnaps extra gingery, add one tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger.
Continue readingChocolate Chip Cookies
I spent literally years and hundreds of dollars coming up with what I think is the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Perfect for me, I should say. I was looking for something that was like the cookie dough I used to slice and bake as a kid and something that was like the kind of cookie that my grandmother’s cook, Delia, made. So good, in fact, it made no difference if you left the chocolate chips out. To me, these are the ideal cookie: crunchy, not too sweet, lots of nuts. If you’re looking for soft and chewy, keep looking.
Continue readingCrispy Cocoa Cookies
These are my favorites.
Continue readingCrème Brûlée
If you love crème brûlée, it’s worth investing in individual 4- to 6-ounce ramekins. It doesn’t work well in a larger one.
Continue readingGrilled Asparagus
Serves 6.
Continue readingAna Sortun’s Brine-Cured Grilled Pork Loin with Spanish Tomato Salsa
Although the pork must be cured overnight, this is a deceptively easy dish. Simply make the brine, add the pork and forget about it. The next day, about an hour before you’re ready to eat, make the salsa and voila, dinner’s on the table.
Continue readingVanilla Ice Cream with Roasted Peaches and Gingerroot
Serves 6.
Continue readingWatercress Salad with Orange Segments
You could substitute pink grapefruit, tangerines, or clementines.
Continue readingSpicy Scallops with Cashews
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients – most of them can be found in your pantry. The Asian ingredients can be found in a well-stocked supermarket or specialty foods store. If you have to buy them just for this dish, they keep indefinitely and you’ll find lots of ways to use them in everyday cooking. The versatile sauce can be used with shrimp and a finishing or basting sauce for grilled scallops, shrimp, or chicken. It can be prepared right before you cook or hours ahead, which makes it a sure bet when you don’t have a lot of time.
Continue readingLemon-Glazed Pecan and Coconut Squares
Very tart and very sweet.
Continue readingGrilled Shrimp Skewers
Serves 6.
Continue readingChilled Summer Minestrone
This soup uses the best vegetables of spring and summer.
Continue readingChicken Fricassee
Old-fashioned but wonderful, this is a perfect example of why classic dishes never die.
Continue readingNectarine, Strawberry, and Blueberry Crunch
This is the kind of dessert I can’t refuse. Feel free to substitute different fruits or add a drizzle of heavy cream or a dollop of ice cream.
Continue readingRoasted New Potatoes
Garlic and rosemary make this simple side dish something special.
Continue readingRoasted Ratatouille
Ratatouille is a great dish for experimentation. Although the usual method is to sauté the vegetables, I find that roasting them nets an even richer result.
Continue readingTuna Au Poivre
Cynthia Stuart, one of my oldest and dearest friends, gave me this recipe. It’s pure Cynthia: low in calories and fat, deceptively easy to make, pretty to look at, and high in flavor and jammed with black pepper. It’s also great made with salmon.
Continue readingVanilla Ice Cream with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce and Raspberries
When I say bittersweet, I really mean it: This sauce is a perfect bitter contrast to the sweet creamy ice cream. If you want it a little sweeter, add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar. This is also great drizzled on pound cake.
Continue readingRomaine Salad with Arugula, Roquefort Cheese, and Pears
This salad is a perfect combination of texture and flavor. I could eat it every night and with almost anything. Feel free to replace the pear with an apple or, my favorite, pink grapefruit sections.
Continue readingBouillabaisse with Rouille
Most recipes for bouillabaisse call for fish broth to be made as their first part of the recipe. If you are the type to make fish broth, you probably have a recipe for it; if not, no recipe I could include would induce you to make it. You can go to a good fish market or specialty store and purchase ready-made fish broth or substitute a mixture of two cups bottled clam juice and two cups water.
Continue readingChocolate Mousse Torte
I’ve adapted this torte from a recipe by Maida Heatter, but I wish I’d invented it myself: it’s such a perfect luscious ending to dinner. Half the mousse is cooked to make a crust and the other half is chilled to form the filling.
Continue readingSeared Greens
Serves 6.
Continue readingMashed Sweet Potatoes
My daughter, Lauren, who has no interest in potatoes, thinks that eating sweet potatoes, either baked or mashed this way, is about the best dinner she could have. Luckily, I, too, could eat these every night.
Continue readingSpicy Mustard Steaks
Be careful not to over-marinate the tips or they’ll get stringy. Alternatively, you can cook the tips without the mustard mixture and then toss them with it afterward.
Continue readingEngagement Brownies
Even before my husband proposed to me, his father did. He tasted these brownies and wanted to be sure he had a steady supply.
Continue readingLeek Mashed Potatoes
Leeks, which are sweeter and more subtle than onions, are said to last in the refrigerator for two weeks, but I find that they often become slimy so I purchase them only when I need them.
Continue readingPan-Steamed Spinach
When dishes are served on a bed of spinach, they are called Florentine because when Catherine de Medici left her home in Florence in the 1500s to marry the king of France, she brought along her own cooks to prepare spinach, her favorite vegetable. Lacking a wealth of recipe ideas and needing some versatility, they often served the spinach underneath whatever they were making. Nevertheless, this is a great way to serve spinach.
Continue readingGrilled Salmon Steaks with Citrus and Lime
I got this recipe from my friend Nancy Olin, who got it from her stepfather, Bob Raives, who cut it out of a newspaper, but he no longer remembers which one. It’s gone through enough changes to avoid a lawsuit, but if you’re the author, my congratulations on an amazing dish and my apologies for not acknowledging you.
Continue readingCheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
I first made this Joy of Cooking-inspired recipe when I was in high school and, after trying many versions, I still feel that there is none better. Later, when I was in college and came home from vacations, I used to make this for my brother Peter, who was then a tall, skinny teenager with a frighteningly voracious appetite. Not one to wait for anything, he rarely allowed it to chill and instead, promptly devoured the whole thing. I wanted him to wait for it to be just right, but even so, I was flattered at his inability to do so.
Continue readingSalad of Arugula, Avocado, and Mango
This salad is a combination of bitter, buttery, and sweet.
Continue readingPotato Cake with Garlic and Olive Oil
Mashed potatoes with a flair.
Continue readingGrilled Marinated Flank Steak with Soy, Sherry, and Dijon
I was a vegetarian for 15 years until one cool, breezy summer night that followed a very hot, very sticky summer day. I visited a friend who was grilling flank steak on his Cambridge deck. The smell of just about anything grilled is seductive, but the aroma of the steak knocked me right off my feet. I’ve been eating meat ever since, and although I don’t often cook it, it’s one of my favorite things to eat at restaurants. I cook it at home on special occasions, always cooking more than I need, because I love to eat it cold the next day, sprinkled with lots kosher salt and black pepper.
Continue readingGreen Salad with Creamy Orange Dressing
Serves 6.
Continue readingCorn Bread
This can be made the day before, but I like it hot out of the oven, slathered with unsalted butter and honey.
Continue readingThree-Bean Chili with Tons of Garnishes
It is a great relief to make the chili ahead of time since the garnishes can take some time to prepare. If you don’t have enough small bowls for the condiments, use hollowed-out orange halves, wine glasses, or any small container.
Continue readingJake and Earl’s Six-Layer Bars with Chocolate, Pecans, and Coconut
Chris Schlesinger, chief owner of East Coast Grill, and Cary Wheaton, co-owner of Full Moon, two of my favorite Boston restaurants, used to own Boston’s best barbecue joint, Jake and Earl’s Dixie BBQ. Jake and Earl’s, which is now closed, served these amazing Six Layer Bars, but, for some reason, neither East Coast Grill nor Full Moon continue to carry them. So, if you’re dying for one, you’ve got to make it yourself. Here it is, layer for layer.
Continue readingGrilled Pineapple and Avocado Salad with Walnut Oil Vinaigrette
Although this combination may be difficult to imagine, it is quite wonderful.
Continue readingPolenta Triangles
You can certainly serve this polenta soft, right out of the pan, but if you want to make it ahead of time, pan-frying it is very simple.
Continue readingSpice-Rubbed Catfish
Catfish is an underused fish with a bad reputation for having little taste and little texture. But I like the way its unassuming taste and texture contrast with the spices in this dish.
Continue readingChilled Corn Soup with Tomatoes, Red Peppers, and Cilantro
Made from the last summer corn and best summer tomatoes, this soup should be made with only the freshest ingredients. Don’t be tempted to substitute canned or frozen; it won’t be the same.
Continue readingHazelnut Torte with Chocolate Glaze
Boston photographer Peter Vanderwarker gave me this fabulous recipe about 18 years ago, but I remember few of the details.
Continue readingPasta Alfredo with Broccoli Rabe
This is a quick and easy pasta dish that takes no longer to make than the time it takes to boil the spaghetti. It is a perfect introduction for those who haven’t tried broccoli rabe, but if you know you don’t like it, substitute spinach.
Continue readingProscuitto-Wrapped Mango Slices
Salty and sweet followed by creamy and bitter: Ahhh…
Continue readingAsian Slaw
This crunchy, colorful slaw is a delicious change from the mayonnaise-laden American version.
Continue readingGlazed Baby Back Ribs
My friend Nancy Olin wanted to make this dish for Memorial Day dinner but was going to be out of town until 1 p.m. on the day of the dinner. So she prepared it on the Friday before, froze it, defrosted it when she got back into town and grilled it. I was one of the guests and if she hadn’t told me, I’d never have guessed. The glaze can be used on pork cops, country-style ribs, and chicken.
Continue readingCashew Noodles with Asparagus and Peppers
This is a great dish to make in the summer when you can barely stand to be in the kitchen. The only cooking required is that you boil water, and even the hottest kitchen can tolerate that.
Continue readingRomaine Salad with Anchovy Dressing
Very similar to Caesar salad dressing but packed with even more anchovy flavor. Definitely not for the meek.
Continue readingRoasted Butternut Squash and Granny Smith Apples with Walnuts and Currants
Susan made butternut squash and apples in filo dough and it was superb. Although I am a fan of eating filo, I’m not a fan of cooking with it. The recipe has been simplified but the flavors remain the same.
Continue readingChicken Saltimbocca with Pan-Fried Sage Leaves
Saltimbocca means “to jump into the mouth.” This version of the classic Italian veal dish certainly does.
Continue readingEggplant and Lamb Moussaka
Like lasagna, moussaka is best made two days before your party and then refrigerated overnight. The night before, bake and refrigerate it, then reheat it when your guests arrive. I like to serve moussaka straight from the baking pan.
Continue readingAvgolemono Soup
There’s nothing easier, cheaper, or more soothing than this Greek egg lemon soup.
Continue readingWild Mushroom Risotto with Radicchio Salad
Egyptian pharaohs forbade their subjects to eat mushrooms because they considered them to be the food of the gods and saved them for themselves, but I see no reason not to share this luxurious risotto with your guests.
Continue readingFresh Asparagus Salad
This salad can be eaten hot or cold. For a more dramatic presentation, you can use half green asparagus and half white, which, while more tender, is a bit less flavorful – and more expensive.
Continue readingRice Pudding
This is a comforting and simple dessert. Use whole or 2 percent milk for best texture and taste. Serve it with strong Greek coffee or espresso.
Continue readingMixed Green Salad with Red Onions and Toasted Pine Nuts
Serves 6.
Continue readingRoasted Chicken Breasts with Dried Figs, Apricots, and Prunes
Bone-in, skin-on, chicken breasts work best for this recipe.
Continue readingDain’s Grandmother’s Carrot Cake
When I was in college I had a friend named Dain Fritz, who used his truck to help me move a piece of heavy furniture. Since I knew he loved carrot cake, I made him one as a way of saying thanks. Although he was gracious and appreciative, when the cake had been completely consumed, he told me that the best carrot cake he had ever had was his grandmother’s. So when it came time for his birthday, I called his mother, who called her mother, who sent me the following recipe. I have never had a better carrot cake.
Continue readingBrussels Sprouts Leaves with Brown Butter
Although these require more work than simply tossing Brussels sprouts into a pot of steaming water, their taste is nothing less than magnificent. Additionally, I guarantee that if you don not say what they are, even the most ardent Brussels sprout detractor will be impressed.
Continue readingParsnip Mashed Potatoes
Native to the Mediterranean, parsnips are similar in texture to turnips and shape to carrots; some people call parsnips white carrots. Both fruitier and nuttier than carrots, parsnips add a touch of earthiness and sweetness to traditional mashed potatoes.
Continue readingBeef Carbonnade
When I first made Beef Carbonnade, I included parsnips and potatoes in the stew, but I now prefer having them as a separate accompaniment.
Continue readingVanilla Ice Cream with Bananas and Caramel Sauce
Mmm. Sweet and gooey.
Continue readingBasmati Rice with Toasted Pistachio Nuts
Serves 6.
Continue readingChicken Curry with Coconut, Basil, and Mangoes
Before settling on this version of Chicken Curry, I tried many different ones, but I like this one because it combines the fire of the curry with the sweetness of the mango and tomato. If your budget permits you can substitute shrimp for some or all of the chicken.
Continue readingFresh Raspberry Tart with Lemon Curd
Tart and buttery and just perfect. You can substitute blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries, or use a combination of all four.
Continue readingBibb Lettuce with Red Onion and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Although I am a die-hard fan of romaine lettuce, I sometimes love a salad of soft, buttery Bibb lettuce.
Continue readingPan-Broiled Zucchini
I have a particular fondness for zucchini cooked this way.
Continue readingSaffron Risotto with Pan-Broiled Fennel Shrimp
“When you are making a risotto, you should be in perfect harmony with yourself. You shouldn’t be nervous or angry. It’s a ritual that is going to give you so much pleasure later that it’s worth spending 15 or 20 minutes over a hot stove stirring very slowly… It’s the dish of romance. If you rush it, it’s never good. (Pino Luongo, A Tuscan in the Kitchen, Potter, 1988)
Continue readingChocolate Bread Pudding Drizzled with Heavy Cream
I never tasted bread pudding until I made this one, which tastes like a very rich, very decadent brownie. Even if you don’t usually serve heavy cream, don’t omit it here: the pudding is at its best with something that contrasts with the chocolate intensity. You could also serve vanilla or cinnamon ice cream or whipped cream instead of the heavy cream.
Continue readingOrzo and Broccoli Rabe
If you haven’t tried broccoli rabe (also known as Italian broccoli or broccoli di rape), this is a good introduction. The bitterness (which I love) overwhelms some people, but is somewhat lessened by the taste of the creamy orzo I can’t convince my husband to eat even this mild rendition, so I often eat it as an entrée when he goes out of town. It is especially good with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Continue readingGarlic Roasted Chicken with Pan-Roasted Vegetables
You need a huge roasting pan, probably the one you only pull out at Thanksgiving. I like to serve this right out of the pan.
Serves 6.
2 whole roaster chickens about 5-6 pounds each, giblets and neck removed
¼ cup olive oil
12 shallots, peeled (or 3 Spanish onions, quartered)
6-8 carrots, peeled, if desired, and cut into chunks
2 Idaho potatoes, unpeeled and cut into chunks
3 ripe pears or apples (any kind will do), peeled, if desired, and diced
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1½ teaspoons dried sage
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1.Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Rinse the chickens in several changes of cold water and pat dry.
3. Place the oil, shallots, carrots, potatoes, pears or apples, and butternut squash in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
4. Place the sage and salt in a small mixing bowl and mix to combine. Rub half into the chicken flesh, skin, and cavity and sprinkle the other half on the vegetables.
5. Place the chicken on a roasting rack in a large roasting pan and surround it with the vegetables. Transfer to the oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees or the juices run clear from the breast and the leg moves easily, about 1 hour (about 10 minutes per pound). Serve immediately.
Note: If you want to use bone-in skin-on chicken breasts instead of whole chickens, place the chicken and vegetables together in the roasting pan and cook for 45 minutes instead of an hour.
From The $50 Dinner Party: 26 Dinner Parties That Won’t Break Your Bank, Your Back, or Your Schedule (Simon & Schuster, 1998)
Salad of Arugula, Endive, and Radicchio
Pungent smelling and bitter tasting, this is my favorite mixed salad, which I would pair with just about any entrée.
Continue readingRoasted Garlic Bread
I am not a fan of buttering bread, but for this I make an eager exception. In fact I guarantee that people will eat so much, you might want to serve two long baguettes. You must use a really high quality unsalted butter (never salted) and either leave it out to warm to room temperature or whip it in a frenzy in a mixer (but be careful not to overwhip it to heavy cream).
After eating this butter on bread, I was sure that it would be equally delicious on spaghetti, but I was absolutely wrong. The subtle flavor got quite lost.
Classic Lasagna
Although I didn’t eat lasagna until I was in my twenties and only made it for the first time when I was in my thirties, it represents comfort to me. While a bad lasagna can be heavy; a good one is enriching, warm, substantial and yet light.
Continue readingStrawberry Rhubarb Compote
Strawberries and rhubarb are the most sublime combination. Here they are served unadulterated. If you must, add vanilla or ginger ice cream.
In Latin, rhubarb means “the root of the barbarians,” meaning anything foreign or unknown. What it doesn’t say is that the leaves are toxic, so be sure to use only the stalk. Most cookbooks recommend that you pull off the strings as you do for celery, but I find that using a vegetable peeler works even better.
Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes
I am a huge fan of cooked tomatoes. This method takes so little time but yields a great-tasting result.
Continue readingOven-Baked Corn
If you’ve only had steamed or boiled corn on the cob, you’re in for a real treat. Roasting, which is my favorite method, yields a corn that is drier yet both sweeter and crunchier than steaming. I had never really eaten it until my husband, Mark, surprised me by making dinner. I rarely eat it any other way now.
Continue readingCurried Swordfish with Cilantro Paste
Delicate in flavor and meaty in texture, swordfish is my favorite fish.
Continue readingFresh Fruit with Berry Puree
Fresh fruit with fresh fruit sauce: what could be more disciplined?
Continue reading