Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter the greatest of all feasts. ~ James Beard

Cheddar Soup
© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

Cheddar Soup? How can you go wrong? Extra sharp cheddar layers its distinctive bite over the unctuous richness of milk and cream. Onion sauteed in bacon fat forms a savory understructure highlighted by a garnish of bacon. Oddly, though, what really sets off the soup are the buttery herbed croutons. Somehow their crunch and flavor provide just right contrast to smooth texture and dairy flavor. Recipe here...

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Sweet Potato Pie
© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

Sweet Potato Pie is an old Southern favorite. It looks like and is usually flavored like pumpkin pie and I've had it many times in my life - well, several times anyway. But I'd never made it until I was sent a copy of the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook to review. Their recipe intrigued me because it included buttermilk, so I made it. It's seriously good. The recipe below is adapted from their version. Recipe here...

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© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

Recipe here...

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© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

Which country produces the most apples? Japan, Mexico, or China? Apples are part of what botanical family? Aloe, Rose, or Tulip? I just took the quiz, "What is your apple IQ" and did pretty well but not as well as I expected, I got two wrong. Take the quiz and come back and share your score. And as long as you're killing time taking food quizes, improve your apple recipe IQ with these recipes. Quiz here...

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Experiment: It's the difference between delicious and dull. ~ Elizabeth Schneider

Abbachio
© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

This delicious Pan-Roasted Lamb from Italy has two odd ingredients. First, it's made with red wine vinegar as opposed to red wine. The vinegar sharpens and sweetens the flavor of the lamb and herbs. Second, the anchovy paste adds depth and richness - call it savor - to the dish. The vinegar is barely noticeable in the final dish and you'll never taste the anchovies, but both are essential to this wonderful dish. Serve with a good bread to soak up the incredible sauce. Recipe here...

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Stuffed Mushrooms
© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

I came up with the idea of Stuffed Mushrooms with Pancetta and Dried Tomatoes when I was catering a party for a client who has celiac disease, when it turned out she was also allergic to shellfish, which ruled out my recipe for mushrooms stuffed with crab, I had to get really creative. Recipe here...

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© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

Recipe here...

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Roast Chicken
© 2009 Kevin D Weeks

This is the second in a series of articles about leveraging a cooking day. This means cooking something on the weekend with leftovers in mind and then making those leftovers interesting for a week. Although I'll be focusing on minimum effort for maximum results, these meals are also typically cheap so we kill two birds with one stone. The most obvious trick is just changing up the side dishes. Potatoes and peas one night, pasta the next, couscous with dried fruit the third. But some main dishes can also be transformed during the week with minimal effort. And in this case we're going to start with roast chicken. Recipes here...

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