Recent Full Plate Columns

Recipes for crostini with goat cheese, tapenade

Full Plate | Thursday, April 26, 2012

EDITOR’S NOTE: Because serving sizes may vary, nutrition information couldn’t be calculated for these recipes. Fresh baguettes from great artisan bakeries are a treat in …

Make the perfect pie for mud season

Full Plate | Thursday, March 22, 2012

Pie is about seasonality, and thus, restraint. Towering layers, sparkling metallic dust and fussy sugar flowers don’t concern the pie. At most, it frets over …

Meatball Stroganoff: Twist on comfort-food twist

Full Plate | Thursday, February 23, 2012

I once saw a chef take a beautiful cut of sushi-grade tuna, cook it beyond its proper sushi quality and then smother it in cheese …

Sausage adds extra dimension to seafood stew

Full Plate | Thursday, January 26, 2012

Are you trying to eat locally and seasonally? That’s hard to do in New England right now, but not impossible. In fact, many local foods …

Simple choices for New Year’s Day brunch

Full Plate | Wednesday, December 28, 2011

I don’t usually commit to a New Year’s resolution, but if I did, maybe I’d look to simplify what often feels like a cluttered life. …

Make chicken stock ahead of cold and flu season

Full Plate | Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Cold and flu season is well upon us, and there is no better home remedy than homemade chicken noodle soup. But who has time to …

Roast chicken cuts down on midweek cooking time

Full Plate | Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Fall, in the cooking world, is time to think about roasting again. But school has begun, and there are piano lessons, dance classes, field trips, …

Enhanced flavor makes hard work worthwhile for Corn Chowder

Full Plate | Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Around mid-July, I stalk local farm stands, calling daily, then sighing disappointment when they say, “Two more weeks.” It is now September, and sweet corn …

Preparing pesto for use at any time of the year

Full Plate | Wednesday, August 24, 2011

I like recipes that take advantage of seasonal products, but can also be preserved for colder months. Basil is an annual plant that’s abundant in …

Summer crops add zest to home-cooked mussels

Full Plate | Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Really good, fresh ingredients don’t require fussy preparations. One of my favorite easy suppers is steamed mussels. With crusty bread, this is a simple and …

Take a can-do approach to preserving food

Full Plate | Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My favorite part in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic “Little House in the Big Woods” is when the family preserved the harvest in preparation for leaner …

Preparation reduces stress of graduation party

Full Plate | Wednesday, May 25, 2011

My best friend’s daughter is graduating from high school. I happily offered to help cook for her party. For this kind of event, there’s much …