This is the time of year that we are always looking for inspiration to tempt our palates. The holidays are over and summer’s bounty of fresh veggies is a long way off. So on these long winter days and nights, we peruse our library of cookbooks for ideas that will stave off the ennui of dinner doldrums. Lately we’ve been experimenting with the slow cooker and found two great recipes. The first was for BBQ Beef Brisket, which turned out to be our new favorite way of cooking that particularly flavorful, but tough cut of meat. Last night we tried Crockpot Barbeque Chicken (notice a trend here?) and...

In honor of National Clam Chowder Day, February 25th, I’m posting my favorite chowder recipe. It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s delicious. Today would be a perfect day for a warm bowl of creamy chowder. Although this recipe calls for a firm white fish like...

Birthdays are my favorite holidays of the year. They are, in my opinion, the only holidays you don’t have to share with someone. That is, unless you know somebody with your particular birthday. I do, but since it is my brother-in-law, and therefore family, I am willing to share.

October is a month filled with the birthdays of some of my favorite people, both past and present.  My best friend, Karen, started the month with her celebration on October 6th. As it wasn’t a “biggie” this year there was no need to hire a caterer and rent a function hall for a soiree like the...

When I was a kid growing up in New England, New Year’s Eve was a very special family holiday. My parent’s best friends would come for dinner, which was typically fondue. All the rage in the ‘60s, we would start with meat fondue. My mother would prepare small bites of raw beef, chicken,...

On this rare and unusually snowy morning on Cape Cod, my husband and I had breakfast together. What’s so extraordinary about that, you might ask? Well, we own a bed and breakfast inn on Cape Cod, and most Sunday mornings we prepare breakfast for our guests. This Sunday before Christmas, however, we are experiencing a classic Nor’easter. The wind is howling, the snow is drifting, and we cannot see out the windows because they are covered in snow. The weather forecasters prepared us well for this event, giving us 2-3 days warning of what was to come. Anyone contemplating a trip to Cape Cod this...