Recipes

Apple season is now! Visit an apple orchard with your family, and then discover all of the ways in which you can put those apples to use. Make homemade applesauce for the family, and pair it with a perfectly cooked pork roast. Pull out your grandmother’s recipe for apple pie (or create your own!) and enter the apple pie baking contest for Anthem Autumnfest (entry forms are due by 5 p.m. on Oct. 12), or ...make caramel apples as a family activity.   Let’s face it - for many of us, caramel and candy apples are comfort treats from our childhood. They are from a different era – one in which we had time to fuss over making treats, then sit down and enjoy them as a family. Let your children experience the fun of picking, making and decorating apples in the fall, the same way that you may have. They will never forget it. Ingredients: 6 wooden craft sticks 6 small apples, any variety, stems removed 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup granulated sugar ¼ cup dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons unsalted... More

Many of you may watch "Cupcake Wars".  I watched the show a few times and happened to watch a season in which a Vegan Cupcake won the competition!  Vegans are making their mark in the culinary world...watch out!   There are many great recipes for Vegan cupcakes, but I came up with this one recently and fell in love with it (once I finally got it right!).   My inspiration? I went to the Bahamas on an all-expense paid trip (yea, AWESOME!) and the food was absolutely amazing (and very accomodating to those of us who are particular in the sort of food in which we fuel ourselves). If you have a sweet tooth and want to remain sweet to animals and the environment, check these out!  (warning...this recipe is like Viagara for the taste buds!!!!)   Not only do these taste AMAZING, they have awesome health benefits from the coconut oil to the herbal detox tea added.  Good for the heart, the kidneys, and the liver.  Perhaps it should be dubbed the perfect hangover cupcke cure?  Try them... More

My first taste of Tabouleh was when I lived in Boston, and stepped off the “T” on my way to a friend’s house after I left work at Government Center. My friends and I purchased a package at a Middle Eastern delicatessen, where the Tabouleh was made fresh on a daily basis. It was like a party for the senses ...everything that a salad should be. The overall appearance was intriguing. The color was pleasing to the eye, and the faintly sweet but earthy fragrance awakened my nose.   Tabouleh is a salad that can’t be compared to any other. It is made with fresh veggies, olive oil, and spices. It may be enjoyed with pita bread (inside or scooped onto a chip,) or eaten with a fork.   To this day, Tabouleh represents to me a time in my life when I stepped out of my comfort zone, not only on a culinary level, but also geographically, through my move from my home state of New Jersey to Boston, Massachusetts. It reminds me that sometimes some of the best things in life are found in the... More

Ingredients: ½ small yellow onion, thinly sliced ½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly-sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper to taste ½ pound of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 1 cup chopped or shredded cooked turkey 3 eggs 2 egg whites 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup lowfat milk 1 (9-inch) pie crust, in pie pan 2 ounces blue cheese, such as Danish or Point Reyes, crumbled Directions Preheat oven to 425 degrees Toss onions, bell peppers, oil, salt and pepper together on a large baking sheet. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes. Add asparagus, toss well and roast until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. Add turkey, toss well and set aside.   Mix eggs, egg whites, flour, baking powder, milk, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl. Arrange vegetable mixture in pie crust, then pour egg mixture over the top. Scatter cheese over egg mixture and bake until golden brown and cooked through,... More

For our leftover-loving readers, I present the recipe not only for the famous East Coast Turkey Stuffer, but also for many other meals that will have you eating like a (Turkey a la) King for days afterwards. Enjoy!   Turkey Stuffer Thick-sliced marble rye or pumpernickel bread Cranberry sauce Stuffing Hand-carved roasted turkey   Assemble the sandwich in layers. Keep the stuffing closest to the bread, so the cranberry sauce doesn’t seep through the bread on either side. Cut, and enjoy!... More

By Stephanie Maher Palenque   When I think about candy in my childhood, I don't think about the unlimited supply of candy that made it's way through the door of the deli my parents owned in Green village, New Jersey. Strangely enough, I think about Mrs. Wheeler. She was a neighbor who lived down the road from my family. An older woman, she had a precious collection of little porcelain dolls, doll shoes, and other delicate accessories meant for dollhouses in the early part of the century. She lived alone, but every Friday she opened up her home to the children in the neighborhood. She made "rock sugar candy" a candy that dates back to the 17th century, commonly made by people in England and the American colonies.   The deal was that if you could still sit in her miniature chair, meant for a full-sized baby doll, you could have a piece of candy and look at her doll collection. So, every Friday, my sisters and I went to visit Mrs. Wheeler to sit in the doll chair and watch her make rock... More

Writer Stephanie Maher Palenque   My love is like a cabbage That's easy cut in two. The leaves I'll give to others But the heart I'll keep for you. Oral poem from Tyrone   Sláinte an bradáin chugat (May you be as healthy as the salmon) An old Irish Saying   I visited Ireland as a teenager in 1986 with my family. I had a great time (yes, even with my Sony Walkman glued to my ears the entire time, Dad!) experiencing a different culture, enjoying the unadulterated beauty of the countryside, spending time with my relatives, and learning about my ancestors. The one thing I didn't enjoy was the food. Once I got past that cute "Oh, I'm in an Irish pub choking down a tough steak and boiled potatoes" stage, it wasn't enjoyable anymore. During that trip I learned that there had not been much progress in the field of Irish culinary arts since I had visited with my father in 1980.   Since the late eighties, Ireland has become a sort of burgeoning culinary Mecca. The country that made boiled... More