Strange time of year. Mud season in many locales, though here in Boston it’s all sand; the lovely remnants from a winter filled with snowfalls and snowplows. The best way to brighten up the mood is to start cooking spring-ish. Here are a few of my favorite recipes for this time of year (and the kinds of things I’m making right now):

- Hot Garlicky Shrimp with Lemon and Asparagus

- Mint and Pine Nut Pesto with Gemelli and Asparagus… Continue Reading

Not sure it’s anyone’s favorite holiday, but you gotta produce a meal. Cooking it yourself is a better go. Here are a couple of my best efforts from over the years, in the Washington Post and the Boston Globe. At the bare minimum, make sure there’s chocolate!

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Melanie writes: I am getting stressed about my holiday party! One of my stressors is that I don’t have a lot of go-to apps I can make well in advance. I would love to have a few ideas I can prepare a day or two ahead.

Tony’s take: Good nibbles are the holiday-party equivalent of a first impression;  do ‘em up right, and they set a positive vibe for the evening, no matter who shows or how much booze your … Continue Reading

Black Friday may be exciting if you’re into electronics, but it can be a tough go in the kitchen: a strange mix of abundance inhabits most folks’ fridges right now. The leftover game has been covered every which way over the years, though I think this page from Fine Cooking gets it right: go with big flavors and bright preparations so the leftovers don’t feel like leftovers…

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I’m not a huge fan of food memoirs; a lot of them tend to be overly maudlin or dramatic or both. Just worked my way thorough Marcus Samuelsson’s Yes, Chef and I can say that it quite simply is the best food memoir I’ve ever read and one of the better books I’ve picked up in a long while. Give it a try.

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Bill’s burger musings got me to thinking of my own favorites. Alas, I’ve loved many burgers over the years, though of my own creations, this one from Bon Appetit is my favorite: a quick chipotle ketchup, balsamic red onions, a thick slice of sharp cheddar, on a toasted English muffin. Give it a try.

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Quiet on the Cook Angel front, though a friend did ask me today about my favorite steak recipe for a weekend barbecue with friends. Here it is,  a super simple grilled strip steak, enhanced with a garlicky marinade and paired with grilled scallions. Top with a pat of this chipotle butter if you want to gild the lily.

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This year is one of those deals when Easter falls right in the middle of Passover. If you’re part of a mixed faith couple like me it’s kind of a clash of nice but very different traditions. Already got in Passover on Friday night, so today’s focus will have an Italian Easter feel. I’m going to make some stuffed shells with wild mushrooms and ricotta and then a glazed ham with an arugula salad. The shells have become an obsession … Continue Reading

It’s unkown how the Superbowl – and all of its glitz and glamour – became synonymous with the beef and beans of a good chili. But why fight it? Here are a couple of my favorite chili recipes that I’ve done for Fine Cooking. There’s a Beef and Black Bean Chili or a Spicy Chicken and White Bean Chili. And no matter what you make, go Pats!!

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I like the challenge of cooking for large groups of people – the constantly moving mental puzzle that ensues when there are many pots on the fire. But this whole scenario of cooking as extreme sport gets a whole lot more complicated when mixed with the holidays. It’s the culinary equivalent of walking and chewing gum at the same time and I’m no good at it. No matter what kind of meal you’ve got going for Christmas or New Year’s, … Continue Reading