Midwestern comfort food at its best: chunks of tender,slow-cooked beef in thickened broth with pasta.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
Robin: My mom was a consummate pie maker, able to produce a sweet, flaky-crusted work of art from berries, peaches, pears, pumpkin, pecans, custard, or almost anything else. I am definitely not a great pie maker, but even I can make this pie. And it’s delicious! Most people love strawberries, and they will be impressed…
Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblano Chiles in Creamy Walnut Sauce)
Robin: Some traditional, labor-intensive dishes seem almost not worth the effort to make, and we end up having them more for nostalgia’s sake than for the dishes themselves. The quintessential Mexican classic Chiles en Nogada is not like that; it definitely would be worth the work even if took twice the time to prepare. Chiles en Nogada…
Celebration Picadillo (Meat and Dried Fruits Hash)
Robin: Picadillo is made in slightly different versions all over Latin America, and usually it consists of ground or minced meat cooked with onions, tomatoes, and perhaps other vegetables. It is seasoned a little differently depending on the cook’s location and inclination. This particular version includes a variety of dried fruits and nuts that make…
Chile de Arbol Sauce (Salsa de chile de árbol en aceite)
Robin: Although I am enthusiastic about many recipes, very few of them excite me as much as this one does. This spicy table sauce is a classic in Mexico for adding life and flavor to pozole and other soups, but it´s just as good on breakfast eggs, fried or grilled meats, or any corn-based or…
Rhubarb Ice Pops
Robin: While I was growing up, rhubarb wasn´t really part of my life. I´d heard of it, tried it a time or two in pie (and hadn´t thought particularly highly of it), but it just seemed like a boring olden days thing that old timers talked about. I guess it didn´t help that said old…
No-Bake Pineapple Coconut Balls (“Snowballs” or “Bunny Tails”)
Robin: These two-bite balls of goodness call for only 3 or 4 ingredients and are super easy to make, but they are full of tropical-flavored deliciousness. They are cute enough to offer guests on a special occasion (call them “snowballs” if it´s winter, “bunny tails” in springtime, etc.), yet simple enough to make for a…
Stuffed Jalapeño Peppers
Robin: Jalapeño peppers may be famous mostly for their piquancy, but, like other peppers mild and hot, they also have great flavor. It’s sad that many people only think about fresh jalapeños when making, say, pico de gallo, because these chiles have so much more to give. Jalapeños are delicious stuffed, much like their larger…
Victoria’s Tuna and Potato Salad
Ed: To me, a comfort food is like a hug from my mom in any season of the year. Eating this dish feels like getting a big embrace from her. Mom´s middle name was Victoria, and she would serve this salad as a first course. It’s one of my favorite foods, and I am excited…
Easy Pickled Jalapeño Carrot Slices
Robin: Many times a jar or can of pickled jalapeño pepper slices will contain 3 or 4 tiny slices of carrot, usually right on top as you open the container. These spicy carrot slices are considered by many to be the very best part of the whole pickled pepper experience. Lucky is the person who…