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Eating well

New Year wishes and champagne dishes

Tonight, as tradition would have it, many revelers will ring in the New Year with a champagne toast. For me a bit of the bubbly goes right to my head, so as a foodie I’d rather enjoy my champagne cooked in a creamy sauce. That’s why when I’m hosting a party, at clean-up time I make sure to check every bottle for any champagne leftovers, not to sip, but to turn into fabulous dishes. Fish, seafood, chicken, and even vegetables, lend themselves quite tastefully to sauces made with a dry Brut champagne (a dry white wine also works) whereas a sweeter champagne is perfect in ...

Cheese balls are back. How to make this classic party dish cool again

The cheese ball is a cliche. I believe, however, that like the pig in a blanket and the baked potato, the cheese ball is so cliched it has actually become cool. Socially acceptable or not, when this dish from my cookbook “Deep Run Roots” is put out at a party of any kind, people hover ...

Christmas breakfast: you’ve got it covered

Tomorrow morning, after all the gifts have been opened and the lovely wrapping paper cleaned up, the family will probably be expecting breakfast. That’s when a breakfast casserole, prepared the night before, can be baking to golden perfection, while allowing the cook to take part in the special family moments. It’s just what Santa ordered. If you’ve got eggs, milk, cheese and bread (or a bag of frozen hash browns) chances are there is an overnight casserole in the making. From a sweet and gooey baked French toast version to a casserole of savory cheese, egg, bacon and hash ...

Dried cherry scones are a simple treat for the post-holiday breakfast table

Perhaps you’re one of those people who are very thoughtful and assiduous about planning the Big Holiday meals. You’re on top of the appetizers, entree, the sides, the dessert. Maybe you even iron your linen napkins. But then you slap your proverbial forehead when you realize you didn’t ...