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Red Pepper Marinated Chicken Kebabs
As it spread along ancient trade routes, the Middle Eastern tradition of skewering and grilling cubes of meat sparked incarnations from Indonesian satay to Japanese yakitori. Rich with local seasoning, the various styles conveyed their own sense of place down to the bamboo rods or long pieces of flat metal rotated above the flame. For the modern cook, they offer distinct advantages. Small pieces of meat cook quickly, allowing dinner to be on the table in a snap. In the heart of winter, or anytime a grill is not available, the high heat of an oven does the trick beautifully. This recipe highlights the savory and smoky end of the…
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A Creative Table: Meaningful Place Markers
Gathering for a farm-to-table feast or a weekend brunch with loved ones offers the opportunity to communicate what you cherish about each of your guests. Whether the fare is simple or elaborate, a creative tablescape adds to the festivity and to the fun of hosting the party. You can throw away all the rules and pressure associated with entertaining, but always hold onto the joy of infusing meaning wherever you can, even down to the place markers. We all know that the best hosts take time to relax and enjoy the celebration. New friends or old, we feel truly welcomed in their home while we enjoy their signature dishes and…
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Spinach Salad with Pickled Red Onions, Manchego, and Honeyed Walnuts
Ribbony red onions, shavings of Manchego cheese, and crunchy, sweet walnuts provide such intense flavor that the only dressing needed for this spinach salad is a drizzle of olive oil. With a dose of vinegar from the quick pickling process, red onions contribute to the flavor of a vinaigrette. In fact, all of the toppings are rather playful, lending vibrancy to this salad. The cheese has a distinct nuttiness, the nuts are coated in the sweetness of honey, and the sweet qualities of red onion are transformed with pickled flavor. Ingredients Baby spinach Aged manchego cheese Quick pickled red onions Honeyed walnuts Quick Pickled Red Onions 1 medium red onion…
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Pineapple Linzer Cookies
The first snow of the season fell outside my kitchen window as I baked these cookies, and by the time I sifted powdered sugar onto the rows of cooled tops with their cutout stars and other shapes, both sides of the pane had quite a snow globe feel. When you make these buttery linzer cookies and their pineapple filling, your kitchen will take on a festive feel regardless of view, though if you can time it right, there is nothing like a roaring oven for coziness during a snowstorm. Ingredients Cookies 2 ½ cups flour 1 cup pecan halves ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 ¼ cups…
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Chocolate Squares with Honeyed Apricots and Coconut
A dark pool of bittersweet chocolate, dried apricots dripping in honey, and a bit of salt sitting on the counter create a satisfying push and pull even before this confection comes together. Sweetness will be tempered. When the fluidity of stirred chocolate is interrupted by the addition of dried coconut, feel yet another pull – the disruptive change from smooth to speckled. Taste your way through this recipe as you drizzle, melt, and pinch to create tempting squares that invoke the Mediterranean and the tropics. The liquid confection is so delicious that you may need to remind yourself to spread it out and let it harden rather than eat it…
