Fruit

This is a good way to make use of those unnecessarily large bouquets of parsley that we get at our supermarkets, as well as fennel fronds that usually go to waste.

This nourishing bulgur-wheat salad provides a satisfying way of using up some of the huge bunch of parsley that the supermarket foisted on you. If it’s wintertime and you don’t have access to fresh mint, use 1/2 teaspoon dried mint and stir it into the still-warm bulgur after you’ve drained it, so the mint will have a chance to expand and release its flavor.

Here’s a sparkling salad that makes superb use of that one-third or so of a plump fennel bulb that you couldn’t consume in one sitting.

It is so easy to make a vinaigrette, the classic French salad dressing, that I can’t fathom why so many people living alone go out and buy bottled dressings. Not only do they pay more, but the dressing never tastes as fresh, and you can’t vary the seasonings as you wish. So I beg you to make your own vinaigrette as part of your cooking life. The amounts I’m giving will be enough to dress two or three small salads, but you can double or triple the quantities if you’re an avid salad consumer and want enough dressing to see you through the week. Just refrigerate the extra in a jar, tightly sealed.

Every now and then, I get a yearning for a bit of warm, smooth, buttery-lemony hollandaise sauce to dip artichoke leaves into, to top a poached egg with so that I can enjoy that delicious flavor play of eggs Benedict, or to spread over a piece of grilled salmon—or other fish. But to make a small amount for just one or two servings of this tricky sauce (and then reheat what’s leftover)? Impossible, the pros would say. However, where there’s a will, there’s a way. So I experimented and managed to work out a method that served my purposes beautifully. Here it is.

This is a soup I had years ago at an inn in Peacham, Vermont, when my husband, Evan, and I were looking for recipes for our book on new New England cooking. It is so delectable that every year now I celebrate the coming of the blueberries by making myself this soup. And, of course, I am blessed by having my cousin John tap our maple trees in the spring, so there is always maple syrup in my larder.

This is ideal to make when you’ve bought too much watermelon.

If you’ve tasted a well-made avgolemono with its velvety texture and lemony flavor, you’ll long to make it at home. And it’s so simple, particularly if you’ve just boned a chicken breast and have the rib cage handy, or if you have some chicken broth in your freezer.

I like this in winter with rice, or with mashed potatoes mixed, maybe, with mashed parsnip or another root vegetable. In summer, it’s good with almost anything from the garden.

Jell-O has gotten a bad rap, and we are not sure why. In fact, Jell-O happens to be one of the Queens’ favorite go-to treats, as it’s now available in low-calorie and sugar-free varieties, making it a wonderful vehicle for satisfying your sweet tooth without all the guilt. And, Jell-O is extremely versatile. With dozens of flavors available to choose from, you can always find a satisfying one. If you haven’t had Jell-O in a while, we invite you to try this recipe. It’s the perfect, cool treat for the summertime that’s both light and fruity. Besides, desserts that jiggle are fun!

We know that we wouldn’t be where we are today without the continued support and encouragement we receive from our customers. To thank them, we held a recipe contest for which the winner’s dish would be featured in our book. Cristiane Diehl (aka Chu Chu), that’s you! Take a bow. You deserve it. Your trifle is out of this world! (Well, at least out of this country—it’s from Brazil!)

Tart and tangy, lemon bars are one of those amazing desserts that seem to please everyone. Maybe it’s because bars are easy to serve and highly portable, a clever cross between a cookie and pie. The key to a good lemon bar is a strong citrus flavor. You’ll want your mouth to pucker in delight! When choosing your lemons, be sure to pick ones that are vibrant in color and feel somewhat heavy in the hand. Also, when zesting, be sure you only get the yellow part, as the white part is very bitter.

It’s bananas how good this dessert is! Seriously, it doesn’t get much better than this. A creamy peanut butter topping covers layers of fresh bananas and a tasty vanilla-wafer crust. Drizzled with a rich chocolate sauce, we think it’s the best in the bunch!

Always a hit! Sandy’s version of peach cobbler starts with a layer of cakelike pastry: moist and delicious—never dry! It’s spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon to accentuate the warm flavor of the peaches and simply can’t be beat when accompanied by a scoop of ice cream. We recommend trying cinnamon ice cream for the ultimate flavor combination!

Both Sandy and Crystal’s love for cooking stems from their mothers. This particular recipe is one that Sandy and her mother, Marge, shared throughout her youth, and it signifies that mother-daughter bond. What better place to get to know your kids than through cooking your favorite recipes in the kitchen?

“Oh, my darling, oh, my darling”—you’ll be singing this sweet, sweet song until you bite into this, one of our favorite cakes. Then you’ll forget all about singing and focus your attention on the delicious citrus flavor mixed ever so delicately in a moist white cake. A cross between sweet oranges and Chinese mandarins, clementines add a touch of unexpected sweetness—and are what make the cake, in our opinion. Pun intended.

This recipe was a favorite of Sandy’s Granny Haley. Sandy remembers how Granny Haley would serve this cake whenever anyone would come by for a Sunday afternoon visit over coffee or tea. The subtly sweet cake was the perfect snack and accompaniment to their ever sweeter conversation. Most people don’t have sour milk on hand, so here’s a simple way to make some. Combine 2/3 cup milk and 2/3 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice, and let it sit for 10 minutes before using.

Yvette, Sandy’s sister, is known all over the Valley for this cake. In fact, it’s her claim to fame in those parts: “Oh, honey, you know Yvette. She’s the one that makes that ridiculously tasty upside-down cake.” Want in on her secret? She uses a cast-iron skillet to bake it, versus transferring it to a cake pan! This keeps the top of the cake extra crunchy and gives it a little extra caramelized flavor that people go crazy for.

Crystal’s nieces have nicknamed their mother “Butter.” This term of endearment for Karen stems from the fact that she cooks everything with butter. One of her specialties is this cake, and—you guessed it—there’s lots of butter! A cream cheese and apple mixture bakes up nice and gooey on top of a soft cake layer. Served warm, it just doesn’t get any butter—we mean, better.