Cheesy Baked Orzo with Mushrooms and Peas

A successful dinner party begins with a well-planned menu. And so on the occasion of our first dinner party in our new home, I spent more time choosing the dishes than I spent preparing them. For the main course, I turned to a simple favorite: mustard-baked chicken with pretzel crust. But rather than using the [...]

Pulled Pork Quesadillas

Since there are just two of us sitting down to dinner most nights, we often face days worth of leftovers. And, personally, I can only eat the same meal for two days before my taste buds get bored. The trick is to inject new flavors into leftovers. Between the Pulled Pork BBQ that Nick made [...]

Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites with Jalapeno Mustard

Christmas Eve is reserved for the Rowlands, and Nick has been part of the tradition for three years. We typically celebrate a “progressive” evening at the homes of four family members who live within 20 miles of each other. Each serves one dish — from chipped beef dip to steamed shrimp to burgers in sauce. [...]

Zingerman’s

During our trip to Ann Arbor, BJ and Megan introduced us to Zingerman’s. With a deli, a bakehouse, a roadhouse, a creamery, specialty coffee, and catering, the place is a powerhouse. But rather than opening hundreds of shops across the country — or even throughout Michigan — Zingerman’s chose to focus only on the Ann [...]

Butternut Squash, Apple, Gorgonzola Gratin

Here’s a new recipe to add to your autumn rotation. We served ours with slow-cooked pork, broccoli, and pumpkin ale. Next time we’ll add more nutmeg, because you really can’t have enough of that spice during this time of year! Ingredients 2 1/2 Tbsp Wegmans basting oil, divided (if you don’t have basting oil, use [...]

Chicken in Puff Pastry

We watched Rachael Ray make a version of this and just had to try it ourselves. It’s easy and versatile and tasty! We served ours with a seasonal blend of roasted yams and butternut squash with cinnamon and nutmeg. And roasted mushrooms completed the plate. Ingredients skinless boneless chicken breast salt and pepper EVOO 1 [...]

Hearty Lasagna

There’s no better greeting after a long drive from State College PA to Hoboken NJ than the sweet and spicy aroma of simmering meat sauce. Nick treated Emily to a hearty and impressive lasagna one Friday evening. We didn’t eat until almost 10 p.m., but it was well worth the wait! This is a must [...]

Pizza Margherita

Ingredients pizza dough (we like the variety found in the frozen food section of your grocery store) EVOO flour 2 cans of stewed tomatoes pressed garlic mozzarella cheese basil leaves salt, pepper, oregano, crushed red peppers Directions Place frozen pizza dough in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let it sit on your kitchen [...]

Skillet Lasagna

Ingredients 1 jar (24-26 oz.) marinara sauce 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 3 cups water 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 8 oz. lasagna noodles 2 garlic cloves, pressed 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage links with casings removed 2 oz. Parmesan cheese 2 TB. fresh parsley, divided Directions Combine [...]

Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast Salt and pepper 2 teaspoons cumin powder 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend (or taco seasoning) 1 red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup frozen corn, thawed 5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped 4 canned [...]