‘Tis the season! I found cauliflower for $1 a head. After bringing home four heads, I hit the Internet for new ideas on roasting cauliflower, or any new cauliflower idea for that matter. Jadan Hair and her Steamy Kitchen offered an enticing path which I proceeded to follow. At least I followed it to a…
Roasted beets are used as the base of this striking and delicious soup. If you already have the roasted beets in the refrigerator and chicken bone broth in the crock pot, then this soup is almost instant. It makes a fascinating first course for a spicy meal like Jamaican jerk grilled chicken and brown rice…
Enjoy this beet salad and pretend you are dining in Russia or Central Europe with flavors indigenous to that cuisine. What may be a bit different is the preparation of both the beets and the potatoes. The beets are roasted whole in foil and then peeled and cubed. The potatoes are cubed, dressed, and roasted…
With growing interest in health and nutrition, interest in beets is on the rise but most people do not know what to do with them. Roasting beets is a wonderful entry-level skill to develop. In fact, learn to roast beets and you can use those little darlings as the base for some of the most…
For several years I have encountered a bright flavor in Middle Eastern food — in fattoush salad and in various breads at the Syrian grocery store. The oregano, thyme, and sesame seeds were recognizable but there was a distinct ingredient I had trouble placing. The ingredient turned out to be sumac in a spice mix…
The love many of us have for potatoes may be slightly adaptive — my in-laws told stories of being able to get through several winters because they had bags of beans and bags of potatoes stored up. Their story is not unique. For generations there have been families that knew potatoes would get them from…
This is a treat we all love and it is so easy I don’t know why we don’t have it more often. The KitchenAid mixer is the hero of this piece. Every couple of weeks Amanda grinds a gallon of spelt (freshly ground spelt is amazing for baking) using an attachment for the KitchenAid. Then…
When I watched the Growing Your Greens video for dehydrating vegetable chips, I was intrigued. John was plucking all sort of leaves, not just kale. This was new for me even though we have made kale chips. Then he proceeded to season those leaves like they were the next fast food item to be offered…
If you have already developed a taste for tahini, also known as sesame seed butter, then you will love these cookies. The recipe comes from the splendid cooks at The Armenian Kitchen. This site is a gem of a find, loaded with authentic Armenian recipes. Armenian cuisine falls into the category of “Mediterranean healthy” with…
In my pursuit of great ideas for preparing dark-meat chicken, I found a really tasty slow cooker idea at The Perfect Pantry. Pantry owner, Lydia Walshin, has a knack for putting together great food in a minimum amount of time. Her recipe for green chili chicken is no exception. That said, I must confess that…
Having leftover bits of chicken or turkey is such a time-saver but you do not necessarily want them looking or tasting like tired leftovers. Here is a super-quick chicken salad renovation. The meat sautes with some freshly minced garlic to give the chicken a fresh-cooked quality. Adding the oil-soaked dried tomatoes lends a depth and…
One morning on the Traditional Foods Facebook page, Kandy Inglis listed the ingredients she uses in making a white sauce for fish tacos. I was intrigued. Jalepeños and capers together? A new one for me. Both of these with yogurt? Stretch! Stretch! I love all the ingredients singly. What would they taste like sitting together…
This black bean dish is superb over brown rice pilaf. Making the two dishes is a bit of work, so make plenty for a second meal or even a third. A simple green salad with vinaigrette completes the menu or serve with fresh garden tomatoes and cucumber sticks and garnish with cilantro. For best results,…
Living in Delano, California for fifteen years, close to one of the largest Filipino populations in the United States, I came to love Filipino food. Adobo was the first dish I was served at many Delano potlucks and events. It is still one of my first choices: it is juicy, full of flavor, and satisfying….
I’m always on the lookout for extraordinary ways to enjoy ordinary food items. What is more ordinary than a potato? This adaptation of a soup from Colombia will totally change your image of what you know as potato soup. Ajiaco is a thin soup, verging on clear. The flavor comes from the broth and from…
Are you looking for something stunningly beautiful, highly nutritious and totally satisfying for breakfast? While many throw away their beet greens and cook just the roots, you will end up buying extra beets just to have enough greens for this dish. If you have a garden, you may plan a longer row of beets. That…
Chicken legs are one of those deeply discounted items I run into on a regular basis and can be great for a family on a limited budget. However, you do need to be adventuresome to combat chicken leg boredom if you are eating them regularly. This recipe is anything but boring. This is one where…
Since mayonnaise is a critical ingredient to any sandwich in this home, it behooves me to provide a good one. There is none better than one made from scratch. Of course it will not last for months in the refrigerator like the store-bought counterpart, but it doesn’t last here more than a week anyway. The…
I remember the first time we tasted polenta. Margaret Falcinella stirred up a giant kettle for a family affair. We were not blood family so had no idea what we were digging into: polenta topped with sausages and marinara sauce. It was so good I wanted to lick the plate. Everyone must have felt the…
This cream of broccoli cheese soup is a rich soup with delicate color and flavor. Serve it with a green salad and hot sourdough for a memorable winter meal. The dark green flowerettes added to the soup at the last minute make this pale green soup very interesting. Leftovers can be carefully reheated but the…
The Traditional Foods site comes to you from the Sequoia National Forest in a house designed by Irving Gill. We are a mother-daughter team strong in both the science and the art of cooking. We chronicle our cooking here and our adventures in the forest at Gill on the Hill. Read more about our background and food philosophy.
