Seasonal recipes for today's kitchen

What's been cooking on the Sunnyside

Fresh Pear Tart

Fresh Pear Tart

This pear tart is a magic trick.  You take fresh pears, 5 other ingredients, about 10 minutes of prep time, bake it for half an hour and poof! A beautiful dessert is on your table, waiting for a round of applause. I have often made this pear–Read more

Chinese Smoked Chicken

Chinese Smoked Chicken

How about starting the new year with simplicity and comfort? This recipe for Chinese Smoked Chicken is one that I found in the October 1992 issue of Bon Appétit. It’s a dish with easy prep steps done ahead of time, making it a good match–Read more

Pasta with Squash, Red Bell Pepper, and Mushrooms

Pasta with Squash, Red Bell Pepper, and Mushrooms

We’ve been craving pumpkin lately. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin squares…we see a lot of recipes for treats like these as Halloween approaches. On the savory side, pumpkins from the fields add color and nutrition to stews, soups, and even pasta. When I saw this–Read more

Smoked Turkey and Lentil Soup

Smoked Turkey and Lentil Soup

In recent weeks the trees in our neighborhood have taken on hues of gold and auburn, beautiful bursts of color against the blue October sky. As the days get shorter, comfort foods appeal to us—and a soup to warm up a chilly night is what–Read more

Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad

Summer Squash and Quinoa Salad

Balmy August evenings call for outdoor dining and meals that require little prep and kitchen time.  A myriad of vegetables, farm fresh and full of flavor, can bring some later summer magic to the patio table.   A few summers ago, our friends Jen and Scott invited us–Read more

Cherry-Berry Bars

Cherry-Berry Bars

As the last weeks of July creep onto my calendar, I’m finding ways to include beautiful summer fruits and vegetables in our menus.  Heading to a weekend getaway in the mountains, I decided to bring along a dessert that gave the spotlight to cherries and strawberries.  –Read more