August 2023: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY This is wonderful summer dish, as it can be served right after cooking, or warm, or even room temperature. It comes together very quickly: when you are making Bootstrap Farm Club bounty: roasted tarragon chicken drumsticks with heirloom tomatoes and basil aioli. It is time to enjoy summer tomatoes—and Bootstrap has some of the very best. These chicken drumsticks are easy to prepare, as is the basil aioli. The Farm offers great packages (one and a half pounds) of drumsticks; frozen, they are easy to [...]

July 2023: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY This is wonderful summer dish, as it can be served right after cooking, or warm, or even room temperature. It comes together very quickly: when you are making the lo mein, use some ginger paste and minced garlic from tubes (available in the produce section of the supermarket), if you so desire. The vegetables in the lo mein can be changed according to what you have: grated carrots, sliced bell peppers, even thinly sliced celery—all these can be sauteed in the wok with the scallions. [...]

June 2023: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY Welcome summer with this easy dish, which we made in our Memorial Day cooking class on the back porch. Using pre-shredded cabbage makes it simple: we used half a package of shredded red cabbage, a package of broccoli slaw, and another of traditional cabbage “cole slaw” mix. We diced the jalapeño, and used half cilantro and half parsley for the final dish. If you don’t want to grill the shrimp, you could easily sauté them in a little oil on your stovetop (or roast them [...]

May 2023: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY A different chicken parm, for the spring time. This is a recipe that I adapted from America’s Test Kitchen, one of the more reliable websites out there. I like it because it comes together quickly, and the result is one of those dishes that is more than just the sum of its parts. With it I like to serve a green salad, but if you have little ones, you might want to add a simple buttered pasta. [...]

Week 142: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE Imagine my surprise when my husband came home with a tub of Cod Cheeks! While I liked the price point, I had never considered cod cheeks as an option in my seafood repertoire. This recipe is very simple yet flavorful. Be sure to leave time to remove the membranes, as it can be time consuming depending on the amount you purchase. Cod cheeks cook up much like sea scallops and have a delicate taste. In this picture you will see it paired with mashed cauliflower- [...]

Week 141: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY Dione Peterson, Banquet Chef at Oyster Harbors, prepared this fish in our Meet the Chef series recently. It was utterly simple, yet so good. She served it with buttery mashed potatoes, a fabulous combination. Add some fresh asparagus, and you have springtime on a plate. Dione garnished the dish with thinly sliced sweet baby bell peppers: “they come in a bag in most produce sections” she advised us. She used “Everything Bagel Seasoning” that she picked up in the supermarket also. The mix of sesame [...]

Week 139: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE This recipe is one of the most flavorful I have tried in recent years! The recipe can be altered easily to your taste, maybe a little less sugar or more Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes. And, you can prep the night before since the steak will take hours to marinate. I have noted sirloin steak tips herein however any beef will do, particularly skirt or flank. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchen, The Lobster Shanty, Salem, MA [...]

Week 138: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE I stumbled upon this recipe and was drawn to its simplicity– it was so easy. As an added bonus, you can create this flavorful and healthful meal in under 30 minutes. My photo does not do this dish justice, but I loved the pairing of grapes with the mild fish. Moscato Grapes are now on supermarket shelves. Enjoy! Email Gail

Week 137: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY Adapted from from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere, this is a fabulous cake from David Lebovitz’s website. It’s really quite simple, one of those “you’ll never guess how simple” considering how absolutely delicious it is. In the winter I serve it with a simple fruit compote (oranges and blueberries) or some warmed cherry pie filling. In in the spring it goes well with fresh strawberries–carry it into summer and add whatever fruit you have that’s ripe. Or, do what I do: leave it on your kitchen [...]

Week 136: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, CEDITH COPENHAVER Winter break is a great time to plan a special brunch for family or friends! This frittata is sweet instead of savory, easy to prepare, and is sure to be a hit. Berries on top or on the side add color. A mimosa, potatoes, and some nice crunchy toast would round out the meal. After brunch plan to relax with a book or take a nap! Email Gail

Week 135: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, LISA WALKER I am lucky enough to walk my dogs with a wonderful group of women. We connected through our dogs but, during the walks, we find so much more to talk about and share. One woman in this group is PJ Hamel. PJ is a baking legend, she worked developing recipes for King Arthur Baking Company (formerly King Arthur Flour), she is a food blogger, won a James Beard award for the King Arthur cookbook, she is a dog lover, and extremely patient with [...]

Week 134: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE Timbale can be made with a variety of ingredients, although the classic dish usually includes spinach, mushrooms, onions, and breadcrumbs.  These are baked in a small round dish and can be an appetizer or a side or main dish depending on your desired outcome. Email Gail

Week 134: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY These croissants are easy to make, and fun for instructing kids who are interested in cooking. They provide a “wow” presentation, and are easily adaptable to other ideas for the filling: cubes of ham and cheese, chocolate bits, butterscotch chips, or a smear of jam. Experiment! Email Gail

Week 133: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, CEDITH COPENHAVER A friend from California sends me a box of Hachiya Persimmons every year. It’s a real treat, but what to do with this luscious fruit that is only edible when it ripens into a gelatinous mush? Make Persimmon bread, of course and then share it with family and friends! If you’re not ready to make the recipe when the fruit is ready to process, you can scrape out the pulp and freeze it until you are ready to bake. [...]

Week 132: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY This is a recipe from one of our talented, and dedicated, culinary volunteers, Colleen Wood. She gave it to me to publish in my column in the Enterprise and also attached the accompanying photos. The dip in the second photo is a red pepper hummus, taken from The Kitchen Girl website. The rosemary, gruyere and sea salt crackers are from Deb Perelman, of Smitten Kitchen fame. Deb calls them “cheese-its for grown ups.” Colleen suggests cutting them with a holiday cookie cutter—she uses stars, but [...]

Week 131: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, MICHELLE ITZKOWITZ A heart-healthy version of a classic biscuit that can be served any time of day. Try them for breakfast or alongside a big bowl of soup. Email Gail

Week 130: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE Not everyone has large crowds for Thanksgiving and I have found this recipe to be a great addition to my holiday line up for a small gathering at Thanksgiving. This recipe is easily adapted to add your favorite stuffing items. One year I included prosciutto and always increase the amount of mushrooms! It is simple and delicious recipe with plenty of left overs! Enjoy! Email Gail

Week 129: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY We made these eggs this fall in an “Appetizers for Dinner” cooking class. They were delicious, and even the Deviled Egg Queen in attendance approved! Make them for Thanksgiving, or tailgating, or just any time you want a special treat. Email Gail

Week 128: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, LISA WALKER This recipe has been adapted from a Sunset Magazine recipe that I first cooked 22 years ago and is still in frequent rotation at my house! Half of my family hates eggplant, or at least they think they hate eggplant, but they love this soup! Little do they know, they eat eggplant more than they think as I find it to be a secret ingredient in many other recipes! This soup is really easy to put together and is packed full of healthy [...]

Week 126:RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, MICHELLE ITZKOWITZA tasty twist on a classic dish, these hearty and filling pies are gluten free and vegetarian. They can even be made vegan with a few swaps. Try it in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate for a full pie or as follows for individual pies. Enjoy! Email Gail