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

Week 126: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE This Balsamic Chicken and Figs with Red Onion is a wonderful one-pan dish to serve in fall. The combination of sweet and juicy figs with the crispy skinned chicken and tangy balsamic sauce is sure to please anyone at your table! Email Gail

Week 125: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY This is a very old-fashioned recipe that is as delicious as it is simple (I say that a lot, I’m realizing!).  For FCTV I made it with fabulous pork chops on the bone from Bootstrap Farm Club—the sizzle when they hit the pan was great.  I used a Honeycrisp apple but you can use whatever you like.  With mashed potatoes and green beans, it was pretty retro meal, perfect for early October. Email Gail [...]

Week 124: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, CEDITH COPENHAVER As the days grow shorter and the temperature drops, it’s time for apple cider doughnuts! I like this easy baked recipe which is simple to make at home in a muffin pan if you don’t like to fry. Enjoy! *Adapted from a New York Times recipe Email Gail

Week 123: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, MICHELLE ITZKOWITZ I simply love lasagna in the fall! The smell of sage, butter and squash wafting through my home brings the season in full force. Cut yourself a piece and curl up on the couch with a blanket as you savor autumn in a bowl. You can make a traditional béchamel sauce for this dish and it will come out the same. You can also add gluten free or regular noodles for a more traditional lasagna, as this recipe uses the butternut squash in [...]

Week 122: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, LISA WALKER I recently received a paella pan for my birthday. I’ve never cooked paella before but have been really interested in trying it. I Googled “Paella recipe” and there are many variations out there using chicken, chorizo or sausage, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, and scallops or basically any type of protein you want to add. I chose a seafood paella recipe from a YouTube video by Joshua Weissman. What I found was that while at first glance it looks intimidating, it really is quite easy and [...]

Week 121: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, TARA BURKE This recipe is from one of Gail’s classes, modified slightly for my taste. I was looking for a balanced meal using Gail’s delicious Cajun Shrimp to be served with farro and roasted vegetables. The result was fantastic, and although summer has officially ended, we can still enjoy summertime fare on warmer fall days! Email Gail

Week 120: RECIPE OF THE WEEK FROM HIGHFIELD HALL & GARDENS STAFF, GAIL BLAKELY A very nice change from the usual pasta salad…it gets better as it sits, so I would suggest adding basil only to what you are serving at the moment. Celebrate the end of summer with this delicious dish! Email Gail