Granola… it’s back!
Chris and I were walking the dogs the other day at Hudson Mills Metro Park in Dexter when we noticed that the maple trees were all set up to collect maple sugar. I did a story about this last year and think making my own maple syrup would be the coolest thing. However, not this [...]
Kahlua!
I know, I know, I haven’t been posting much lately, ’cause, like most of you, the holiday season to-do list has taken over. We haven’t been cooking all that much either, and when we do it’s a vat of soup or a double batch of whatever so that we can eat leftovers while trying to [...]
Vegetable Wellington with butternut squash and mushrooms
In my last post I talked about what we had for Thanksgiving which included Vegetable Wellington as our main course. I’ve been asked by several people to post the recipe. This recipe is based on a recipe from the New York Times, Butternut Squash and Mushroom Wellington. When we saw it we decided it would [...]
Oven roasted root vegetables with Indian spices
I don’t know about you, but when the temperature drops I crave more substantial savory foods like mac ‘n cheese, creamy soups and of course anything made with potatoes. Maybe it’s our bodies way of trying to fatten up for winter, which is something I don’t need, but I’m still having trouble resisting rich foods [...]
Baked Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers are HOT, and I’m not just talkin’ heat
If there is one signature Savage recipe, this is it: baked stuffed jalapeno poppers. We wait till the peppers are red and most flavorful, then we stuff them with a mixture of cheese, fresh herbs, garlic and onion to give them a flavor that is beyond fabulous! If you don’t like hot foods, well, this [...]
Summer rolls (or autumn rolls) with tofu and spicy peanut sauce.
Frankly I’m not real clear on the difference between summer rolls and spring rolls other than the season in which they are made, so maybe I should call these rolls autumn rolls because they are made from produce I picked in autumn. If you google summer roll, you will see that the filling is a [...]
Grilled tomato, mozzarella swiss chard wraps burst with flavor
I didn’t grow up eating Swiss chard, probably because it wasn’t readily available in stores back then, but it is now. I see it everywhere. It’s also very easy to grow and it produces all summer and even lasts after a few frosts. It can be cooked just like spinach and can be added to [...]
Salsa verde with roasted tomatillo and poblano peppers
Grilling and summer are traditionally linked, but I think fall is the best time to grill. The weather is cooler so standing next to a grill isn’t miserable, plus I have always equated the smell of smoke with autumn, maybe because of bonfires and the smell of burning leaves in the country. So, as soon [...]
Broccoli and rice casserole with chick peas and portabella mushrooms
Much of my experimental cooking comes from the fact that I hate to waste food. When I have too much of something I look for a recipe or come up with a recipe that utilizes what needs to be eaten. Saturday, my husband Chris announced, “We don’t have any more room in the fridge [...]
Stuffed baked zucchini with rice, orzo and cherry tomatoes
From peppers to kale, the garden is in full swing, but there are two things I can’t seem to eat enough of to keep up with the productions, zucchinis and cherry tomatoes. The image below is how my fridge feels right now. To top it off I am so busy that finding time to cook [...]
Carrot cupcakes or carrot muffins, either way they will delight
I know, I know, the cupcake is so 2010. Apparently, cupcakes are out and pies are in. Maybe the flaming cupcake and cupcake fondue are out, but take a classic, never-go-out-of-style food like carrot cake and make it into cupcakes, and you have something that will always be in. This recipe makes a yummy cupcake, [...]
Roasted Corn Chowder
I’m beginning to see signs everywhere advertising “Michigan sweet corn sold here”. It’s a food that I can’t resist and have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like fresh sweet corn. As Garrison Keillor said, “Sex is good, but not as good as fresh, sweet corn.” Several years ago, Chris and I decided to grow our [...]
Asian Kohl-Slaw
I’m not a big fan of cooking when it’s this hot, so I’m taking advantage of a few foods in my garden that I can eat without turning on the stove. The carrots are ready and so is the kohlrabi, so how about a kohl-slaw?! Two years ago my husband was given purple kohlrabi seeds, so [...]
Infuse a little summertime into your lemonade with black raspberry and lavender
There is nothing like summer in Michigan. As a Michigan transplant, from a place where you avoid going outside and run your air-conditioner for the entire summer, I can say I choose this. I love it, and I start day-dreaming about it in January. I may get a bit annoyed by the mosquitos, but I won’t [...]
Herbed Zucchini Tart with arugula and gruyère cheese
I grew up in a large family and both of my parents worked, sometimes more than one job, so meal-time was about convenience. I am a product of the quick and easy processed food generation of Tyson Chicken Breasts, frozen pot pies and succotash. I consumed a whole lot of frozen prepared foods and partially [...]
Basic Whole Wheat Pastry
This is my favorite pastry recipe and I use it for just about anything that calls for a crust. It’s nearly impossible to mess up and it makes a very flavorful, crunchy crust. The recipe makes enough dough for three single layer 9″ pies or two double crust 9″ pies. I usually role out the extra [...]
Awesome, Smack Your Mama, Sangria Recipe
I was perusing Facebook status updates yesterday and a beautiful image of fruit caught my eye. It was a photo collage of the making of Sangria by a friend of mine, Cherie Stangis. Here on The Savage Feast, we believe a recipe is not complete without lots of mouthwatering images, so I asked Cherie if [...]
Grilling lettuce? What the — ?!
Grilling lettuce sounds pretty strange, I know. I thought the same thing until I tried it. There is something about grilling it that intensifies the flavors in the lettuce and takes lettuce from being just a bed or vehicle for other things to center stage. Now is the time to do it since lettuce, such [...]
Dark chocolate covered strawberries: u-pick, u-dip, u-impress.
I’ve always wanted to try making dark chocolate dipped strawberries. I think they’re the perfect dessert, healthy and satisfying. Dark chocolate, in moderation of course, is actually good for you and is loaded with antioxidants and fresh strawberries are… well duh, and if you can find them organic, even better. The first thing I read [...]
Strawberry Mojito, a local twist on the classic Cuban drink
I’m not much of a sweet mixed drink person, so, the first time I was offered a mojito, I was a bit apprehensive. It only took one sip for me to realize that sweet is not how I would describe it but fresh is. The combination of fresh lime and mint makes this drink so [...]
Toasted Ravioli stuffed with spinach, walnuts and fresh mozzarella
Toasted ravioli is a classic St. Louis, Missouri dish. Just about every restaurant in the Italian neighborhood, The Hill, has it on their menu as do many other restaurants throughout the area. I love ‘em, and miss them since moving to Michigan 8 years ago. Chris and I travel to St. Louis every year for [...]
Spinach Feta Pizza
One year, by accident, I planted our spinach just a little too late at the end of summer to get a fall yield. However, this accident lead to a wonderful surprise in the spring. By the first week in May we were able to harvest 6 pounds of the most succulent spinach. The plants were established [...]
Apple-Blueberry Bran Muffins
Looking for something to surprise mom with on Mother’s Day morning? How about muffins! This apple-blueberry muffin recipe is one of our favorite Sunday morning breakfasts. We always pick a ton of extra blueberries in the summer and freeze them so that we have blueberries just for this recipe. Keep that in mind when you [...]
In anticipation of the Topopo Salad
Most of what we grow in the summer doesn’t go into the ground until mid-to-late May because of the threat of frost in this region. However, there is still plenty to plant after the ground has thawed and the soil can be worked. Over the last couple of weeks we planted all of our lettuce, [...]