Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Spooky Cookies and Cupcakes for Halloween

Are you afraid of ghosts? Monsters? Zombies!? For Halloween treat inspiration, we look to the creepy crawlies, and this easy spider web design can be used to make creepy cupcakes, spoooooky coooookies, and cakes or pizza that will give you goosebumps! For these cupcakes, we rolled pre-made fondant (you can […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus, Family Fun

Supremely Spooky Pizzas for Halloween

Small foodies may have candy on the brain, but before they start their whirlwind foraging expedition, little ghosts, cowgirls—and hopefully a tiny chef or two!?—need some food-fuel. Since it is Halloween, dinner needs to be fun and maybe a little spooky! For your sake, it should also be easy. We […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Roasted Tomato Bisque

Makes 4 to 6 servings Roasting the tomatoes adds an unusual twist to this bisque. If you prefer, you can substitute sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) for the roasted tomatoes. Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 1 1/4 cups diced onion 1/2 cup diced celery 1 1/4 cups diced leek […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How to Prepare a Bisque

A good bisque reflects the flavor of the main ingredient. If you have added cream to round out and mellow the soup, it should not mask the main flavor. All bisques are slightly coarse or grainy, with a consistency similar to heavy cream. A crustacean bisque is pale pink or […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

How to: Roast Vegetables without a Recipe

As we ease into autumn, we can finally celebrate the return of roasting—especially vegetables. We love roasting because it is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy seasonal fall produce, like hard-skinned squash, cauliflower, fennel, and Brussels sprouts (color = flavor), as well as incredibly easy and hands-off. Even […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

14 Plant-Forward Fall Recipes

As the fall rolls in, you can put on some sweatpants and curl up with a cozy blanket. But you also need to nourish your belly with the flavors of the season. We’ve made a list of some of our best fall recipes which just happen to be plant-forward. Brussels […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Wine 101: Malbec

Great food and wine go hand in hand, but when the-things-to-know-about-wine are seemingly infinite, it can be difficult (and intimidating!) to choose a wine. In this series, we’ll explore the fundamentals of wine, from grape varietals to tasting, so that you can tackle a wine list with confidence. Get to […]

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Brewing Tisanes and Infusions

Everything that can be brewed and is not tea or a coffee bean is known as an infusion (although technically coffee is an infusion, too). Remember, if it does not come from the tea tree, it is technically not tea. There are also herbal teas, but that label is only […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Grilling Fish and Seafood

Finding a great source for perfectly fresh fish and seafood is the grill cook’s greatest challenge. Once you’ve located a reliable source, rely upon them to guide you to other types of fish and seafood you can try. Almost any fish can be successfully prepared on the grill, as long […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Not-So-Mysterious Mushrooms

Though mushrooms grow throughout the year, they are widely regarded as seasonally fall (except morels, which are the best part of the spring!). White button and cremini mushrooms (often called baby bellas) are the old stand-by. They are inexpensive, sturdy, and neutral in flavor. But as much as we love […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

A Sweet Goodbye to Summer Pie Season

As the summer days pass (faster than they have any right to!), there is only one way to slow down and celebrate the last, waning days of the season: bake a pie. We’re sharing some of our best summer pie and tart recipes, celebrating the best sun-kissed fruits like berries, […]