It’s been brutally cold here in northern Vermont, with temps hanging around zero and a wicked wind zipping off the lake. I usually enjoy getting outside in January for a snowshoe or winter hike, but for the last couple of weeks its has been way too cold and I’ve been feeling a bit cooped up in the house. To confront my cabin fever I’ve been focusing on keeping busy in the kitchen and creating warm, cozy, comfort foods that take the chill out of the winter air.

I don’t think it gets any more comforting than a homemade crispy egg roll. They are absolutely my top choice for fried food, and I’ve been known to whip them up in the morning for a breakfast indulgence. The nice thing about egg rolls is that you get a solid dose of winter veggies for a fried food, and it was a great way to use up the cabbage that arrived in my last Pete’s Greens CSA share.

If you are hesitant about putting together egg rolls at home, don’t worry; it’s really quite easy (it’s the same technique for rolling a burrito or wrap) and I’ve got a little photo tutorial below. [click to continue…]

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Even though I haven’t been there in years, I have to admit that T.G.I. Friday holds a warm place in my heart. This might sound surprising, especially from someone who advocates for whole, seasonal, and local foods diet (none of which are usually found at a giant chain). But when Friday’s first started out, the atmosphere was lively, the fast-casual food was a fun/new concept, and even the “flair” was a bit entertaining (remember this classic Office Space clip?)

So back in the day, my mom, sister, and I would to meet-up at Friday’s for a “girls’ night out” where we would get a little bit crazy and order a mess of appetizers for dinner (I like to think that we were early pioneers of the small plates craze). It was a lot of fun and we always shared a lot of laughs. While we weren’t regulars enough to always order the same thing, I do remember that their loaded potato skins usually ended up at our table. [click to continue…]

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Most of the recipes I highlight at feelgood eats are born out of inspiration. Sometimes I’ll have an incredible dish while I am out and about, other times I’ll read about a recipe in a cookbook or food blog, or stumble upon a killer ingredient that has me racing to the kitchen. But this recipe was different. This spinach and artichoke dip was born out of sheer envy.

It all started innocently enough at a mid-afternoon holiday gathering with students, professors, and alums of the graduate school I attended. My contribution was this goat cheese and olive spread, a unique and tasty little dish that I was quite happy with. That is, until I saw the spinach and artichoke dip emerge out of the wholesale club jar and get positioned directly next to my contribution. It was head-to-head, spread vs. spread action, and you can guess how things turned out. For the rest of the afternoon I watched as people went for seconds, thirds, fourths of the wholesale club spread - going on and on about how good it was. It really was no contest at all. [click to continue…]

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Happy New Year! You might notice that things look a bit different here at Feelgood Eats - we’ve done a bit of redecorating so please let me know how you like the new look! Best wishes on a happy and healthy 2009!

Cheddar & ale soup is a common offering on New England pub menus in the winter, but for some reason I’ve never had it before - honestly, cheese and beer just doesn’t sound terribly interesting, does it? I probably still wouldn’t have given it a go if I hadn’t shared a delightful cheddar & ale dip at The Alchemist (Waterbury, VT) with my partner T. last week. I was surprised to find a real depth of flavor with the dip and I knew I wanted to try and put something together at home.

I adapted this recipe from one published in Gourmet and it’s really the perfect antidote to a chilly winter’s night. This recipe combines seasonal ingredients (onions, leeks, carrots, garlic) to create a strong flavor base with the punch of the ale and cheddar to zip things up a bit. The neat part about this recipe is that it can easily be adapted to create a tasty dip or fondue (simply cut down the liquid ingredients by half), or try a fun twist on grilled cheese and whip up a welsh rabbit. [click to continue…]

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It’s nice to have a few quick dips and spreads up your sleeve for last-minute party plans or special treats. My sister introduced me to this Mediterranean-inspired spread and it has quickly become a new favorite, perfect for spreading on crackers, serving alongside fresh vegetables, or smearing on a sandwich.

Sometimes I find creamy dips and spreads to be a bit one-dimensional, heavy on the dairy and light on other flavors. This spread is totally different, with a well-balanced combination of sweet (dried apricots, honey), savory (olives, pecans, capers), and a bit of tang (goat cheese, red wine vinegar). [click to continue…]

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Sometimes I wonder if I am alone in my belief that a squash soup should not taste like a pumpkin pie.

This fall I’ve ordered a few squash soups while out and about and they have been filled with the usual pie suspects: cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup (or an unusual suspect that keeps creeping in, the curry spice blend). All of these spices when used in moderation can really enhance a soup, but with the squash soups I tasted they really tended to mask, overpower, and even bring the dish into the pie dimension.

My mom had requested a squash soup for Thanksgiving dinner so I started a search for a recipe that avoided common pie components and that would wake up the squash without masking its flavor.  Surprisingly, there wasn’t much out there that didn’t include the suspects listed above - it seems that squash soups are really in a rut.

Luckily I found the answer to the squash soup rut with a recipe from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Supper at Luques, a cookbook that time and time again serves up delicious recipes inspired by the seasons [click to continue…]

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If you are looking squeamishly at this title and racing for the delete button, please take a moment and reconsider.

Anyone still there??

Believe me, this is good stuff. These crispy chicken livers are kind of like a more earthy and rich chicken nugget. They are perfect over polenta, served with a mixed green salad, or eaten on their own with a dipping sauce (even ketchup works).

Fried chicken livers are a long-time staple of southern cuisine, proving that southerners will fry anything and it will be delicious. I first ran across this dish at Clyde Common in Portland, OR, where they gently pan-fried the livers to achieve a nice tenderness. My second introduction to this dish was at Lolita in Cleveland, OH. Here they opted for a quick deep-fry to achieve more of a crunch. I have to say that I preferred the deep-fry, but either way, these little bites were delicious. [click to continue…]

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Yesterday I woke up to the first snowfall and I have to admit after two years of living in the Bay Area’s mellow climate I am not sure if I am ready for a Vermont winter.

It does help that last week I received my first winter CSA package from Pete’s Greens, and it was loaded with goodies: greens, carrots, onions, potatoes, and delicata squash. If you aren’t familiar with delicata squash you’ll have to give it a try, with a sweet and nutty taste I think it blows away the more popular butternut and acorn squash varieties. [click to continue…]

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I am a bit picky about nachos. When I’m at the movie theater or ballpark concession stand, I’ll pass on the stale chips smothered in bright orange velveeta. Ditto for the pub or taqueria where they erratically pile on the ingredients so that the chips on top end up overloaded and soggy, while the chips on the bottom have nothing to offer. The best nachos, by far, are built and crafted at home.

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