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Simple clam rangoons make a festive holiday appetizer

Simple clam rangoons make a festive holiday appetizer

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com We all love simplicity and low cost when entertaining don’t we? After all, mingling with our guests is as important as the food we provide. This appetizer will result in a successful dinner party or an informal gathering during or after the holidays. I do have to give a plug to […]

Ginger ale complements this apple-cranberry sauce

Ginger ale complements this apple-cranberry sauce

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com This has got to be one of the easiest and uniquely delicious apple sauce recipes that I can give you. My son sat down to this for dessert and ate the whole bowl. Don’t worry if any of the apple tidbits are slightly firm by the way. That adds character, bite […]

Apple-Kielbasa stuffing makes a tangy side dish

Apple-Kielbasa stuffing makes a tangy side dish

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com This is a great way of enjoying the taste of a uniquely made “stuffing,” by using biscuits and the sweet tang of fresh apples. As we all know, a true cobbler has a biscuit topping, so I feel comfortable giving you this Yanked version that is perfect to place in front […]

Warm your winter with a gingered pear skillet cake

Warm your winter with a gingered pear skillet cake

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com The good news and bad. First, cardamom is not cheap. It is the third most expensive spice behind vanilla beans and saffron. But a little goes a long way. Substitute cinnamon for this member of the ginger family if desired. This cake is moist, almost bread-pudding-like, and extremely flavorful. The edges […]

Orange pumpkin pie for the holiday table

Orange pumpkin pie for the holiday table

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com I  probably should call this a cheesecake but that might turn some off. Although cheesecake is not one of my favorite desserts, I bow to this extraordinarily decadent pie. The pumpkin helps to offset that special tang that cream cheese gives, replacing it with that slightly sour hint of lemon and […]

Side dish highlights the many flavors of squash

Side dish highlights the many flavors of squash

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com W hat a great way of enjoying the fall harvest, much the same way our ancestors ate these “squantersquashes” (as written by Higginson and Joselyn) or “askutasquashes” (Rogers and Williams and William Wood) in the 1600s. From salty to sweet, and tart to sour, you really can savor the flavors in […]

Mac and cheese and squash makes a satisfying autumn dish

Mac and cheese and squash makes a satisfying autumn dish

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com I f I were to choose a last meal, this would be it. The golden taste of squash mixed into macaroni and cheese is filling, satisfying and so decadently satiating. This is a perfect recipe for leftover mashed squash after Thanksgiving as well. If you would like thinner macaroni and cheese, […]

Fish broth flavors up end-of-summer succotash

Fish broth flavors up end-of-summer succotash

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Not many people know — or have even heard — of jagasse. In the early 1800s, fishermen along the Massachusetts coast were also farmers in their non-fishing time. Their families had their fill of fish in meals and this dish gave them a subtle hint of the ocean while enjoying the […]

Cheesy rarebit biscuits perfect for a game-day snack

Cheesy rarebit biscuits perfect for a game-day snack

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com These great, cheesy game-day snacks are prepared easier if you do the cheese/meat mixture ahead of time so that when you make the biscuits, it will be cold and thick enough to scoop into each biscuit. A great mixture of meat and cheese, all encased in a warm biscuit. What else […]

Turn off the TV, share some apple gingerbread and talk

Turn off the TV, share some apple gingerbread and talk

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com T his is, by far, the best gingerbread recipe you will taste. The extra scent and taste of molasses combined with the hint of apple and cloves will bring you to a time when the family gathered and shut off the television to simply talk. A comforting classic can actually bring […]

Simple apple coffee cake warms the autumn chill

Simple apple coffee cake warms the autumn chill

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com T his recipe is simple, inexpensive and, by far, the most extraordinary apple cake you will ever have. I purposely made the cake slightly less sweet than ordinary “coffee cake”-like desserts, because I wanted the apple to shine through, and it certainly won’t let you down. Use your favorite sweet, hard […]

Taste of the fall with a gingerbread-apple bar dessert

Taste of the fall with a gingerbread-apple bar dessert

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Many things set this recipe apart from every other bar treat. I took the memory of the age-old charlotte dessert and combined it with the taste of gingerbread. Apples and cheddar cheese transformed this great treat into a true New England dessert. Use stale bread if you like, but you will […]

This Yankee twists the beloved pickled Dutch eggs

This Yankee twists the beloved pickled Dutch eggs

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com The Pennsylvania Dutch are renowned for pickled eggs,  and this recipe has been inspired by these cousins of New England. They cook simply, comfortingly and with family traditions brought to the table. I adore this simple preparation that truly bursts with flavor and with so few ingredients. Many people may prefer […]

A bouillabaisse made easier

A bouillabaisse made easier

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com If halibut is a little pricy or hard to find, any firm-fleshed fish would make a great substitute for this easy bouillabaisse. Try snapper, grouper, orange roughy, mahi mahi, sturgeon, swordfish or tuna. If you like it spicy, add the whole can of chilies in adobo sauce. 1 tablespoon olive oil […]

Monkey jam is the bread spread for banana lovers

Monkey jam is the bread spread for banana lovers

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Monkey butter should be the appropriate name for this delicious spread but somehow that name denotes something really fatty. Besides, this “jam” is the end-all, beat-all of fruit spreads, especially for those of you who love the taste of peanut butter and bananas together. Use it in place of other types […]

Deep-fried ice cream takes time, but is well-worth the effort

Deep-fried ice cream takes time, but is well-worth the effort

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Don’t let the thought of frying ice cream scare you. It’s easy and by deep frying, a sweet ‘glaze’ is formed as a shell on the outside and will be your favorite way to enjoy ice cream from this point on. Vary it by using any flavored ice cream you desire […]

A taste of the sea with grilled mussels

A taste of the sea with grilled mussels

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Sure, I love clams but when it comes to mussels … fahget ’bout it! I adore these succulent, sweet mollusks, especially when they are combined with smoky ham, salty cheese and a spicy … well, spice! These are great for a picnic or any formal gathering. They crisp up beautifully while […]

Teriyaki chicken gets a Yankee twist

Teriyaki chicken gets a Yankee twist

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com How daring are you when it comes to heat? The fire you desire is totally up to you. I give you three choices of jellies to choose from, with heat from the jalapeno jelly for those who want “heat and sweet,” peach for that ultra sweet flavor and apple for the […]

Get your taste buds ready for bold clams on the half shell

Get your taste buds ready for bold clams on the half shell

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Look at this simple list of ingredients and preparation. Now you have no reason not to incorporate something great tasting into your summer gathering year after year. When you are ready to remove the black “sleeve” that is found over the siphon of the clam, all you need to do is […]

Smokiness carries a simple oyster bisque

Smokiness carries a simple oyster bisque

By Jim Bailey theyankeechef.blogspot.com Not a true bisque, not a true chowder and yet, not a true stew. But it does have all the taste and consistency of all three. The smokiness of both the cheddar and oysters make this summertime treat perfectly balanced without the additional salt and pepper. For those who like a […]