Watership Down Kitchen

We are experiencing that strange but lovely second summer; the wave of heat that hits after the first week of 50 degree weather. I’ve been wearing boots and sweaters but today required a dress and sandals. I wanted something filling for dinner but cold; enter this marvelously delicious Blue Cheese Chicken BLT Salad. The tomatoes are from my parents garden and are the most delicious I have ever had. Add wonderfully strong bleu cheese and crunchy greens, salty bacon and perfectly cooked and easy to grab rotisserie chicken and you have yourself a winner.  Yum! Ingredients: 1/2 cup shredded romaine lettuce 1/2 cup shredded green cabbage 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage 1/3 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup sliced scallions 1 yellow heirloom tomato, diced 1 cup rotisserie chicken, diced 1/4 cup bleu cheese crumbles 1/4 cup bleu cheese dressing wonton strips and bacon crumbles, to taste Method: Toss together the lettuce, cabbages, carrots, scallio...

My husband took the week off to tackle some projects at home. He is working on built-in furniture around the house, finishing the basement, and building me a wooden music stand for my studio at the university. After ballet this morning, I had a wonderful 3 hour block of rest before I went to teach. I come home at 8 or 9 pm most nights, so often I cook big on the weekends and we enjoy leftovers during the week. Since we were both at home during the day today, I decided to make my Saturday recipe during the week. It made a lovely lunch and it was so nice to spend time during the day together in the kitchen. This meal has everything without a lot of guilt. The chicken sausage is healthier than pork, but cram-jam full of flavor. I pumped the dish full of green vegetables, then complimented their verdure with sweet, bursting sun dried tomatoes and earthy mushrooms. The tortellini was my capitulation to deliciousness with their cheesy pockets, and I finished everything off w...

If you want something fancy, inexpensive and a total hit for your brunch, look no further than this smoked salmon brunch spread and bagels. The big splurge is the smoked salmon, but this helps you stretch that product out.  We are having one of those glorious final summer days in September this morning. Perfect weather to enjoy my brunch outside on the deck, looking out at the newly hayed field. I am singing in a concert this afternoon and life is good. And this bagel is very good- especially with my mimosa! Ingredients: 1 cup whipped cream cheese 1/4 cup creamy greek dressing 2 tablespoons chopped spring onions 2 teaspoons dried dill 4 ounces flaked smoked salmon Salt and pepper, to taste Method: Beat all ingredients together vigorously until well-combined. Let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes before using. Spread onto a toasted bagel and garnish with extra spring onion. Enjoy!

I love cereal. There are so many fabulous varieties- Honey Nut Bunches of Oats with Almonds, Honeycomb, Honey Ohs, Honey Nut Cheerios, Honey Nut Clusters (hmmm, a theme), Golden Grahams, Corn Chex, Rice Chex, Shredded Mini-Wheats- heck, I even like the kids cereals of Trix, Fruit Loops, Kix, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes…. Yum. Bowl of cereal with milk for breakfast? Yes, please. But what if your cereal is a little stale? What to do? I like to use that cereal in breakfast bars. Transforms those stale Cheerios into something delicious and makes me feel less guilty about spending 5 dollars or what have you a box. This recipe is best suited for those honey themed cereals, in particular Cheerios or Chex. I would advise against Fruit Loops.  Enjoy!  Ingredients: 1 cup of maple cheerios 1/2 cup rolled oats 1/3 cup dried cranberries 3 tablespoons honey 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons butter ...

After such decadent corn chowder, I needed something light, crisp and easy to make. Salad ho! I never put dried fruit into my salads until I went to Seagle Music Colony. In addition to singing, I helped out the fabulous Stephen in the kitchen. He taught me how to bake salmon, make sweet tea, and put cranberries into salad. They add the most wonderful burst of tangy sweetness. Paired with salty, crunchy pumpkin seeds, they make this sale a winner. Enjoy! Ingredients: 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded red cabbage 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/4 cup sliced green onions 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/4 roasted pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup poppy seed dressing Method: Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Allow to sit for 20 minutes before serving with extra cranberries, pumpkin seeds and green onions. Enjoy!

Week one of school done! I have taught 2 diction classes, 2 university private students and 25 of my own private students. I have also taken my normal horseback riding, vocal coaching, ballet and piano lessons. Tomorrow I have headshots plus video and audio recordings to do for my professional webpage and audition packet. I have been going, going, going.  I am tired. I was also going to attend a show tonight but I am feeling run down with a slight sore throat, which is disaster the night before a recording sessions. After teaching today, I napped for 2 hours, steamed, and said, I need soup.  But not just any soup. I wanted thick, rich, creamy and rib-sticking corn chowder. So I made myself a chowder full of bacon, corn, potatoes, cheese and cream, perfectly spiced and topped with green onions for that allium goodness. I am currently digesting by being ultra lazy with Netflix. And then, bedtime. Recharging the batteries never tasted to good!  Ingredients...

There is something so beautifully satisfying about a warm salad. The vinaigrette gets brought to life by coming into contact with the warm proteins and vegetables and starches. The greens wilt slightly. The fresh ingredients seem even more refreshing, crunchier, or jucier. Such it is with this riff on a Nicoise salad.  I lose the radishes, add avocado (because nothing in the world cannot be improved with the addition of avocado), sub in salmon for tune and roast everything rather than steaming or boiling or what have you. The result is incredibly delicious, healthy and satisfying. It’s a meal to savor with a glass of wine on the weekend. Enjoy! Ingredients: Olive oil salt pepper 1 pound salmon fillet 4 hard boiled eggs 1 pound red potatoes, cut into eighths 1 pound green beans, trimmed 1 sweet onion, sliced 10 cherry tomatoes cut in half 12 ounces mixed greens 1 avocado, sliced 1/2 cup greek black olives, sliced Dressing: salt pepper ...

Apple season is upon us! Last year my apple trees were barren; this year I have bushels upon bushels ripening on the trees. The variety is native to Maine- a kind of blend between Granny Smith, Macintosh and Cortland, from the way they taste. They are incredibly and wonderfully tart; I vastly prefer a crunchy, tart apple to those mealy, sweet and horrible Red Delicious. That name is a lie! I digress. This cake/bar/square/cobbler/dessert is just heaven. Easy to make, easier to eat, it’s a fabulous weekend treat or for a holiday. I made it during Labor Day weekend; filling up on deliciousness and baking before the school year begins and I am a professor for the first time ever.  You know what? I think I need a glass of wine to go along with this…. Ingredients: 8 apples, peeled and diced 2 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, divided 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup softened butter 2 e...