Appetizers

Colorful caprese salad with burrata, tomatoes, watermelon, oranges, and fresh herbs on a white plate

How to Make Summer Sunset Caprese Salad

There’s something about summer light on a lake that makes even the simplest meals feel special. At our camp in Maine, this Summer Sunset Caprese Salad is a staple—vibrant, unfussy, and bursting with the best flavors of the season. Our twist on the classic caprese, it’s inspired by golden hour skies and long, laid-back dinners by the…

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Creamy Mustard Sauce Recipe | In a bowl with a blue gingham tray and herbs

Old-Fashioned Creamy Mustard Sauce

The recipe for this creamy, zesty mustard has been in my family for as long as I can remember.  It was served as an appetizer at every summer barbecue of my childhood to accompany cocktail hot dogs and crusty bread with summer sausage and aged cheddar. It was also frequently used as a welcome addition…

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Stuffed Artichokes with Lemon and Fresh Mint

Grandma’s Sicilian Stuffed Mini Artichokes

My beautiful Sicilian grandmother cooked the most delicious, simple and rustic foods. Her kitchen always smelled of sautéing garlic and olive oil and she had a gift for elevating every leftover in her refrigerator into something new and delicious. Some of her specialties were lentil soup, “polpette,” or seasoned, flattened meatballs, homemade manicotti and if…

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Maria's Authentic Hungarian Cheese Spread

Maria’s Authentic Hungarian Cheese Spread

Ever since I said “I do,” this simple yet complex savory spread has been a staple during the holidays. The recipe, passed down from my husband’s grandmother Maria in Budapest, was shared with her daughter-in-law (my mother-in-law), who kindly passed it along to me. With just a short list of ingredients and easy preparation, it…

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