TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Pacific Foods Organic Beans

Proust had his madeleines; we had our mother’s baked beans: made in an old-fashioned glazed ceramic crock, topped with strips of bacon. They were so good, we have never been able to eat canned baked beans—overly sweetened and one-dimensionally bland. But thanks to Pacific Natural Foods’ new line of USDA Certified Organic beans in a…
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TIP OF THE DAY: 11 Exciting Bloody Mary Garnishes

New Year’s Day is also National Bloody Mary Day. So today’s tip is: Find a new garnish for your Bloody Marys, and change it up every year. A celery stalk garnish and optional lemon or lime wheel was de rigeur 20th century. Savvy hosts replaced them with a fennel stalk for the new millennium (there’s…
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Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Recipe With Sea Salt

We couldn’t close out the year without a batch of buttery shortbread. This recipe, from Spice Islands, adds creamy caramel, a dark chocolate ganache icing and a sprinkle of sea salt. The recipe includes cashews. You can substitute another favorite nut (macadamias, pecans, pistachios, walnuts) or omit the nuts entirely. This type of bar cookie…
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RECIPE: Thai Shrimp Appetizer

Shrimp wrapped in pretty puff pastry. Photo and recipe courtesy Campbell’s.   We’ve been playing around with puff pastry this week, and are making these Thai Shrimp Spirals to go with the Champagne tonight. Marinated shrimp wrapped in tender puff pastry and served on skewers with a dip, they’re a fun and tasty food. Prep…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Recipes For Delicious Champagne Cocktails

The easy way out is to uncork the Champagne, pour and serve. The fun way is to offer a menu of Champagne cocktails. When it comes to New Year’s Eve cocktails, we have a favorite: Champagne or other bubbly mixed with St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, a French import made by a family-owned Parisian company. At…
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