Creamy Pasta with Asparagus and Ham

Luscious and easy – and perfect for spring

Asparagus season? Yes! We like to celebrate its iconic springtime flavor whenever the local crop is available.

Asparagus combines wonderfully with ham and cream. Add some pasta to the mix, and you have a simple (but wonderful) main course. Or serve half portions as a starter.

The season for asparagus is fleeting. So spear this recipe while you can.

Braised Ham with Port

Flavorful and easy, perfect for celebrating

Need a festive dish that can feed a crowd? Maybe something for Easter dinner, or a graduation party?

Enter Braised Ham with Port. It’s more succulent than baked ham, and just as easy to prepare. Those who know only its baked cousin will be delighted to meet this dish.

But accept your guests’ accolades with modesty. No need to ham it up.

The Queen Elizabeth Cocktail

This low-alcohol charmer will make you feel like royalty

OK, let’s get the obvious question out of the way: No, this drink was not named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. Rather, it was named for the creator’s wife. But more history later.

What you need to know now is that, despite the drink’s majestic moniker, it’s simplicity itself to make. The Queen Elizabeth cocktail requires only three ingredients: Dry vermouth, Bénédictine liqueur, and lime juice. And because this drink doesn’t contain a base spirit, its alcohol quotient is quite modest.

So low alcohol, but lofty flavor. Make a round of these and you’ll rule.

Fennel and Pear Salad

Garnish with blue cheese or Parmesan for an early springtime starter

We could be fancy and call this insalata di finocchio e pere. But it tastes just as good in English.

The subtle anise flavor of fennel plays well with the crisp sweetness of pears. Add a garnish of blue cheese (we favor Gorgonzola) or maybe Parmigiano Reggiano, and you’ve got a springtime starter that will awaken your taste buds from their long winter’s nap.

So yeah, we love finocchio (no Pinocchios).

Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

You can feed a crowd with this spicy Creole dish

Mardi Gras may be over, but that’s no reason to ignore New Orleans-style cuisine. It’s good any time of the year!

So today we’re cooking jambalaya, which is pretty much every-day fare in Louisiana. And why not? It’s a one-pot dinner with outstanding flavor.

Best of all, jambalaya is not hard to make. Most of the cooking is unattended, and you can prepare it ahead of time. That makes for a perfect company dish.

It’s the big easy, you might say.

Guinness Beef Stew

Meaty goodness with an Irish twist

On St. Patrick’s Day we’re all Irish – and we want to celebrate. So how about some hearty Guinness Beef Stew?

It’s a great dish for entertaining. Because you braise the beef slowly, most of the prep work will be done hours before you need to serve. You can even make this dish a day ahead, then reheat it – the flavor will only get better.

In fact, it will have more flavor than you can shake a shillelagh at.

The Black Velvet Cocktail

This delightful mix of Guinness and Champagne is perfect for St. Pat’s

Sometimes a cocktail’s name really captures it.

The Black Velvet is soft, smooth, and well . . . velvety. Guinness adds dark richness to the sparkle of champagne. 

So forget the green beer. This St Patrick’s Day, make it brew and bubbles.