Soupe Savoyarde

(Contributed by Ursula) This is perfect for winter. Lots of root vegetables and starchiness to keep you warm on the coldest nights. It turned out much better than I imagined! (I suggest letting the soup slowly simmer for as long as you can. As with any soup, additional cooking time always improves and deepens the flavor.)

Caramelized Cauliflower Soup with Toasted Hazelnuts and Croutons

(Contributed by Ursula) Ursula’s on a cauliflower bender, and we all profit. I say we round out this trio with another cauliflower masterpiece. Patiently awaiting a hat-trick (c-trick?)… –Ranylt

Puréed Cauliflower Rigatoni

(Contributed by Ursula) So it’s winter, blah blah blah. Here’s a winter recipe to fill your belly on a chilly day. Obviously you have to be a pretty big fan of cauliflower to like this. Or, you can be obsessed with it like me. (I may have eaten cauliflower every single day for the past 2 weeks. Maybe. I’m not telling.)

Crunchy, Cold Refrigerator Pickles

These pickles are delicious and SO VERY EASY.

Siege’s Italian Stew

The weather has finally cooled down, so this weekend I made a batch of my Mum’s Italian Stew (otherwise know as “Sausage, peppers, and mushrooms”). It’s hearty and easy to throw together.

Summer Pasta

(Contributed by Ursula) Another winner from Ursula. Lemon zest, pine nuts, greens, olive oil and butter. Nom.

Sacrilegious Pierogi

I suspect I make Polish and Ukrainian grannies spin in their graves whenever I deal with the sacred pieróg. First, I’ve only eaten the North American version, all potato, cheese and/or onion. Second, I prefer to sautee my pierogi in butter, salt, and pepper rather than boil them, which takes a long time but which is totally worth it, especially with a side of caramelized onions, sour cream, and homemade garlic pickles (I can’t get past that lovely browned pot-sticker-y firmness). And third, I’ve thoroughly offended Eastern European sensibilities by recently taking to coating pierogi in sweet sauteed tomatoes. But screw authenticity — it’s a myth anyway! And anyway, at least I boil them now. And anyway! at least the concept of tomato sauce is popular in those parts so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that it’s done in the East all the time. Right?

Spaghetti with Almond Pesto

(Contributed by Ursula) The perfect pesto to savor while Northerners wait for great swathes of basil to ripen in earnest for pesto Genovese. – Ranylt

Sweet Potato and Coconut Biscuits

(Contributed by Ursula) I can’t stop eating these! It’s my favorite sweet potato recipe.

Leek and Goat Cheese Galette

(Contributed by Ursula) OK, I admit it. I am completely obsessed with galettes. I can’t help it. My husband brings home pizza what feels like every other night and there is just so much goopy cheese I can take. Galettes are the perfect alternative for me: yummy dough, hearty filling and just a sprinkle of cheese on top. This particular recipe, from Deborah Madison, is a perfect springtime dish. The herbs don’t need to be fresh; if you use dried, simply cut the amount in half. If you don’t have any cream or crème fraîche around, do not substitute with milk, just omit this ingredient completely; you don’t want the leek mixture to be watery. There is an excellent wine I found at Trader Joe’s. It’s not dry but more reminiscent of a Viognier, but works in this recipe well. Chariot Gypsy from California for under $10 a bottle. Pop the bottle in the fridge in the morning, use ½ a cup for the leeks and drink the rest while you cook. You can thank me later. One last note about the dough: pre-made frozen pie crust works just as well as a homemade galette dough. The flaky, buttery galette dough is no doubt superior, but for time and sanity’s sake, pie crust is a great alternative. Enjoy.