Recipes by Julianne

1 recipe almond tart dough, recipe follows 1 beaten egg 6 T. seedless red raspberry jam 3 firm but ripe pears, preferably a more rounded variety, such as Bartletts or Red pears Turbinado sugar, sometimes called coarse sugar or sugar in the raw, for sprinkling 1 pint fresh red raspberries Crme friche or whipped cream […]

1 1/2 c. walnut halves 1 egg white 1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper 2 T. brown sugar, either dark or light 1 heaping tsp. coarse sea salt Beat egg white until it begins to froth. Add the pepper and sugar and stir until the sugar is partially dissolved. Stir in the walnuts. Turn onto […]

Pears poached in red wine, honey and spices 4 firm but ripe pears, stems attached (Bosc pears work especially well) 1/2 bottle red wine – drinkable, but not necessarily expensive 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar Lemon peel and juice from 1/2 lemon 1 cinnamon stick 4 cloves Marscapone or cream cheese, optional Peel pears, […]

For the salad/per person: 1 large handful of washed and torn soft lettuce leaves, such as Boston or Bibb About 2 T. crumbled blue cheese 6-8 salt and pepper caramelized walnuts 1 – 1 1/2 ripe pears, cored and sliced Sherry honey dressing Place the torn lettuce into a large bowl. Add just enough dressing […]

The recipes in Homegrown and Handmade are simple and basic, all the better to showcase Niemann-Boehle’s homegrown products. Her tomato soup recipe calls for frozen tomatoes, but presumably fresh would work, too. She doesn’t specify if the herbs used are fresh or dried; I would double the amount if using fresh. I’d also whisk the […]

A decade ago if anyone had asked me if it was possible to grill watermelon, I’d have laughed at such a ridiculous notion. That was before I first tasted grilled watermelon at Bacaro, a restaurant in Champaign whose chef, Thad Morrow, is a longtime friend. I ordered it out of curiosity and trust in Morrow’s […]

I’ve been making this cold soup every summer for more than 25 years. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy and quick to make. There’s no cooking involved. Just cut up the ingredients, and purée in a blender or food processor. The original recipe came from the Elsah Landing Restaurant cookbook. In […]

Barbeque experts and aficionados agree: It’s all about the meat. Drenching barbequed meats in sauce either keeps you from appreciating the exquisite artistry and scientific knowledge that went into its preparation – or masks an inferior product. In fact, some eschew sauce altogether. That said, good barbeque sauces used judiciously can enhance without overwhelming. Here’s […]

I first encountered Cornell Chicken in Steven Raichlen’s BBQ America cookbook. Intrigued with the recipe and its history, I made it. But my family’s consensus was that while it was good, it certainly wasn’t anything special. Recently, however, after watching an episode about Cornell Chicken on PBS’s “Cook’s Country,” I gave it another try. This […]

These biscuits are amazing because they’re so delicious and so incredibly easy. They’ve become known as Ashley’s biscuits in our house, but not because she devised the recipe. It comes from the cookbook Fanny at Chez Panisse, a Child’s Restaurant Adventures with 46 Recipes, written by the legendary Alice Waters. The recipes are simple yet […]

Peach cobbler is one of Mary Clay’s signature desserts. This is my version of that summertime classic.  2/3 – 1 c. sugar 1 T. cornstarch 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, optional 1 c. water Ashley’s amazing biscuit dough, using 2 T. sugar 3 heaping cups ripe peaches, peeled or not, cut into bite-sized pieces, including any juice […]