food

Tuna Casserole

My husband’s been home with the flu, and I wanted to cook something comforting for him, so I made his favorite tuna casserole. When he was a little boy his mother made tuna casserole in a yellow cast iron pan, a mix of tuna, Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup, and a sprinkle of crushed canned onion rings on top. (She wasn’t much of a cook, but he retains fond memories of her tuna casserole.) This casserole is made with fresh […]

Mustard Sage Pork Shoulder on Americas-Table.com
recipes

Mustard Sage Pork Shoulder

There’s something so satisfying about a tender cut of pork, redolent, juicy, and hot out of the oven. This recipe delivers on all the deep, rich flavors of fall – sage, mustard and a hint of marjoram to keep things interesting. Spoon these scrumptious morsels into a bowl over mashed potatoes or turnips, drizzle a little of the pan juices on top, and settle back on the couch to watch that favorite TV show you’ve been looking forward to all […]

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP on Americas-Table.com
food

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Some of my best White House food memories are about soup. It made the perfect first course at so many meals, especially in the fall and winter, served in delicate two-handled soup bowls of White House china. It wasn’t meant to fill guests up; it was just enough of a delicious mélange of flavors to whet the appetite and let guests know that they were in for a genuine gastronomic experience. When the Bush’s hosted dinners in their family dining […]

GINGER COOKIES on Americas-Table.com
food

Ginger Cookies

I promised not long ago that I would be sharing my all-time favorite ginger cookie recipe, and here it is! This isn’t a ginger snap – it’s a soft, chewy, moist, molasses ginger confection that is just right. I first had this cookie at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Emigrant, Montana many years ago, and on a recent visit was so happy to find they were still serving them. The margarine keeps these cookies soft, and the baking soda makes […]

MINI CHICKEN POTPIES on Americas-Table.com
food

Mini Chicken Potpies

I’ve been making these chicken potpies since my girls were little, and, over the years, I started getting special requests for the fillings in the pies. My husband wanted extra peas and pearl onions but no potatoes, one daughter is allergic to carrots, another liked the original version, and it became fun, and a special treat, to ‘customize’ the potpies. I marked the top of each with the initial of the person whose pie it was using a small cookie […]