Author: Debbi Covington

Baby, it’s cold outside! Winter has arrived in Beaufort, SC. When the temperatures drop, I hibernate. Cooking soups and sweet treats are fun on cold days. On cold nights, I don’t want to do anything except try to stay warm in front of a roaring fire. The recipes this week are great make-ahead dishes and they’re comfort food.

What a crazy-busy time of year we’re in the midst of! While we’re all rushing around in an attempt to make the Christmas holidays perfect for our friends and families, we often don’t take the time to catch our breath and enjoy this happy season. At least that’s how things are at my house. Between the parties, decorating, community events and family stuff, I find that Vince and I are either eating out way too often or eating junk food too late at night.

Throughout history, every society has celebrated the end of the harvest. Many have set aside a day of thanks. In 1941, Thanksgiving Day became a national holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. It’€™s the one day of the year that we Americans can consume an abundance of food without a second thought about calories! The recipes this week are all Thanksgiving side dishes. Team a couple (or all) of them with a roasted turkey for a modern twist on a traditional Thanksgiving menu. All you’ll need to add is a pumpkin pie topped with sweetened whipped cream for a grand finale. Happy Thanksgiving! (Photography by Susan DeLoach)

My husband Vince and I love Greek food! Whenever we travel, we always look for authentic Greek restaurants. One of our all-time favorite Greek dishes is Spanakopita. It’s a vegetarian pastry made with spinach, feta cheese, phyllo dough and lots of butter. I started to wonder if I could find a similar recipe that featured chicken.

Spirits can play a surprisingly versatile role in cooking. The good news is that spirits are used in modest quantities and burn out most of their alcohol content during the cooking process. The better news is that even though the majority of the alcohol does dissipate, the taste definitely lingers on and can add flavor to countless recipes.

I’m on a quest. I’ve been on the same quest for years. I’m searching for the perfect ginger salad dressing. Every oriental restaurant has a different recipe for their ginger-style house dressing. Some are very orange, some are mayonnaise-looking, some contain shreds of freshly grated ginger. Some are good, some are okay, some are fabulous.

How many pounds did you gain during our recent visit from Hurricane Irma? When Vince and I realized that Irma could be a real threat to our beloved Beaufort, we stocked up with all of the hurricane “essentials.”€ You know, the important stuff like batteries, bottled water, a first aid kit, Little Debbie nutty buddies, Pepperidge Farm cookies, two kinds of nabs, potato chips, Cap’n Crunch, pretzel chips, tortilla chips, nacho cheese sauce, onion dip and canned soups – all stuff we never have in the house, at least not all at the same time.

Whether you’€™re heading to your alma mater for a fall football game and tailgate meal, or to the river for a picnic, this menu of make-ahead dishes is sure to be a hit!

Summer entertaining should be both casual and simple. This week’s dinner party menu is just that! The meal starts with a cool and delicious Chilled Cumber Soup with Basil. The creamy soup is a summertime favorite that’s easy to prepare, is served cold, and highlights the local basil that’s in season.

It’€™s a shame that Italian stews are often referred to as “€œpeasant food.” This week’s Italian Seafood Stew defies the label and is a rich man’€™s feast of flavors! The flavor base for the stew includes red pepper, anchovies, garlic, and a bay leaf. Licorice-flavored fennel, along with onion and celery are aromatic additions.