The Right Time to Stew…

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

…Or so I thought when the first chill of the fall season was in the air and I purchased a two-pound piece of chuck steak. Then the weather changed and it turned into murky, swampy, allergy- producing air that surrounded the Lehigh Valley where I live.

With it, my feeling for cooking a big pot of stew went out the window. However, my taste memories were already activated and stew it had to be! Plus I had already bought the rest of the ingredients and there is nothing like the aroma of good stew to fill the air, no matter how hot and steamy that air might be.

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Breakfast for Dinner

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By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

I love breakfast but I don’t always get to enjoy it until the weekend. I mean the hungry man’s breakfast, such as eggs or pancakes or hash browns. So during the week, when I’m just about spent at the end of the day, I cook up what would be a Sunday kind of breakfast for dinner that takes less time than ordering takeout.

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Diver Scallops for One

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

In an effort to keep my vacation memories and affect glowing bright, my 30-minute dinner for today’s post consists of a remake of a dish I ate at Ford’s, a little-known lobster shack (until now) that opened about four years ago on the coast of Connecticut near Mystic.

Now I must have driven by Ford’s a bunch of times but the sign is small and sits on the side of the road and could pass as a place to just purchase lobsters.

One of my main goals in the great state of Maine while on vacation, including the road trip to and back from the Hudson Valley to get there, is to seek out and try as many lobster shacks as possible. How Ford’s has evaded me till now is a mystery.

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End of Summer Chowder

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

My quick summer dinner of choice is a delicious, filling chowder made with peak-of- the-season corn, basil, a touch of bacon and whatever might be growing in the garden, herb wise. It is my perfect meal while I’m in the great state of Maine on vacation.

Every year, I come up with new variations. You can consider this soup as the base for many chowders to come – it’s the simplest version that I’ve made over the seven to eight years that I’ve been coming to Maine.

This super-easy chowder takes no time to prep or to cook and makes a great lunch if you happen to have any leftovers for the next day. Chowder only gets better with time.

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Fix and Carry

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

BBQs are the hit of the summer season. What to bring when someone invites you?

Well, your dish needs to be seasonal, tasty and something that can sit outside for a bit without perishing in the heat (so not dairy). Bonus points if you can make it ahead and double bonus points if it’s inexpensive to fix.

Bean salad is the order of the day! The classic is a three bean salad, but why not more than three?

I grew up on jarred three bean salad and absolutely loved it since it’s a cross between a pickle and a salad (and I have never met a pickle I didn’t like). Add beans to pickles and you up the health factor.

Combining the crisp texture of lightly cooked green beans with the creaminess of a white or red kidney bean, and the crunch of sweet corn, along with a hit of mustard (salty), honey and vinegar, is a winning combination. This salad also pairs well with all of the usual offerings at a summer BBQ as it gives welcome freshness and textural relief to the grilled meaty burgers, hot dogs and chicken.

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