At Our Table: Favorite Recipes to Share with the People You Love

By Roxie Kelley and Shelly Reeves Smith

An illustrated collection of recipes for meals to be shared with family and friends, with tips on how to make the most of getting together with loved ones.

With their fifth collaboration, At Our Table, Roxie Kelley and Shelly Reeves Smith set out to create a cookbook seasoned with their insights gleaned over thirty years as friends and business partners. The result is both a cookbook and a celebration of those special times when we gather our friends and family at our table.

Offering 125 simple, delicious recipes, At Our Table emphasizes how the experience of gathering for meals can energize us and help us recognize the richness and fullness of our lives. Ideal for home cooks who savor the simple life, At Our Table magically combines Kelley's conversational writing style and Smith's beautiful illustrations to inspire us all to return to our tables. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 14, 2010
• ISBN: 9781449400217

Book preview

Appetizers

Kelsey’s Cranberry Salsa

Kelsey Adams is one of those remarkable young ladies who is power-packed with giftedness. She coaches, she teaches, she creates, and she even cooks! Here is her fun and fruity salsa recipe — you’re going to love this.

12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped

½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

½ medium red onion, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño peppers

¾ cup sugar

⅓ cup apple juice

Tortilla chips, for serving

Mix all the ingredients, except for the tortilla chips, in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with tortilla chips of your choice. This will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Makes about 4 cups

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I adore this salsa — and it’s really very good for you! How could you ask for more, right?

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup seeded chopped tomatoes

½ cup chopped green onions

2 or 3 serrano chiles

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tortilla chips, for serving

Combine the corn, black beans, tomatoes, onions, serranos, and cilantro in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture and toss until well combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. This will keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

Serves 4-6

Cheryl’s Cucumber-Tomato Salsa

I enjoyed this at the home of my friend, Cheryl Castle. She served it with her Hummus Spread with Pita Bread (page 6). It was so yummy. Cheryl suggests serving this dish as soon as it has had a chance to chill, rather than preparing it in advance.

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups seeded, chopped tomatoes

2 cups seeded, chopped cucumber

⅓ cup loosely packed thinly sliced green onion tops

¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Tortilla chips, for serving

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the tortilla chips, in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for about 20 minutes before serving with the chips. This will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Serves 6-8

A Little Gift of Herbs

This mix makes a great party favor when packaged in small cellophane bags or plastic containers. Write the recipe for Herb Cheese Spread (page 7) on a small card and tie it to the package with a ribbon.

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a wire whisk. Store in an airtight container or bag until ready for use or gift giving. It will keep for up to 6 months.

Makes 3 tablespoons

Hummus Spread with Pita Bread

This is also a recipe from Cheryl Castle. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but hummus always sounded like something too healthy for me to enjoy. Cheryl’s recipe helped rid me of that notion, and I’ve been partaking ever since.

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained (reserve ½ cup of the liquid)

½ cup tahini (sesame paste)

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup chopped yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper

Pinch of salt

1 (11-ounce) package pita bread

Olive oil

French gray sea salt

Puree the chickpeas (without the reserved liquid), tahini, lemon juice, onion, garlic, olive oil, red pepper, and salt together in a food processor or blender. Slowly add the reserved liquid as needed to reach the desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 425°F.

Place the pita bread on a baking sheet. Brush each piece lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle a conservative amount of sea salt on each piece. Bake for 5-6 minutes, or until lightly browned but not crispy. Cut each pita into 6 wedges and serve with hummus.

Note: Cheryl suggests serving Cucumber-Tomato Salsa (page 4) on the side.

Makes 1 ¾ cups

Herb Cheese Spread

This is such a versatile spread that you may want to keep a batch of it on hand on a regular basis. It has a rich but mellow flavor and tastes as good on a cracker as it does blended into other recipes (see Herbed Potato Gratin, page 75).

¼ cup butter, softened

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon A Little Gift of Herbs (page 5)

Using a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, blend the butter and cream cheese together until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the seasoning and mix well. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Makes 2 ½ cups

Jody’s Feta Cheese Spread

Thank you to Jody Welsh, a good friend and respected teacher in our community, for sharing this rich and tangy recipe.

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon crushed dried basil

¼ teaspoon crushed dried oregano

⅛ teaspoon dried dill weed

⅛ teaspoon dried thyme

Assorted fresh vegetables, for dipping

Crackers or toasted slices of French bread, for serving

Using a fork, mix the cheeses, mayonnaise, and herbs together in a small bowl until smooth. Serve with the vegetables and crackers or