Anyone going to or giving a party in the next while? These nuts got more than their share of attention at a Christmas party in December and I’ll roast another trayful for a family party later this month. Story goes, the recipe has lofty provenance! My introduction came from Kim O’Donnel but it may have originated with my favorite famous food person of all time, the late Laurie Colwin who called them “The Nuts” or “The Rosemary Walnuts;” such a signature dish, they were served at her funeral. Later Nigella Lawson published the recipe; the famed Union Square Café in New York City serves them as Bar Nuts. Now I’ve adopted these not-too-sweet and not-too-spicy nuts as my own. In time, my friends will learn to expect them and walking in the door will think, “Oh good, Alanna made Those Good Nuts.” And now? They’re yours too. Over Christmas, I cooked like crazy for an entire day for my annual cookie swap, this year a champagne and hors d'oeuvres affair for a few women fri...

My new master recipe for making vegetable soup, easy to make on the fly with any and many on-hand and in-season vegetables, winter vegetables for now, but summer, spring and fall vegetables too. The recipe is perfect for cooks who belong to CSAs or shop at farmers markets because it both takes advantage of and helps use fresh and frozen and even canned vegetables. For the Weight Watchers crowd, I think you'll l-o-v-e this soup. A whole cup is zero points (Freestyle) but the soup has such good flavor and texture that it's ever-so filling and satisfying. In fact, the recipe has become my own personal "Weight Watchers Zero-Point Vegetable Soup recipe". ~ Skip Straight to the Recipe ~ Happy New Year, all! Welcome to 2012! Here's to making it a great year! COMPLIMENTS! "... the best pot of veggie soup I have ever made." ~ TessM "This was wonderful!" ~ Pippa "Great recipe! Love it, love it!" ~ Anonymous "Great reci...