Welcome to Tonja’s Table. I have been inspired by many friends and family to share my recipes and love for cooking.
My patio dining got even better this weekend with the addition of the Rose’ Royale. It’s a best-selling cocktail at Ralph Lauren’s Polo Bar in Manhattan (and why not bring Manhattan to Minneapolis)? It includes a French grapefruit liqueur–Pamplemousse which is a relatively new spirit and one I couldn’t wait to tell you about. It pairs wonderfully…
Remember—Mom always taught us to share when we were growing up— so why not share this spectacular Strawberry Nutella Brownie Trifle with her on Mothers Day? Show Mom your love with this show-stopping dessert of rich Nutella mousse layered atop moist chocolate chip brownies, a cream cheese whipped cream, and piled high with luscious strawberries. …
Cooking together with your significant other can be intimate, romantic, and fun. Enjoying a glass of wine, your favorite music, wonderful smells wafting from your stovetop, and of course each other allows you to slow things down a bit and relax. My husband and I started cooking together early on in our marriage, when little…
ANNOUNCING: TONJA’S TABLE COOKING CLUBS If you’re looking for something fun, relaxing, and hands-on to do with your friends, look no further! Tonja’s Table is excited to announce COOKING CLUBS with Tonja Engen. With group sizes as large as your kitchen can fit, Tonja will make this an unforgettable personalized experience for you and your guests….
My tastebuds are in a complete state of confusion. I want spring foods like peas, and asparagus, and morels, but the never-ending winter and the snowbanks in my yard are still making me crave warm and comfy foods. I compromised with myself and made this spring pea, and mushroom risotto. You should too. It’s rich…
Surly has done it again. Anyone that pairs pizza and oysters is a friend of mine. And the Executive Chef Ben Peine creates “apizzas” influenced by the New Haven-style approach. What is apizza you ask? It is a distinguishing characteristic of New Haven pies—a Neapolitan-influenced pizza displaying a thin, crisp crust and chewy inside. It’s…
This recipe is from my cookbook Tonja’s Table: Menus and Recipes For Every Occasion. I haven’t made these in awhile and was craving something flavorful and easy for dinner. I love sharing plates and they appear often at our table. These mussels are French fast food at its best. If you’ve never made mussels at…
Let’s elevate the cheesy hashbrown potatoes we all make for Easter brunch into something spectacular— Potato, Leek, and Gruyere Gratin. Leeks remind us that spring really is coming, I promise–it is. These sweet, mild-manner alliums are going to tempt you beyond reason in this molten, bubbling brown masterpiece. Their sweetness comes out after being sautéed…
My husband will tell you his secret dream job is to coach college basketball. Yah–he’s into March Madness big time. I made these Chicken Giardiniera Parmesan Sliders for the NCAA tourney last weekend and they disappeared–gone. We’ve amped up these sliders with the addition of Giardiniera, an Italian relish of pickled vegetables in vinegar–so tangy and crunchy. …
Make these addicting Mini-Guinness Beef Pies for your St. Patty’s Day celebration. The beef becomes fork-tender after simmering with veggies in a rich broth of beef stock, Guinness, tomato paste, and herbs. These are wrapped in dough and baked in muffin tins. I love the mini-size preparation here, but you can always bake this in a…
