Welcome to Tonja’s Table. I have been inspired by many friends and family to share my recipes and love for cooking.
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…
I am really ready to wrap up this week—in a bow and a Spicy Chicken Lettuce Wrap. In less than 30 minutes (which I never say), you will have the tastiest, healthiest weekend dinner on record. Our daughter was eating out of the pan and we sat and grazed, fighting for the last wrap, enjoying…
Ok, I have never made Swedish Meatballs before—and I have been missing out. These were pretty amazing. I know there are a zillion different recipes in the land of Swedes, so here I’ve chosen to lighten them up using ground turkey and chicken stock and adjusted the seasonings to up the flavor. With our Minnesota…
We’ve implemented “Taco Tuesday” at our house this year. The kids invite their friends–literally anyone can come–for a quick stop on their way to activities or for as long as they like. We throw down some Mexican food (branching out from ground beef tacos I might add), and break up the week with food and…
Cornish games hens are such an elegant yet easy way to celebrate Valentines Day. Stuffed with a savory herb stuffing and basted with lots of seasonings, you will definitely impress your Valentine with their very own beautifully golden-browned hen. Love Birds—Cornish Game Hens With Herb Stuffing Print Author: Tonja Engen Ingredients For Cornish Game Hens: 2-4…
