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I can still remember the very first time I ever had red velvet cake. It seemed almost surreal to me – how could a cake be so beautifully red and rich, and how was it possible that I hadn’t heard of it before? I just had to give it a try – and as soon as I had the first bite, I knew my life would never be the same. It was heaven! All I could think about was how I had been missing out on such a bliss for my whole life. Of course, this happened years ago already – and I’ve been doing my best trying to catch up! I’ve tried so many different red velvet recipes, some with a modern twist, and some a little more traditional. Like this one, for example.

Sometimes, it’s best just to stick to the classic recipe. This Vintage Red Velvet Cake is just about perfect, as far as I can tell. And that Vanilla Buttercream Frosting goes beautifully well with it, too. There’s a reason why this recipe is a classic.

Recipe and photo courtesy of The Red Feedsack

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Quick tip: Make the cake ahead and freeze, then frost when ready to serve.

Yes, believe it or not, chicken can taste delicious when marinated and cooked in red wine. Mixing the red wine with onions, mushrooms, and a few choice herbs gives the dish a savory, earthy flavor.

This recipe is essentially a modern update of a classic French dish that was developed more out of necessity than anything else. French farmers of modest means didn’t really have the plump hens that we have now, back in the day, and what hens they had, they mostly had to keep for egg-laying, so they had to figure out a way to make rooster palatable. They had plenty of wine, onions, and mushrooms to work with, so giving the rooster a good lather of all of that and slowly braising it over a smoky wood fire seemed like a good idea. The resulting great flavor was, you could say, a happy accident.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Saveur

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Quick tip: Leftovers will taste even better the next day!

I love heavy, creamy, buttery casseroles – I really do, but the older I get, the more I realize how all the extra calories are affecting my body… This Lighter Tuna Casserole is a nice twist on an American classic and makes for a great family meal.  Serve baked, with just an hour of combined cook and prep time, or just serve tossed in about 40 minutes.

A casserole is a great go-to if you want something for a simple and fairly quick family meal that yields plenty of leftovers.  Mother often made a batch of tuna casserole for those hectic midweek school nights.  I enjoyed it then and still make it for myself often.  When I came across this lightened recipe, I was eager to try it to see how it compared to the original, and I was very satisfied with the results.

Adapted recipe and photo courtesy of  Gimme Some Oven.

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Quick tip: Use your favorite noodles for this recipe.

There is a time to be creative and a time to accept that the classic recipe is the best. In the case of Maryland crab cakes, it is the latter. This timeless seafood appetizer works great as a warm-up for a more elaborate seafood main course or as a delightful bite-sized contrast to something like grilled steak.

I grew up around seafood, and though the classic Maryland crab cake may owe its name to a location far removed from my childhood home, it is an appetizer cherished by most any community close to salt water. And yes, Maryland crab cakes have an addictive savory taste: In the right mood, I could gorge myself on them without no need for anything else other than a nice helping of beer or wine.

Perhaps the best thing about this appetizer, though, is the versatility that it offers your menu: Obviously, it goes well with a larger seafood course, but it also pairs nicely with something like a grilled steak.

Recipe developed by FineCooking

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