Gideon just crested his second week of life, and we are happily adjusting to the logistical maneuverings of being a newly minted family of four. We have tried to eat most meals together as a family with Madeline, and now little Gideon has been joining us. As Madeline holds court from her highchair, swinging her legs and filling her cheeks to capacity, her little brother sleeps soundly in middle of the table. Recently, I have found myself craving sandwiches, and their one-handed portability is especially great for multi-tasking with small kids. This week, with my father-in-law's delicious barbecue chicken and some classic Waldorf ingredients in the fridge, I decided to make my own non-traditional version of a Summer Chicken Waldorf Salad. I started with a classic base: chicken, celery, grapes, and apples. Fresh produce from a nearby farmstand inspired some summery additions; a smattering of blueberries, fresh sweet corn on the cob, and parsley. I cut the thick mayonnaise base of a traditional Waldorf dressing with greek yogurt and seasoned the salad before pouring over the dressing with extra lemon for brightness.

We find ourselves making quite a few sorbets around the holidays, when heavy meals are inevitable and dessert has the potential to push us into button busting gluttony. This potent fall Concord Grape Sorbet is a refreshing and aromatic end to a meal, and will usually garner a grateful nod from our overstuffed guests (I'm looking at you potato gratin). Concord grapes are a bluish black variety, native to the North-Eastern region of North America. Concords ripen in early fall are are the variety behind the iconic color and flavoring of grape juice and jelly.