Turkey Jambalaya

Turkey is something I only cook on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  I’m always trying to think of new ways to incorporate leftover turkey that will appeal to everyone.  How much turkey to buy, you ask, to avoid a lot of leftover meat?  A good rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per…

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Mojito Fruit Salad

Spring is here in theory but the weather has been so unpredictable I needed a bit of sunshine in the form of food.  Mojito (pronounced moh-hee-toh) conjures up memories of warm days basking in the sun and sipping this very likable Cuban drink.  Pineapple is an excellent source of manganese (energy production and antioxidant defenses)…

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Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Jumbo stuffed shells is a pasta dish I haven’t made in years! I guess partly because it’s a very rich and cheesy meal and looks like a deep-dish pizza when done but I saw the box of shells in the grocery store and decided to re-visit this sinfully delicious dish. I had a jar of…

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Smoked Salmon Bruschetta

I have to thank my sister for introducing this delicious version of bruschetta!  Bruschetta (pronounced brus ketta) is an appetizer which originated in the 15th century from central Italy (Lazio, Marches, Tuscany, Umbria).  It consists of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. It’s believed that this poor…

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Rustic Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

I love homemade tomato sauce and this one is so easy to make with scrumptious results!  Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A (helps form and maintain healthy teeth and skin), and vitamin K (bone health).   The lycopene in tomatoes has long been studied for its antioxidant…

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Asparagus with Gruyère and Smoked Ham

I watched a Martha Stewart program last year where she had Patricia Wells as one of her guest chefs.  I had never heard of her before but I certainly enjoyed her style of cooking.  I made a note to buy her cookbook, ‘Vegetable Harvest‘, but never got around to ordering it until last week.  There…

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Naan Bread

Naan is a generic term for various flat-breads from different parts of the world and is particularly popular in India, Afghanistan, Iran, United Kingdom, Pakistan, and in Xinjiang, China.   Naan can be served plain or with flavored with items such as minced garlic, chopped onion, butter or ghee melted on it.  Naan bread is…

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