Cauliflower Breadsticks

I’m a big cauliflower fan but I wasn’t always…I didn’t dislike it I just wasn’t enamored with it.  As a kid and young adult cauliflower in my world was served with a cheese sauce.  Don’t get me wrong, I loved the combination but I always felt that the cauliflower on its own was oh so…

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Pavia Gallery – Espresso Bar & Café

Rou·tine (ro͞oˈtēn) – a sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program. I am all for a routine…it keeps me grounded, allows me to stay focused on what needs to be done on a regular basis but there are times when a routine can feel like a rut. Our Sunday ritual is pretty basic –…

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Braised Lamb with Roast Carrot and Mixed Grains

Lamb is traditionally associated with the end of winter and so as a sign that Spring is almost here, I present to you Spring-in-a-Dish!   Braised anything in my family is very well-received and I knew this one was going to be a winner.  I made this last week and enjoyed it so much I…

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Caramelized Onion Tart with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

With all the food experimenting I do, baking with puff pastry has always been a challenge for me. I pore over cookbooks and sites looking for clues as to how to achieve the ultimate crisp and light pastry with flaky golden layers. I do all the things I am supposed to do – preheat the…

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Turkey Cutlet Sandwich

The first recorded sandwich was by Rabbi Hillel the Elder in the 1st century BC. He started the Passover custom of sandwiching a mixture of chopped nuts, apples, spices and wine between two matzohs to eat with bitter herbs. The filling between the matzohs served as a reminder of the suffering of the Jews before…

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Lime and Sea Salt Kale Chips

I’ve been eyeing kale chips for the last two years and yesterday I finally decided to make my own.  The first time I tried a kale chip was at Whole Foods.  On the weekends they have food stations placed throughout the store and on one occasion they were touting baked kale chips.  Being the inquisitive…

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Fig Crostini

I’ll admit that up until a few years ago I would never have given fresh figs a second thought. I’ve used dried figs in recipes but never had the courage to try a fresh one. How would I prepare them?  Would they need special handling?  How would they taste? Dried figs are available year-round and…

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Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

What are grits?  There doesn’t seem to be a standardization or labeling rules as to what grits are and are they the same as polenta or cornmeal?  If you look at Bob’s Red Mill bag of corn grits you’ll notice it says also known as polenta.  Grits are typically coarse-ground cornmeal. Polenta and grits fall…

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Quinoa Salad with Radish, Dill & Avocado‏

I love a colorful salad…I always have.  I discovered a few years ago that one of the secrets to staying healthy is to always incorporate color onto your plate of food. Doing so means you are getting a good variety of nutrients to help your body be strong and healthy.  Eating more plant-based meals has…

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Steamed Pork Ribs with Shaohsing Wine and Ginger

Living in Asia opened our minds and eyes to a different world. For me, I was this young woman from a very small community 30 minutes outside Saint John, New Brunswick whose international travel consisted of Florida and as much as there were slight differences between the two countries, nothing could have prepared me for…

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