appetizer
Crudités with Blue Cheese Dip
Out of all the menu planning, food prep, and cooking I do, the one thing I enjoy the most is the presentation. It’s so easy to take simple ingredients and show them off. Look around your home for interesting containers that tend to only be used for certain things or special occasions. Crudités (raw…
Read MoreBaba Ganoush
Baba Ganoush is a Middle Eastern dip made from eggplants. I’ve made this dip many times over the years and it’s an easy dish to make. It requires only a few ingredients and the key is to use these to enhance the flavor of the eggplant. If you are not a fan of eggplant, this…
Read MoreGrilled Oysters with Tarragon Butter
I’m not a fan of raw oysters (lord knows I’ve tried many times). I prefer mine cooked or smoked and these grilled oysters with tarragon butter are absolutely de-lish! They’re about as close to raw as I’ll ever get! And, if you’re like me, shucking oysters take a bit of practice before getting the hang…
Read MoreZucchini Tomato Pizzas
I had pizza on the brain the other day but wasn’t in the mood to make the dough and prep the toppings. While I was at the grocery store trying to figure out how I could satisfy my pizza craving without doing too much work, I spotted a lovely display of zucchinis. And there was…
Read MoreGoat Cheese Stuffed Baby Peppers
You’re walking past the produce section of your local grocery store and a bag of sweet baby peppers catch your eye. You look at their pretty rainbow colors, think about what you could them, and then decide they’ll spoil before you can use them. It’s a usual scenario for me especially when I’m preparing meals…
Read MoreMinced Duck and Scallops on Pineapple
There’s nothing quite like a new recipe to try and plan a dinner menu around. Sometimes we’ll choose a wine and build a meal from that but most times it’s the former. I had originally thought of a Mediterranean-based meal for Saturday’s get together but wondered if this Thai-inspired dish would be out of sync.…
Read MoreFig 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…
Read MoreWarmed Marinated Feta Cheese
Cheese lovers take note…this dish is a cinch to make and unbelievably delicious! Marinating and then warming the feta cheese in olive oil topped with roasted tomatoes and herbs makes for a winning appetizer. Serve this individually and let your friends dig in. Their taste buds will be greeted by a touch of heat from…
Read MoreBaked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
Sometimes it’s a photo or description of a photo that makes me stop in my web-surfing tracks. Such was the case when I wondered onto Averie Cooks site. It was her 2 ingredient, 110 calorie baked mozzarella cheese sticks that grabbed my attention. egg roll or wonton wrappers low-fat mozzarella string cheese sticks 1. Preheat…
Read MoreSteak Tartare
So you think you know your salt, do you? While there are mixed reviews about Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral, I enjoyed reading it. Yes, there’s lengthy writing on the history, the many variations of artisanal salt available today, and it makes for a great reference manual, however I purchased it…
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