Saffron Tagliatelle with Spiced Butter

Saffron Tagliatelle with Spiced Butter

Hello and happy 2013!  I thought about what would be my first posting for the new year and this dish rallied me back into the swing of things…it will awaken all of your senses!  I kid you not, this is an absolutely scrumptious meal to make.  Saffron comes from the crocus flower where each flower…

Read More

Mushroom and Herb Polenta

Mushroom and Herb Polenta

Anthropologie is a favorite shop I like to frequent.  It’s an interesting mix of clothing, accessories, gifts and home décor all which draw me in…it’s eclectic and I love it!  The books they showcase are unique and it was at their Rockefeller Center that I spotted Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, Plenty.  It’s a vegetarian cookbook although…

Read More

Lamb Chops Calabria Style with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives

The cuisine of Calabria is typical southern Italian Mediterranean – meat based dishes, vegetables, pasta, and fish.  Because their climate is humid (high risk of mold and spoilage), Calabrians preserve their food by packing veggies and meat in olive oil, making sausage and curing fish (swordfish, sardines, and cod).   The food is simple and delicious.  …

Read More

The Best Macaroni and Cheese!

This is my kind of old fashioned comfort food!  My mom made this for us when we were young and my family enjoys this dish although my daughter does tend to like the Kraft dinner version! A recipe for a casserole of macaroni, white sauce, and grated yellow cheese was first recorded in the “Boston…

Read More

Soy and Ginger Shrimp Packets

This type of cooking is one of my favorites as the food cooks in its own juices.  Cooking in packets (en papillote) basically means steaming small portions of food in a wrapper in a hot oven.  You can use parchment paper or tin foil – I’ve used both.  Click here to see how to make…

Read More

Sautéed Endive and Apple with Warm Goat Cheese

I’ve been eyeing this recipe a few weeks but every time I ‘thought’ I was going to make it, my dinner menu would change so yesterday I was bound and determined to finally make this.  Belgian endive (pronounced on-deev) is part of the chicory family which includes radicchio, escarole and curly endive (pronounced en-dive).  Endive…

Read More

roasted tomato & mozzarella salad

This recipe knows no time.  It’s just as perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner.  With an introduction like that, it’s a winner to serve any time of the day!  This dish is from her latest cookbook Fast, Fresh, Simple.  I became an instant fan of Donna Hay with her book, The New Cook back in…

Read More

Potato Skins Stuffed with Egg, Bacon and Cheese

As a youngster growing up, baked potatoes were a staple and my siblings would carefully remove the flesh of the potato, lather it with butter and then place the potato flesh back in with salt and pepper.  I don’t think as kids we really knew about the variations potato skins came in.  We were just…

Read More

Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli Pasta

Last month we were cruising the Adriatic and one of the ports of call was Bari, Italy.  I had done my obligatory research on ‘top things to do’ list for each port and Bari was no exception.  There is, however, something to be said when you communicate with the locals – no matter how limited…

Read More