Brussels Sprout Salad

Salads take on many forms from the traditional and the not-so-traditional like the one posted here. Brussels sprouts are not every persons cup of tea but I’ll bet if you try it as a salad with the following delicious ingredients, I think you just might be pleasantly surprised.  Brussels sprout salad not only is esthetically…

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Baked Chocolate Pudding

Dessert is one of the things I tend to drag my heels on when planning a meal.  It can be the highlight of the meal OR it can be the opposite.  Let me explain.  By the time I come around to serving dessert, my belly is about to burst.  No matter how diligently I focus…

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Lamb Chops Asian-Style

  2015 resolutions?  The New Year is the single most important time to reflect on your life and we all naturally do it.  It’s a milestone that continues to remind us of the importance of time. We reflect on our achievements and re-evaluate our future.  As the year progresses, I am constantly re-evaluating mine, making…

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Roasted Marrow Bones

Entertaining on a budget?  These marrow bones aren’t only good in a base for soup or for the dog to chew on.  And before you say eew! give this recipe a chance.  Many generations have enjoyed roasted marrow and some added it to puddings and pastries.  Have you ever eaten an Italian dish called osso…

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Homemade Limoncello

This recipe is 4 years in the making! When we lived in Bangkok, we heard about a new Italian restaurant that had recently opened down the street from where we lived. Yay! Eager to sample the menu Mr S. and I made our way there. OPUS Wine Bar was open only a few days when…

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3 Easy Appetizers

Entertaining is fun or at least that’s my view but for some, though, it can be a dreaded task.  Why?  The ‘idea’ of having friends over for a bite to eat is simple enough until one starts to ‘think’ about what to serve, the timing, and execution of each dish.  I believe that when you…

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Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Biscotti (twice-baked), is an Italian cookie that is formed into a log shape, baked, sliced and then toasted to a crisp texture.  This has to be one of the easiest desserts to make.  Cranberry and pistachio are a perfect duo for this biscotti recipe by balancing the sweetness of the dough with a bit of…

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Raspberry and Cranberry Mousse

Color can have an amazing impact on the food you serve. If it’s visually appealing, it’s easier to eat. The key driver for eating is of course hunger, but what we choose to eat is not determined solely by nutritional needs.  Our senses are heightened when foods can be seen, smelled and displayed in a…

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Picnic Bread

I absolutely love the way the kitchen smells when bread is baking in the oven.  It transports me back to a time when I was a young girl.  My siblings and I would take turns delivering mail to our grandparents who lived down the road from us.  My paternal grandmother was always baking something, especially…

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Parmesan Crisps

Entertaining can seem like a daunting task whether it’s your first time or 100th!  The key to any successful party is in the planning.  When I plan a dinner party its roots are usually based on a country we have been to and have enjoyed the food.  From there I start thinking about what I’d…

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