Gnocchi mac n’ cheese

gnocchi mac n' cheese

Mac n’ cheese (aka macaroni and cheese) has been around since the 1930’s and I grew up with it; both the boxed version and homemade.  The afternoon my daughter was born I ate a whole box for lunch…no wonder she likes it.  It’s been years since consuming the all-too-orangey-looking commercial stuff.  TweetFacebookLinkedInTumblrStumbleDiggDelicious

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fiddleheads and baby gnocchi

Fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of a young fern and are collected in the wild before the frond has opened.   A spring-time vegetable, you’ll find them in food shops and outdoor markets.  They are called fiddleheads because they resemble the curled end of a stringed instrument such as a fiddle.  If you’re from the Maritimes…

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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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Asparagus Fennel Salad

Even though asparagus is available year-round, Springtime is the best time to enjoy them.  Asparagus and fennel salad may seem like an unassuming dish but don’t be fooled by its looks.  The pine nut dressing deliciously coats the veggies and it’s love at first bite!  And, because this dish does not require a stove top…

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Parmesan Grilling Sauce

The cool cold Spring has me pining away for warmer days. Warmer days sees us using the bbq more often and sees me experimenting with new, aromatic sauces that accompany a barbecue. This Parmesan grilling sauce is so versatile and scrumptious, you’ll want to smother it on everything you grill…I kid you not! It’ll work…

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Fennel-Parmesan Shortbread

When we lived in New York, I would come into the city once or twice a week and began my outing by meeting Mr. S. for a cappuccino at Blue Bottle coffee in Rockefeller Center.  We always shared a cookie as part of our java ritual.  Fennel-Parmesan shortbread, a savory twist, quickly became a favorite…

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Polenta Sticks with Mozzarella and Salami

I love simple ingredients as they tend to work symbiotically to create great flavors. Less is more…I know this sounds cliché but it’s true and not just in the food world. The more ingredients you use the greater the risk of losing the essential flavor of your food. When the ingredients are good, they need…

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My Husband’s Bolognese Sauce

Where to begin?  When John and I were dating, the first meal he ever cooked for me was his bolognese sauce tossed with penne.  I remember to this day how wonderful his condo smelled and how neat it was!  My husband was and still is a neat freak…not that I am at all complaining.  For…

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