Melon Carpaccio with Burrata and Crispy Sage
Growing up, I was never much of a melon fan. Watermelon, absolutely, but the others I could happily leave behind. Somewhere along the way, that changed. These days, when summer is in full swing, I can’t get enough of a perfectly ripe melon.
sautéed purple cabbage with pasta
Do you ever wish you could turn back time? I do, not to alter events but to be more inquisitive with my elders thus being able to pass the story-telling torch onto my children. My great, great paternal grandmother, Anna Marie Schmeltzer (Nanny Kent), died when I was 11 – she was 86. My memories…
marbled eggs – just in time for Easter
Looking for a fun way to serve hard boiled eggs? Start with the eggshell. Years ago when the kids were younger, I would make colored eggs for them as part of the Easter egg hunt. I would also make marbled deviled eggs to serve to the adults. Marbled eggs are a cinch to make and…
homemade Chinese dumplings
Although it’s been 7 years when we last lived in Asia, the memories live on today whenever I cook a meal using Asian ingredients. It’s a time in my life I shall always cherish. Unless you’ve visited or lived in the Far East, it is a place where words, no matter how eloquent, can never…
barley pilaf
Weeknight meal planning can be a royal pain but if you’re a busy person, it all makes good economic sense. My daughter does her meal prep religiously and usually sends me a snapchat of what she’s made. She spends a couple of hours in an evening and that saves her time for the rest of…
prosciutto rolls – an easy snack to make
Easy to make; my three favorite words. In my culinary world, nothing pleases me more than to whip up an elegant-looking appetizer using only 3 ingredients. Our friends, Ralph and Michelle, stayed with us last weekend and Thursday was the only night we were eating at home. My head was spinning with food ideas I…
lentil soup
The other day it was chilly outside (read: freezing!) and Mr. S wanted to know what was for dinner. After spending 20 years together, there are some things we do in unison without ever thinking about it. We both said at the same time we wanted soup for dinner. A bag of lentils in the pantry…
what to do with leftover sour cream
When a recipe calls for a small amount of sour cream I feel my shoulders slump. For me the thought of having to buy a container of sour cream for 2 tablespoons or even a cup seems like a such a waste; there’s always some leftover. I could substitute it for yogurt but I would…
devil’s food cupcakes
Devil’s food conjures up something sinister. We’re all familiar with deviled eggs, devils on horseback (dates wrapped in bacon), chicken alla Diavola (devil’s chicken) etc. And according to What’s Cooking America, the term deviled is used to describe food that is dark, rich, chocolate, spicily piquant or stimulating.
fried olives stuffed with cheese
What is your favorite snack? Do you go back to the same one time after time or do you like to venture out and try new ones? If you have not tried fried olives, you must! They are a crunchy flavor bomb! I’ve made these a few times now and each time it’s with a…
antipasto salad – a cinch to make
Antipasto (Italian – before the meal) simply refers to the dish that precedes all the others to come. It should be colorful allowing the senses to awaken and gets the palate ready for the meal that follows. It is there to whet the appetite and not be too filling. A typical antipasto dish consists of…
almond and sunflower seed butter
but·ter (noun) – a solid yellow substance made by churning cream and used as a spread or in cooking; a food made from cooked fruit or roasted nuts that have been ground up. We’re all familiar with butter made with cream but over the last few years there’s a burgeoning market using nuts and seeds. …
squash and parsnip soup
Soup has been around for centuries and previous generations did not use a recipe. They simply dumped various ingredients into a pot to boil. And each culture adopted its own variation with whatever was on hand. For my readers who feel more comfortable using a list of ingredients, throw caution to the wind and be…