Lemon Posset
It’s almost impossible to believe that lemon posset, a silky soft dessert, shares a name with a medieval cure-all of hot curdled milk and ale. Prescribed as a cold remedy throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the original posset was more medicine cabinet than dessert bowl. Thank the ingenuity of 19th-century British chefs for rescuing…
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…
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…
Christmas Bark
If you make your own candies then I applaud you for your dedication and patience. Years ago, a friend of my mom’s would stop by to drop off her annual Christmas gift of handmade candy. Mrs. Scarborough would spend hours on her candies and they looked so delicate and professional. She would tenderly explain to…
Make Your Own Spice Rub
Chefs and home cooks from the southern part of the United States take pride in their spice rubs. Some are passed on from one generation to the next so it comes as no surprise these secrets are heavily guarded. To be honest I have never used a spice rub. It was while watching shows about…
Pear and Blue Cheese Pizza
What to do with overly ripe pears? A few things come to mind: fruit leather, smoothie, crumble, juice. But it’s Friday night and I’m looking to make pizza so why not incorporate pear and blue cheese. I’m into the culinary balancing act of sweet and salty and pear is magical with blue cheese.
Melrose Peanut Butter Cookies
This peanut butter cookie recipe is from my maternal grandmother. I’m not sure what the name Melrose has to do with the cookie but I can definitely say it had absolutely nothing to do with Melrose Place! As much as my grandmother enjoyed cooking her first love was being an artist.
DIY Spice Jars
I like to think I keep a clean and orderly house until I look at my spice cabinet…eek! I am a hoarder! There are tiny bags of spices and herbs, different bottles of all sizes, mixed on two levels. Is it any wonder I think I am out of something only to find it…
Spaghetti and Meatballs
The culinary snoop in me wonders if this well-known classic Italian dish originated in Italy or the USA. Turns out it’s all American! Italians from 1890 to 1920 emigrated to America by the millions. These impoverished immigrants (some on the brink of starvation) went from spending 75 percent of their income on food in Italy to…
Barley and Bacon Risotto
Stir. Stir. Stir. This is my cheats version of risotto and does not require frequent visits to the stove top. A typical risotto recipe involves going back to the pot to stir in each ladleful of stock when the last one has been absorbed. Although it doesn’t take long to cook (roughly 30 minutes), you…
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…
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…
DIY Rosemary Salt
I love gearing up for the Christmas holidays as it’s one of my favorite times of the year. People seem a bit kinder, smile more and the feeling of mutual respect resonates more during this time of the year than any other. Not to sound the alarm bells, but there are only 46 days before…