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.
9/11 Memorial Tour
Re-posted from October 2012. My sister came to visit us last weekend and one of her requests was to visit Ground Zero. We have been here a year now and although have walked by, we never realized a tour was available to the public. Still under construction, the perimeter of Ground Zero is boarded off…
Tomato and Feta Fritters
Farmers’ markets, roadside vegetable stands and grocery stores all are overflowing with ripe, juicy tomatoes. When Summer ends and Fall begins, this is the time of year I most enjoy. I am in heaven with the abundance of fresh fruit and veggies. Consumers might frown or be a bit flippant with regards to the 100-mile…
Bacon Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
Is it possible to reinvent the cheeseburger? The title alone, bacon cheeseburger egg rolls, should make you take notice. I have to admit, though, that I’m not a big fan of deep-frying my food and out of the gadgets I own, a deep fryer isn’t one of them. However, if you’ve been following my blog…
Baked Ricotta Dip
Fall might be just around the corner but this is a recipe that knows no seasons. Ricotta is an Italian cheese that is made from the leftover milk whey from cheese and the name in Italian means recooked. Ricotta cheese is so versatile. It’s perfect in savoury and sweet dishes. I’ve used it in lasagnas,…
Apple Pie in a Jar
Apple pie conjures up good, wholesome food made by grandmothers and moms. There’s something so pleasing to the senses when a pie is baking in the oven. The aromas immediately say ‘welcome’. I wonder, though, why the pie is made in a round plate and not a square. Is it because it’s easier to lift…
Potatoes with Chorizo
Spain is a country I have yet to visit. John has been several times much to my chagrin…before we met and whilst on business. I mention to him that I’d like to visit Madrid and Barcelona and his response, been there! I am quick to reply that I am happy to go on my…
Apricot Clafoutis
When fruit is in season, there’s nothing I like better than to eat it as is…no embellishing required. However, sometimes the natural sweetness from the fruit alone isn’t enough to satisfy a craving. Dress up a fresh, in-season apricot by covering it in a simple batter and 30 minutes later, voilà, craving satisfied. Anyone can…
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…
Baby Eggplant with Gruyère and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
For whatever the reason, I was having difficulty planning dinner last night. My brain was all over the food road map! So instead of trying to figure of what to have I decided on a tapas-style evening of little plates of food. Tapas are appetizers enjoyed by the Spanish. It allows for everyone at the…
Carrot Marmalade
Homemade marmalade has been a long standing tradition in my family. Both my paternal and maternal grandmothers were fruit preserve queens! My mom also made her fair share, too. I’ve dabbled a bit but lost interest while we lived in Asia as storage was limited and cold rooms were non-existent. While fruit such as orange…
Black Bean Salad
Beans. They’ve been around since time immemorial and while there are thousands of varieties, only a tiny fraction are mass-produced for our enjoyment. The only beans I knew growing up was my mom’s baked beans usually made from navy beans and sometimes she’d throw in kidney beans, much to my chagrin. I really had no…
Blackberry Sorbet
It’s the subtle changes in the weather when I start to notice a shift as we slowly drift out of summer and into autumn. I know, shhh! not so loud but it’s true. The sunlight looks different as it lands in areas of the house and the air smells different. As I was rinsing the…