Boursin & Prosciutto Pastry Bites
There’s something irresistible about an easy appetizer that looks impressive but asks very little of the cook. This Boursin cheese and prosciutto puff pastry is exactly that. Salty prosciutto and creamy Boursin are tucked beneath golden,
Melon and Cucumber Salad
According to The Oxford Companion to Food, salad is a term derived from the Latin sal (salt), which yielded the form salata, ‘salted things’ such as the raw vegetables eaten in classical times with a dressing of oil, vinegar, or salt. In the medieval period, salads composed of green leaves, sometimes with flowers. Later, at…
Strawberry Granita
Summer brings a host of welcomed changes…longer days, warmer sunshine, fresh fruits and vegetables, being outdoors more, freshly cut lawns, pretty flowers, outdoor social gatherings, and birds singing. When the temperature soars, it’s time to cool down and a favorite of mine is homemade granita. Originating in Sicily, granita is a semi-frozen dessert made from…
Fresh Spring Rolls
The house feels empty now that Aida and Laura aren’t here. I enjoy cooking for both of them as they aren’t fussy eaters and are game to try new foods. One morning Aida asked me if I thought my time spent in Asia made me a better cook. Hmm, a good question to which I have…
Grilled Vegetable Stacks with a Feta Salsa
It’s been a scorcher the last two weeks but that hasn’t stopped us from being outdoors. Summer for us automatically means using the barbeque more – and we grill anything! Of course we grill the usual suspects such as meat, chicken, fish and veggies. But we also love grilled bread, pizza, artichokes, onions, romaine lettuce,…
Blueberry Grunt – a Maritime dessert
This easy and basic dessert is called a grunt because the blueberries make a grunt-like sound while boiling under the dumplings. The grunt was an early adaptation of an English steamed pudding. The New England colonists had limited cooking equipment and a dumpling-like pudding using local fruit was cooked on the stove top. Wild blueberries…
Stuffed Round Zucchini (zucchine tonde ripiene)
Farmers’ markets always provide interesting selections of fruits and vegetables and most vendors are happy to share their knowledge of their produce. I spotted these round zucchinis at the Ridge Hill Yonkers’ Down to Earth Farmers’ Market – aren’t they adorable? Serves 4 4 round zucchinis 1 garlic clove, minced 3 or 4 sun dried…
Grilled Garlicky-Herbed Shrimp
Grilled, poached, fried, battered, roasted, sautéed, steamed – you name it I’ve tried it. Shrimp are one of my favorite crustaceans, they take little time to cook and there are health benefits, too. Shrimp is a nutritious alternative to meat proteins as it is low in calories and saturated fat. It is an excellent source of…
Roasted Red Pepper Salad with White Beans and Anchovy Sauce
I enjoy listening to stories of the past and with my mother in-law visiting, it’s the perfect time to hear more. Aida was born on the tiny island of Gibraltor 89 years ago. She moved to England in 1946 and has what I call a lovely Spanish/English accent. We are never short on conversation, our…
Roasted Cauliflower with Linguine
It seems like a such long time since we last had linguine. The cauliflower in the fridge had been carefully selected for another dish but I wasn’t in the mood and decided last minute to make this. I always have a bottle of capers and anchovies in the fridge so all that was needed was…
Cedar Plank Grilled Mushroom Stacks
John and I barbeque all year round and when Spring and Summer arrive, it’s full on. Our barbeque gets used on a weekly basis so it’s not unusual to see me out on our back deck firing up the barbie. I love it…less mess for me to clean up! I’ve been noticing more and more…
Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
Is it possible to improve the flavor of a family classic dish such as macaroni and cheese? I didn’t think it was. I’m a Martimer through and through and love seafood. Boiled lobster dinners were a family tradition where I grew up…fresh lobster boiled, cut opened and gorgeous chunks of heavenly meat dunked in hot…
Dandelion Cookies
Dandelion…that ubiquitous yellow flowering weed that makes a lawn look unkempt and has gardeners pulling their hair trying to keep it at bay. But if we put their annoyance aside, you’ll find that dandelions are a nutritious food. It is a herb that is believed to have originated in Asia. Nutritionally, dandelions have more calcium…