Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

June 9, 2026

From Ancient Remedy to Beloved Dessert – A Spice Route Treasure – Rhubarb’s roots stretch back thousands of years to the mountainous regions of northern and central Asia (China, Mongolia, and Siberia), where it was cultivated primarily for medicinal purposes. The Chinese prized it as a digestive tonic and laxative,

Spinach, Raspberry and Feta Salad

April 28, 2010

I’m a big fan of salads especially those that are as simple to make and as nutritious as this one.  Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Researchers have identified at least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach that function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. It is also a source of calcium…

Polenta baked with Italian Sausage and Cheese

April 26, 2010

There’s something about comfort food that strikes a chord in all of us. And, quite honestly, who hasn’t experienced a food memory?   It’s that sense of easy satisfaction from being warm, feeling full from a meal and the surroundings from which it was made.  Comfort food invokes feelings of nostalgia and of food that…

Prosciutto-Wrapped Monkfish with Chard and Mustard Pickles

April 24, 2010

Monkfish (also known as the goosefish, anglerfish), is a large, ugly, bottom-dwelling fish found in the coastal Atlantic area. The only edible portions of the monkfish are its muscular tail and its liver. The tail meat of the monkfish is dense, sweet, and very similar to lobster tail meat in both flavor and texture. That’s…

Lamb Couscous with Chickpeas and Zucchini

April 21, 2010

Spices serve an important role in the flavoring food as well as being used for medicinal purposes. I can not begin to imagine what it would be like not to have spices in my pantry just sitting there waiting to be used at a moment’s notice. Pepper is native to India and has been used…

Homemade Granola

April 19, 2010

I’ve never been a huge fan of granola until recently. My experience hasn’t always been positive even though I’ve most probably tried several types and yet none really shouted, ‘this is it!’.   My husband and I were away last month and the hotel we stayed in included breakfast. One of the items on the…

Creamy Fennel Pasta

April 17, 2010

I’m sure I saw this meal being prepared on one of Jamie Oliver’s cooking shows but it was a while ago and I can’t find it in any of his books nor is it on the web.  Anyway, I hastily wrote down the ingredients so the quantities are approximate.  This dish is easy to make…

Grilled Eggplant and Fresh Mozzarella Stacks

April 15, 2010

Some nights we enjoy having meatless dishes and this vegetarian recipe leaves you feeling very satiated.  Eggplant features of host of vitamins and minerals and in the skin of the eggplant is a phytonutrient called nasunun.  Nasunin is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage. …

Chargrilled Prawns with Coriander and Lime

April 12, 2010

We use our barbecue as much as possible for a myriad of things and with Spring warming the air a bit, the barbecue is on a lot more these days.  There’s a confusion, at least for me, about the difference between a prawn and a shrimp.  To me, they both appear to be the same. …

Grilled Vegetable, Pesto and Ricotta Tart

April 7, 2010

This is my kind of fast food!  Phyllo (filo or fillo) dough is paper-thin sheets of raw, unleavened flour dough used for making pastries. A popular dessert using filo pastry is baklava but there are oodles of other sweet and savory dishes out there using filo pastry.  When cooked, filo pastry is crispy and flaky…

Turkey Jambalaya

April 5, 2010

Turkey is something I only cook on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.  I’m always trying to think of new ways to incorporate leftover turkey that will appeal to everyone.  How much turkey to buy, you ask, to avoid a lot of leftover meat?  A good rule of thumb is to buy one pound of turkey per…

Mojito Fruit Salad

March 31, 2010

Spring is here in theory but the weather has been so unpredictable I needed a bit of sunshine in the form of food.  Mojito (pronounced moh-hee-toh) conjures up memories of warm days basking in the sun and sipping this very likable Cuban drink.  Pineapple is an excellent source of manganese (energy production and antioxidant defenses)…

Cumin-Scented Chickpeas with Roasted Eggplant and Rustic Tomato Sauce

March 29, 2010

Cumin is one of those spices that packs a punch with its nutty peppery flavor and is a very good source of iron.  I found that carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower pair well with cumin.  Cumin is the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper.  It was mentioned in the Bible not only…