This is an unusual paella with an egg crust that is finished in the oven. The egg crust seals in all the aromas and comes out when broken at the table. The two most widely known types of paella are Valencian paella (paella valenciana) and seafood paella (paella de marisco). Valencian paella consists of short-grain…

Ravioli is a type of filled pasta which has a filling sealed between two layers of thin pasta dough. The filling may be meat-based (either red or poultry), fish-based, or cheese-based. Ravioli can be rectangular, triangular, half-moon or circular in shape. Click here for a video demonstration on how to make fried ravioli with a…

White beans (cannellini) are perfect for soups, salads as well as sides and it’s loaded with nutrients so it’s wise to keep a can in the cupboard. Throw an easy salad of white beans together with tuna, tomatoes and baby spinach dressed with red wine vinegar or stir the beans through minestrone soup. Delicious! Serve…

My husband and I enjoy entertaining and I also like introducing new dishes whenever we have family or guests over. This keeps me on the outlook for new dips, antipasti etc. which also means scouting the grocery stores for new gourmet crackers. And so it was that I spotted a new brand of gourmet crackers,…

A fritter is any kind of food coated in batter and deep fried and can refer to a dessert, a side dish or a main course food. This recipe is lovely as a simple snack or as side dish to the main meal. And, what’s really appealing about this dish is that it’s not at…

Bangkok doesn’t get many cool days but when the temperature dips to 21c overnight, it’s chilly in the morning (northern parts of Thailand can get as low as 10c-12c)! Yes I know, why would a hardy Canadian like me say 21c is chilly? I’ve been living in a tropical climate for 11 years where the…

The Christmas holiday season means indulging a bit in some of my favorite foods of which I enjoy but it’s afterwards that I need to cut back. This dish is a great way to ease back into a normal eating routine without feeling you’re missing something. A popular bean in Italy (originally cultivated in Argentina,…

I cannot believe Christmas is just around the corner! I thought I had plenty of time to finish off my baking and now I’m starting to feel a bit panicky (I think I best get on my bike and as my daughter would say, “get cooking”!). Another year is about to close and I would…

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s difficult maintaining a reasonable diet and this recipe will definitely push those holiday diet woes to the limit! That being said, this is an ultra easy dish to prepare, eye appealing and so delicious to consume! You can make your own limoncello or buy the commercial version. Limoncello…

Is there anything more tempting than a generous serving of lasagna oozing cheese and dripping sauce? Lasagna originated in Emillia-Romagna, the region of north central Italy where egg pasta was created. Lasagna noodles come in the form of fresh (from specialty food markets or homemade if you have a pasta machine), dry (need to cook…

Polenta is a favorite staple of mine. It’s so easy to prepare and this dish is ready in 30 minutes (start to finish)! Polenta is made with ground yellow or white cornmeal (ground maize). It can be ground coarsely or finely depending on the region and the texture desired. Polenta is the staple food in…

This dish takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is ready to serve on the table 40 minutes later! Pumpkin is low in calories and is rich in potassium (a mineral that helps the kidneys function normally). Pumpkins also contain lutein and ziazanthin, which can help promote eye health and keep macular degeneration at bay.…