Herbed Spaghetti Squash with Lemon and Pistachios

Spaghetti squash is a popular veggie with dieters who substitute it for pasta as it is low in calories and fat. It became popular in the 1970’s in North America and Europe even though it originated in China. It’s part of the winter squash family (acorn, butternut, hubbard) and is an excellent source of vitamin…

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Parsnip and Apple Soup

Boy, has it been cold here the past two days! Yesterday I had my hair cut and while waiting I glanced over Real Simple magazine looking for ideas for last night’s supper.  Sometimes the oddest combination of ingredients can really make a rather hum-ho dish into something rather delicious and flavorsome.  Such was the case…

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Fried Fingerling Potatoes with Tarragon Sauce

The humble potato shines in this dish!  It originated in South America (on the border between Bolivia and Peru) along the slopes of the central Andes nearly 8,000 years ago. What’s more amazing is that “what we know as the potato contains just a fragment of the genetic diversity found in the seven recognized potato…

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Seared Scallops and Bacon Jam

Bacon jam conjures up all sorts of culinary delights and possibilities. It seems that bacon is today’s hero in sweet concoctions such as bacon baklava, cupcakes with bacon, bacon chocolate crunch bar, chocolate bread pudding with bacon crème anglaise to name a few. But wait, before you turn your nose up at the notion, I’ll…

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Grilled Eggplant with Mint

John and I use our barbecue all year round. When it snows, the driveway, front door and back deck get cleared of snow. There’s always a clear path from the kitchen door to the barbie and we use it no matter what the weather! Eggplants are the nightshade family of vegetables which grow much like…

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Roasted Pepper Piedmontese

Bell peppers (green, red, yellow and orange) are an excellent source of vitamin C and A as well as a good source of dietary fiber.  They are also a rich source of lycopene (may help reduce the risk of cancers of the prostate, bladder, cervix and pancreas). Chèvre is a light, often fluffy, mild-flavored cheese…

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Roasted Radishes

I avoid radishes like the plague.  If they were in salads I would either pick them out or bypass the salad all together.  I tried one years ago and found it quite bitter! Some may describe the flavor as a pungent, peppery flavor but I’ve never found this to be the case. That said, I…

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Asparagus, Smoked Bacon and New Potato Salad

My fondest childhood memories of summer were swimming long hours down at the beach where my grandparents lived and only leaving the watery playground to eat.  You could work up such an appetite swimming, skiing, playing in the water!  Potato salads were a favorite my siblings and I always enjoyed.  It was usually accompanied by…

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