Freekeh with Grilled Halloumi, Zucchini & Preserved Lemon

January 31, 2024 No comments

With zucchini and a lovely block of Greek halloumi on hand, I decided on a warm freekeh salad with layers of flavor and textures.  Freekeh is a whole grain similar to cracked wheat, that is packed with fiber and protein; a great base for a side dish like this one, but also perfect anywhere you would normally add in brown rice, quinoa or cous cous.  I roasted spears of zucchini along with pistachios and minced preserved lemon peel, and tossed the freekeh with the summer squash and chunks of the grilled Greek cheese.  This scrumptuous Mediterranean-inspired side dish is a wonderful vegetarian main dish, or side dish served with your favorite grilled chicken dish.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Strawberry-&-Cinnamon Bread Pudding

January 30, 2024 No comments

These fruit-filled bread puddings are incredible! Incredibly easy to make, easy to eat and oh-so-flavorful.  I used a store-bought cinnamon swirl bread cut into cubes, that I then soaked in a homemade custard made with farm-fresh eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and a touch of orange liqueur.  Baked along with either fresh or defrosted frozen strawberries, the results are perfectly sweet, rich and even more decadent when served with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Sweet Potato, Okra & Chickpea Curry

January 29, 2024 No comments

Served over brown rice, this hearty vegetarian yellow curry is chock-full of yummy, healthy ingredients.  A fragrant mixture of onions, garlic, curry powder, and light coconut milk is studded with sweet potato cubes, green beans, tender chickpeas and diced tomatoes.  A colorful dinner that comes together in no time at all–best when served with your favorite naan or flatbread dipped into the luxurious yellow curry broth.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Turkey Spaghetti with Cream Sauce’

January 28, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture Magazine

Everyone will swoon over this spaghetti dish studded with shredded, cooked turkey, sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. And for the sauce, a quick-and-easy cream sauce that starts with a simple roux and adds in garlic for flavor, Parmesan cheese for a salty flavoring agent, and half and half for a perfectly creamy touch.  Any homemade or store bought turkey stock you have leftover is also a great addition here; keep this recipe around to use with not only leftover turkey, but any leftovers you might have from your latest roast chicken.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Zucchini-Wrapped Sea Bass with Tomatoes, Onions, & Caperberries

January 27, 2024 Comments: 2
Photographs by Scott Martin

 This hearty fish dish is as gorgeous as is it irresistibly delicious.  Hearty sea bass filets, gently wrapped in thinly sliced zucchini, and baked in a ragout of tomatoes, onions, and tart caperberries.  The tomato ragout is cooked down in unsalted butter instead of oil, which creates a decadent bed for the tender fish to nestle into.  Caperberries are a wonder in their own right—they are actually the fruit of the caper bush and are about the size of a grape with a long green stem attached. (If you can’t find caperberries, capers or any briny green olives would also work well). Any hearty white fish, in addition to sea bass, will work well in this recipe, including cod or halibut.  Serve this dish over some pearled cous cous or orzo for an extremely satisfying dinner idea. 

Baby Red Potatoes with Greek Yogurt, Caviar, & Fresh Dill

January 26, 2024 No comments

Photographs by Scott Martin

There are a number of classic hors d’oeuvres that pair either smooth sour cream or crème fraiche with the salty bite of caviar.  The most traditional is a blini, or small buckwheat pancake, served with a dollop of sour cream, caviar, and a garnish of dill.  The second that comes to mind is a roasted fingerling potato, halved, and topped with crème fraiche and sprinkling of chives. Both are simple in construction, involve quality ingredients, and taste even better when served with chilled, premium Russian vodka.

My Baby Red Potatoes with Greek Yogurt, Caviar, and Dill is my version of this combination of ingredients. Here we boil baby red potatoes until tender, season them with a touch of salt and pepper, and top each half with creamy Greek yogurt, salty caviar, and a sprig of fresh dill. What satisfying way to enjoy a classically tasty hors d’oeuvre.

‘Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice’

January 25, 2024 Comments: 2

Recipe Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

This recipe for dirty rice is a hit both with my clients and with our dinner table guests.  Fluffy white rice studded with the usual culprits—celery, onions, garlic, crumbled sausage, and green onions—but also includes a couple of unique add-ins. Instead of diced, traditional green bell peppers you use diced poblano peppers and instead of a side of greens served alongside the dish, hearty collard greens are cooked right into the rice. (I had collard greens on hand from our veggie garden, but feel free to use spinach, kale, Swiss chard or even mustard greens if you like.)  This dish comes together effortlessly on the stove in about 25 minutes…just enough time to grab the hot sauce and set the table!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.southernliving.com/recipes/collard-green-creole-dirty-rice-recipe )

‘Sour Cream Pound Cake’

January 24, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of www.TasteofHome.com

Just like your favorite cookbook that you seem to always find yourself pulling off the shelf for inspiration, a trustworthy recipe website is just as valuable.  One of my go-to websites for baked goods is Taste of Home (www.TasteofHome.com).  The recipes are tested very well it seems because every dessert I have made from the site quickly becomes a favorite of ours or my clients!

With extra sour cream on hand, I gravitated towards this easy-to-bake sour cream pound cake recipe. A perfect recipe to make and share with friends this Holiday season, the ingredients couldn’t be more basic, with results that are moist and oh-so-scrumptious. Basically, you cream unsalted butter with sugar, and then add in your dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) while alternating in sour cream and vanilla. I decided to stir in some chopped pecans into the batter as well, but I think this cake could easily be flavored with almond extract, rose water, orange blossom water or even a touch of lemon extract.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sour-cream-pound-cake )

‘Maple-Bacon-Tarragon Dressing’

January 23, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

 In a back issue of Cooking Light magazine I saw a page of homemade dressing ideas that would work on a number of proteins as well as salads. This specific dressing made with bacon, tarragon, maple syrup, vinegar and mustard really caught my eye.  Similar in taste to a warm bacon vinaigrette you might find on a spinach salad with sliced mushrooms, this savory dressing works beautifully on pork chops, roasted chicken breasts, your favorite grilled fish, or as mentioned, a lovely spinach salad topper.

Orange-Basil Butter Salmon

January 22, 2024 Comments: 2

I adore this orange-infused sauce—a quick saute of shallots, sliced garlic and orange zest flavored with some fresh orange juice and white wine, all cooked in a pat of butter.  Freshly chopped basil pairs so nicely with both the orange flavor of the sauce, but if you prefer, tarragon would work nicely as well.  You can either pan-sear or bake the skin-on salmon fillets, but I recommend baking the fillets and serving with the warm sauce for a more hands-off cooking technique.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

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