Potato & Zucchini Tian with Basil

May 27, 2026 No comments

A classic French tian is not only the name of an actual ceramic baking dish, but also a baked vegetable side dish like this one. Very Provençal in nature, for this tian I used sliced rounds of potatoes, red onions and zucchini–drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, and finished off with fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese. Baked until the cheese is browned and the veggies very tender, feel free to use this recipe as a base recipe for any seasonal veggies you have on hand.

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

‘Baked & Sautéed Spaghetti Squash on Spinach’

May 26, 2026 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking.NYTimes.com

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking.NYTimes.com

With a brand new container of sumac on hand from my trip to the local spice shop last week, I did an internet search of my favorite food websites for unique ways to use this Middle Eastern spice. With its deep red color and slightly lemony taste, sumac is a wonderful spice to keep in the pantry for a number of dishes.  Take this dish for example from the NY Times Cooking website.

You start with baking a spaghetti squash until it is tender; you then sauté a bed of baby spinach with garlic (I added in some sliced, sweet red peppers as well), then you return the cooked squash strands to the sauté pan with some breadcrumbs for added crunch (and a touch more garlic.)  The spaghetti squash at this point is flavored with some of the ground sumac, and served with the sautéed spinach. But wait…we’re not done yet!

The entire dish is flavored with grated Parmesan cheese, buttery walnut pieces and the rich flavor of walnut oil.  Such a surprisingly wonderful combination of flavors!  (The only change I made  to the presentation itself was to reverse the plating order; I topped the spaghetti squash with the spinach sauté instead of the other way around.)

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017075-baked-and-sauteed-spaghetti-squash-on-a-bed-of-spinach)

‘Easy Blueberry Cobbler’

May 25, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cook’s Country Magazine

They weren’t lying when they named this recipe! Easy-peasy indeed. With only 6 ingredients (including self-rising flour, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, butter, sugar and berries) the dessert has more of a light cake texture than a traditional cobbler, but all the same, it highlights the plump, sweet blueberries and its no-effort prep.  The sugar in the recipe is actually sprinkled on top of the batter and berries to form a crunchy topping which is a nice touch.  Overall, I think this recipe would work well with any fresh or thawed, frozen berries you have on hand, or even halved ripe figs.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/9659-easy-blueberry-cobbler )

Fresh Fettuccine with Squash & Saffron Ricotta

May 24, 2026 No comments

Fresh pastas are wonderful with a number of sauces, but for me, something about their soft, eggy texture just screams for a creamy sauce companion.  With half of a container of organic, whole milk ricotta cheese in the fridge, I settled on a fresh fettuccine tossed with roasted summer squash, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil and a creamy ricotta sauce.

To liven things up a bit, I actually added some warm saffron-infused olive oil into the ricotta cheese for added flavor and color.  And to top it all off with some crunch, I crisped up some thin slices of prosciutto in the oven and crumbled them on top of everything.  Buon appetito.

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

‘Chicken & Red Plum Salad’

May 23, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine

I loved this idea for a simple entrée salad made with tender grilled chicken and juicy grilled stone fruit;  both served over peppery arugula leaves with some fresh dill, scallions, and toasted almonds for unique fresh flavors and a bit of crunch.  The recipe doesn’t really specify a vinaigrette or dressing so-to-speak, so I drizzled the entire salad with a vibrant lemon and turmeric vinaigrette.  If you have the time, I also recommend marinating the chicken breasts in the fridge for a few hours with either a tangy sesame-ginger dressing or even an Italian garlic-and-herb dressing.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/a21601672/chicken-and-red-plum-salad-recipe/)

‘Baked Strawberry Custards’

May 22, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

This is a fabulous base recipe for a baked fruit custard. Showcased in an issue of Eating Well magazine with the season’s first batch of ripe strawberries, you can sub any of your favorite berries in for the strawberries, or even sweet black cherries. The custard’s base is made with a simple mixture of flour, butter, salt, sugar, eggs and the unique addition of tangy sour cream. The custards bake in a high heat oven until golden brown and puffed up; a touch of orange zest in the base of the custard adds a brightness that really steps things up a notch.

‘Seared Chicken with Shallots & Grapes’

May 21, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine

I adore a sweet-yet-savory dish like this one; especially one that highlights ripe fruit of the season. For this simple weeknight dinner, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are first seared to golden brown and then finished off in the same pan along with a colorful sauce made with shallots, red grapes, fresh herbs, chicken stock and a touch of red wine vinegar for tang.  What makes this pan-sauce ultimately rich and very fragrant are a last minute pat of unsalted butter, and the use of ground cardamom for a warming flavor.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.realsimple.com/skillet-chicken-with-grapes-and-shallots-8302889)

‘Tomato Clafoutis’

May 20, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Patricia Wells' At Home in Provence cookbook

Recipe Courtesy of Patricia Wells’ At Home in Provence cookbook

You may be familiar with a traditional clafoutis–the baked French dessert that involves the season’s best fruit (traditionally ripe cherries) covered with a eggy, custard-like batter and baked until browned and puffed up.  Some of my other favorite fruits to use in the sweet version are ripe figs, fresh apricots and plump raspberries.

I was excited to make this savory version of a traditional clafoutis that focuses on the ripest tomatoes of the season.  The batter is similar to a traditional clafoutis batter, just without the sugar.  Poured on top of ripe tomatoes and flavored with fresh herbs, this Provençal side dish was a big hit at our dinner table and know it will be at yours as well.

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

‘Roasted Squash with Green Tahini’

May 19, 2026 No comments

Are you a fellow fan of hummus? If so, you probably already have a jar of tahini, or sesame paste, in your fridge. If you do, then this recipe for ‘Roasted Squash with Green Tahini’ is a must! The season’s best squash (I used acorn squash here) are coated with ground cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper before being roasted to tender.

The lovely green sauce that accompanies the tender squash is a mixture of tahini, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice and zest, garlic and olive oil.  The sauce is thinned out with a touch of water, and is drizzled on top of the cooked squash for added flavor. The green tahini sauce recipe alone is a lovely one to dip pita triangles into, pita chips, or even crudités.

Baked Amaretti Apricots with Blackberries

May 18, 2026 Comments: 2

If, like me, you always keep a sweet, juicy variety of stone fruits in your kitchen this time of year then this simple Italian dessert should be on your next dinner menu. A classic dessert most times made with halved peaches, I chose to use ripe apricots instead.

The filling, however is the same as the classic peach version: granulated sugar, a touch of butter and crushed amaretti (almond-flavored) cookies. The fruit gets tender in the oven and the topping crunchy and lightly browned. I decided to bake my amaretti apricots along with a few plump blackberries, as well as a dash of rich brandy that soaks into both fruits. This tasty treat is best when served warm with vanilla bean ice cream, lightly sweetened ricotta cheese, or even a dollop of vanilla mascarpone cheese.

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

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