Saffron Rice with Green Peas, Pine Nuts & Tarragon

January 4, 2026 No comments

For dinner last night, I decided to stuff a couple of the ripe tomatoes with a yummy saffron rice studded with sweet green peas, fresh tarragon and buttery pine nuts.  The tomatoes make for a nice color compliment in the dishes overall presentation and their sweet burst of flavor when baked for a bit is a lovely contrast in texture to the whole dish as well.  This rice dish would also be nice served on its own, or even in zucchini boats or halved, baked sweet bell peppers.

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

Spinach & Tomato Frittata

January 3, 2026 No comments

The beauty of a baked egg dish like this one is in its possibilities.  The add-ins can be any of your favorite cheeses, fresh herbs, veggies or even leftover cooked bacon or cooked root vegetables if you have those on hand. For this colorful frittata I flavored the eggs with grated Pecorino cheese, fresh thyme, halved cherry tomatoes and some wilted spinach.

Baked until fluffy and lightly browned around the edges, I like to finish this sort of egg dish with a drizzle of quality olive oil for added flavor.  Perfect for weekend company, this luxurious baked egg dish comes together in no time, and is a perfect accompaniment to a toasted English muffin, fruit salad and a French press filled with your favorite java.

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

Harissa Salmon & Cherry Tomato Skewers

January 2, 2026 No comments

Yet another yummy use for that jar of harissa paste in your fridge. A simple marinade made with lemon juice, the Tunisian chili paste and olive oil is drizzled over healthy skewers of cubed salmon, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes.  All grilled and served over peppery greens, these salmon skewers would also work well with zucchini or yellow squash as well.

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

‘Squash and Black-Eyed Pea Coconut Curry’

January 1, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Food & Wine Magazine

Searching for a unique way to get your black eyed peas in on this fine New Year’s Day?  Well, here you go. This spicy vegetarian curry recipe pairs very nicely with either a glass of dry Riesling, or even your favorite beer.

Flavored with coconut milk, ground turmeric and a halved serrano pepper, the vegetables include onions, smashed garlic cloves, plum tomatoes, garam masala-roasted acorn squash and protein-packed black-eyed peas.  I love serving this type of dish over fluffy white or brown rice, but it would also be equally as tasty served with some warm naan.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/squash-and-black-eyed-pea-coconut-curry )

‘Cocoa-Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Orange-Pomegranate Salsa’

December 31, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

It might seem strange to add cocoa powder to chicken, but keep in mind that for on thing, it is unsweetened, and when it is used in a savory dry rub like this one, it provides a unique depth of flavor.  In addition to the unsweetened cocoa powder, the rub also combines a touch of light brown sugar, coriander. paprika, a pinch of cayenne, and salt.

The chicken is rubbed with the combination of spices and then roasted until perfectly cooked through; this not only works well on chicken, but I bet it would really be tasty on a grilled skirt steak, salmon or even pork chops.  And we’re not done yet!  The decadent roasted chicken is served with a simple fruit salsa made with pomegranate seeds, orange pieces and quick pickled shallots.  A refreshingly colorful and lovely finishing touch to a unique dish indeed.

Ruth Reichl’s Basic Chili

December 30, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of www.RuthReichl.com

There is nothing basic about this chili recipe. Quite the opposite in fact! It has a wonderful depth of flavor that is a result of warm spices like ground cumin and chili powder, chipotle salsa, beer and oregano. The base recipe calls for ground bison which would be lovely, but I chose to use ground chicken for a lighter base chili; ground beef or turkey would work well here, too.

The other reason I love this recipe for chili is that at the end of the recipe, Ruth Reichl (yes, that Ruth Reichl! The longtime editor of Gourmet magazine)  lists some optional add-ins which vary in flavorings but all would be a wonderful last touch.  The options she suggests include soy sauce, cream sherry, balsamic vinegar, chocolate, sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions.  I wouldn’t add all of them to the base recipe, but choosing a few really does liven things up! What optional ingredients did I chose? A bit of dark chocolate, sour cream, cheddar cheese and scallions.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://ruthreichl.substack.com/p/its-a-fine-day-for-chili )

Classic Tiramisu

December 29, 2025 No comments

Not only one of our favorite desserts, a classic tiramisu is also one of the easiest to make and one of the most impressive.  The mention of tiramisu immediately brings on a chorus of ‘oohs and ahhs’ no matter the crowd.  Who can resist espresso-soaked cookies layered between a creamy and sweet mixture of cream and mascarpone cheese flavored with a touch of brandy and espresso powder, mini chocolate chips and a dusting of cocoa powder?  I know I can’t. And for a fun topping idea, you can always shave white or dark chocolate curls over it all, top it with more chocolate chips, or even fresh strawberries are a nice pairing. But my favorite topping are crunchy, chocolate-covered espresso beans.

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

Braised Lamb Shanks with Castelvetrano Olives & Potatoes

December 28, 2025 No comments

Braising a naturally tough cut of meat like lamb shanks takes some time, but don’t fret— it is all hands-off time. No matter if it is lamb shanks, short ribs, a pot roast, or even turkey legs, braising in all instances means searing the meat first to create a lovely brown crust, then slowly cooking the seared meat for a long time in aromatics, vegetables and some sort of liquid.  The liquid can be broth, but it can also be wine.  Braising is one of my favorite ways to cook on a lazy weekend because the results are always tender, fall-off-the-bone meats, with tons of flavor.

For this specific braise, I seared the lamb shanks in olive oil until browned, then removed them from the pan while I sauteed some garlic, leeks, carrots and celery with some fresh rosemary.  I then added some rich tomato paste into the pan, along with some chopped, fresh tomatoes and some white wine to deglaze the pan.  I had a lot of homemade chicken stock on hand, so that is the liquid I chose to cook the lamb in.

  No need to completely cover the lamb with liquid, simply submerge it about halfway.  When about half of the cooking time has lapsed, turn the shanks over; when there is about 30 minutes left, that is when you add the finishing touches: briny Castelvetrano olives and some halved, baby potatoes. (And feel free to use this exact recipe for a variety of meats like I mentioned!  The same cooking method, veggies, aromatics, and liquids would be a perfect match for any of the other meats listed above.)

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

‘Maple-Vanilla Carrots’

December 27, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Recipes like this make me smile. The ones that highlight just a few quality ingredients, but that transform these relatively simple ingredients into something grand.  Here, we are highlighting carrots, maple syrup and vanilla beans.  Organic, peeled carrots are cut on the diagonal for an elegant appearance, and cooked in a pot of water along with a sweet vanilla bean until tender.  Once the water is absorbed you add in a pat of butter, the maple syrup and salt and pepper to flavor the already sweet carrots.  It might sound odd to add sweet flavorings into a somewhat savory side dish, but believe me, this is one of the best carrot dishes you will ever taste.

Lemony-Roasted Sunchokes with Capers, Watercress & Feta Cheese

December 26, 2025 No comments

Have you ever tried cooking with sunchokes?  Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, these knobby-looking root vegetables are versatile and couldn’t be easier to cook.  (Before cutting them into bite-sized pieces, these root veggies do need to be washed and scrubbed, just to remove any remaining dirt.) Once cut and placed on a prepared baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, they roast in about 25 minutes.

The sunchokes do not need to be peeled which is nice and saves prep time; one of my favorite ways to serve these funny looking veggies is to roast them like I mentioned, with some lemon slices and capers, and then to serve them warm with crumbled goat cheese over peppery watercress greens.  They remain a tiny bit crunchy after being roasted, and really can take on just about any flavor profile you like!  (Try roasting them alongside a chicken sometime, they pair up wonderfully and are lovely served with the roasted chicken juices.)

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

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