‘Mustard Steak au Poivre’

October 29, 2025 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine

Recipe Courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine

No need to make reservations at your favorite steakhouse to enjoy a perfectly cooked filet mignon. Just follow this simple recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine that starts with lean filet mignons coated with mustard and cracked black peppercorns.  Cooked to medium rare in a pan, then finished off with simple sauce made with slightly sweet Brandy and a pinch of fresh thyme to deglaze the pan.  Wonderful when served with roasted asparagus and creamy mashed potatoes.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/a54/mustard-steak-au-poivre-127/)

‘Grilled Potato, Salmon & Lentil Salad with Mustard Cream Sauce’

October 28, 2025 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

This healthy and hearty main course salad had the south of France written all over it.  It involved grilling salmon filets until flaky, along with grilling buttery potatoes rounds; you serve these two lovely and simple ingredients with baby greens (I used watercress) and a helping of French-cooked lentils. This version of lentils is my favorite: it starts with a sauté of onion, celery and carrots, then the lentils along with chicken stock and fresh herbs.  The lentils are cooked until tender and the whole salad is finished off with a lovely sauce made with two types of mustard and decadent crème fraîche. Need I say more?

‘Cod with Shiitake-Bacon Crust & Arugula Salad’

October 27, 2025 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Original Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

This unique fish recipe was easy, flavorful, and fun to make. All you need are five easy ingredients: cod, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, bacon and arugula.  The cod is encrusted with a mixture of cooked bacon and mushrooms which gives the fish a really meaty and decadent taste; this baked fish is served on top of an arugula salad with more sliced mushrooms.  Such a great idea, it has me thinking about what other interesting crusts we can come up with for fish…

Wheat Berry Salad with Broccolini, Cherry Tomatoes & Pistachios

October 26, 2025 No comments

Wheatberries Broccolini Pistachios

This colorful side dish is filled with healthy ingredients. First you have chewy, nutty wheat berries.  These whole grains are actually an entire wheat kernel that to cook, you cover with either water or a stock and cook for about an hour until chewy.  For this side dish I tossed cooked wheat berries with roasted broccolini, shallots, cherry tomatoes and crunchy roasted pistachios.  A lovely side dish that combines healthful whole foods–perfect as a side to any protein you are craving, or you can even serve this as its own as a hearty, vegetarian main dish.

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

White Chocolate Pots de Crème

October 25, 2025 No comments

Very similar to a homemade pudding, a French pot de crème is a stirred custard dessert that can be easily flavored with your favorite sweet flavorings. Typically a bit more ‘loose’ in texture compared to what we know as pudding or custard, a pot de crème is also usually a bit more rich and therefore served in a smaller dessert vessel.

More often than not you will see chocolate pots de crème; with my affinity for white chocolate, I decided to flavor this version not only with melted white chocolate chips, but with a touch of orange flower water for a subtle citrus and floral scent, and served them with a variety of flavored chocolate-covered espresso beans.  If you are a semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate fan, simply swap in your favorite chocolate for the white chocolate here, and perhaps a touch of espresso powder for the orange flower water.  Either way, stir to cook, chill and enjoy!

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

Broccoli Rabe, Italian Sausage, & Tomato Pizza with Fresh Mozzarella

October 24, 2025 Comments: 2

The toppings for this pizza are based on a classic Italian pasta dish, traditionally made with orecchiette.  The small ‘ear-shaped’ pasta is tossed together with crumbled Italian sausage, red pepper flakes, garlic and cooked broccoli rabe. Simple yet wildly flavorful, I decided to top a store-bought pizza crust with the same ingredients, plus cherry tomatoes, a touch of balsamic vinegar, and creamy, fresh mozzarella cheese.  Cooking the broccoli rabe down with an anchovy fillet is not a must, but it really does add a depth-of-flavor and inherent saltiness that melds beautifully with all of the other ingredients used.

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

‘Roast Fish with Cannellini Beans & Green Olives’

October 23, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

This recipe will work with just about any of your favorite fish fillets. I used Barramundi, a sustainable sea bass variety, but I think salmon, haddock, cod, or halibut would work just as well.  The key here is to cook everything low-and-slow; in a low 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes; the fish is cooked with lemon slices, hot peppers, tasty green olives and buttery white beans.  One-pan cooking that is both colorful and healthy—my kind of dinner!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/roast-fish-with-cannellini-beans-and-green-olives )

‘Turmeric Chicken-&-Chickpea Soup’

October 22, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

No matter the time of year, who can resist a fragrant pot of comforting chicken soup?  This Thai-inspired chicken soup comes together in no time, and is incredibly satisfying.  Shredded chicken thighs are combined with a chicken broth-based soup that is flavored with coconut milk, lime juice and fragrant ground turmeric.

The turmeric gives a healthy boost of antioxidants to the soup, and also a rich yellow hue which I love.  Fresh basil, garlic and onions are also in the mix along with buttery chickpeas for an added protein-boost.  Feel free to add in some fresh spinach or watercress like I did; I also recommend some matchstick carrots, as well as a garnish of Sriracha sauce for a kick.

Maple & Mustard-Glazed Parsnips

October 21, 2025 No comments

My favorite way to cook root vegetables is to glaze them.  This technique of cutting the root vegetables and placing them in a saucepan along with flavorings and seasonings, and liquid to cover, you slowly cook the vegetables until the liquid has reduced and the veggies become fork tender.

A number of flavors work very well with this glazing technique: orange juice, brown sugar and water, pomegranate juice, or like in this recipe, a sweet yet savory mixture of grainy mustard, maple syrup and stock.  A touch of white wine in any flavor combination is always a good idea, and any root vegetables or a mix of them works wonderfully: turnips, carrots, celery root, rutabagas, parsnips….you name it.  I like serving this glazed parsnip dish over some bitter greens, along with a snip of fresh chives or parsley.

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

‘Butternut Squash & Mushroom Noodle Bowls’

October 20, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine

Tossing roasted, seasoned vegetables into a quick-cooking bowl of soba noodles is a great idea no matter what season it is.  In the Fall or Winter it might be winter squash and mushrooms like in this specific recipe, in the Summer it might be tomatoes and squash, and in the Spring maybe even asparagus, peas and leeks.

The great thing about this Asian-inspired noodle bowl is its cooking method and its depth of flavor.  Cubes of butternut squash roast effortlessly in a hot oven along with scallions and mushrooms; and with only a few minutes left, spinach or any other leafy green really (I used pak choi), is tossed on top of the baking sheet just to wilt.  The depth of flavor I mentioned? A simple dressing of soy sauce, honey, ginger and Sriracha sauce that you drizzle on top of the veggie mixture and cooked noodles. (Try adding some sesame oil into the mix if you like, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds for a touch of crunch.)

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzAige6kV8M )

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