Rigatoni with French Lentils & Sausage

August 2, 2025 No comments

These are the same French lentils that I love to serve with a classic roast chicken or simple baked salmon coated with a maple-Dijon glaze.  The lentils are cooked to tender and then are tossed together with a healthy sauté of red onions, garlic, carrots and celery; all flavored with fresh parsley, Dijon mustard and a touch of red wine vinegar for tang.  I tossed the French lentils with al dente rigatoni pasta and some cooked chicken sausage.  To carry through with the overall French theme of the dish, everything was finished off with some creamy, crumbled chèvre goat cheese. Très délicieux.

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

Radicchio & Endive Salad with Persimmons, Pomegranate Seeds & Goat Cheese

August 1, 2025 No comments

This is the time of year to go all out with bitter greens. The variety of bitter greens available right now is astounding—everything from magenta-hued radicchio, to crunchy Belgian endive, to curly endive, frisee, escarole, kale…and the list goes on and on. The naturally bitter taste of these greens pairs perfectly with the season’s fruit as well.

Take this salad idea for example: watercress, Belgian endive and radicchio chopped and tossed together with crunchy pistachios, creamy goat cheese crumbles, sliced sweet persimmons and the bright ‘pop’ of pomegranate seeds.  For such a colorful and complex salad, a simple vinaigrette will do just fine. I like to pair Dijon mustard with white balsamic vinegar and a splash of nutty walnut oil.

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

‘Baked Herby Carrots’

November 26, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Gennaro Slow Cook Italian Cookbook

 I highly recommend the source for this slow-cooked Italian recipe! A cookbook named Gennaro Slow Cook Italian by Gennaro Contaldo.  If you enjoy slow-cooking not only meats and stews, but vegetables, desserts and breads as well, and you adore Italian food, this cookbook is for you.  Filled with Italian-style comfort food dishes, this simple side dish is a mixture of carrots, celery and shallots baked in a low heat oven until tender and caramelized.  They are topped with an herbed olive oil mixture that really brightens up the overall dish!  I added some whole garlic cloves to the pan as well, just for extra flare.

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

‘Crispy Salmon Fillets with Sesame-Soy Drizzle’

November 14, 2018 No comments

The classic flavor combination of toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce is a wonderfully fragrant way to dress up not only seared fish, but also fried rice, salads and even roasted veggies.  Here, salmon fillets are pan-seared until cooked through until the skin very crispy and the flaky fish is served with that flavor combo as well as crushed red pepper flakes and sliced scallions. Perfect with salmon, this simple recipe would also be fabulous on a grilled skirt steak, sauteed shrimp or even seared scallops.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/crispy-salmon-fillets-sesame-soy-drizzle )

Beef, Broccoli & Kimchi Stir Fry

September 18, 2018 No comments

beef-broccoli-kimchi-stir-fry

Served over long-grain white or brown rice, this flavorful and healthy stir-fry is the way to go on a busy weeknight.  Tender strips of skirt steak stir-fried together with sliced garlic, broccoli florets and store-bought kimchi is a tasty combination of ingredients that are flavored with sesame oil and a touch of soy sauce.  An when you are prepping the broccoli, don’t leave out those broccoli stems!  Thinly slice them as well and add them right into the wok.

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

‘Zucchini Penne with Ricotta’

September 2, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

What a wonderful vegetarian pasta dish to help use up that stock pile of summer squash!  Simple a combination of thinly sliced zucchini sauteed in olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and a touch of black pepper, tossed together with cooked penne pasta, a touch of pasta water and some grated Parmesan cheese.  The pasta water adds starch to the dish which in turn, creates a sauce when combined with the pasta and the grated cheese.  And the tastiness doesn’t end here: you then top the servings of pasta with an herbed ricotta cheese mixture that is studded with lemon zest, juice, fresh parsley and fresh tarragon.  To add even more fresh flavor and color, you finish the entire dish off with some fresh basil from the garden.  This lovely dish is light by nature and is wonderful served with a chilled bottle of light Beaujolais Nouveau.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.finecooking.com/recipe/zucchini-penne-ricotta)

Teriyaki-Glazed Salmon with Noodles

August 27, 2018 No comments

Strands of whole wheat  pasta make for a healthy and hearty base in this Asian-inspired salmon noodle bowl.  The salmon is pan-seared to flaky perfection, but before being cooked, it marinates in a flavorful teriyaki sauce; baby spinach leaves cook along with the pasta, and a quick saute of other veggies and aromatics make for a delectable one-bowl dinner.  In a saute pan with a touch of sesame oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes, are sweet red peppers and some peppery scallions.  Everything is finished off with a squeeze of bright lime juice and and a a few fresh basil leaves.

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

‘Warm Pasta Salad with Tomatoes & Eggplant’

August 19, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

This warm pasta salad utilizes three gems of summertime produce: cherry tomatoes, eggplant and green beans.  The green beans cook right in the pasta pot, while the cherry tomatoes and eggplant cook in oil along with garlic, white wine, fresh herbs and a last minute splash of vinegar for tang.  Suggested to be served with fresh thyme, I had a lot of fresh basil on hand so I swapped that in instead.  And to finish everything off…the creamy dreamy delight that is burrata cheese: fresh mozzarella cheese on the outside, rich cream on the inside.  To note, this would be a lovely pasta salad with summer squash as well!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.cookinglight.com/recipes/warm-pasta-salad-with-tomatoes-and-eggplant)

‘Tomato Salad with Pecan Pesto’

August 9, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine

The Southern spin in this recipe comes from the use of toasted pecans instead of pine nuts in a classic basil pesto sauce.  Distinct in flavor, the pecans provide a richness to the pesto that is simply marvelous!  Use this pesto sauce in whatever dish you desire, but the fresh heirloom tomato salad highlighted here is a match made in heave for the vibrant sauce; sliced ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, and fresh herbs.  I had some nice English cucumbers on hand, so I added those into the mix as well. And don’t forget the drizzle of quality olive oil on everything, it really makes a difference!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.louisianacookin.com/tomato-salad-pecan-pesto/)

‘Honey-Cumin Roasted Carrots’

August 4, 2018 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Magazine

Further evidence that carrots really don’t need much to make them shine.  Roasting any vegetable, especially root vegetables, really brings out their natural sweetness.  On top of their natural sweetness, these roasted carrots are tossed in a mixture of honey, olive oil, sherry vinegar. and cumin seeds–along with peeled garlic cloves.  They honey lightly caramelized onto the roasted carrots and the cumin seeds add crunch and a lovely rich flavor to the orange gems.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://amp.bhg.com/recipe/honey-cumin-roasted-carrots/)

 

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