Dried Fruit & Ricotta Bread Puddings

October 31, 2024 No comments

Further proof that you should never through away that leftover loaf of day-old bread! This sumptuous bread pudding is studded with an assortment of dried fruit: golden raisins, apricots and prunes, and gets is rich flavor from a traditional custard base that includes ricotta cheese in addition to milk, eggs and sugar.  Any dried fruit you have on hand will be perfect for this dessert: dried cherries, figs, blueberries—and all pair well with the added flavor of both pure vanilla extract and a touch of orange liqueur.

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

‘Winter Salad with Halloumi ‘Croutons”

October 30, 2024 Comments: 2
Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Oh what a delight!  I have adored halloumi cheese ever since my family would frequent Zorba’s, a fabulous Greek restaurant in Baton Rouge. They would bring the cheese out in a heat proof dish, light it on fire in front of you, and put out the flames with lemon juice.  Halloumi is a cheese made from a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk, it is semi-hard in texture and because of its high melting point can be (like I said) grilled or heated with minimal melting.  It has a wonderfully salty flavor and when cooked, gets a lovely brown texture on the outside.

I was thrilled to make this recipe that highlights cubes of halloumi cheese as a substitute for croutons on a hearty winter salad.  The cubes of cooked cheese add a lovely texture and salty taste to the salad that believe me, you will  adore.  A hearty salad that could be a main course all on its own, it truly was a memorable addition to our dinner menu last night. Opa!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/255795/winter-salad-with-halloumi-croutons/)

‘Chicken & Vegetables with Coconut Water’

October 29, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Using unsweetened, pulp-free coconut water adds a bright finish and depth of flavor to your cooking.  In this specific recipe, chicken breasts are rubbed with salt and paprika, pan-seared in coconut oil, and the pan deglazed with coconut water.  Once the chicken is cooked through, you then cook sugar snap peas and sweet peppers in the same pan with the coconut oil and water again.  The entire dish has a hint of coconut flavor, without being overwhelming.  This is a wonderful way to experiment with cooking with coconut water! This was my first time using it, and my mind is already thinking of other ways to utilize the flavorful, healthy product.

Seared Scallops with Harissa & Lime

October 28, 2024 No comments

Don’t say I didn’t warn you; these scallops pack some heat! Coated in a flavorful coating of spicy harissa paste, each seared scallop is perfectly tender and certainly does wake up those taste buds.  If you aren’t familiar with harissa, it is a Tunisian chili sauce that has quickly moved to the top of my ‘must-have-in-the-fridge-all-the-time’ condiment list.  Lovely on roasted vegetables, meats, stirred into salad dressings even, it is versatile and pairs very nicely with a fresh squeeze of citrus juice.

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

Scrambled Egg & Sausage Tart with Watercress

October 27, 2024 No comments

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This savory tart is a perfect breakfast treat for the weekend.  On those rare mornings where you might have a few extra minutes to whip up something tasty for breakfast, try this hearty and impressive puff pastry tart.  You start by baking a sheet of store-bought puff pastry until browned, then top it off with a mixture of slow-cooked scrambled eggs mixed with your favorite crumbled breakfast sausage. Because everything needs a ‘pop’  of color in my book, I added a pile of fresh watercress to the top not only for looks, but for flavor as well. Cut into squares and serve with a pot of dark coffee and a bowl of fresh fruit.

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

Escarole & Mortadella Pizza

October 26, 2024 No comments

This white pizza is simply remarkable.Creamy ricotta cheese, sweet roasted garlic cloves, wilted bitter greens, tender mortadella, all on a lightly browned, pizza crust.  And the finishing touches of briny capers and salty Pecorino Romano cheese. If you aren’t familiar with mortadella, it is similar in texture to our bologna but is usually thicker cut and flecked with roasted pistachios and a touch of fat.  A lovely addition to an antipasto plate, salad, or even mixed in with your favorite ground meat in that go-to Bolognese sauce recipe.

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

After Dinner Mints

October 25, 2024 Comments: 2
Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

What a novel idea. This easy and unique after dinner palate cleanser is made of just two ingredients: fresh mint from the garden and melted chocolate. (I used semi-sweet chocolate, but feel free to use melted dark or even white chocolate instead.)  After dipping the fresh mint in the melted chocolate, you simple place the coated leaves on parchment paper in the freezer until they harden up.  A wonderful idea for the grand finale of your next dinner party.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.marthastewart.com/272308/after-dinner-mint)

Sorghum Syrup-Glazed Scallops

October 24, 2024 No comments

Have you seen sorghum berries or sorghum syrup mentioned on restaurant menus lately?  Wondering what exactly it is?  Well here is a primer on that-which-is sorghum.  An ancient grain whose tall grassy-like stalks produce not only berry-like grains which can be cooked or even milled to a gluten-free, high fiber flour, but whose end product, sweet sorghum syrup, is making a resurgence in the culinary world.

The sweet syrup, which is similar to molasses or can syrup, is wonderful simply drizzled on pancakes or a buttery biscuit, but also as a glaze on roasted vegetables, meats and even seafood.  Try it in place of your maple syrup in lightly sweetened vinaigrettes, or even in baking in place of molasses or honey.

For this simple recipe I seared jumbo sea scallops until browned, seasoned them with a touch of salt and pepper, and then brushed a touch of sweet sorghum syrup right on top of each scallop.  Served on a bed of your favorite roasted vegetables or cooked grain pilaf, this simple idea is merely a starting point with my brand new bottle of North Georgia-grown sorghum syrup.

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

‘Broccoli Bolognese with Orecchiette’

October 23, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

The titling of this recipe is both clever and thoughtfully worded. Notice that broccoli comes before pasta in the wording–aptly so because the blanched, chopped broccoli and stems definitely out weigh the amount of pasta. And as you know, a traditional Bolognese sauce is a tomato-based sauce with ground meat–this veggie-heavy version combines the cooked broccoli with just the right amount of crumbled Italian sausage.  A touch of butter, garlic and Parmesan cheese make for a simple yet lovely sauce.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/broccoli-bolognese-with-orecchiette )

Butter, Sage & Orange Roast Chicken

October 22, 2024 No comments

This supremely fragrant compound butter is a wonderful accompaniment not only to a roast chicken, but to a turkey breast, your favorite grilled fish or even a family-sized platter of roasted veggies.  Simply a mixture of unsalted butter, chopped fresh sage and orange zest rubbed underneath the skin of the bird before roasting at a high heat.

There are many theories out there in regards to roasting a chicken–do you start it at a high heat and then reduce the heat to low? Do you slow-roast the chicken the entire time? Or, if you’re like me, I roast my prepped chicken in a hot oven for the duration of the cooking time.  I think that method produces a moist interior and crispy, browned skin each and every time.

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

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