‘Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice’

March 4, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine

On this fine Mardi Gras day, you should embrace the spirit of the festivities and cook a classic Cajun or Creole dish. Do you love gumbo? Go for it! Craving a sweet King Cake? Get to baking! Wanting to use some of those dried beans in pantry? How about a hoppin’ john or red beans and rice like this one?

The beauty of this version of a classic pot of creamy red beans, fluffy white rice and spicy sausage is that is is slow-cooked in the crock pot.  The beans need to be soaked overnight of course, but in the crock pot itself this dish will be ready in about 4 hours time.  A perfect pairing for any of these classic Louisiana dishes is your favorite Abita beer and of course, a dash (or four) of your favorite hot sauce.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.louisianacookin.com/slow-cooker-red-beans-rice/ )

Tarragon Salmon with Spinach & Chickpea Sauté

March 3, 2025 No comments

Fresh tarragon, with its lemony-licorice flavor, pairs wonderfully with seafood. For this simple baked fish dish, I simply seasoned two salmon fillets with salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of chopped tarragon. Baked until flaky, a Greek-inspired spinach sauté with hearty chickpeas and briny Kalamata olives is a wonderfully flavorful accompaniment.

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

Baked Trout Amandine

March 2, 2025 No comments

Naturally a mild and flaky fish, rainbow trout is a great accompaniment to a lemony butter sauce studded with sliced almonds. A classic French preparation for trout, my version of Trout Amandine is baked and not pan-fried, making for a more hands-off approach that is equally as tasty.

Simply season your fish and then top each fillet with sliced lemons, chopped parsley, almonds and a couple dots of butter. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until flaky and delicious. I like serving this with a warm lentil salad or even a side of lemony orzo pasta, studded with green peas.

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

‘Chicken-Quinoa Salad with Green Goddess Dressing’

March 1, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Southern Living Magazine

Sometimes there are those busy weeknight evenings where standing in the kitchen to cook dinner is the last thing on your wish list.  For me, that’s where either the trusty Weber grill comes in handy, or a healthy dinnertime salad like this on that requires minimal cooking.

Shredded, store-bought rotisserie chicken is tossed together with tender butter lettuce leaves, crunchy radishes and cucumbers, crispy cooked quinoa and a creamy Green Goddess dressing.  This version of the classic dressing is made with mayonnaise, fresh herbs, lemon juice, vinegar and anchovy paste, all whirled together in a mini food processor.  The cooked quinoa stands in for croutons here because it adds a lovely crunch to the salad, and also, a ton of protein in each-and-every bite.

‘Braised Chicken Limoncello with Green Beans’

February 28, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of www.AFamilyFeast.com

I was introduced to limoncello, the tart yet sweet lemon liqueur, during my extended visit to Italy following culinary school.  Made in southern Italy where the lemons are abundant and as big as cantaloupes, this specific variety of lemon has a very thick peel which is perfect for soaking in grain alcohol and producing this lemony liqueur.  Made in Campania but popular in all regions of Italy, limoncello is most often served at the end of a meal as a palate cleanser and last minute sip of sunshine.  I tend to keep a bottle of limoncello in my freezer nowadays and recently have been researching ways to use the liqueur for not just sipping, but in cooking as well.

A variety of recipes are available, sweet and savory, but my interest was first peaked with this limoncello-braised chicken recipe. The bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are first marinated in a cup of limoncello along with fresh thyme (I also added in some olive oil).  Removed from the marinade, the chicken is then seared until browned and then braised in the marinade itself, but along with chicken stock and some butter.  Cooked until tender and fragrant, the chicken is served with green beans that cook right in the braising liquid as well, and some chopped fresh basil.  Lovely when served over white rice, or try it with a brown rice rice pilaf like I made that is also filled with strands of wilted Swiss chard, golden raisins and toasted pecans.  A really unique recipe that helps you to look at limoncello in a whole new light. Cin cin!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/braised-chicken-limoncello-green-beans/)

‘Salmon with Tomato-Anchovy Vinaigrette’

February 27, 2025 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of FineCooking.com

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. And did I mention yum?  Anyone for wild salmon fillets baked or grilled until flaky, and topped with a lovely tomato vinaigrette?  The vinaigrette is a wonderful way to use those ripe tomatoes from the garden or the CSA; they are diced and tossed with a briny mixture of capers, Kalamata olives, chopped anchovies, fresh herbs, garlic and lemon juice.  I recommend making the vinaigrette about 30 minutes before you plan to eat, that way to tomatoes macerate a bit and all of the vinaigrette’s ingredients have time to meld.

Panzanella with Rainbow Chard, Olives & Ricotta Salata

February 26, 2025 No comments

Another tasty idea for leftover bread! Toast cubes of it with a touch of olive oil until crispy, and make a classic Tuscan panzanella salad.  Traditionally a mixture of tomatoes and toasted bread, I upped the ante by also adding in sliced sweet peppers, crunchy cucumber slices, fresh basil, oil-cured olives and tender shredded Swiss chard.  I recommend using the stems and the leaves of colorful Rainbow chard here, the combination of colors is fantastic!  Dress it all simply with a lemon vinaigrette and come cubes of salty ricotta salata or feta cheese. Bellissimo!

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

Mediterranean Lamb Meatballs

February 25, 2025 No comments

These decadent lamb meatballs are flavored with fresh rosemary, Pecorino cheese, chopped olives and golden raisins. Baked until tender and cooked through, they are served simply over cooked pasta coated with your favorite marinara sauce.  Store-bought or homemade, the slight sweetness of the tomatoes in the pasta sauce compliment the Mediterranean-inspired meatballs inherent richness.  Not a lamb fan? No prob–try using grass-fed beef, veal or pork instead.

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

‘Parmesan Pork with Polenta & Asparagus’

February 24, 2025 Comments: 2

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living Magazine

This quick-and-easy weeknight dinner comes together with minimal effort, but delivers a meal with maximum flavor.  Pork chops are coated in grated Parmesan cheese and a touch of flour and are cooked until a lovely brown crust is formed; the caramelized pork is served over rounds of seared, store-bought polenta and is served with steamed asparagus tips.  (I added a touch more color to the plate with some roasted cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, and since I had a hard time finding pork cutlets, I opted for a bone-in chop instead.)  Healthy, simple and delicious; three words we all love to hear when dinner time rolls around!

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.marthastewart.com/1528530/parmesan-pork-polenta-and-asparagus)

‘Brown Sugar-Glazed Salmon with Zucchini & Fennel ‘Noodles”

February 23, 2025 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

I think the current vegetable ‘noodle’ craze is just fabulous. Such a wonderful way to lighten up a menu and also, to use the season’s best veggies in new and interesting ways.  This recipe uses thinly sliced zucchini and fresh fennel as the faux noodle base of the salad, which is flavored with a homemade citrus vinaigrette and fresh dill.

You don’t need a spiralizer for this salad either; simply an everyday vegetable peeler will do just fine.  On top of the crunchy salad are pan-seared or grilled salmon filets that have been coated with a light dusting of brown sugar which caramelizes very nicely when cooked.  Healthy, fresh and delicious!

« Previous Entries
Next entries »