Cheese. Enough said. For the most part, I’m a massive fan. You put cheese and creamy marinated artichoke hearts on a shiny silver tray with other goodies and a gorgeous full bodied wine, and I’m not going anywhere. Let’s be honest, if you’re avoiding this heat, use a charcuterie tray like this What a gift…
Tag: appetizers
pesto potato casserole with fresh basil and mozzarella, zucchini noodles with dill and grated parmesan
”Meatless Mondays” was started by someone, or maybe even a company of someones trying to redirect the public from the overconsumption of meat. This was an honorable endeavor, in my opinion. There are so many yummy ways to give meat a rest on this most unpleasant of weekdays. Pasta is one of the first ideas…
panko fried scallop over polenta discs, with a roasted red pepper sauce and marinated artichoke heart salad
I’m not sure there is anything you can’t fry. Shouldn’t fry? Maybe. But can’t… not convinced. I try not to fry too much, and certainly never deep fry. While I’m not a big scallop fan, nor am I the big scallop fan (sea scallop over bay scallop), lightly frying these and placing them over a…
honey bacon wrapped tarragon shrimp over a pineapple disc with dill and tarragon mayo
On most days I just stare into my teeny tiny pantry and wish things into existence. It doesn’t work of course but, I do sometimes find things I forgot I had and make some miracle I can later play off as planned. I don’t remember what day I decided to make this little miracle but,…
sweet onion split pea soup with basil, parmesan panko fried flounder and a mustard lemon vinaigrette (variation)
I am getting a bit of cabin fever. I have never really had it before and prided myself in not being someone who goes stir-crazy in one place for an extended period of time. That being said, I’m going a little mad stuck in my condo day after day, night after night because of these…
dinner party and chess, feast before battle (salmon wellington)
When I was in college I had a boyfriend who tried in vain to teach me how to play chess. He did his best to be patient with me however, I simply would not stay still and focused; too interested in the mundane basic boring things (like what party at which fraternity house we were…
chicken cordon bleu, brussel sprouts and walnuts with a lemon dijonnaise
Chicken has been something of a crapshoot lately. I never know what is safe to eat anymore. What are we really eating… Is “organic” really organic? You can drive yourself crazy overthinking every company. Once you’re sure you’ve found a good one, there’s a recall. In the end, you just do the best you can….
parmesan, dill tuiles with garlic shrimp and fresh basil
Another week has passed and we’re already headed towards mid-July. The days are hotter and oppressive. These are the months when I wonder why I live in Florida. The relentless sun drags on and on, until it’s well into the tomb of the evening and you’ve dug into your couch so long it no longer…
roasted acorn squash two ways ~ as a creamy soup and with smoked gouda and fresh basil
I don’t talk much about squash. I don’t crave it, I don’t think it’s “been too long” since I’ve last had it… Let’s just say it’s not a staple in my marriage. With that though, I don’t treat it carelessly when we do buy it and I’ve worked really hard to get this right. I…
smoked salmon, cheese and cucumber, yellow potatoes with soft scrambled eggs
When I think of the weekend, I think of two things: Friday night and Sunday morning. It’s almost as if Saturday gets lost in the shuffle. I would feel bad about it if it weren’t for the fact that Sunday has such a bad rep and needs a champion in its corner! Here’s where brunch…
potato, beef and bacon soup, parmesan basil toast and caesar soft boiled egg salad
When I think of easy recipes, I think of soups. It wasn’t always this way, I used to have to stir a pot, make sure it didn’t boil over, get out an immersion blender… Then I graduated to a regular blender, however it didn’t occur to me that heat rises while plopping a scalding hot…
garlic and tarragon shrimp over homemade cheese-free pesto
Sundays nights in Florida aren’t typically nights you can enjoy long walks holding hands with your partner, thinking about the week to come… It’s hot, it’s humid, it’s a problem. Sometimes though, we get a break from all that and even better still, it lasts for weeks. Just long enough to forget about running away…
thanksgiving spoons
Holidays are stressful for anyone. Even, I imagine, Ina Garten, Martha Stewart and Nigella Lawson. I relish in the chaos, however. The music, the smell of all the food cooking, my husband running in and out of our kitchen sneaking tastes of everything… It’s beautiful even at that stage. When I think of Thanksgiving specifically,…
live a curated life 