Recipe - Part 7

Spaghetti with Mushroom Cream Sauce and a Pasta Blog Hop

March 2, 2012February 12, 201754 Comments

I don’t think that it’s an exaggeration to say that growing up we ate pasta every single night with dinner. In today’s carb conscious, diet crazy world that may elicit gasps, but in my Italian-American family it was just the norm. And while I was a picky eater, I never got sick of pasta. My dad – the cook in our family – mixed up the shapes and sauces, served it with chicken parmesan or steak pizzaiola (ok, we also ate a lot of meat and cheese…) and well into my 20s I could not understand how or why anyone would want to cut pasta from their diet. Today my dinners are a bit more diversified, but pasta remains one of my favorite foods. Continue reading “Spaghetti with Mushroom Cream Sauce and a Pasta Blog Hop” →

Moroccan Mustard Chicken

February 27, 2012February 12, 201769 Comments

In Friday’s harissa recipe I promised that I would follow up with some ideas on how to put that pepper paste to good use. Well, allow me to introduce you to the recipe that inspired me to finally make my own harissa. A recipe so good that I made it twice in two weeks and my husband keeps asking for more. This Moroccan Mustard Chicken is from Nisrine over at the gorgeous blog Dinners and Dreams (if you haven’t discovered this blog then go check it out. I’ll be here when you get back!). She wrote it for the Boston Globe, and as soon as I saw it I bookmarked it. And couldn’t stop thinking about it. I decided that it was special enough that store-bought harissa just wouldn’t do. Which is why I made it from scratch. (See? Full circle.) Continue reading “Moroccan Mustard Chicken” →

Homemade Harissa and a Pepper Blog Hop

February 24, 2012February 12, 201799 Comments

This is one of those things that’s been on my list to make for a long time: homemade harissa. The fiery, vibrant red, North African pepper hot sauce is completely addictive and revs up anything you add it to. Stews take on new depth, dips get kick, and tagines will never be the same. Popular in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, harissa has also become a hip flavor in the States where you will find harissa aioli, harissa-marinated steak, harissa grilled shrimp, and harissa oil. Continue reading “Homemade Harissa and a Pepper Blog Hop” →

Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

February 20, 2012February 12, 201774 Comments

Even if you think you don’t like broccoli, bear with me. Roasting this cruciferous vegetable completely transforms it. Although I like broccoli in all forms – raw, steamed, stir fried, you name it – there’s nothing like roasted broccoli. As it crisps and lightly browns it takes on an incredibly satisfying texture and nutty flavor that even broccoli haters have loved. I swear. This is barely a recipe, but it’s so good and I make it so often I finally had to share. It’s an incredibly versatile side that compliments just about every meal from roast chicken to steak, and from black bean burgers to pasta. Plus, it’s gluten free, kosher dairy, and vegetarian. Leave off the parmesan to make it vegan and parve! Trust me, it’s still delicious. What’s your favorite way to enjoy broccoli? Continue reading “Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan” →

Feta and Herb Scramble and a Breakfast Blog Hop

February 17, 2012February 12, 201761 Comments

I don’t post that many breakfast recipes. Many of the ones I have do double duty as dessert and/or breakfast, like my applesauce cake or banana-walnut bread. Most days, I keep my breakfast simple. A cup of coffee. Oatmeal with brown sugar and dried cherries. Yogurt with date honey and homemade pumpkin granola. I’m not usually hungry right when I wake up, and often don’t eat until it’s nearly lunch time. On weekends there’s nothing like enjoying a luxurious brunch (with eggs Benedict and homemade hollandaise sauce of course), but more often than not something simple and flavorful, like this feta and herb scramble, graces our table. It almost seems silly to post a recipe, but I make it so often – and it’s so delicious – I wanted to share it. Continue reading “Feta and Herb Scramble and a Breakfast Blog Hop” →

Southwestern Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries

February 15, 2012February 12, 2017102 Comments

If you think you don’t like black bean burgers, then consider this a challenge. These are so much better than any veggie burger has business being. Forget the dried out hockey pucks you’ve had before, the strangely spiced, frozen, sad excuses for burgers. These are everything you’d want any burger to be: flavorful, moist, cohesive, filling. What makes them Southwestern? Black beans, corn, chipotles in adobo, and cilantro of course! Sounds pretty Southwestern to me. Served with slices of avocado and smoky-spicy chipotle sweet potato fries, I was seriously in heaven. Continue reading “Southwestern Black Bean Burgers with Chipotle Sweet Potato Fries” →

Red Beet and Barley Risotto

February 13, 2012February 12, 201776 Comments

With Valentine’s Day tomorrow I thought it only appropriate to give you a bright red recipe in honor of the holiday. And, since you’ve probably been inundated with red velvet and chocolate (ahem, like Friday’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries), I figured I should provide a savory, somewhat healthy counterpoint. Beets are nutritional superstars, boasting high levels of folate, maganese, fiber, vitamin C, betaine, and more. And they taste great. Here they add vibrant color and sweet, earthy flavor to barley risotto – a slightly healthier alternative to traditional arborio rice. Although it takes a little longer than steaming, my favorite way to prepare beets is to roast them as I think it brings out the most flavor. I’m sure you can purchase cooked beets to speed up this risotto, but the roasting time is entirely hands off. The barley gives the dish a pleasantly chewy texture, but you could use half or all arborio rice instead. Continue reading “Red Beet and Barley Risotto” →

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and a Valentine’s Day Blog Hop

February 10, 2012February 12, 201788 Comments

It’s that time of year. If I were in the States right now I’m sure I would be inundated with chocolates packaged in red hearts, balloons shaped like hearts, and stuffed animals holding hearts. I am not against anything that celebrates love, but I do think people get a little carried away on Valentine’s Day. My husband and I have never once celebrated it. Rather than acknowledging our love on a random day that Hallmark has chosen with millions of other couples, we opt to love and appreciate each other every day and have an especially nice meal on our anniversary. In high school and college my girlfriends and I (even when we had boyfriends) would go out for a nice Valentine’s Day dinner. Now that’s my idea of V-Day. Continue reading “Chocolate Covered Strawberries and a Valentine’s Day Blog Hop” →

How to Make Hollandaise Sauce

February 8, 2012February 12, 201783 Comments

I love any excuse for brunch. It makes me think of sunny days, meeting up with friends, and unlimited mimosas. On these special occasions I often splurge for Eggs Benedict or Florentine – who can resist a fluffy English muffin topped with Canadian bacon or spinach, a poached egg, and plenty of creamy Hollandaise sauce? But with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, there’s something even more romantic about preparing a lazy brunch at home for your loved one(s). And, despite its reputation Hollandaise sauce is easily prepared – it just takes some care and finesse. Continue reading “How to Make Hollandaise Sauce” →

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

February 6, 2012February 12, 201792 Comments

After a month-long hiatus, I’m happy to report that the Secret Recipe Club is back up and running! I have to say, I missed it! If you have no idea what I’m talking about here’s the short version: the Secret Recipe Club is a wonderful group of bloggers organized by Amanda of Amanda’s Cookin’. Each month we are assigned another blog and get to choose any recipe, prepare it (with any adaptations we like), and blog about it on the big reveal day. In case you haven’t guessed, today is the reveal day. This month I was excited to be assigned to Everyday Mom. Kim, the lovely lady behind the blog, is a mother of three who is always whipping up amazing concoctions in her kitchen. I love that she gets the kids involved, like in this recent post. (On a semi-related note did you see the article in the NY Times last week about the mom who has her teenage sons cook dinner for the family twice a week? Love it.) Continue reading “Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies” →