Need some inspiration for a romantic meal this Valentine’s Day (or any old day)? Here are four, simple-to-make dishes along with wine pairings that are sure to show your loved one(s) how much you care. Savory Cheese Tartlets with Blackberries paired with La Marca Di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco ($12) Cream of Asparagus and Vermont Sharp [...]
Among my circle of friends, I’m typically the one cooking and baking (and loving it). This weekend, my two girlfriends from Florida, Eileen and Gloriann, came to visit me to help celebrate my 40th birthday. To their surprise and my amusement, I put them to work to make me a birthday pie. The recipe below [...]
I got this recipe from the fine folks at Driscoll’s® and had to share it as it is perfect for holiday entertaining. Filling Ingredients: 5 oz. rindless goat cheese, at room temperature 3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme ¼ tsp. salt ¼ [...]
It is that time of year when braised meats and stews just sound wonderful. This week, my local grocery store had beautiful cubed veal available, so I created this simple-to-prepare, make-ahead, one-pot stew that is great reheated on a week night but elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. Ingredients: ¼ cup all-purpose flour [...]
Growing up, my Grandma made jelly roll cake all the time. A favorite was the vanilla cake with raspberry jam tucked inside and confectioner’s sugar lightly dusted over. Every Christmas, our family shares a Bûche de Noël, in recent years, it has been purchased because nobody has wanted to tackle making it from scratch. This [...]
I recently attended a berry virtual tasting hosted by Driscoll’s and WineTwits and created the following recipe to share with the group. The results are just as tasty when blackberries are used. Ingredients: 1 cup heavy cream 2 cup half and half 6 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 4 [...]
It’s getting cooler outside and this type of weather calls for me to fondue. This past weekend, I hosted a fondue party where I served a cheese fondue as an appetizer that was made using Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar and Victory Headwaters. Great combination and prepared in a snap. Ingredients: 6 ounces medium-bodied beer (half [...]
Last night, I had some friends over for fondue night. We don’t fondue as often as we should because when we do, it’s a great time. There’s no better way to stretch out a meal than to fondue. I served a cheese fondue made using Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Vermont and Victory Headwaters. Sharp [...]
When we lived in Ft Lauderdale, we often lunched at a small Cajun restaurant called Creolina’s. The food was amazing and one of my favorite dishes was the crawfish etouffée they served over plain white rice. This version calls for Andouille sausage as I like its porky flavor with the seafood. Ingredients: ¼ cup vegetable [...]
I know beef Wellington is pretty old-school, but I love recreating these types of recipes and I find that my guests really enjoy them – either for the first time or for the first time in a long time. Although beef Wellington looks fancy and difficult to make, it is not, even for novice home [...]
