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 came home from a business trip Saturday night to find my guy having planned meals for every night this week. How great is that!!? For dinner last night, he prepared salmon on the grill with this really great glaze on it that was inspired by a recipe by Bobby Flay. He reserved some of [...]
I was making prime rib for a small New Year’s Eve party I was hosting and couldn’t see not serving Yorkshire Puddings. Some past recipes I’d tried failed and I was somewhat intimidated to try again, particularly for a holiday dinner party. I found the following straight-forward recipe that proved both simple to prepare and [...]
When Saveur showcased this dessert (from Brooklyn’s Marlow & Sons) on its cover, I thought I’d go mad. Wow, what a beauty! At a friend’s request, I made it for my New Year’s Eve dinner party and it was as delicious and it is gorgeous. Originally published in Saveur magazine Crust Ingredients: 1 1⁄2 cups [...]
When I was growing up in Quebec, the family would gather at Grandma’s house for baked beans breakfast several times a year. She’d bake fresh loaves of bread and the aromas would be divine. Grandma would soak her dry beans overnight then cook them slow and low overnight, with Grandpa adding a little water throughout [...]
This is the first Christmas the family will spend without Grandma. I’ve mentioned in past posts what an amazing cook and baker she was and that she had a huge part in my love of food. One of the items that belonged to Grandma that I was fortunate enough to get was a small 3-section [...]
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 [...]
This weekend, I was asked to bring dessert to a potluck dinner. The hostess is a caramel fanatic, so I knew that my Dulce de Leche Cheesecake would be well-received, but I wanted something more portable. This recipe yields 24 two-bite cheesecakes, but can easily be halved if you only need a dozen. Ingredients: 24 [...]
