My recent trip to Napa Valley was not only an inspiring culinary adventure, it was simply a beautiful experience overall. Napa has been on my and my husband’s list of places to visit for some time, and we’re so happy that our friends’ wedding was the catalyst to get us there! Travel offers many benefits,…
Vegetable
Baked Tomatoes with Basil Pesto
I remember the first time I ate a stuffed tomato. . . I was dating my (now) husband and he was making dinner at his tiny apartment on the beach. What a place! Everything in his kitchen was miniature-sized. The stove was a vintage unit with tiny burners and its oven was a quarter of…
Roasted Tomato, Spinach & Bacon Pasta
I recently bought some beautiful cherry tomatoes at the farmer’s market – bright red, sweet and juicy — just the way I like them. Some were for cooking; others, for table decor at my Italian-themed dinner party (a VERY pretty way to bring a pop of color to your table, by the way). When I…
Turmeric, Ginger, Carrot & Napa Slaw
Last Sunday I found myself standing in front of the refrigerator taking stock of what I had and trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I finally realized I had been standing there for quite some time after getting a flashback of doing the same thing as a kid and hearing “We don’t…
Sweet & Spicy Refrigerator Pickles
This time of the year can produce a lot of late season crops, so I wasn’t surprised to see tons of cucumbers at the farmer’s market recently. I happily picked up a bunch of the little guys, thinking I’d be so good and snack on them all week. What was I thinking?!? After only 3…
Sweet Butternut Squash with Rosemary
I love Fall for many reasons, not the least of which is having easy access to Butternut squash — a wonderfully delicious, sweet and nutty winter squash. I especially love it roasted or pureed, but I also enjoy it in cakes, pies and salads (all equally delicious). Some of my favorite flavor pairings with Butternut…
Stuffed Winter Squash
This time of year we can find plenty of winter squash varieties at supermarkets and farmer’s markets. It’s just one of the reasons I love Fall! I grew up eating lots of winter squash in New England (especially Butternut and Blue Hubbard) because our neighbor grew them and we had a standing order for a…
Empanada-Inspired Stuffed Peppers
When I moved to Florida 20 years ago, a friend took me to a Sarasota strip mall where they sold empanadas. I had never had anything like those tasty little meat/dough morsels, but quickly found them to be one of the most delicious things I had ever eaten! I would sneak back to that place…
Sri Wasano’s Infamous Indonesian Salad
When I was a kid my mom cooked a lot of healthy dishes and she experimented with ‘alternatives’ in traditional recipes, so every day was a surprise. She dragged me and my brother to health food stores (they certainly weren’t mainstream at the time), religiously read Prevention magazine, grew our vegetables and dug into any…
Cantaloupe, Cuke & Bacon Salad
I’ve been getting some really sweet and tasty cantaloupe recently at farmer’s markets and my local grocery store, so hubby and I have been enjoying the heck out of it. To me, cantaloupe’s beautiful sherbet color just screams of something refreshing and it’s especially good when chilled and enjoyed on a hot day in southwest…
Baby Eggplants with Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper
It’s fun to try new things, which is why I was so excited to spot these beautiful baby eggplants at the farmer’s market! I’ve never cooked them, so I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen. Unfortunately, inspiration didn’t hit me immediately, so I left them on the counter for a few days and simply…
Zoodles with Tomato, Corn & Basil
Zucchini noodles (“zoodles” as they’re now called) offer a nice alternative to pasta, so they’re particularly great for folks on gluten free or paleo diets. I finally got on the bandwagon last year and have to say I enjoy them AND it’s fun using my spiralizer tool! I don’t know about you, but I love…