Seafood Paella

If compliments were worth money, I'd be a millionaire! This paella is the dish that garnered praise this time, which isn't surprising since it is courtesy of  Yotam Ottolenghi, of Jerusalem cookbook fame. I've written about a few of his recipes and I'm sure I'll be writing about plenty more (Plenty is also one of his cookbooks, as is Plenty More!). His cookbooks are without a doubt, some of

Cauliflower Salad with Hoummus and Tahini Dressing

Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. Salad is one of my favorite foods. You know where this is going, right? Recently while scanning magazines, which it seems are piling up, I came across this fabulous take on a cauliflower salad. There isn't much to say about it, because frankly my mouth is full-of cauliflower that is. This is that good. It will have you taking bite after bite.

Corn and Grits Pudding with Green Chilies and Cheese

So Monday is upon me and I am so unprepared! Somehow I can be totally ready for everything I want to accomplish for the weekend, but then Monday hits and it takes me all of Monday to get ready for the rest of the week! Is anyone else like that? Maybe it is because Manservant is always flying somewhere and when he's home on the weekend I need him to help me accomplish all the tasks I can't

Sweet Pea, Mango and Mint Salad

Before Spring passes us by, I must pass on this fabulous recipe for pea salad. I've always loved peas; whether it was the tiny LeSueur peas that came out of a can that my mom bought us as kids, or the green peas that came in the Swanson TV dinners. The only time I haven't liked peas is when the 4th grade boys used to shoot them across the cafeteria tables at the new chest ornaments adorning

Berries with Balsamic Vinegar and Pepper (A Fast Dessert) #WholeFoods #Giveaway

My favorite Spring dessert is berries. Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries; they all  make me thing Spring. As their prices fall and they are sourced from places closer to me, they seem to become tastier. Whole Foods is one of my favorite places to find fresh berries. When looking for strawberries I try to find those that are all red, not those that have white tops. You know

The Libby Cocktail with Iced Tea Vodka and St Germain + an 80th Birthday Celebration

I've been holding out on you. If I've seen a bit distant, it's because I've felt a bit distant. Really. Since the beginning of February, I've been a party planner. At least a party planner for one party that took countless hours to plan. You see my father decided he wanted to have a surprise party for my mother's 80th birthday. He had never given her a surprise party and I guess that is one

Raspberry Crumble Tart

Lately I feel like I've been thinking in the color gray. Denver has been inundated with rain. And more rain. And then a few more thunder showers just for variety. I came to Denver years ago and one of the reasons I stayed was because of the sunny, dry days. I am not used to gray days which might be the reason I have been so attracted to all things spring, particularly in the grocery store.

Mandel Bread: Cinnamon Sugar or Chocolate, Apricot and Earl Grey

Hidden treasures are kept in shoe boxes. For some that might mean their favorite Jimmy Choo's or their collectible Nike's. Others keep love letters and hidden secrets. Kids keep their marble collections, Lego's or doll clothes. In my Omi's shoebox was Mandel bread, laden with cinnamon sugar and hidden between layers of wax paper. The box was brought out with tea served in tea cups, not mugs;

Migas Scrambled Eggs with Tortilla Chips and Chorizo

May conjures up memories; in particular end of school memories. Let's face it. May always ended up in a blur. And then it was over. School was out and we all took a deep breath and breathed a big sigh of relief. It always seemed teachers would cram every possible thing that didn't get finished, into the last few weeks of school. I love teachers, but as a parent May was the month I cursed them

Carnitas

Today is May Day! (Well, it was when I wrote this, but this pup is keeping me busy! And it was a big event in Geordie's life. After all, one ear went up!)




 As children we used to gather pretty purple lilacs and yellow forsythias, tie them with ribbon, ring the neighbor's front door bell, whereupon they would open the door to find, probably some dead flowers. I don't know why we started

Easy Raspberry Meringue Cake with Chocolate Ganache

The first time I made a meringue cake was during Passover. Flourless and usually dairy free, well, that is if you serve it with just fruit, meringues make a perfect, usually light dessert which makes them well suited after a heavy, filling meal. In this case, with a ton of chocolate and exquisite raspberry flavored filling, this cake made for a decadent affair. I think everyone kept the

Crunchy Coconut Oil Granola with Pineapple and Cashews

This pina colada style granola is crunchy and crisp. Perfect for eating out of hand, sprinkled on yogurt or ice cream, or topped with milk. I often leave it on the counter for Manservant who grabs it by the handful. I can't claim that it is calorie free, but it sure is a good pick me up.

Since I posted my crack granola, I've kind of been on a granola whirl. I made it for a friend's daughter

Rhubarb and Black Pepper Shortbread Bars

Last weekend found me in Chicago for another family occasion. I haven't seen this much family in years! There was not a spare moment to be had and I came home exhausted and playing catch up. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that Zoe and I finally made it into the city. We set off on Michigan Avenue, took a few quick pics at Millenium Park,




grabbed some Garret's caramel corn and headed to

Shrimp Salad Croissants

Shrimp salad croissants remind me of St. Augustine; old St. Augustine, the oldest continuously settled town in America. Why shrimp salad croissants? Well. A long, long time ago I can still remember when we drove to Jacksonville, Florida where Manservant had accepted his first real job, after completing his masters degree. It was 1981 which also was the year we got married. I remember

Pineapple Guacamole with Chipotle and Tequila

Who doesn't love guacamole? As a child my mother would make it for special occasions such as Thanksgiving. I would never think of serving guac for Thanksgiving but back then finding a fresh avocado in the grocery was a big deal and so it became a big deal at holidays. Well, that is until she discovered artichoke dip and then that quickly became our favorite. She made her luscious green

Matzoh Ball Soup and Passover 2015

Chicken Soup cures everything, some say. Well, I'm sure glad I had a bowl leftover from our Seder, because I needed some soothing. Between all the comings and goings, I now have an empty house and that is taking some getting used to. Sunday found Manservant leaving early for Sweden and almost not getting there because United wanted to hold him in the US since his passport expires in three

Banana Granola Toasting Bread

The week has flown by with our mysterious visitor from China who comes and goes, that sometime we aren't even sure if he's home. It seems he's going more than he's coming and I'm missing him even though he's close by. I have tried to keep him well fed while he has been around, so  he can have a change from his normal diet of noodles and noodles, sold on the streets of Shanghai. His favorite

Settembre Cellars and Bakers Brew Shortbread Cookies

Wine. Did someone say wine? It must be happy hour! I have never written a post about wine except to say how much I love to drink it.  Growing up when wine was quickly becoming a fashionable way to imbibe, I had a mother and father who quickly became wine connoisseurs. As good parents, they let us taste whatever it was they were opening that day. ( I quickly decided no more brown bag Boone's

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Raisins, Pine Nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano Plus a Giveaway!

                                      "Parmigiano Reggiano is best eaten daily." (A. Odenwalder)




 I've had a lot on my plate this week and I wish it was just this pasta. Spring cleaning is in full force since I found out that I am going to have a full house for Passover this year! It is hard to believe that Alex came home last Thursday night from China; I know; and he already left! He is

Guinness Irish Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Bacon

The problem with some people is that
when they aren't drunk they're sober.--William Butler Yeats






Well, St. Paddie's Day will soon be here, don't you know? I'm not one to celebrate but for those that are, this breakfast grilled cheese might be a good way to start the day. Or end it, for that matter. I don't believe I've ever posted a recipe for a sandwich that many love, myself included.