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

Beet Heart Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette and a #WholeFoods Giveaway

Everything is coming up roses-at least that's how it feels in Colorado. Our weather has been incredibly warm and I'm almost not wanting winter to return. I'm sure it will, but in the meantime I swear my roses are starting to turn green; not a good thing so early in the season. So speaking of roses, (great segueway, huh?), Whole Foods has a great rose special for your favorite valentine. If

Hearts of Palm, Avocado and Orange Salad or Have a Heart!

So you want something to go with that Peruvian chicken? Or maybe something to impress Mom on Mother's Day?  After all, hearts of palm are really the heart of the palm tree. They are the inner core of various palm trees and are now cultivated so that the entire palm tree doesn't have to be destroyed for our enjoyment! And yes, some of us know them as swamp cabbages.

 I'm not sure when I first

Macho Salad..I Mean, Really?

I've never thought of salad as feminine or masculine. Salad isn't quiche-remember how real men don't eat quiche? Or did they eat quiche? That was a long time ago. I can understand that a salad such as a pretty Bibb lettuce salad tossed with tiny mandarin oranges, sprinkled with lightly toasted almonds might be considered a bit more feminine then say, a taco salad loaded with meat. Does that

Fresh Cranberry, and Apple Salad and We Had a Visitor

I've only served this salad to two people and both of them loved it. Salad doesn't often generate any comments from manservant, but this one did. "Look, I finished all that was left in the bowl!" as if he wanted a gold star. "I really liked this salad. Why can't you make more like this?" he asked. I served it to my daughter, who is now home, the next night. "This is a really good salad", she

Spinach Salad with Za'atar, Dates, Almonds and Fried Bread

The salad is not often given  much respect. Bags are ripped open - processed dressing from a jar poured on - boxed croutons...People, we can do better. Growing up,  bottled dressings or Good Seasons or buttermilk ranch from the packet were the norm. Now we have so much more to work with!  I  remember my mom making a vinaigrette that she doused her head lettuce salad with. And I do mean

Blueberry Chicken Pesto Salad or Fast Friday

 I, like really, did not plan on making this. I really planned on going out for dinner but our budget had different ideas. And so it is that I found myself scrounging in the fridge at 7PM trying to make something that would satisfy me. Truthfully, I think a potato would make me happy but rabbit catcher wants to avoid those white things. In any case, I found myself with leftover

Give Me Some Sauce Tuesday/Wednesday or Jamaican Jerk

After a whirlwind weekend wedding we attended in the mountains, we awoke in our superb accommodations to help my son pack his last car and SUV load of belongings for the drive to Denver. After a longer drive than usual we quickly unpacked the SUV and ran it to Costco for new tires. In that time I also cooked dinner and started the washing machine while he started going through his

Kohlrabi (Fennel) Cabbage Salad with Lemon Maple Dressing and a Modern Menu

Grandma Fanny died 5 months before I got married. It was totally unexpected and planning a wedding was bittersweet without her. In fact, we didn't even have the chance to tell her we were engaged.  Though Grandma Fanny wasn't at my wedding she left me a bountiful array of gifts in the form of cookbooks and a Kitchen Aid mixer. I received the best collection of old ORT and Haddasah cookbooks

Farro Salad, A Book and Other Creatures

It has been hot in Colorado. 62 of 64 Colorado counties are requesting federal disaster relief because of drought. My yard is hot, tired, cranky and so am I. Yesterday my electrician came over to fix a few problems and while he was opening the electrical box he was stung on his lip by a wasp. I felt awful but probably not as awful as he did, so I got out the Adolph’s meat

Kale Salad with Cherries, Almonds and Feta

I went to the grocery. Exciting, huh? Actually, most of the time, I do enjoy going to the grocery. It must be in my blood as my grandfather and uncle were both grocers. For me shopping is always a bit like a treasure hunt in the quest to discover something new to try. This time I found baby kale leaves. I’ve tried the big ones but these are much easier to use because you just open the

Egg Salad and Gladiolus

Egg Salad

I just returned from Philadelphia where I helped my daughter move into her first apartment. I am happy for her but it is bittersweet for me and I am not going to dwell on that today. What we are dwelling on is how hot it was. (I always know it is hot and humid when my upper lip starts to sweat.) We moved up 2 flights of stairs in an unairconditioned building (though her unit was) in

Mezze or Middle Eastern Appetizers

Assorted Meze





                                                           Dig In!



Mezze, tapas, hors D’oeuvres, appetizers – all are meant to whet your appetite. Frankly, they are often my favorite part of the meal. A good restaurant or host knows that these set the tone for what’s ahead. The better, more exciting they are lets the diner anticipate what is yet to come. Are the

Frozen Cranberry Salad

Frozen Cranberry Salad

I’m supposed to be cleaning the house today.  Needless to say my day just isn’t working out as planned.  Instead of cleaning I’m thinking about cranberries which makes me think about Thanksgiving and then my brain wanders off to thoughts of the  Macy’s Thanksgiving’s Day Parade and then I remember about how quiet my house will be this year. Yeah, I know some years are

Sage Roasted Chicken with Bread Salad

What hasn’t been said about Judy Rodgers famous roast chicken? OK- Judy Rodgers of the Zuni Café in San Francisco. Yeah- I know you don’t know her, you were probably racking your brain, like who is Judy Rodgers? Well, it doesn’t matter as long as you have this recipe. I first ate this in Denver at a restaurant that unfortunately is no longer there. But the food memory stayed and I