Parmesan Crusted Swordfish with Lemon and Crispy Caper Sauce
My friend Mary Ann had an incredibly elegant dinner party and made this Swordfish. No on has formal dinner parties anymore. So many people put in "high-end" kitchens in their homes and never entertain. Mary Ann made everything seem effortless, but it was due to her advance planning and preparation. You could actually do this with different kinds of fish or chicken.
By - Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Cinnamon Honey Butter
My daughter, Grace made this Cinnamon Honey Butter. Its uses are endless. You can put it on toast, pancakes, waffles, muffins, bagels, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, popcorn, etc. I should have taken a picture before everyone descended on the jar!
- Prep: 10 mins
Chicken Marsala
I had to cater a luncheon for about 35 people. It's an annual thing, so every year I have to come up with something different. I decided to make Chicken Marsala. I served it over buttered noodles. You can also serve with mashed potatoes. It was really easy and very flavorful.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 20 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Japanese Beef Curry
I love Japanese Beef Curry. To me it's like Japanese comfort food. There's something so deeply satisfying and soul-warming about it. Japanese curry sauce mix, often called "curry roux," typically comes in the form of solid blocks or powder. It's a blend of curry powder, flour, oil, sugar, salt, and various seasonings and spices. Vermont Curry and S&B Golden Curry are ready made and the two most most popular brands. These mixes usually have MSG. I prefer to make my curry from scratch. Though making the roux does take about 20 minutes to reach "color of a fox," as the say in Japan, a deep tan color. It’s well worth the wait!
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs 15 mins
- Yields: 4 - 6 Servings
Kale & Quinoa Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing
Kale has been deemed the number one superfood, a nutritional powerhouse. The benefits of eating kale are too numerous to list. I was recently in a supermarket and notice a whole wall of kale in the salad section. There is some sort of kale salad on almost every restaurant menu these days. Quinoa (pronounced 'keen-wah') is another superfood, which is a complete protein. It has the perfect ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats and is one of the best sources of protein you can get from a plant source. By pairing these two superfoods, you've now got an explosion of nutrition, not to mention flavor!
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds & Blood Oranges
I went to my local farmers market. There are several food trucks that park there. I bought this amazing Brussels Sprouts and Blood Orange salad. I immediately came home and recreated it.
- Prep: 30 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 6 Servings
Grilled Broccoli & Cauliflower Parmesan
Here is a great tip for grilling vegetables. By putting a few ice cubes in the foil packets, the cubes melt and perfectly steam the vegetables.
- Yields: 4 Servings
Ham and Split Pea Soup
Every year I make some sort of soup using the ham hock from Christmas dinner. I happened to have a very large bag of split peas, which I like because you don't have to soak them overnight. Serve it with a loaf of crusty bread and a salad. You can just use chopped up ham, if you do not have a ham hock on hand.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 2 hrs
- Yields: 8 Servings
Crispy Potato Waffles
I made these crispy potato waffles. The potato has to be the most versatile of all vegetables. I love coming up with new ways to make potatoes. These savory potato waffles are similar to potato pancakes, but in waffle form. The potato waffle has one advantage, it reheats exceptionally well and therefore can be made in advance. I put them in the oven at 275 degrees to keep warm. I've also been known to make grilled cheese sandwiches in a waffle iron!
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 15 mins
- Yields: 4 Servings
Tuscan Crostata with Mixed Berries
My daughter, Zoe, made this tart for dessert. It's very easy to put together. Make sure you use a baking sheet with an edge. We just put in new ovens and I am do not want to mess them up on the first week of having them! A crostata is an Italian baked tart and a form of pie. Similar to the French galette, a crostata is a "rustic free-form version of an open fruit tart.
- Prep: 15 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Yields: 8 Servings
