Roasted Salmon with Juniper Berries and Lemon Thyme

Juniper Berries give gin its distinctive flavor. This Roasted Salmon with Juniper Berries and Lemon Thyme is an unusual combination of flavors that work well together. 

By

Marmite Pasta

Marmite is made from yeast extract, a by-product of beer brewing.  It is a sticky, dark brown paste with a distinctive, powerful flavor, which is extremely salty and savory. (Doesn’t that sound appetizing?!) This distinctive taste is reflected in the British company's marketing slogan: "Love it or hate it."Marmite is traditionally eaten as a savory spread on bread, toast, savory biscuits (crackers in US), and other similar baked products. Owing to its concentrated taste it is usually spread thinly with butter. My favorite use of Marmite is used in making Twiglets.  Twiglets are a wheat-based crisp snack shaped like small twigs, originating in the United Kingdom.  I LOVE Twiglets!!! Anyway, back to my point – I found this Nigella Lawson recipe for Marmite pasta.  My husband, Eric, loves Marmite and Nigella Lawson, for that matter, so I thought I would try it out on him.

By

Farm Dust

I went home for a family funeral this week back to where I grew up in Northern Indiana. We went to one of my favorite Amish Meat & Cheese shops. They a lot of amazing spice mixtures and rubs for meats. I bought this Farm Dust which they call an All-Purpose Seasoning. It's a table salt alternative, use on bread, meats, pasta, salads, vegetables, corn on the cob, casseroles, etc. The company that makes it is Weavers Dutch Country Seasonings, which is a family owned and operated business. The owners were born and raised Amish, and share the culture's love for food and family.

By

Weeknight Beans on Toast

My daughter Grace made me this Weeknight Beans on Toast for Mother's Day dinner. It was so delicious and simple. This recipe will make more ragù than you need, but the leftovers can be repurposed as a quick topper for pasta on another night. Nothing beats the convenience of a bag of spinach, but any green will work here. Try mustard greens, kale, or collard greens. 

By

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning

Homemade Old Bay Seasoning Recipe is not just for Seafood and fish. Try it on Chicken, Potatoes, French Fries and more. Traditionally, this seasoning is used for steamed crabs or a shrimp boil, but it's also great on fish, potato salad, potatoes, and other vegetables. This would also make a great gift.

By

Fried Lemon Slices

My husband and I were at Eatly in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. We ordered calamari and it came with these incredible Fried Lemon Slices. They were delicious dipped in Aioli.  My daughter Grace tested them out on Mother's Day.

By

Shrimp Florentine

I was making dinner the other night for just the two of us and was planning on making Chicken Florentine. I couldn't just buy 1 chicken breast so I decided to make Shrimp Florentine instead. I served it on a bed of noodles, but you could serve it on its own or with rice.

By

Falafel

I love falafel. When I lived in New York there was this guy with a falafel cart on the corner of 5th Avenue and 20th Street near my office. His falafel was phenomenal. The only problem was everyone in the office had to get it together because it had SO much garlic. I recently went to a Persian restaurant near my husband's office and had this wonderful falafel lunch.

Falafel is a deep-fried ball, or a flat or doughnut-shaped patty, made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. It's usually served in a pita, or wrapped in a flatbread. It can also be served over a bed of salad or pickled vegetables and drizzled with hot sauce or a tahini sauce.

By

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd's pie is a meat pie with a crust or topping of mashed potato. The dish was created to use up leftover roasted meat. In England, it's often served on Mondays refashioning Sunday lunch into an easy weeknight meal.  It's the ultimate comfort food. I make this often for kids at school using tater tots instead of mashed potatoes.

By

Mary Poppins Chocolate Zodiac Cake

I made this Mary Poppins Chocolate Zodiac Cake for a friend of mine who screens movies at his home. I always try to match the food to the movie. It's the 50th anniversary of the film. This recipe is from a little-known cookbook written by P.L. Travers - Mary Poppins in the Kitchen: A Cookbook with a Story.

By