Appetizers
Italian Fried Olives
Blogger’s Block I’m sitting here in the dark with my computer trying not to wake my husband. He asked me what I was doing and I said I was trying to figure out what to blog about tomorrow morning. He rolled over and said – Fried Olives and then went to sleep. So here it […]
Continue ReadingMolecular Gastronomy
Last week, my husband and I were invited to a wine tasting event at a private club, which was wonderful. There was an interesting selection of wines to taste, and one of our favorites – Heitz Grignolino Rosé which is a wonderfully crisp wine. We love drinking (dry!) rosé in the summer. Anyway, they had […]
Continue ReadingMedjool Dates Stuffed with Chorizo & Melted Gruyère
The Tuck Shop I was in Phoenix last weekend and went to a wonderful restaurant called The Tuck Shop. It’s billed as neighborhood comfort food. I ordered a “small plate” of Medjool dates, stuffed with Schreiner’s chorizo and baked with Gruyere, which were savory sweet and delicious with melted cheese. The recipe below is my take on this dish. […]
Continue ReadingProsciutto Asparagus Spirals
Oh So Elegant Since asparagus is so plentiful the time of year, I thought I would post this wonderful looking hors d’oeuvres recipe. It comes from the Pepperidge Farm website. Don’t you just love that company? Prosciutto Asparagus Spirals 1 package Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed 6 Tbs garlic & herb spreadable cheese, softened 8 slices […]
Continue ReadingMississippi Cheese Straws
Southern Living…. I made these cheese straws the other day and they are to die for! Cheese straws are a staple in the south. This is the basic recipe, but if you want, you can get creative and add your own twist to them by adding your favorite fresh herbs or spices. Mississippi Cheese Straws […]
Continue ReadingTurkey, Avocado, Arugula Lavash Roll Ups
An Easy Appetizer Yesterday, I brought food to a wake for a great man. He is a huge loss to the community and will be greatly missed. It was a very nice event. One of the things I made was a lavash roll up that I concocted using cream cheese, cranberry sauce, turkey and avocado. […]
Continue ReadingArtichoke Cheese Stuffed Peppers
Grill Me Up Some Jalapeños! My best foodie friend, Chris, introduced me to the chile grill. Probably one of the coolest low tech culinary pieces of equipment I own. You can use it on the grill or in the oven. It is made by a company called Iron Desert. The come in all shapes and sizes, like […]
Continue ReadingBaked Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onion, Garlic and Mission Figs
A Goat Cheese Spread…. Here is a really easy and very delicious hors d’oeuvres for the holidays. It’s made with dried mission figs and goat cheese. I have a real soft spot for goat cheese. I adore it. It seems like I’ve been cooking with a lot of dried fruit lately! Baked Goat Cheese with […]
Continue ReadingWarm Spinach & Artichoke Dip
I’m Freezing!!!! I have truly turned into a wimp. It’s freezing in Los Angeles, 31 degrees at night and 50 degrees during the day. I know I will get a lot of flack from my Denver friends….. I lived in New York for years and managed, but this feels colder. When I bought my car, it […]
Continue ReadingWhite Beans on Baguette and Spicy Cabbage & Rice on Baguette
Yugoslavian Appetizers – Are you kidding me?! A few months ago, while in Santa Barbara, we went to the Chase Restaurant & Lounge, which bills itself as an Italian steakhouse. It was not a great restaurant, but we had a very nice lunch. It’s one of those red “leatherette” type places that looks like Frank […]
Continue Reading