Broccoli salad meets BLT in this simple medley of bacon, broccoli, and tomatoes. A tangy olive oil vinaigrette dressing ties the flavors together with just a touch of mustard and honey. Continue reading Broccoli Bacon Tomato Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
A flavor-packed blend of garlic and fresh parsley adds punch to these chimichurri chicken drumsticks. Keep the oven off and the kitchen cool by cooking the chicken in your slow cooker before it sizzles on the grill. Fresh parsley is an ingredient I often overlook, but I decided it was time to let it shine and grabbed a leafy bunch to make chimichurri sauce again. … Continue reading Chimichurri Chicken Drumsticks
The surprising thing about these flourless mini muffins (and donuts) is that they actually taste better the next day. Is that hard to believe? Then you had better verify my statement. What happens is that the moisture levels even out, resulting in a surface layer that is moist enough so that ginger-sugar coating clings beautifully. Just be sure to dip them in the sugar coating shortly … Continue reading Flourless Mango Mini Muffins and Donuts
Celery stalks, with the help of a chef’s knife, transform into a celebration of vegetables and crunchy cashews accented with a light sesame dressing. Though I don’t come from a tradition that celebrates Fat Tuesday, I thought it would be educational to try some sweet pàczki for dessert on Tuesday night. I picked up a box of six pàczki at the local supermarket, and the sheer size of each … Continue reading Cashew Celery Salad
One doesn’t usually associate pineapple with soup, but in southern Vietnam, Canh Chua is a popular soup that incorporates fish or shrimp. I associate it with winding bus trips down the mountains through the towns on the way to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). It’s been more than a decade since I’ve had it, but with the healthy recipe challenge to use pineapple and greens, I … Continue reading Vietnamese Shrimp and Pineapple Sour Soup
For your next special event, try a platter of chocolate crepe bites. Topped with dazzling pomegranate gems, these bite-sized delights look like packages and are reminsicent of petit-fours. I love crêpes. And I think petit fours are adorable, but they are nigh impossible to make at home. My mother and I tried making petit fours once, for a birthday party of mine. We “nailed it,” in … Continue reading Chocolate Pomegranate Crepe Bites
Swirls and Spice 