December 2011

Endive Leaves with Green Goddess Cream

December 27, 2011

Crisp, refreshing and pleasantly bitter, endive leaves make the perfect palette for herbed cream cheese reminiscent of classic Green Goddess salad dressing.  These leaves make an easy, light appetizer for New Year’s Eve and other celebrations accompanied by a glass of Champagne or sparkling wine.

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Golden French Onion Soup

December 19, 2011

A steaming bowl of French onion soup topped with melted Gruyere cheese – classic comfort food and a dinner solution for the craziness of this holiday week. Made ahead, it re-heats beautifully after a busy day of shopping, wrapping and getting ready for Christmas.

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ScanPan CTX Cookware Giveaway!

December 16, 2011

As I mentioned in the recent post, Great Gift Ideas for the Cooks in Your Life, the ScanPan is my favorite non-stick pan for making eggs, omelets and other dishes. The other night I used it to make one of our favorite dinners - seared jumbo sea scallops to top risotto. With the ScanPan CTX, my omelets slide right out and my scallops get a golden crust and don’t stick. I love this pan. It’s the best non-stick I’ve ever used.  Thanks to the nice folks at [...]

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White Chocolate Peppermint Cream Cheese Mousse with Peppermint Snow

December 11, 2011

White chocolate, refreshing peppermint, cream cheese and whipped cream combine for a rich, light textured dessert for the holidays. This creamy mousse, piped into two-ounce ramekins, is a small indulgence that’s big on taste and satisfaction. Just enough to satisfy the end-of-dinner sweet tooth following a holiday meal.

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Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

December 5, 2011

With many people adopting meatless recipes to serve for Meatless Monday’s, I decided to update an old-time, cold weather comfort food dish: stuffed pasta shells. I’ve updated my old recipe with kale.  One of the healthiest vegetables you can eat, kale is a power-packed member of the cabbage family. It’s considered a “superfood” – whole foods that have a naturally high concentration of nutrients, which makes this recipe update truly super.

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Great Gift Ideas for the Cooks in Your Life

December 4, 2011

Occasionally I want to write to you about an ingredient, a tool, or something else food and cooking related. These will be bonus posts and in addition to the cooking and recipe posts published on the weekends. As the holiday season is in full swing, here’s a list of gift  possibilities for the cooks and home chefs in your life. All of these items would make great gifts. Some are an investment, some are small and good for stocking-stuffers or what my mom used to [...]

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