Need an easy side dish to bring to a 4th of July BBQ or a Bastille Day Celebration?Here it is–a Provencal potato salad. It’s super easy to make, and best of all, there’s no mayo, so need to keep it refrigerated on a warm day. In fact, it tastes best served at room temperature.I actually found a few fingerling potatoes in my garden along with the green beans, so I was happy […]
It doesn’t get any easier than this fresh zucchini salad! My garden is a little behind schedule because Laguna Beach has suffered through May Gray and now June Gloom. I haven’t had nearly enough sun and heat for my tomatoes, but the zucchini was ripe and ready.The sun is trying to come out today so I wanted to make a fresh raw salad. This was just what I needed. INGREDIENTS Zucchini–I used 3 small ones […]
This is a super easy and refreshing salad to enjoy after all the heavy holiday meals. Make sure you use the freshest ingredients! I found this recipe in the current issue of Food & Wine. INGREDIENTS 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 2 TBS chopped parsley 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper Kosher salt Pepper 1 lb. fresh white button mushrooms, very […]
The Wedge. A classic salad that’s practically fool-proof. It’s also a salad I never think to make at home. I gave a try last night and it was delicious and super easy. INGREDIENTS Iceberg lettuce Cherry tomatoes Bleu cheese–crumbled Bacon–crisp and crumbled Red onion–chopped into small pieces or sliced super thin Bob’s Bleu Cheese Dressing Pinot Grigio vinegar Salt & Pepper A few tips: Use really good bacon…cook until crisp […]
I just realized how long it’s been since my last post–almost 3 months–so I knew I needed to make up for that with something really good and super simple to make. It doesn’t get any easier or tastier than this chicken posole recipe from Martha Stewart. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what posole was and I don’t think I’d ever had hominy before I made this soup for the first time last […]
This just might be my new favorite winter soup! The recipe was inspired by Ina Garten, but I had to improvise a bit when I didn’t have any creme fraiche–instead I used buttermilk and it was great. It’s an easy soup to make, but just takes a little time because you roast the potatoes and leeks, and that’s what makes it so good! INGREDIENTS 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut […]
I love making soup, especially at this time of year. You can keep this Tuscan Bean Soup on the stove and if friends drop by treat them to a bowl bursting with flavor but low in calories, which is very welcome during the holidays! I made a huge batch but you can cut the recipe in half if you need to make less. INGREDIENTS FOR TUSCAN BEAN SOUP 3 garlic, […]
It was my turn to host book club last month and I planned to make one of my crowd favorites–Greek salad and chicken kabobs, but an unplanned menu item–Ribollita* soup– turned out to be the surprise hit of the evening. The night before our book club meeting I cooked a big batch of Ribollita, with plans to freeze it. I just happened to post this photo on Facebook and Instagram and one of […]
I love everything that Ina Garten makes and this Greek Salad is no exception! With just a few simple ingredients you can have one of the most flavorful summer salads. And you’d never know it’s low calorie–it tastes just that good. The key is to start with really fresh veggies and good feta cheese. Try to buy it in a little tub with its liquid–that way you know it’s really […]
If you need to bring a dish to a summer potluck this Watermelon, Feta and Mint salad is a cinch to make and a huge hit! The only trick is to find a really sweet seedless watermelon. INGREDIENTS 1 large, sweet, seedless watermelon a block of feta cheese mint leaves Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper 1. Cut the watermelon into cubes 2. Cut the feta into small cubes 3. Chiffonade […]