Sweet peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash, stuffed with tasty tomato rice, and flavored with Pecorino-Romano cheese, pine nuts, and fresh basil. Served warm or room temperature, these beauties are the perfect way to start your meal or provide a perfect accompaniment that is both colorful and flavorful.

A satisfyingly spicy dry rub on the meat, complimented by a fresh cherry tomato and onion relish tossed with sundried tomatoes to give a sweetness highlighted with an acid punch that pairs perfectly with the smokiness of grilled meat.  

Who hasn’t lazed away a summer afternoon watching the clouds drift by?  Ever wonder what they taste like?  This dessert, inspired by summer’s clouds, borrows from the classic made in honor of Anna Pavolva, but jazzed up with chocolate chips, and topped with summertime berries and sweet cream.  Like the clouds, you’ll find this dessert light and fluffy. For a moment, in your grasp.  The next gone; fading quickly like a summer day, soon to be a memory, but leaving a happy sweetness behind.

Risotto is not rice. It is not for instant gratification. It is a labor of love, and so worth it! It requires almost constant stirring to achieve the creamy decadence that is unforgettable. Toss with mint, fresh peas, and the salty sharpness of Pecorino-Romano cheese, and slowly, calmly transform your mind and the ingredients into the perfect first course for your spring meal.

Need an elegant, light, and refreshing end to a spring meal? A perfectly baked tart shell filled with a tangy lemon curd and topped with beautiful blood-red oranges does the trick. So easy. So beautiful. So spring.  Enjoy!

Preserved lemon is a well known secret, an unbelievably salty, sweet accent that gives a pop of citrus to any dish.  And the best part is that they last in your refrigerator for months!  Add some lemony dressed greens and you have a dish that is so easy to prepare, yet so, so elegant.

Winter, like summer, provides its own unique bounty of vegetables that are perfect for a warm, hearty winter soup that keeps the chill outside where it belongs.  A tasty blend of leeks, onions, carrots, butternut squash, turnips, canned tomatoes and kale in a smooth, savory broth.  Topping it with a garlic and parsley pistou gives a pop in taste and texture that makes it the perfect starter on a cold winter night!  

The first time I had a papillote, I was in France.  When I broke into the paper, the escaping steam carried scents of wine, lemon and perfectly cooked fish. I was at once overwhelmed and, quite frankly intoxicated by the smells and the promise of the deliciousness about to come. “Papillotes” translates into “in paper”. They are little packets of parchment with goodness folded inside.  The sorts of things can be ‘en papillote” are near limitless, but today we use a beautiful, firm whitefish topped with sundried tomatoes and preserved lemons.  

Cheesecake is a family favorite.  I always make one for my husband’s birthday (I make two, actually)!  This recipe switches it up a bit; a dark chocolate cookie crust topped with a silky smooth, creamy, rich, chocolate cheese filling.  If you think this description is a mouthful, wait until you taste this dessert!  A simply decadent way to end a meal!  

Preserved lemon is a well known secret, an unbelievably salty, sweet accent that gives a pop of citrus to any dish.  And the best part is that they last in your refrigerator for months!  Add some lemony dressed greens and you have a dish that is so easy to prepare, yet so, so elegant.

Salad is not just for summer. There are so many good greens available in the wintertime, like kale, spinach, and chard, all super green and packed with anti-oxidants.  Topped with roasted fresh beets, walnuts, and gorgonzola, which are all super foods (well, maybe. The Gorgonzola is just super good!).  transforms these greens into a Super Salad.  

It’s not just chicken…it’s perfectly roasted chicken. My recipe is a twist on the classic with rosemary and preserved lemons. Preserving lemons turns them into a soft, salty, sweet deliciousness that adds a pop of citrus to any dish, and will last in your fridge for months.  Serving them with roasted vegetables in the pan gravy make this meal perfectly comforting for the entire family!

Every western culture has their own take on how to combine butter, flour, sugar and fruit into a delicious dessert.  And that starts with the pastry.  This recipe gives a beautiful versatile pastry that is made in the food processor in minutes, freezes well, and can be pulled out for a multitude of uses. A perfect ending to this trifecta of winners in this meal.