Translated into English, this means “Natalie’s Chocolate Cake.” I don’t know who Natalie is, but I love her and you will too. This is my adaption of Trish Deseine’s recipe, which I first had at my sister-in-law‘s house in the Loire Valley. It is so easy to make, you won’t believe it. The rich, melted chocolate consistency and texture is just sublime. I thought if I added Frangelico & hazelnuts it would taste like a big slice of Nutella. The only difficulty with this recipe is that it’s best made the day the head so that the yummy chocolate gooeyness sets into a firm cake. Patience, my friends. It’s worth it!

This salad starts with assorted greens and radicchio, adding apples and perfectly roasted beets, all tossed with Champagne vinaigrette. The goat cheese on top a baguette is a classic French Bistro addition to a salad. Toasty baguette, creamy goat cheese pairs perfectly with this tangy salad making it a great way to start or end your meal.  

Translated literally it means “rooster in wine”.  This is a classic braised dish that uses a whole chicken but I prefer to use chicken thighs with are scrumptious and easier to serve. Traditionalists use a red Burgundy, but any full-bodied red wine will do. Served over mashed potatoes, this is true French “comfort food”!

This dessert is a twist on the classic apple tarte tatin but with pears. The pears are bathes in buttery sugar caramel syrup then topped with puff pastry. Just 4 ingredients and classic preparation techniques gives you a show-stopping dessert. The combination of warm pears, caramel sauce and pastry crust topped with a side of vanilla ice cream in a heavenly way to end the meal.  I’m sure your family and guests will want you to open your own French Bistro!

This dinner begins with a gorgeous carrot, orange, and turmeric soup. The color is a brilliant shade of orange and the flavor has a pop of citrus that is so refreshing.  The soup is topped with a garnish of yogurt, a sprinkle of chives, and a perfectly sautéed shrimp.

Our main plate is a fillet of beef topped with sautéed spinach, Mushroom Duxelles, and bleu cheese….all perfectly wrapped with filo dough into an adorable present for each guest to open on their plate!  These gems can be prepared hours in advance so that as cocktail hour begins to wind down, you just pop them into the oven to warm before serving.  The perfect present for you the party giver and the party goers!

While I personally prefer savory to sweet, I can’t resist a combination of bitter dark chocolate and peppermint.  It is simply sublime! This recipe is for a tart that has a dark chocolate cookie crust filled with a bittersweet chocolate and peppermint custard and topped with crushed candy canes  This just tastes like the Holidays and is the perfect way to end a celebratory dinner!

This is a scrumptious, savory pastry free-form tart filled with sautéed Swiss chard and mushrooms. Its just enough to ward off pre-festivities hunger, but not fill you up. Perfect paired with a glass of bubbles!

Beautiful tender Brussels sprouts are blanched and then tossed with a delicious white sauce called the Béchamel. Topped with Panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, this is a delicious side dish that is rich in flavor, but not too heavy, and adds a little texture to the plate as well.

Cardamom has a lovely, sweet floral note, and combined with the ginger, gives these carrots and exotic taste that is a nice counterpoint to all the savory goodness on your plate. These add both a little color and counter-balanced flavor.  Perfect!

Prepare your tastebuds! This stuffing will be your new Thanksgiving favorite.

Prepare your tastebuds! This stuffing will be your new Thanksgiving favorite.

This is the way my mom cooked a turkey. She calls it steam roasting. It’s a tried and true method that results in a turkey that is both moist and delicious.  You roast the turkey uncovered for 30 minutes, and then tightly sealed the pan with aluminum foil. This creates a moist environment that results in a juicy bird.  And no basting required! The stuffing is a delectable combination of Italian sweet sausage, mission figs and sage. And, of course, the perfect pan gravy to top it all off!

In this dessert, the tanginess of the cranberry, sharpness of the crystallized ginger, and the sweetness of the pears combine together in a flaky pastry to make this a show-stopping way to end your meal. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.  What could be more delicious?

This is a play on a classic rillettes, which is kinda like a pate that is usually made with a combination of meat usually pork, spices all cooked in fat. To achieve a delectable spread. Instead of meat, we are using perfectly poached salmon combined with smoked salmon along with herbs, lemon, and butter to make a sublime spread that is delicious for an appetizer or try it for brunch. Served with crostini or Melba toast crackers, it’s a very elegant and versatile spread.

The amazing color of these roasted red beats brings a huge wow factor to this well-known dip. I can’t believe this stunning bright pink/fuchsia color is all natural! When the beets combine with the garbanzos beans, lemon, and tahini, it makes for a really spectacular dip for vegetables or pita chips. Ho Ho YUM! 

Take garbanzo beans to the next level and make this your new favorite Winter appetizer!

Sausage, peppers, and onions are one of my favorite meals. I just love that savory combination of the pork & sweetness of the onions and peppers. In this rendition, those scrumptious, savory, sweet flavors are presented in an easy-to-hold “bowl” of a lightly roasted mushroom. A perfect finger food for an appetizer party! I dare you to eat just one.