Soups, Salads and Sides
Celebrate Sicily Day Seven: Sicilian Salad Caponata
You’ll find this type of salad on almost every table in Sicily, everyone has their own recipe. When you see it on a menu, its often called, “caponata siciliana”. My recipe uses roasted veggies, two of which are ubiquitous in Sicily – eggplant and fennel. I’ve included...
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Celebrate Sicily Day 6: Pesto alla Trapanese for Dinner!
On the weekend, Mike and I love sharing easy dinners in front of a good movie or binge watching a few of our favorite episodes. I often serve up what I call, a “picky” dinner. That’s a meal that’s full of small things to choose as we want them. This Trapanese Pesto is...
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Celebrate Sicily Day Three: By Any Other Name – this Cauliflower Gratin is Still Delicious!
https://youtu.be/SjRtiq31xjQ There are hundreds, no thousands of Sicilian recipes for cauliflower – one of the most prolific veggies on the island, as its long growing season lasts at least 5 months. But you might be confused, if after visiting you try to find a...
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Spicy Tuesday – Spanish Olive Vinaigrette – Cilantro
We’ve been at home now for over a week and you may be searching for culinary inspiration - here’s a flavorful idea. Because sometimes you just need a salad dressing with ZIP, you can whip up this flavorful vinaigrette for a simple side accompanying your weeknight...
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Spicy Tuesday – Happy St Patricks Day! Brussels Sprouts Salad – Parsley
Happy St Patricks Day. You can pass on the cabbage today and enjoy this yummy EASY salad. It doesn’t get more green than this Brussels sprouts salad!
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Spicy Tuesday – Artichokes, Green Beans and Asparagus with Almonds
YEY for March! The weather is slowly warming, and we can’t wait for the fresh veggies of spring. To get us in the mood, here is a super side we love to prepare. This dish is an awesome way to clean out some of the bits and pieces of herbs that may be lurking in your...
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Spicy Tuesday – FIVE Ingredient Tomato Soup – Italian Seasoning
February is the season of soup! We love making it from scratch – especially when its an EASY recipe like this one, full of the richness of tomatoes and peppers. We use Italian Seasoning to add flavor to the soup – a delicious Mediterranean blend of herbs and spices...
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Friday Four 022120: French Potato Thyme Tart
A fun, delicious, beautiful, and easy way to celebrate National Potato Month – February!
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Happy President’s Day! Celebrate with Potatoes🥔🥔🥔
Not only are we celebrating Presidents Day, we’re celebrating potatoes, too! February is the month for chocolate AND for our favorite spuds. There have been many fans of the potato in the white house, among them, John Adams, Andrew Johnson and Gerald Ford all named...
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Friday Four 013120: Black Bean Chile for the BIG GAME
Whether you’re a Kansas City fan – or rooting for San Francisco, everyone loves Chili for the big game! Whip up this Chili, add a topping bar full of yummy garnishes that everyone loves and you’ll be the MVP!
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Spicy Tuesday – Italian Chickpea and Spinach Stew – Rosemary
Its soup time! As we roll into colder weather, soup seems to be the answer to many of our culinary challenges! Everyone loves the warm and tummy-filling feelings that soup gives. Once you share this one - we think that you will be making over and over again. This soup...
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Spicy Tuesday – Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup – Cilantro
When you set a big bowl of this warm and steamy soup on the table, you won’t have to ask the family or friends to come. They will be drawn the aroma that wafts out of the kitchen, enticing everyone who walks in the door. The cilantro and green onions that are used to...
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Spicy Tuesday – Creamy Apple and Carrot Soup – Mint
You may be thinking to yourself, apples in soup? We can tell you with authority – they taste great in this savory soup. We love sharing fruits and veggies in different ways, and this recipe is no exception! Creamy with just the tiniest bit of warm spiciness from the...
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Spicy Tuesday – Pat’s Quinoa with Roasted Red Peppers and Chickpeas – Cumin
Just about everyone knows about quinoa. But did you know that Quinoa (Keen-wah), revered by the Incas as the “mother grain” it is actually a seed from the Goosefoot plant? It’s been sold in the U.S. only since the mid-eighties, its mild nutty flavor is a great...
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Friday Four – Soup TIME! Tuscan White Bean and Kale Stew- 011020
January…Cold and Wet! Time for soup! Here’s one that will draw everyone to the table!
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Spicy Tuesday – Salad Caponata – Red Pepper Flakes
With this yummy salad, you’ll add a little Sicily to your holiday table! Culinarily speaking, this time of dressing is called agrodolce – sweet and sour. You’ll just find it delicious! Eggplant and fennel are two veggies that are in season this time of year, roasting...
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Spicy Tuesday – Festive Brussels Sprouts Salad – Parsley
We love the traditional foods of the holidays…like Brussels Sprouts! But sometimes we just want to “shake it up”. This recipe takes one of our favorite veggies and uses it in a creative and beautiful salad. This crisp and crunchy full-of-flavor salad can convince even...
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Spicy Tuesday – Super Side for the Big Day – Individual Broccoli and Cheddar Gratins – Cayenne
We're all looking for easy sides for the big bird! Cruciferous veggies rock this time of year - they are crunchy, full of fiber and bright tastes. For instance, there’s broccoli with it earthy green flavor, or cauliflower that soaks up whatever it is cooked in...
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Spicy Tuesday – MORE Double Stuffed Sweet Potatoes – Tarragon
This isn't the first time we shared these sweet potatoes - nor is it the only double stuffer we like. But with the holidays coming up fast, we thought we'd revisit this recipe! Ahh…tarragon. A smell that often evokes memories of France, the warmth of sunshine, fields...
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Friday Four 111519: Colorful Holiday Quinoa Platter with Ginger Dressing
I love platters of roasted veggies for the holidays – or anytime! This one is full of color, flavor, fiber and protein with a rich, smooth, creamy and zingy ginger dressing.
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