Side Dishes
The Perfect Healthy Spring Pasta Primavera!
Having survived my first brutal winter in NYC, in 1977, I remember being so relieved when the magnolia tree outside my window started blooming its deep pink blossoms. I was a single girl in NYC living in the West Village. I had very little money, and I was happy when...
My Secret Ingredient Sweet Potatoes
You can’t go wrong with my Secret Ingredient Sweet Potatoes for an easy appetizer. With simple ingredients and day-of prep, these adorable sweet potato bites are a no-brainer for your holiday table. The secret ingredients here are fresh orange and pineapple. Every...
Coconut Cilantro Rice
A delicious trick for making flavorful rice is to simmer it in a combination of coconut milk and chicken stock. Jasmine rice that's simmered in coconut milk has a wonderful sweet flavor. Garnish the rice with a little bit of chopped cilantro and you've got an easy,...
Herbed Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
One bite of my Herbed Lentil Salad will send your palate on a journey to France. My favorite lentil salad is perfect for a spring or summertime picnic and loaded with fresh herbs, crunchy walnuts, and creamy goat cheese. This rustic and earthy vegetarian dish...
Roasted Vegetables
Every dinner table needs a plate of beautifully roasted vegetables to serve alongside the main course. You don't have to get fancy about it. With a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and fresh cracked black pepper, you'll have a healthy side dish ready in 15 minutes. Roasted...
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
Every home cook has their secret trick to making roasted potatoes perfectly crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. My Roasted Rosemary Potatoes will have your whole kitchen filled with the aroma of fresh herbs in no time. I have two tricks for you that will...
Sautéed Broccolini with Garlic, Lemon, Almonds and Parmesan
Do you want to know my secret to perfectly cooked green vegetables? I'll give you a hint...it has to do with a certain cooking technique. If you guessed blanching, then you're correct! Blanching is when you cook food, usually vegetables, in boiling water for a brief...
Parmesan Polenta
Parmesan Polenta 3½ cups chicken or vegetable stock1 bay leafSaltFreshly ground black pepper1 cup polenta4 tablespoons unsalted butter½ cup grated ParmesanChives, finely chopped for garnish In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the stock with the bay...
Strawberry Risotto
Strawberry Risotto 2 cups chicken stock2 unsalted butter½ yellow onion, finely chopped½ cup arborio rice½ cup Nicole Miller Rosé Wine½ cup mashed strawberries2 tablespoons heavy creamSaltFreshly ground white pepperFresh basil leaves Pour the stock into a pot...
Make My Black-Eyed Pea Salad For Good Luck In The New Year!
WHAT A YEAR! So much has happened in 2020. We've all gone through a roller coaster of emotions that no one could've predicted in our lifetime. I hope everyone was able to celebrate the holidays in some form this year. While 2020 has brought on so much fear and...
New Year’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad
New Year’s Black-Eyed Pea Salad 1 pound dried black-eyed peas, picked over, see Note6 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil5 tablespoons white wine vinegar1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce1¼ teaspoons Tabasco Pepper Sauce2 garlic cloves, peeled and...
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple Walnut Butter
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Walnut Butter ⅔ cup chopped toasted walnuts4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened3 tablespoons genuine maple syrupsaltFreshly ground black pepper2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed2 tablespoons canola oil Position a rack in the...
Polenta-Crusted Deep Dish Cheese and Vegetable Tart
Polenta-Crusted Deep-Dish Cheese and Roasted Vegetable Tart 1 medium eggplant, about 1 pound, cut lengthwise into ¾-inch-thick slices2 large portobello mushroom caps, about ¾-pound total3 fresh plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded6 tablespoons olive...
Three-Cheese Pasta Gratin with Mushrooms and Radicchio
Three-Cheese Pasta Gratin 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus butter for the baking dish 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 pound 3 large) portobello mushrooms, stem ends trimmed, cut into ½-inch chunks Salt 1...
Corn Bread, Mushroom and Toasted Pecan Stuffing
Corn Bread, Mushroom and Toasted Pecan Stuffing 6 tablespoons (3/4) stick unsalted butter, plus softened butter for the baking dish2 cups chopped yellow onion1 cup finely chopped celery1 cup finely chopped carrot3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced3 tablespoons...
Learn My Secrets To Making The Crispiest Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic and Bacon
WHAT A WEEK! It's truly been a whirlwind of emotions for all of us. I won’t get political here however I really thought the stress of the election would be over after the election. WRONG! These are crazy times and crazy times mean more cooking because cooking takes...
Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts & Pearl Onions with Bacon
Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts & Pearl Onions with Bacon 1 pound brussels sprouts1/4 cup balsamic vinegar6 ounces thick-cut, hickory-smoked bacon, medium dice (about 6-8 slices)8 ounces pearl onions, peeled2 tablespoons olive oil1 teaspoon saltPinch of freshly...
Sweet and Sour Glazed Shallots
Sexy is an understatement when it comes this easy, sweet-and-sour condiment. A quick braise in the saucepan and these shallots become melt-in-your-mouth tender. Add these sweet-and-sour shallots on top of your grilled meats, salads, bruschetta, or anything else you...
Chickpea, Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Moroccan-Spiced Dressing
Chickpea and Brown and Wild Rice Salad with Moroccan-Spiced Dressing 3 cups water1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably tamari1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses1/2 cup wild rice, rinsed and drained1/2 cup brown rice, rinsed and drainedSalt1 teaspoon ground turmeric1...
You’ll Love This Sweet Corn Dish For Your Summer Picnic Table
If you grew up in the south, chances are you know the beauty of a dish called Succotash. Growing up in Texas, my family loved making this fresh corn dish. Even though it's a staple in a lot of southern households, Succotash is really a Native American dish with sweet...
You’ll Want To Get Your Hands On This Delicious Chickpea and Farro Dish
Raise your hand if you hate doing dishes! I certainly do. Quarantine life has all of us cooking more than we usually would and it feels like the dishes are NEVER ENDING. This is why I love recipes that can be made in one pot. While I'm quarantining, I find myself...
A CREAMY FALL RISOTTO THAT’LL WARM YOU RIGHT UP
Ah, risotto. It's one of my favorite comfort food dishes to make! I first learned how to make risotto from the one and only Lidia Bastianich at her east side flagship restaurant Felidia. Lidia taught me the importance of toasting the rice beforehand and how critical...
REDISCOVERING MY LOVE for ACORN SQUASH
Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash 1 acorn squash 1 tablespoon maple syrup 2 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the acorn squash in half (top to bottom) and slice half moons...
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Soul-Warming Decadence This recipe is from the Flavors cookbook, and the real secret is — butter and cream! This dish is so rich and creamy that I definitely wouldn't recommend it more than a couple of times a year! It's the perfect complement to your holiday...
MARK’S BABY CLAM SAUCE with SPAGHETTI
Spaghetti alle Vongole It's not just fun to say! This pasta dish is fun to eat with friends and family--like the Italians love to do! Celebrate the flavors of the ocean with this easy and addictive version of some popular seaside fare. Learn from the Best! You don't...
CAPRI-INSPIRED SPAGHETTI with LEMON and OLIVE OIL
Kitchen, Take me Away! Have you ever used food to take you away? Or perhaps to bring you back? Have you ever cooked up a meal to help transport you back to a place you love? Well I recently did that. My husband and I go to Capri most summers, but we didn’t make it...
SPAGHETTI al LIMONE
With the rain beating down in New York City, a beach day was a far away fantasy. A dream! I craved the sun and citrus of my favorite Italian Island, Capri. Luckily, the Smitten Kitchen had me covered with this simple recipe of Spaghetti with Lemon and Olive oil. After...
SWEET CORN with CHIPOTLE AIOLI
Make sure to serve with plenty of napkins as this will get messy in the best kind of way! Sweet Corn with Chipotle Aioli
COLD NOODLE and VEGETABLE SALAD with SESAME-SOY DRESSING
This is a bomb of umami! In other words: pure delicious! You may never order in again...or at least not for a while. Cold Noodle with Vegetable Salad with Sesame-Soy Dressing Cold Noodle Salad 3 tablespoons sesame seeds 1 pound fresh snow peas, trimmed and stringed 18...
AWARD-WORTHY COOKING
Not only is it winter, but it's awards season! Just another excuse for me to stay indoors more--cooking for my friends and family! I have long been a fan of Sunday Suppers, so having a watch party is the prefect way to share some of these cooking experiments with...
Garden Herb New Potato Salad
I love a great potato salad! But, so often people assume that it has to smothered in mayonnaise or another fat, in order to taste good. But, when you've got a beautiful garden of fresh herbs at your fingertips, this couldn't be further from the truth! The beauty of...
Savory Butternut Squash & Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding
I wanted to try something new to substitute for stuffing this year, so I turned to a savory bread pudding instead. This is a really beautiful twist on the tradition, making use of the colors and fragrances of the season. It will fill your kitchen with intense mushroom...
Sick and Still Singing!
Last week was one of those weeks. It started off with a bang when I went to Tony Robbins birthday bash and launch of his new book, Unshakable. My week slid downhill from there. I was so tired, achy, headachy and boom, there I was in bed the rest of the week. Sick sick...
The Noodles That Keep You Skinny!
I’m always looking for ways to cut the carbs! Aren’t we all? I love bread and pasta but I try not to eat them too often, except when I’m in France or Italy! With all the new research out today, we have learned that cutting carbs and sugar is the way to reduce...
Pernod-Scented Artichokes with Black Olive Aioli
Pernod-Scented Artichokes with Black Olive Aioli Pernod-Scented Artichokes 4 large artichokes 2 cups white wine 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 lemon, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced 1 teaspoon...
Homemade Udon Noodles
Udon Noodles Stir Fry I have a huge brag! This week I wrapped up the online video cooking school called Rouxbe and I graduated with my plant based course certificate. I received my chef certificate many years ago from the New York Restaurant School but this course was...
CHICKPEA THREE WAYS
Recently I have started cooking and experimenting more with healthy vegetarian food. I love learning new recipes and decided that after my detox last year that I would eat vegetarian for at least 2 meals a day and sometimes 3 meals. This is called a Flexitarian Diet...
Italian Chickpea Stew
This recipe is perfect for a winter day, or to make for daily lunches. Instead of sitting at your office thinking about which seamless place looks better, make this on a Sunday night and bulk it up for the whole week. It's easy to add protein to this recipe, and work...
Confetti Spaghetti!
Zucchini and Summer Squash is available all year long, and I'm still picking them from my garden. Thus, I've been experimenting lately with summer squash recipes. Usually, I like to grill it up to go with my fish or steak, or in a salad. But I found a new way to use...
Put That Thanksgiving Stress To Rest With My Secret Ingredient Sweet Potatoes
Is it really almost Thanksgiving?! I’m sure we all feel the same way about 2020: CONFUSED. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for 2021. 😂 Although Thanksgiving will be a little different this year, it doesn’t have to be any less delicious! My husband and I have a...
