Skip to main content

Blog Archives

Leek and Chestnut Stuffing

Diving into this dish always makes me wonder two things: 1) why don’t we eat stuffing more often, 2) what if we caramelized leeks, onions, and garlic in two sticks of butter and served with a pile of gently toasted sourdough bread on the side and called it “Deconstructed Stuffing”? It’s a thought!

This is our family’s quintessential and most favorite elegantly simple and simply elegant holiday stuffing recipe, redolent with a mountain of leeks, onions, garlic, plenty of sage and thyme, and a nice fistful of chopped roasted and peeled chestnuts to keep every bite meaty with a tender little nub of something sweet to balance all the savory wonder. I bake it over two casserole dishes for maximum crispy top crust with plenty of deliciously softened bits soaked through with butter and broth underneath.

Click HERE to see this recipe come to life and HERE to see the Turkey Caesar Salad with Stuffing Croutons recipe we used this for!

Grilled Mermaid Medley with Spicy Lemony Potato Salad

I’m officially declaring this SQUID SUMMER!! Join me for a grilled seafood medley and spicy potato salad (no mayo!) that is bright with citrus and spice – perfect if you’re cooking outside and craving a truly breathtaking entertaining moment for all your fellow mermaid friends.

See this recipe come to life on IG:
Part 1
Part 2

Mermaid Seafood Fideua

Mermaid Fideua! The first time I tried this dish — thin broken noodles, toasted until golden brown, then cooked to perfection in a redolent stock fortified with shellfish, onions, and garlic and tossed together with rich, salty pork (optional!) and fresh seafood — was in Barcelona with my husband. Our skin still salty from the sea, we raced over hot sand into one of the many beachside cafes where these wonderfully varied and personal paella-style (sub noodles for rice) dishes come flying from the kitchens, beckoning you to order a stinging cold bottle of white wine or equally well-iced beers and tuck into a gloriously savory, sumptuous, over the top mermaid meal. File this recipe away under summertime entertaining with a side of wanderlust, no passport needed. 

PS. I always feel the need to qualify that my recreated travel recipes are taste memories!! I claim no authenticity, but I do claim epic deliciousness, so do with that what you will.

Grilled Chicken & Maple-Roasted Carrots with Lemony Yogurt

Maple Roasted Carrots and Spring Onion with Crispy Chickpeas, Garlicky Lemon Yogurt and Juicy Grilled Chicken – a perfect spring supper or hostess lunch!

Minimal technique, maximal pay off with layer after layer of flavor, texture, and color. My kinda healthy and beautifully balanced meal!

Mushroom Chestnut Soup with Cognac Cream

Mushroom Chestnut Soup with Cognac Cream and Frizzled Shallots!

Yes, this was intended as a holiday recipe. Yes, the season ran away with me, and I missed getting to you in time. But YES, this is a fabulously warm, comforting, cozy, and MEATLESS soup to make all winter long, and I want you to have it this weekend.

Fragrant with leeks, onions, and garlic…richly earthy with a medley of mushrooms and sweet chestnuts…drizzled with a dijon cognac cream and topped with crispy mushrooms, shallots, more chestnuts and fresh parsley…carnivores be warned: it’s perfect.

Shaved & Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Manchego and Spicy Walnuts

Whether you love Brussels sprouts — or want to love them — this is the salad for you. You can roast the pulled leaves and spicy walnuts with Serrano chiles in the oven, but I tucked mine in the airfryer for a quick and crispy finish. Paired with pulled Brussels sprouts leaves, shaved and tossed in a vibrant Lime, Maple & Dijon dressing, and all showered with a cloud of manchego, there are only happy bites!

Sweet Potato Casserole with a Savory Pecan Crumble and Sage Meringue

A moment of calm before the holiday madness, thanks to Cuisinart! Sweet Potato Casserole with a Savory Pecan Crumble and Sage Meringue, made in my Cuisinart Air Fryer Toaster Oven — the easiest way to prep phenomenal Thanksgiving sides without taking up precious oven space! My air fryer ROASTED a bounty of sweet potatoes to creamy perfection, CRISPED the brown butter and chile pecan topping and TOASTED fluffy clouds of meringue to golden perfection.

Shop the Air Fryer Toaster Oven.

See this recipe come to life on IG.

Chicken Skewers with Red Onion and Bell Pepper

The perfect juicy but light addition to any bbq spread, and an easy way to break into grilling if it’s something that intimidates you! Chicken breast bathed in olive oil, garlic, fresh parsley and spices, threaded with sweet red onion and bell pepper, all perfectly charred and smoky from the hot grill… we end up making these once a week all summer long and leftovers go with everything — enjoy!