June - 2016

Ingredient Spotlight: Citrus

Red grapefruit, lime, orange, tangerine, and small blood orange (Moro variety) When I was a little girl, I often went to school with orange slices wrapped in foil. My mom called them “smiles” because I could put the slices into my mouth and smile a bright orange grin…you know, like Don Corleone in The Godfather. Smiles were easy to eat. And unless they were dry or mealy, they were really good to eat, too. In my mom’s stable of go-to lunch fruits (apples, bananas, and orang

Date, Goat Cheese & Black Pepper Pastries

Sometimes I come across food products that if I don’t have an immediate idea of what to do with them, I just know they’ll taste good. They hang out in my pantry or freezer until I become inspired. That’s what happened when I found a block of date paste in the Middle Eastern section of my local supermarket. When I finally opened the package, the paste was very thick and somewhat sticky. It was so delicious that it brought back a memory of really good date and walnut cookies

Italian Bean Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Topped with Tuna or Tofu

When I lived in Italy, every few weeks, I would buy myself a ready-to-eat salad that contained frisée lettuce, corn, and borlotti beans. It was topped with a small mound of julienned carrots, basic balsamic vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Taste and texture-wise, that salad had everything going for it: creamy beans, sweet corn and carrots, bitter, crunchy lettuce, and tangy-sweet vinegar. This salad takes its inspiration from the original. I use pinto beans, mixed gree

Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Playing on the classic Italian combination of strawberries, basil, and balsamic vinegar, this salad is refreshing and tangy-sweet. With the addition of two kinds of nuts, it’s also hearty—especially for vegetarians. It also pairs well with grilled chicken, white fish, polenta, and both caramelized onions and sweet peppers. Recipes for vinaigrettes usually call for much more oil than vinegar. I find that ratio to be too greasy and heavy; because I like the acidic zip of vin

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