The First Time I Did Not Advocate On Behalf of My Child
I was recently asked to think back to the first time that I advocated on behalf of my child. I recalled denying an amniocentesis (which carries the risk of miscarriage or infection) during my pregnancy with my son. I felt as though I was fulfilling our doctors...
Food Additives to Avoid
Food additives are used to increase profits, preserve foods for longer shelf life or to improve the taste/or appearance of foods. I keep a list of food additives that are banned in certain areas of the world, but not the U.S. The list states where they are found...
The Importance of Eating Local and Organic
A lot of people hesitate to spend a few extra dollars to eat right. It is essential to think big picture when it comes to our day to day eating/spending habits. I'm going to give you some things to consider when making your grocery list and help you understand what...
Classic Brioche French Toast Recipe
This recipe is the classic, simple version that pleases every crowd. French Toast is one of those cheat meals that comes with no guilt here. It's the next best thing to my dad's Swedish Pancakes for a truly comforting special treat breakfast. Growing up my dad made...
Rustic Creamy Mushroom Pasta
Loaded with flavor, perfectly creamy, balanced and incredibly satisfying. This pasta dish was inspired by my trip to Sardinia during my studies at The Culinary Institute of America. We stayed at The Hotel Miramonti just outside of Seulo and it was an absolute...
Migraine Relief
Migraines are brutal. They can be caused by hormonal shifts, stress, allergies, weather changes, lack of sleep, poor diet, the list goes on. They can feel like a dull soreness, throbbing or stabbing pain. They can last days. Migraines can cause dizziness, nausea...
Roasted Spatchcock Chicken or Pork with Potatoes and Leeks
This almost one-pot dish is so quick and simple, you will be bowled over by how tasty it is! This budget friendly meal came together using what I had on hand at the time and it leaves nothing to be desired. The chicken is moist and flavorful and the skin is crispy...
Thanksgiving Meal Planning
It's almost here! If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year you are somewhere in the range of having your plan set with multiple lists color coded by day for shopping, prepping and cooking or... you don't even know where you are getting your turkey from. Here are...
Thanksgiving Host Gifts and Drink Tips
Did you know that in 1939 Thanksgiving was moved from the 4th Thursday in November to the 3rd Thursday because FDR hoped that it would help boost the economy to have another week between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Well, the country hated it and 2 years later in...
Nutella Pancakes
These pancakes are my kids all time favorite treat breakfast. When you cut into them the Nutella squeezes out and that unmistakable chocolatey hazelnut beauty shows itself. When you are cooking them you want to make sure you are watching for those signature popping...
Simple Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Spaghetti squash is great on its own and is a great carb swap for vegan and GF friends. It is nutrient dense and low calorie. It provides fiber, vitamins c, b6 and manganese. It is harvested early in the fall and can be stored in a cool, dry place (not the...
My Course on Mastermind.com!
As a full time stay at home parent again thanks to Covid I have had to be creative with my work. I decided to join the knowledge industry and I've posted my first course on Mastermind.com! I am writing about it here because it might be a good fit for some of my...
The Best Ever Meatball Recipe (and Sauce!)
These meatballs are so moist and flavorful I had to shoo my family away so I could get some to the table! They are so great that they easily stand alone. When I made my tester for seasoning adjustment my husband asked me to save a bunch on the side for him before...
Quick and Easy Minestrone
I love fall for all of it's glorious soup! This week's weather switched from summer to fall perfectly in sync with the start of school and so began Parkis soup season! I have been itching to try The Blue Zones Minestrone recipes. Yesterday, time and ingredients...
Summer Panzanella Salad Recipe
I have never sought out a panzanella salad. Last week I had half of a loaf of my homemade sourdough bread that didn't fit into the plan that I made surrounding my CSA, so I decided to work it right into a salad I planned on making and the whole family absolutely...
Crispy Kale Chips
Crispy Kale Chips are one of my kids' favorite snacks and subsequently one of mine as well. They are healthy, delicious and very easy to customize to your taste/mood. Snacking is one of the hardest times to eat clean which is why it is important to keep those...
Simple Sautéed Corn
Summer corn is one of the greatest flavors. You can add it to pastas, quesadillas, casseroles or eat it plain. This is the simplest way to cook it although I do know people who eat it raw off the cob, die hards! You can keep your corn in the fridge for a few days...
Summer Vegetable Quesadillas
Quesadillas are such a kid-friendly dinner, they have become a 2x/month staple. The best thing about quesadillas is that you can make so many variations and the whole family loves them!Last week I had zucchini in my CSA box, it will be my challenge all summer to...
Garlic Basil Compound Butter
At The CIA we learned to make Maître d'hôtel butter which is what this is, but as an Italian-American I will call it compound butter! Compound butter is a great way to add flavor to so many dishes! It is also a great way to preserve fresh herbs. You can substitute...
Cheeseburger Quesadillas with Chipotle Crema
Food waste is something that I am always trying to find ways to avoid. This weekend we had a family barbecue and half of the people cancelled within the last two days. We were left with lots of leftovers! Things that I had to work with: cooked cheeseburgers, corn...
Drying Herbs
Large herb harvest in your garden this year? Did you get a bunch of parsley, dill or basil from your CSA that you know you won't get to before it gets too sad to eat? Maybe you went to the grocery store and bought a bunch of parsley but only needed a tablespoon....
Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto with Walnuts and Orange
This herbaceous, cheesy and bright pesto comes together quickly in a food processor or with a mortar and pestle. The orange was a last minute inspiration/experiment that went very well. As my 8 year old said "The smell when you put your face over it is incredible!"...
Caramelized Onions
Onions are amazing raw or cooked. Caramelizing onions pulls out the natural sugars and browning those sugars creates the other worldly flavor of caramelization. You can make a small batch (that is what this recipe is for) or a giant batch (my largest was 60lbs.,...
Our Favorite Blueberry Muffins
This recipe started with the Famous Department Store Blueberry Muffins recipe from KAF. It is a strong start, but mine are light, moist, soft, crunchy and packed with flavor. Some of the changes that I made and why: -Whisking the whole recipe by hand because I have...
Silver Linings- Holy Yoga of Connecticut
There are silver linings to be found during this pandemic and this is a powerful one. Today I am writing about one of the greatest blessings in my life, Holy Yoga of CT. Strengthening our immune system is our best defense and HYCT offers a Holistic approach that...
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
This light, smooth, cheesy sauce is so delicious my family begs for it all the time. We love it the most as the base sauce for homemade pizza with spinach or broccoli rabe and sausage. It is also great with pasta and broccoli. My husband likes to use it as a dip...
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler with Fresh Whipped Cream
I made this recipe/cocktail combo for dessert for Seasonal Ingredient Week during my Advanced Cooking class at The Culinary Institute of America. You would think this is so simple for a class at The CIA, but the flavor is amazing. When you give your chef something...
The Best Coleslaw Recipe
This is absolutely delicious on its own. The best use for coleslaw is when paired with something fatty like beef, pork, fried chicken, fish or tofu. Coleslaw will brighten up each bite and cut through the fat. You can use it when making tacos, sandwiches, hot dogs...
Mom’s Chocolate Cake
This chocolate cake is special, the cake is dark, moist and deeply chocolatey and the meringue frosting is light, smooth and not overly sweet. Two things that take this over the top is the addition of raw sugar to keep the cake from sticking to the pan and the...
Stuffed Cabbage
This Stuffed Cabbage recipe is another recipe that I developed from my Versatile Bolognese recipe. These cabbage rolls were light but filling, complex and perfectly balanced so that you can taste every ingredient that is on your plate. I couldn't be happier with...
Shepherd’s Pie
The other day I posted a recipe for Bolognese with a promise of a Shepherd's pie recipe to follow and here it is. This dish is so savory and rich but loaded with sweet veggies making it also light and crazy satisfying. It is the perfect comfort meal. The simple...
Versatile Bolognese
If you have ground meat in your freezer (or fresh!) This is a great Bolognese recipe, I started with Geoffrey Zakarian’s recipe @foodnetwork and modified to my taste/what I had on hand. This recipe can cover you for 4 meals. I plan on using 1/2 quart for 1 lb of...
Swiss Chard/Kidney Bean A La Raffaella Soup/or Pasta
When I was in grammar school in the 90s at St. Augustine School, the PTA made a family recipe book that I recently picked up to check out again. My dad had submitted this recipe which is very pantry staple heavy as is to be expected as he was inspired by a frequent...
Squid Ink Pasta with Sous Vide Shrimp, Chorizo, Corn and Cherry Tomatoes
Two portions for most, one for some. Yield: 2 portionsIngredients: Pasta:00 Flour 500gSalt pinchEggs, whole 5 eachSquid ink 1oz. Shrimp:Shrimp (Extra Large 26-30), shelled and deveined 5-6 per person as entreeEVOO splashGarlic, crushed 2 eaBay leaf 1eaPimenton...
Nutty Triple Chocolate Pudding
Yield: 2 portions Ingredients: Toasted Hazelnuts 1/4 cup (if tree nuts are a problem you can use toasted pumpkin seeds or roasted peanuts.)Mexican Chocolate, coarse chop 1.25ozSugar 2TCocoa (Natural) 1.3TCornstarch .75TSalt PinchAlmond Milk 1/3 cup (whole milk if...
Lamb Kebabs
Yield: 2 skewers Ingredients:4oz. Lamb, cubed 8-10 piecesRed Bell, 1" squares 1/2 ea.Green Bell, 1" squares 1/2 ea.Yellow Squash, sliced 1/2 ea.Red Onion, 1/8s 1/4 ea. Salt and Pepper to taste Marinade:EVO 1/4 cup Harissa 1.5TThyme, minced 1TCayenne 1/4tCinnamon...
Shrimp Scampi
So simple, so delicious. Yield: 1 portion Ingredients: 4 oz. Shrimp (26-30), deveined, seasoned 2 oz. White Wine 3 oz. EVOO 2 oz. Butter 3 cloves Garlic, minced/sliced 1/2 Shallot, minced 1/2 Lemon, juice Red Pepper Flakes to taste Salt and Pepper to taste 1T...
Olive Oil Cake
There has never been a more appropriate cake to use the word moist... sorry. I got this recipe from Chef Jim Maraldo at The Culinary Institute of America when I took his Cuisines of the Mediterranean class. When I make it at home I do not use alcohol, in its place...
The Blue Zones Kitchen
The Blue Zones Kitchen 100 Recipes to Live to 100 by Dan Buettner The Blue Zones Kitchen is a cookbook that stems from the research done for National Geographic regarding the five areas in the world where people live the longest, which the researchers refer to as...
Your Cutting Board
In Culinary Fundamentals we are taught to use a rubber mat under our cutting board. This is one of my favorite at home tips that seems like it should have been so obvious and I can’t believe how many years that I was cooking at home with slippery cutting boards. I...
Mise en Place
Everything in its place. When you set up your mise it is the most satisfying feeling to have everything cut and prepared perfectly in the most appropriate container and lined up in the order that you plan to use it. This is how food establishments keep things...
Knife Sharpening
A sharp knife is a safe knife. Invest in a sharpening stone, they are not very expensive (mine was $30) and when you realize how dull your knives have gotten you will be so happy you did. Not only are sharp knives safer, but they are also so much more fun. When...
Tips for a Healthier Holiday Season
Sometimes we get caught up this time of year, here are some tips that might be helpful: Holiday gift baking: Dark Chocolate dipped/covered dried fruit and nuts are a great gift in place of cookies, they are better for your friends and healthier for you to...
