Dinner Planner – Week of March 6, 2023

If you take my online monthly cooking class, the March class is up and the theme is all-new recipes for Easter and Passover.  Yes, the recipes work for both holidays!! Here are the recipes covered:

Crustless Spinach-feta Pie (not a frittata), Honey-Lemon Roast Chicken with Thyme, Roasted Carrots with Calabrian Chile Yogurt and Mint, Wedge Salad with an Herby Dressing, and Flourless Brownie Cookies

As always, one of the things I strive to do is provide swaps for almost everything. I even provided a plant-based swap for the chicken (and it’s not fake chicken!) If you are allergic or intolerant to an ingredient for which I did not list a sub, ask me and I’ll give you a recommendation.

Also, if you live close to Manhattan Beach, please come join me at Pages Bookstore the evening of Tuesday, March 7th!  I am hosting best-selling author Rebecca Serle for the paperback launch of her delightful book, One Italian Summer. We’ll have a book chat and then meet all of you!! Tickets available here. Here’s your dinner planner for the week: Continue reading

Spetses Braised Cod Recipe

Spetses is one of the Greek islands and a place I visited many years ago.  I love Greek food and I still remember this cod dish I had in Spetses which I have recreated often for weeknights with my family and dinners with friends. The recipe is written to serve 4, but you can easily increase to 6 if you can fit that number of filets in the skillet.  I am using cod here which is very commonly used in Mediterranean areas, but you can use halibut or whatever thicker white fish you have access to. I originally had the dish with zucchini, but I have swapped in fennel because it’s in season right now.  Definitely try it with zucchini in the summer!Continue reading

Dinner Planner – Week of February 27, 2023

The unseasonable cold temps and rain in Southern California has had us all talking nonstop about the weather.  NON. STOP.  I will not be following this dinner planner this week. Instead, Hubs and I decided we will be having soup every single night!!  If you take my online monthly cooking class, it is being uploaded on March 1.  The menu is perfect for Easter AND Passover!!  Here’s your dinner planner for the week: Continue reading

Dinner Planner – Week of February 20, 2023

If this is a long holiday weekend for you, I hope you are enjoying it so far! I wanted to give you a heads-up to save the date in your calendar – if you take my online monthly cooking class, my live office hours will be this Wednesday at 12:00 pm PT/3:00 pm ET.  Even if you haven’t viewed the February class, you are welcome to join the zoom and ask me anything or just hear what other students want to talk about.

ALSO, if you live locally, I am hosting a discussion with best-selling author Rebecca Serle at Pages Bookstore in Manhattan Beach on Tuesday, March 7th at 6:30 pm.  Her book One Italian Summer will be released in paperback so come join us for prosecco and a lively chat! Here’s your dinner planner for the week: Continue reading

Dandelion and Radicchio Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

This recipe is not going to be my most popular one, but I’m ok with that.  BUT, for those of you who are opened-minded to trying something new, stay with me.  Dandelion greens are among the most nutrient-dense greens around.  I grew up eating dandelion salad straight up with my Everyday Salad Dressing #1 (lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper) and sometimes with anchovies or sardines. (See another, more traditional dressing below.)  I still love it that way, but for anyone not used to dandelion greens, I paired it with this mild dressing which tones down the bitterness. You can also ease into bitter greens by mixing them with more mild salads.  I love sautéing dandelion greens with lots of garlic or adding them to vegetable soups.Continue reading

Dinner Planner – Week of February 13, 2023

Check out last week’s dinner planner for Super Bowl ideas!  I’m doing loads of vegan queso, nachos, carrot pigs in a blanket for the first half, and then I’m changing it up and doing an Italian theme for half-time this year! This week’s newsletter will have my new favorite soup which I made last week on IG live. It’s an anti-inflammatory chicken and vegetable soup which can be made vegan or paleo, as you wish.  I will also give you ALL the details of a super last-minute Galentines lunch I hosted and it involved take-out.  I know!  I’m such a rebel!  Subscribe to my free newsletter here.

Continue reading