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

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

Olive Oil Yogurt Cake with Citrus Glaze Recipe

I taught this cake last year in a Mediterranean-inspired class and it quickly became a favorite.  If you are skeptical about olive oil in a cake, try it!!  It’s a delicious, fruity fat and cakes last longer with oil instead of butter.  Olive oil is the perfect match with citrus, other fruits like apples, chocolate, and herbs in desserts (I have a crazy good recipe for a chocolate chunk cake with rosemary.) You can dust it with powdered sugar or make this glaze with whatever citrus you have.  Blood oranges and pink grapefruit are particularly pretty!Continue reading

Pasta E Fagioli Soup Recipe

Pasta e fagioli is the soup of my childhood and the first soup I ever learned how to make.  It was my father’s favorite so we ate it often, usually on a Monday night because on Sundays we had a pretty big meal.  Sometimes my mom put a piece of salt pork in the soup and used water, other times a small parmesan rind.  We usually ate it with bread and a wedge of cheese and some fruit afterwards.  Pretty simple, and I am craving that simplicity again. Everyone loves this soup and I know you will too!Continue reading

Quick Asian-Inspired Tangerine Chicken Recipe

This tangerine chicken recipe is a family favorite and sooooo easy!  I like it more than similar dishes we have ordered at a restaurant and I can control the type of oil and quality of the ingredients.  I use the term “inspired” in the recipe name because I am not an authority in Asian cooking. I just try to duplicate dishes I have eaten out of the home with ingredients I have on hand and make them taste great!  In the case of this tangerine chicken, it was a major success!Continue reading

Okonomiyaki-Inspired Veggie Pancake Recipe

I took a little break from posting both here and on social media but I’m back. And with a GOOD one! This is one of those recipes that will reward you if you’re open-minded.  There will be some of you who will look past this Japanese vegetable pancake, also known as Okonomiyaki,  and think it’s nothing special.  You need to trust me here and make this.  Not only am I obsessed with this, Hubs and my son fight over every last scrap.  This is very filling as a light meal, or sometimes I’ll add a slice of smoked salmon on top for extra protein.Continue reading