Strawberry-&-Cinnamon Bread Pudding

May 29, 2026 No comments

These fruit-filled bread puddings are incredible! Incredibly easy to make, easy to eat and oh-so-flavorful.  I used a store-bought cinnamon swirl bread cut into cubes, that I then soaked in a homemade custard made with farm-fresh eggs, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, and a touch of orange liqueur.  Baked along with either fresh or defrosted frozen strawberries, the results are perfectly sweet, rich and even more decadent when served with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Balsamic Kale & Cherry Tomato Panzanella

May 29, 2026 No comments

Spring and summer are the best times of year to make a Tuscan bread salad, otherwise known as a panzanella.  Cubes of toasted, day-old bread coated in a touch of olive oil are tossed together with the season’s freshest veggies, and can be flavored with a light vinaigrette and cheese if you so desire.

For this healthy version of a panzanella, I tossed the cubes of bread together with pieces of raw Lacinato kale, feta cheese, ripe cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet peppers and a tangy balsamic vinaigrette—studded with sliced garlic for an added Italian touch. Wonderful also when made with cucumbers, wedges of heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, roasted summer squash….the list goes on-and-on.  But you get the idea, why not save that day-old loaf of bread and turn your next side dish into a colorful Italian bread salad?

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Antipasto Salad’

May 29, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Each and every bite of this colorful Italian Antipasto Salad is filled with a mélange of textures and flavors. Just like a classic antipasto platter that might be served at the beginning of a coursed meal or even as a lunch idea, the salad is filled with marinated vegetables, fresh vegetables, olives, cheese, and meat.

The list is long for this salad but each item adds a bit of character to the plate: sliced salami, mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, fresh fennel, radishes, cucumbers, olives, pickled banana peppers, and a fragrant red wine vinegar and dried oregano dressing.  The only other thing you must serve alongside this unique salad are slices of a crusty Tuscan boule.  Buon appetito.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/257783/antipasto-salad/ )

French Sorrel Soup

May 29, 2026 No comments

French Sorrel Soup

Popular in French cuisine, sorrel is an herb with long stems and soft green leaves that resembles spinach, but has a natural lemony taste.  It can be used in many ways, but one of the most common is in soups and in tasty sauces.  This French Sorrel Soup is my take on the classic, slightly creamy soup.

A rustic soup of sauteed sliced leeks, garlic and cubes of hearty Russet potato cooked in a touch of white wine and chicken stock until tender. Enriched with a touch of heavy cream and studded with the wilted sorrel greens, each bite of this soup is healthy and hearty. If you so choose, you can puree the soup to a smooth texture, but I like the rusticity of the tender cubes of potatoes, the tender leeks and the lemony wilted greens.  A lovely warm weather soup to highlight this tasty herb—and take it from us, sorrel is an easy green to grow in your garden as well.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Persian-Style Carrots & Black-Eyed Peas’

May 29, 2026 Comments: 2

Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking Magazine

This fragrant Persian-inspired side dish was… simply put, decadent.  A hearty mixture of tender black-eyed peas, carrots, herbs, onions, garlic and bell peppers sauteed along with rich saffron threads and a spice mixture made with all of the flavors of Persia: dried rose petals, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper and coriander.  Perfect with the cashew-crusted halibut from yesterday’s post, but would also be a wonderful vegetarian main dish when served over white rice, or even alongside grilled za’atar-scented chicken.

Fig & Strawberry Tart with Hazelnut Ricotta Cream & Buttery Shortbread Crust

May 29, 2026 Comments: 2

Fig & Strawberry Tart

This beauty of a tart unites two of the season’s best fruits: ripe strawberries and plump, fresh figs.  I like to roast the cut fruit for a few minutes in the oven to bring out more of their natural sweetness before placing them artistically on top of a buttery shortbread crust covered in a simple ricotta cream.

To make the ricotta cream you simply puree ricotta cheese in a small food processor and add in whatever sweetener and flavorings you are craving; I used agave nectar to sweeten up my ricotta cream, with a touch of pure vanilla extract and hazelnut extract for a rich, nutty sweetness.  A lovely dessert to enjoy after a light summer dinner, or even served in the afternoon with a cup of tea or hot coffee.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Peach Potpie’

May 29, 2026 Comments: 2

Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living Magazine

One of my all-time favorite desserts is a classic Southern peach cobbler.  Not only do I adore the buttery crust that surrounds the sweet cooked fruit, but I also adore the fact that it requires a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and that it utilizes the ripest fruit of the season.  This simple yet unique version mixes things up a bit by topping the cooked stone fruit not with a traditional cobbler crust, but a separately baked puff pastry disk that is crispy and coated in sanding sugar.

Aptly named a Peach Potpie  this delectable confection has a similar crust to your favorite savory potpie, but like I said, made sweet.  The sliced peaches are at first cooked separately from the crust along with a simple combination of brown sugar, cornstarch, a pinch of sugar, pure vanilla extract and a tablespoon of rich bourbon.  At the end of cooking, the crunchy round of puff pastry is carefully placed on the pan of cooked peaches and cooked for just a few more minutes before being cut into serving pieces and….yes, you guessed it!  Served with a scoop of your favorite creamy vanilla ice cream.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.marthastewart.com/1529672/easy-peach-potpie)

‘Shaved Squash-&-Radish Salad’

May 29, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Using your vegetable peeler to slice vegetables like carrots, parsnips, summer squash and cucumbers into ribbons makes for a beautiful presentation. Whether in a salad like this one or a swap-in for pasta, vegetable ribbons are a low-carb and vitamin-rich way to enjoy the season’s best produce.  Here, a simple vinaigrette is made and tossed with squash ribbons and thinly sliced red radishes. Fresh dill adds a bright note to the salad; I added in some roasted pistachios for crunch as well, but pine nuts, hazelnuts, or even pepitas would work nicely, too.

‘Marinated Summer Squash with Hazelnuts & Ricotta’

May 29, 2026 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

What a clever way to serve the season’s highly anticipated summer squash! Sliced lengthwise, then cooked until tender in a hot pan along with quality olive oil,  the squash is then cut into pieces and marinated in a tangy mixture of white wine vinegar, fresh mint, garlic, olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and a touch of sugar.  The delightfully macerated squash are served on a bed of creamy (dreamy) lemon-scented ricotta cheese, and are finished off with toasted, buttery hazelnuts and some more sprigs of fresh mint. Tangy, bright and creamy, this side dish will stick in your mind for summer seasons to come.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/marinated-summer-squash-with-hazelnuts-and-ricotta)

Caprese Grilled Pork with Pesto

May 29, 2026 Comments: 2

Grilling out this time of year is simply a must. This week, we decided to grill some pork chops on the trusty Weber grill, but to then give them a classic Italian flare.  The grilled pork chops are placed on a serving platter with pesto sauce and all of the ingredients of a traditional Italian caprese salad: ripe tomatoes, fresh basil from the garden, creamy fresh mozzarella cheese, and a tangy balsamic and olive oil drizzle.  Each bit of tender grilled pork is made even more decadent with the taste of the basil pesto sauce and the colorful tomato salad.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

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