A new-found love for Tabouli, with Feta and Endive. We all have those things we wouldn't eat as a kid. Then slowly, as we bloom into maturity, our palates develop a mind of their own. … [Read more...]
Sargento Natural Cheese and Blueberry Pizza
August 11, 2011 By 49 Comments
Choosing quality cheese and Savory Blueberry Ricotta Pizza. Don't you just love getting a package in the mail? Last week I got a box of Sargento cheese to sample. I can never, EVER pass up cheese. … [Read more...]
Chile Lime Mango and Papaya
July 21, 2011 By 54 Comments
Fruit with attitude ~ SPICY Chile Lime Mango and Papaya. Certain recipes are almost too easy to mention. Yet, it's the simple ideas that we all long for in this crazy whirl-wind we call life. … [Read more...]
Gourmet Napa Style Potato Chips
July 18, 2011 By 55 Comments
Asheville's The Gourmet Chip Company serves up worldly and decedent homemade potato chips. One aspect of ASP that I thoroughly enjoy, is telling the stories of people in my community and their passion for food. … [Read more...]
Okie Dokies Smokehouse’s Jalapeno Hushpuppies & Red Slaw
March 23, 2011 By 54 Comments
Or better titled Love in the Smokehouse. *wink* Sometimes you get the chance to walk into a person's life at a divinely appointed moment, and witness something truly wonderful. That characterizes my encounter with friends Jody and Steve Dunning, owners of Okie Dokies Smokehouse in Swannanoa, NC. … [Read more...]
Clams Casino
March 7, 2011 By 63 Comments
As spring rolls in, so do the backyard get-togethers and garden parties. I always love the idea of an outdoor gathering in early spring. Imagine an evening with friends on an expansive deck adorned with white lanterns (and porch heaters combating the crisp March air.) Ladies wearing sandals and light wraps sip sparkling cocktails and nibble on warm hor d'oeuvres teetering on the end of winter and the brink of spring. … [Read more...]
Roasted Veggie Flat Bread
February 27, 2011 By 87 Comments
Have you ever noticed that when someone offends you, every conversation, every encounter with that person, is skewed? They walk by and say, "Hi" but you are certain the inflection in their voice was really saying,"@#*&#%!" That person drops a document off at your desk and you are SURE they only came by to spy on you! Yet in most cases, that person never even knows you're upset with them. When you finally let go of your offense, all those little incidents you had built up in your mind seem like no big deal. Probably because they weren't. I consider myself a pretty forgiving person. I … [Read more...]
Warm Crab Tartlets
December 27, 2010 By 64 Comments
A Matter of Perspective~ Some things never change. I love crabmeat; I have always loved crabmeat. When I was a little girl, I thought The Red Lobster was the fanciest restaurant on the planet. I mean, only a truly elegant restaurant would offer grown-ups special bibs so their clothes wouldn't get dirty! Every chance I got, I would plead with my parents to go there. Birthdays were a given. I would gaze in wonder at the lobsters swimming in thier tank, waiting to become someone's dinner. I wasn't interested in eating something that was so ALIVE only moments before it arrived on my … [Read more...]
Apple Cheddar Palmiers
December 2, 2010 By 23 Comments
Kitchen Invaders Detoured~ I often feel like a military commander in my kitchen, on the day of a holiday dinner party. Barking orders, protecting the sacred cargo, holding down the fort from invaders. My family strategically circles the kitchen until the meal is ready, slipping by the counter to snatch a stray slice of prime rib or an unwatched roll. Over time, I've discovered pre-party snacks are the way to go. Munchies that are out of the kitchen, and out of my way, keep us all sane until the guests arrive and the meal is ready. Is does take a little extra work, but I believe … [Read more...]
Broiled Pear and Prosciutto Toasts
November 8, 2010 By 67 Comments
We all have pet-peeves, right? Well, I have a real problem with elitist know-it-all attitudes. Of course, I used to think I could manage the whole world with one hand tied behind my back. But now? Marriage, parenthood...life, have humbled me. (Thankfully.) There's a fine line between having confidence and "putting on airs". Why do we so often feel we need to prove to others that we have all the answers? You find it in every genre of life, but food-lovers are particularly prone to this. Sprinkling frenchy lingo, hard-to-find ingredients, and foodie hot-spots in every conversation, as if … [Read more...]
