This is one of those recipes that was born of what was on hand. A while back I began to get super excited that my first batch of greens was ready in the garden, and it happened to be one of my favorites — arugula! Ever since I first had arugula and proscuitto on a pizza, I’ve been enamored with the idea of ever-so-slightly wilted greens on top of my pizza. I happened to have mozzarella on hand, but no proscuitto.

What did have on hand? (more…)

Filed under:
Dinner, Italian, Lunch, Pizza by Courtney

I’ve been on a bit of a Thai kick lately. Earlier this week I played around with a couple of recipes for Thai beef salad, and while I was perusing my Thai recipes, I came across a recipe for Tom Khaa Kai, or Chicken, Coconut and Galangal soup.

As I read through the recipe, I realized I had most of the items I needed already in my pantry or freezer to make the tropical-flavored soup. Originally I was going to make the soup to go with the Thai beef salad, but I ended up not being that hungry the other night, so I decided to put my soup and sandwich tray to good use, making monster spring rolls to go with the soup.

And that’s how this recipe became more than a variation on the cookbook recipe. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Sandwiches, Soups, Thai, Vegan, Vegetarian, World traveller by Courtney

Butter lettuce is one of my weaknesses. I’m not much of a greens girl most days, but when I see the big heads of butter lettuce show up in the store as spring is springing (or, when it begins to fill out in my garden), I get the urge to make lettuce wraps of all types. Since I’ve been trying to focus on working more vegetables into my diet, I decided to try a recipe for red lentil köfte that looked delicious in A Chef’s Travels through Turkey. The recipe called for serving in bits of romaine lettuce leaf, but I think the butter lettuce is far superior.

What are köfte you might ask? (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Lunch, Mid Eastern, Vegan, Vegetarian by Courtney

This recipe has to be one of my favorite weeknight meals (or weekend meals if I’m super-hungry). It comes together quickly, with a few ingredients, and I feel somewhat healthy and light with the salad portion replacing my usual baked potato and garlic bread side for steak.

To start, select your favorite cut of beef – filet, strip, ribeye, and sirloin would all work here. Season it simply with salt and pepper after you’ve rubbed with a bit of oil to keep it from sticking to your grill or grill pan. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Quick and Easy, Salad, Wine pairings by Courtney

La Cucina Italiana has become one of my favorite magazines to be inspired by. While paging through one of their issues, I stumbled upon this recipe for a fondue laced with grappa, and I knew I must make it. I love fondue – the cheese, the dipping – it’s all so fun. Convincing my husband to eat a large bowl of cheese for dinner is a bit complicated, so this recipe was perfect! He’s a grappa fiend, and the suggested side of walnut bread would reel him in too. I was right, when I said the words “grappa fondue with walnut bread”, it was met with an, “ooooh!!”. (more…)

Filed under:
Appetizers, Bread, Dinner, Italian, Vegetarian by Courtney