a great side, or even a lite main

cauliflower casserole
a delicious, healthy choice, which can be made in place of a starch. very filling. okay, so i have to admit, i do use a slice of 2% processed cheese, something i normally don't do when i cook, but the cheese gives this dish a creamy, decadent texture without the use of heavy creams or butter.

1 head of cauliflower
1 slice of 2% cheese
3 slices of bacon or prosciutto(just as good without, almost . . .it is bacon after all)
1/2 cup of grated cheese - i used an aged cheddar, but will generally use whatever is in my fridge

preheat oven to 350
wash and clean cauliflower and chop
place in steaming basket (or boiling water) and cook for 8 minutes or so until tender - the great thing about cauliflower is you can never really over do it
meanwhile, cook the bacon slices until crisp and drain on a paper towel
drain and mash with hand held masher until it is the consistency you like, add slice of cheese and mix in
salt and pepper to taste
put cauliflower in serving dish and top with grated cheese and crumbled bacon
bake for 7-10 minutes until cheese is melted

salmon in lemon broth with pea puree

grilled salmon
with olive oil, salt and pepper

lemon broth
sauteed shallots, lemon juice,
lemon zest, chicken broth, fresh mint

pea puree
peas, mint, garlic, parmesan, olive oil
salt and pepper

tri-color orzo
orzo, olive oil, lemon juice,
dried cranberries, baby arugula,
fresh basil, toasted pine nuts,
ricotta salata

romaine salad
with cucumbers, peppers, carrots,
baby artichokes
white balsamic vinaigrette

salmon with pea puree

salmon in lemon broth
pan seared salmon
with
olive oil, salt and pepper

served with chicken broth, lemon juice,
lemon zest, shallots, and fresh mint

pea puree
fresh peas, garlic, mint,
olive oil, salt and pepper

israeli couscous
toasted couscous with apples,
dried cranberries, fresh rosemary,
thyme, parsley,
and toasted almond slivers

tossed with an apple
cider vinaigrette

romaine salad
cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes,
and baby artichoke hearts

white balsamic vinaigrette

fresh fruit
diced mango, cantaloupe,
strawberries, blueberries,
raspberries, and kiwi

my first photo

bought a camera over the holiday, the first photo... tonight's meal

ground chuck, fresh from white oak pastures,
with spinach, feta, and grilled onion . . .
on a toasted bun

baked sweet potato fries with olive oil, cayenne, salt and pepper



tonight was a tribute to james beard, it was his recipe after all. . .

baby steps

as we thought, this is going to start off slow. real slow. its hard to incorporate a new task into the day, but its going to happen. bear with us. . .

chicken enchiladas

baked chicken enchiladas
shredded chicken,
corn, low fat cream cheese,
monterey jack cheese, cumin,
cayenne, flour tortillas

chopped mexican salad
diced tomatoes, corn, jicama,
black beans, peppers, avocado, garlic,
cumin, cilantro, lime juice,
salt and pepper

tilapia with stir fried vegetables

pecan and herb encrusted tilapia

tilapia with pecans, panko,
fresh rosemary, and thyme

greek "tartar" sauce
fat free greek yogurt with
horseradish, lemon zest, and
lemon juice

wild rice
a blend of wild and whole grain
brown rice

sugar snaps, mushrooms, asparagus
stir fried with low sodium chicken broth,
garlic, salt, and pepper

mixed green salad
with cucumbers, red peppers,
yellow peppers, and orange peppers

with a raspberry blush vinaigrette

tartar sauce

1/2 cup of fage fat free greek yogurt
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon of capers, chopped
salt and pepper

back from vacation

first day back after a few days of relaxation. had planned on picking up a few culinary ideas while away, but instead, picked up a few pounds, needless to say we ate well. kudos to chef david walzog for a great meal that reminded us of home, and also a great evening spent eating from chef alessandro stratta's late night menu. thomas keller is always above par, and we enjoyed two superb meals from his fantastic selections. back to the real world . . . .

started the day thumbing through my past recipes, trying to find a great meal to start off the new year for my client. would like to try a new dish, but received an email mid morning requesting either turkey meatballs, or my spicy beef stir fry. i decided on the meatballs. so off to the markets, usually one or two stops, sometimes more, depending on the quality of the selections, today it was four.


today's purchases:
fresh ground turkey breast
parmesan
eggs
parsley
garlic
onions
bread for bread crumbs
romaine lettuce
mini cucumbers
peppers
tomatoes
carrots
celery
san marzano tomatoes
lemons
white balsamic vinegar
broccoli

turkey meatballs with homemade marinara

turkey meatballs
ground turkey breast with fresh bread crumbs,
parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, onions,
garlic, egg, oregano, salt and pepper

homemade tomato sauce
san marzano tomatoes, onions, carrots,
celery, garlic, oregano, rosemary,
basil, salt and pepper

whole wheat spaghetti

sauteed broccoli rabe
with olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper