Mains

     It’s time to get the grill going!  We’ve got birthdays and Father’s Day cookouts planned at our house – and I’m hoping for a few fog-less evenings so we can enjoy a dinner al fresco.  (Warm nights are not guaranteed here in the…

   A recent trip to Hawaii is the inspiration for this chicken recipe.  Within a short week’s time, I enjoyed several variations of the wildly popular misoyaki butterfish, made famous by chef Nobu Matsuhisa.  Small wonder this dish is so popular.  It.  Is. THAT.  Good!…

     Picnic season is upon us!  If it’s a fried chicken, potato salad type affair, this recipe is my go-to.  Frankly whenever I’m craving fried chicken and yearn for crispy, crackly, crunchy chicken, this is the one.  The sesame seeds add to the flavor…

     It’s an excellent situation when I’m faced with what to do when gifted a King’s Ransom worth of saffron!  Oh.  My.  Yes.  Thanks to my dear friend Joan, who brought me oodles of fancies from Spain, I will be luxuriating in saffron dishes…

Fresh blueberries are available everywhere these days – your local farmers market, supermarkets and yes, Costco too. As you may have noticed:  I.  LOVE.  DESSERT!  So while my first response to blueberry season is often a cobbler or cake, I figure it’s time to take…

   The culinary cognoscenti have proclaimed flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean are all the rage, and for good reason.  These tasty spice and herb combinations are familiar but with an enticing, exotic twist.  The good news is there are numerous options to procure them for…

   Recent travels to Spain have my taste buds primed to recreate the flavors here at home!  Our Bay Area climate is similar to theirs, offering the opportunity to share the same flavors using our local bounty.    With most of our time spent in…

   I’ve been buying up pepper varieties every week for awhile now, and in addition to enjoying sweet peppers raw in salads; I’ve been on a “stuffed pepper binge”.  It’s fun changing up the flavor profiles from classic Americana, Chinese, Italian and my current favorite –…

   When stone fruits first begin appearing at the market, I nearly always buy more than I need.  I cannot help myself!   What’s not to love, it’s like a bite of sunshine.   The appearance of apricots in markets is a clear sign the stone fruit…

   A new year brings a fresh start for healthier food choices.  Successful change is easier when the effort is not too great.  This bean stew is a delicious, effortless way to incorporate legumes into your meals.    I thought this was the perfect opportunity…