I always say I won’t talk about the weather on this blog but it’s hard to avoid when you live in California. We’ve had such an extended dry season that, finally, the arrival of some rain has the entire state breathing a sigh of relief. Unless you’re my husband. The discussions have gone something […]
Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Whiskey-Herb-Citrus Glaze on Polenta
December 30, 2013 by 11 Comments
“You’ve been holding out on us.” I think it was my brother-in-law who said this on a recent visit after he discovered my liquor cabinet. Full size bottles of rum, brandy, whiskey, vodka and various liqueurs that hardly ever make it in a cocktail because my husband and I lean toward wine for libation. […]
Fennel, Sausage and Tomato Pasta with Rosé
October 3, 2013 by 29 Comments
Want to know a secret? When I planned to make this dish there was a small part of me that imagined this might end up in the trash, uneaten. Earlier in the week when I visited the farmers market the fennel bulbs looked so crisp and fresh that I couldn’t resist picking up two […]
Baby Artichoke & Chicken Sausage Pizza
April 30, 2013 by 17 Comments
As promised on my last post, I’m sharing the first of a few recipes inspired by our visit to Pescadero last week. Besides enjoying the marsh and the beach that day, one other highlight of the visit was being able to take home some local food and produce. When I picked up lunch at […]
Chicken with Pineapple-Mango-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
April 21, 2013 by 24 Comments
How would you describe your perfect day? I imagine your answer, like mine, would vary depending on mood, circumstance or even the season. Because of the frenetic pace that life has been going lately I’ve found myself, more than a few times, wishing I were on a beach somewhere far away. Then the tragic […]
Roasted Chicken Breasts with White Beans and Spinach
February 4, 2013 by 19 Comments
When my husband and I escaped to Napa Valley one weekend in December one of the more memorable dishes, surprisingly, was a wood oven roasted chicken served with cannellini beans. How boring, you might say, and I would tend to agree. I always consider the obligatory chicken dish on most menus the last […]
Stir-Fried Bitter Melon with Chicken and Black Beans
January 2, 2013 by 14 Comments
For my first meal of the new year I ate a bowl of apples with low-sugar granola and nonfat, plain yogurt. It was a healthy start, I thought, and it was my breakfast of choice while on vacation but I followed that with a cheeseburger for lunch. I was at the beach–I started each […]
Sesame Noodles with Kale and Cabbage
August 21, 2012 by 26 Comments
As I struggled up the last hill towards home, the thought of a big lunch dampened the pain on my burning legs. I was ready for my reward after an overly-ambitious bicycle ride with the boys–lots of food! I inched along, mentally itemizing the contents of my refrigerator and pantry. This was one day […]
