Roasted Asparagus & Shallots

I believe asparagus taste best when roasted in the oven…today’s recipe roasts them in a cast iron skillet along with thin slices of shallots … a timeless recipe – perfect not only for weeknights but for special occasions as well. The thicker asparagus roast better than the skinny ones – keep that in mind when you’re at the market. Just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper bring out all the flavor of Springtime Asparagus…

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Grilled Veggie Pasta Salad

Enjoying summer cookouts are always an adventure! I love to make up new recipes to share at these celebrated events…twisting and turning ordinary side-dishes into spectacular fare. This delicious salad takes all the flavor of grilled veggies into a pasta salad that needs no refrigeration and is perfect to bring to your next pot luck! Continue reading

Pesto Chicken & Quinoa Salad

This is a tasty meal that used to be on Brio Restaurant’s menu…I’ve made some adjustments – roasting the asparagus, chickpeas and tomatoes and nixing the cucumbers…I also marinate the chicken in the pesto before cooking it in a cast iron skillet. Toss it with a creamy herb dressing or any salad dressing of your choice. It can be served as a salad or in a bowl… Continue reading

Grilled Veggie Grain Bowl

I’ve been trying to serve more Meatless Meals lately…especially since reading an article about preventing Alzheimers. The article listed five main changes to make to your life that could possibly help…the first was exercise (done), the second was coffee, 70% chocolate, red wine (done, done and done), the third was sleep (working on it), the fourth was learning something new (again, working on it) and the last change to make was a more vegetable-based diet. After sharing the article with my family we all decided to incorporate these changes in our lives. Adding more vegetables is such an easy change and since I’m the main cook in the house it falls on me to try and make these Meatless Meals more tasty and original…I’ve already shared quite a few in the past so bear with me as I keep on experimenting! Continue reading

Lemongrass Chicken Salad

Lemongrass is usually associated with Thai food and it’s got a great flavor. For this dish I marinate the chicken in a lemongrass mixture and then lightly bread it in Panko crumbs – pop it in the oven and it’s done in a jiffy. The salad is prepped while the chicken cooks and the end result is a yummy Lemongrass Chicken Salad… Continue reading

Asparagus And Potato Strata

A strata is a great dish to serve when you are having a brunch and need an easy make-ahead meal for a group.  I made this strata for a group of friends to close out the summer. Served at room temperature with a salad, I was able to enjoy my friends without worrying about the kitchen. It turned out to be a slightly overcast day, but we had a lot of fun anyway.  Continue reading