Mediterranean Grain Bowl
After I was married, the first house my husband and I bought was only a couple of miles away from my mother. Quite often I would stop by for a…
Vegetables
Creamy Lavender Ranch Dressing (or Dip)
My new adventure in cooking with lavender has been successful thus far. I’ve enjoyed rave reviews for my lavender scones, lavender limonata and my lavender biscotti. This creamy- tangy ranch…
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
Fresh asparagus, whether it is roasted and tossed with ravioli, made into a tart, a salad or served with eggs, is something we look forward to every spring in California.…
Marinated Baby Artichokes
Native to the western and central Mediterranean, the artichoke is a domesticated variety of the wild cardoon. Cardone, in Italian, is a thistle and looks like large stocks of…
Double Cauliflower with Chard and Onions
Inexpensive and readily available, cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse. It is high in vitamins C and K, potassium, manganese, folate, fiber and cancer-preventing glucosinolates. If you are (currently) not…
Burrata & Tomatoes
Burrata is a cream filled mozzarella sack. Invented in Puglia, Italy, as a way to use the scraps of curds left over after twisting balls of mozzarella. The scraps…
Shaved Zucchini Salad
This is a fresh and flavorful raw zucchini dish featuring tangy capers and ricotta salata. The words ‘Ricotta’ means re-cooked and ‘Salata’ means salted. Ricotta Salata is a Sicilian…
Honey Roasted Fennel
Fennel, a favorite Italian vegetable, customarily eaten raw with a bit of salt, sees the year’s second crop in Autumn. We enjoy it in soups, salads, a creamy bowl…
Roasted Baby Eggplant
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Roasted, stuffed, grilled and fried, are just some of the methods Italians (particularly southern Italians and Sicilians) use to turn this versatile vegetable into a vast variety of dishes.…
Giardiniera
The Italian giardiniera, pronounced jar-dih-NAIR-ah, means from the garden and is a classic combination of vegetables. Cauliflower, red bell peppers, carrots, celery and serrano chili peppers are mixed and…
Cauliflower with Crispy Crumbs
I enjoy all sorts of vegetables, but cauliflower is one of my favorites. As a child, my siblings and I were introduced to this cruciferous vegetable with my mother’s…
Melanzane alla Parmigiana
Whenever my son, Joe, and I try a new Italian restaurant, the “one dish” that is a make-or-break decision to return, is eggplant Parmesan. The ingredients should compliment one…
Delicata Squash
I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve ever made this squash. Last month my husband and I made a trip to our cabin in the California Sierras.…
Spaghetti-Stuffed Eggplant
Pasta and eggplant are often enjoyed together, whether it’s the classic Pasta alla Norma, an eggplant and spaghetti pie or simply a plate of buccatini to accompany Melanzane alla…
Arugula Salad with Warm Balsamic Dressing
Whether you call it arugula, rucola or rocket, this wild peppery plant has grown in the Mediterranean since Roman times. Rucola, the Italian name, is an edible herb and…
Holiday Brussels Sprouts
I really like Brussels sprouts. I enjoy them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I realize not everyone is a fan of this healthy cruciferous vegetable and most folks either…
Farro with Roasted Butternut Squash & Fried Sage Leaves
Farro is an ancient grain with a delicious, nutty flavor and chewy texture. Butternut squash is a hard winter vegetable and when roasted has a sweet flavor similar to…
Lemon Roasted Broccolini
Broccolini, sometimes referred to as baby broccoli, is a hybrid that has thinner stalks and a slightly sweeter taste than broccoli. If I am only cooking a small amount,…
Lemony Chickpea & Asparagus Salad
This fresh tasting, with a burst-of-lemon, salad is picnic-perfect. The star of this dish is the Mediterranean staple known as ceci in Italian or you may know it as…
Spinach Ricotta Fritters
Fritters are essentially a mixture of ingredients that are either pan-fried or deep-fried. They can be breaded or battered and contain just about anything such as, fruit (apple fritters),…