Recipes

Best Ever Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy, Wilted Swiss Chard, & Baked Polenta

October 24, 2011

  Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy, Wilted Swiss Card and Baked Polenta 6 pounds 3-inch-long meaty beef short ribs Coarse kosher salt 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup olive oil, divided 3 cups chopped onions 3 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled turnips (about 1 pound) 2 cups chopped peeled carrots (about 8 [...]

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Spice it up & Live Better!

October 12, 2011

Cayenne pepper has been used for centuries as a medicinal and culinary herb. The Aztecs and Mayans used it quite extensively as a staple in their diets . Medicinal herbalists revere it in the alternative health community  for its remarkable array of health benefits and get this: turning up the heat in your food just [...]

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SKINNY PENNE PASTA WITH CHICKEN & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

October 12, 2011

This heart healthy sauce (you would never know it) derives its distinctive addictive character from smoky crushed red pepper flakes, flavorful sun dried-tomatoes, and slightly sweet evaporated skim milk. SKINNY PENNE PASTA WITH CHICKEN & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES Makes 4 servings. Ingredients • ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes • ½ cup boiling water • 6 oz boneless, [...]

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Ghosts, & Other Things That Go Bump In the Night

October 10, 2011

  The more enlightened our houses are, the more their walls ooze ghosts. ~Italo Calvino  The first time I stepped into our home, I felt a sense of calm. For me “calm” is a huge accomplishment. In our home, just like being at the ocean, calm seems to happen more naturally for me. High on [...]

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Pumpkin Leek Soup

October 10, 2011

 Eat, drink and be scary~ Author Unknown Fall is a delicious time to make homemade soups, stews, chili, risotto, and all kinds of braised meats and vegetables. This Halloween season, a hot bowl of Pumpkin Leek Soup is extremely nurturing and good for all of us. Pumpkin is one of the most nutritional foods available [...]

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Manners & Crepes When It Matters

August 19, 2011

The world has lost its manners. I think nothing is as authentic and genuine as a handwritten thank-you note. My children were raised writing them before they were allowed to play with the gifts that they received. Now teenagers, I have to hunt them down and sit on them, but sit on them I do. [...]

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Tuscan Inspired Tomato Soup & Caprese Inspired Grilled Cheese

August 11, 2011

“I left my heart on a hill in Toscana….” ~GAYLE DEJULIO   My husband and I have another item listed on our soon to experience list: live like a local in Tuscany, Italy. Rent a villa, have guests and family come and go. Go to the local farmers market. Cook and eat outside under the stars [...]

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Dreaming of Lake Como & Sipping Limoncello

August 9, 2011

“I always carry a flask with me in case I’m bitten by a snake. Which I also carry with me.” WC Fields Lake Como is Italy’s most popular lake and also its deepest. Beautiful villas, resort villages, mountains, hills, and stunning, breathtaking views surround the lake. Lake Como has great restaurants, stores, and hiking paths [...]

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A little Magic, A little Passion

August 4, 2011

  There are times in life when things come together with such synchronicity that you feel part of a much bigger plan. When my husband shot Conversations With God and Somewhere In Time, he experienced weather that was written into the script to happen just at the right moment and other mystical occurrences. (You can [...]

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Skinny Summer Berry Cheesecake


July 26, 2011

  In honor of  Stephen’s  health boost I am opening up some of my vegan and vegetarian cookbooks to inspire me. This recipe is vegan but certainly didn’t taste it at all. I fooled my house guests and my guy. Skinny Summer Berry Cheesecake Ingredients 3/4 cup Earth Balance 2 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs* 1 [...]

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