Apples, Pears, & Pumpkin Oh, My

October 24, 2011

  Fall means many magical things to so many people. Our collective sense memory for the fall season is huge. Just putting on a sweater and heading out to watch a football game or catch a soccer game, while the leaves change right before our eyes, makes us feel cozy inside. Yesterday, I was happy [...]

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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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Animal Powers & The Human Mind

August 8, 2011

Why is it that when someone is staring at us from across a crowded room we can instantly feel it? It is such a natural occurrence that we don’t bother to question it and is also a perfect example of how our psychic and intuitive sense is extremely natural. Still, over thousands of years of [...]

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