The condiment queen strikes again… I have two words for this dish: Sauce. Galore. Okay, okay, maybe there’s more than that. Because there’s the fish, too, of course. Or we could always rename this dish to “Basil Pesto and Creamed Corn with a Side of Sea Bass”. Just kidding – I adore sea bass. It’s…
Southwest Grilled Chicken with Avocado, Chipotle Crema and Vegetable Kebabs
Sometimes, we just need an easy dish. Something so simple that we can create the dish completely absent-minded; because after a long day, we could all use a break – not to mention, a glass of wine or three. And admittedly, while the kitchen always has a place in my stomach, er… heart (it really…
Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Chicken with an Herb-Tomato Sauce
Let’s face it – I’m a sucker for cheese. Just like wine. And any other condiment on our planet. So you get the cheese – with the tomato sauce as a condiment – and wine to boot? Hello, heaven. Friends, this is creamy, savory and such an easy weeknight dinner. It’s one of those dishes that…
Peruvian-Style Cornish Game Hens with an Aji Amarillo Sauce
If you’re around the Washington, D.C. area, you’re likely familiar with the many Peruvian chicken restaurants – especially Pollo Rico, famed by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations. And they’re famous for a reason: the chicken is fall-off-the-bone delicious with so, so much flavor (if you haven’t tried them, you’re really missing out!). The chicken also…
Spice-Rubbed New York Strip Steaks with a Horseradish Cream Sauce
My sous chef and I were in the meat and seafood section of the grocery store yesterday, perusing for something that tickled our fancy for dinner. We’re very much so planners – but yesterday we decided to be wild and crazy and walk down to the store on a whim to pick something up (I…
Blackened Shrimp Skewers with Avocado-Cilantro Buttermilk Dressing
Fire up your grill, memorial day party-goers: these treasures will be the chocolate to your peanut butter; the bonnie to your clyde; or… the spicy shrimp bites to your coronas (yes, plural). Yup, we’ll stick to that third one. These are seriously a perfect appetizer – but we went wild and even had them for…
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Bacon, Candied Pecans and a Balsamic Glaze
I love warm goat cheese. It’s ooey-gooey melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a perfect crunch to contrast from the creamy goodness. And with bacon? Well, we all know everything is better than bacon. And as a not-so-recovering goat cheese and bacon addict, this beauty of a salad certainly gave me my fix. Not to mention, a perfect…
Brussels Sprouts with Smoked Balsamic Vinegar, Shallots and Slivered Almonds
I do love me some brussels sprouts. And you should too. Because these babies are delicious. You get the perfect zing from the balsamic vinegar, crunch from the almonds and just flavor. flavor. flavor. from the shallots and garlic. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Okay, well, no lemon squeezes – but this is super easy and…
Old Bay Salmon-Corn Cakes with a Cayenne-Horseradish Remoulade
These are uh-maze-ing. Nothing short of it. Seriously brilliant. When I first suggested the idea of making salmon cakes my sous chef was completely averse: he was dead-set on crab cakes and wasn’t looking back. While we’ve made amazing crab cakes, there is no harm in experimenting – and friends, these babies are proof. Now,…
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad with Bell Peppers and Red Onion
These past couple of weeks I’ve been bogged down in school work leaving little time for cooking; luckily, it’s all over Saturday – I’ll be graduating – and will happily return to the kitchen to share more yummy creations with you. Now don’t be fooled, while I couldn’t make cooking a priority, I assure you…