Who stole the pickles from the pickle jar? The sous chef stole the pickles from the pickle jar. Who me? Yes you. Couldn’t be. Then who? Okay, okay. It wasn’t the sous chef. It was the pickle monster (aka, me.). The word obsession probably doesn’t do my pickle infatuation justice. I originally planned to use Boar’s Head Pickle…
Appetizer
Applewood Smoked Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp with a Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Friends, simple adjectives cannot do justice the flavor and beauty of this dish. As a seafood-aholic, I’ve had many a shrimp in my day. And this recipe is hands down the best shrimp I have ever had by leaps and bounds. Now, I know what you’re thinking: bacon, the diety of all things delicious, must…
Smoky Corn Chowder with Sweet Potatoes, Shrimp and Applewood Bacon
It’s mid-March and this winter has been relentless – I suppose it wanted to have one last jab before the first day of spring this coming Thursday. Needless to say, we had gobs of snow and thus, a snow day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thankful for the snow day but the warmer weather ahead…
Seared Sea Scallops with an Apple Cider and Balsamic Vinegar Glaze
I love sea scallops. Big, beautiful sea scallops. You know when you have your mind set on one dish you really, really want to make for dinner? Yeah, that happened. And the grocery store was out of those big, beautiful scallops. So, we improvise. It’s a critical and necessary function of cooking. Nonetheless, I settled…
Spinach and Arugula Salad with Raspberries, Avocado with a Red Wine-Dijon Vinaigrette
I am really, really excited about this salad. It’s perfect, seriously. It has the savory from the goat cheese, a bite from the red onion and the creaminess of the avocado. It’s simple – yet so complex – and in unison, delicious. Folks, this salad is a simple elegance. It’s wonderful as an appetizer and…
Tomato & Burrata Salad with a Basil Chiffonade
Burrata [boor-rah-tah]: Creamy, luscious goodness. Imagine buffalo mozzarella infused with cream. Yes, you’ve got it. A silky, heavenly mozzarella cheese. As a recovering caprese salad traditionalist, burrata has truly changed how I envision my perfect caprese. It might not be available at your local grocery store but a specialty grocery store or cheese shop likely carries…
Crunchy Greek Salad
This recipe is all about ease. Though it was my dinner tonight, it would make for a great small salad before dinner, a lunch or an afternoon snack. As my sous chef is taking a vacation from cooking, (he escaped the 12 degree Washington weather for -10 degree Missouri weather) I just didn’t feel confident…