Tag: basil


Sep
2012

Food ‘n Flix – It’s Complicated

categories: Recipes

After missing a few months, I am finally back for the September Food ‘n Flix movie, hosted by France at Beyond the Peel.  The movie for this month was It’s Complicated, starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin.  Streep and Baldwin play a couple that have been divorced for over a decade but fall into an affair with each other after their youngest leaves for college – despite Baldwin being remarried and his cheating being the reason for their divorce in the first place.  Martin plays a new love interest for Streep who she could really hit it off with – if her affair with her ex wasn’t always getting in the way!

In the film, Streep owns a bakery and is an amazing home cook (her food being one of the things Baldwin misses most about her).  I was inspired by her gorgeous vegetable garden and her pastry skills to try a new version of my Squash Galette. (more…)


Aug
2012

Light and Fresh – Summer Food

categories: Recipes

The last time I posted a recipe for you was over a month ago!  Oh my goodness!  You have my deepest apologies, dear readers, and to make it up to you I will post not 1, not 2, but 3 delicious summer recipes for you!

Let’s start with this gorgeous zucchini tart from Closet Cooking (which is a blog that I highly recommend). Puff pastry is topped with a mixture of ricotta, feta, lemon, fresh herbs, and an egg along with thinly sliced zucchini and baked to puffy, golden perfection.  Served on its own or with a side salad, this is the perfect summer lunch.

Next up, take advantage of those juicy summer tomatoes in a slightly different take on a fresh tomato pasta with a Roasted Tomato Sauce. (more…)


May
2012

Spring Orzo Dishes

categories: Recipes

I was looking for a light (but filling) Spring side dish and stumbled upon this recipe for a Zucchini and Orzo Salad with Feta – perfect!  It was so delicious and refreshing that I ended up eating it by itself for lunch instead of pairing it with salmon like I had intended.

But I did still need a side for the salmon, and I had extra orzo and some Mascarpone that I needed to use up.  So I made this Creamy Mascarpone Pasta with Peas and Chives – yum! (more…)


Apr
2012

Food and Flix – Big Night

categories: Recipes

Last week, I stumbled upon this really cool concept blog called Food ‘n Flix that invites bloggers to watch a movie, make a dish inspired by the movie, then blog about it.  This month, the movie is Big Night (hosted by Spabettie) starring Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub as two hilarious Italian brothers that own a restaurant together.  In order to save the restaurant from bankruptcy, they risk everything they have on one extravagant dinner to impress a celebrity singer.

I loved the movie, it was cute and funny and well acted, and it made me SO HUNGRY.  It inspired me to make a Tricolore Lasagna in the colors of the Italian flag (green, white, and red). (more…)


Apr
2012

Easter Dinner

categories: Recipes

We didn’t really do anything for Easter this year, and I didn’t want to let it pass without a little bit of celebration – so I made some adorable little egg dishes in honor of the holiday. (more…)


Apr
2012

Spring Quiche

categories: Recipes

Spring vegetables are delicate and fresh and I think that one of the best ways to utilize them is in a quiche.  Fluffy eggs, creamy cheese, and flaky buttery crust – what’s not to love?  I used spinach and leeks this time, but zucchini and asparagus work great too! (more…)


Feb
2012

Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit

categories: Recipes


In trying to stick to my resolution to cook more salmon I was looking for something a little different and fun. To my surprise, I stumbled across two different recipes involving salmon and grapefruit. “Is that a thing?” I wondered, “A common pairing?” I had never thought of it before. I decided to take elements from both recipes to make one complete meal. (more…)


Oct
2011

Homemade Ricotta – Summer’s Last Hurrah

categories: Recipes

I was browsing through blogs and found a series of recipes on Alexandra’s Kitchen involving homemade ricotta cheese that looked perfect for the end of summer. The recipes all looked really great but I questioned whether or not making ricotta versus buying it would make that much of a difference. I decided to go ahead and try it since it didn’t look all that difficult.


All you have to do is boil milk and cream, and add vinegar to curdle the milk.

(more…)