Pumpkin coconut soup with walnut gremolata - delicious, heart-warming pumpkin soup, with crunchy, garlicky topping of toasted walnuts and coconut - it's fall comfort food in its best. November 1st brought cold and rain. It literally happened overnight, and we went from wearing short sleeves on Halloween night, to wrapping ourselves in our ...
Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions
Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions, topped with crunchy pine nuts and briny capers - it's a symphony of textures and fall flavors, and a fantastic meal in itself, this salad doubles up as the perfect potluck dish, or Thanksgiving side. Last weekend, we packed our bags, and headed for a 4 hour drive up north, to the Mendocino ...
Roasted cauliflower salad with hazelnuts
Roasted cauliflower salad with hazelnuts - warm, earthy, slightly sweet, and nutty - this fall salad is absolutely fantastic, and worthy of your holiday table. With Halloween successfully behind us, it's time to think about the next big holiday on the line. It's funny how lately, I've been seeing wild turkeys quite often in parks and ...
Heaven on Earth {French Polynesia Trip}
This summer we decided to go on a second honeymoon after being married for 13 years. It wasn't a big anniversary, or any other special occasion. But why should it really? I was gripped by this unexplained urgency that I need to seize the moment, now - not later, when I am turning 50, or when we are celebrating our 25th. With our kids tucked ...
Sauteed Crab Over Squash Puree
Sauteed crab over squash puree - a lovely medley of flavors that come together as an elegant and delicious appetizer. This sauteed crab over squash puree is such a festive appetizer that's also easy to make, and quick to impress. The inspiration for it came from a recent vacation in French Polynesia. The chef at the private island resort ...
Parsnips with rosemary butter and walnuts
Parsnips with rosemary butter and walnuts - soft, mildly sweet parsnips, and carrots, perfumed with earthy rosemary butter, and toasty walnuts - this a fantastic fall side dish, done in minutes. It's root vegetable season. Root veggies are exciting to work with, and parsnips in particular are a very interesting ingredient. They look ...