January is National Soup Month 2023! My second recipe suggestion for National Soup Month is Black Bean Soup. I know, beans, especially dried beans aren’t very sexy. They just hang out in flimsy plastic bags on grocery store shelves with the firmness of a cold stone in your shoe, emitting no delicious aroma to entice you to say “Yes! I’m making beans for dinner tonight!”. The poor dried bean just can’t compete with pasta, pizza or a good steak. But I am here to say there is a place for beans at your table! Especially if you are a...
January is National Soup Month! There are seven types of soup - broth, consommé, cream, velouté-based, pureed, bisques, and chowders. And, there are so many recipes and variations for soup from every country and culture, my guess is one could cook a different soup daily and never get close to making them all. If you are not a “soup maker”, I hope the recipes I will share this month will inspire you to try at least one. Soup is one of those easy dishes to make that requires no sides to complement it. Of course, bread, salad and/or a sandwich...
I believe Middle Eastern cuisine offers some of the most delicious flavors in the world. This easy, delicious and unique biscotti recipe is no exception to this belief. Rose water, cardamom and pistachios combine to make a great option to the typical biscotti flavors of chocolate, mocha, almond, etc.
Umbria, a region of Italy that boarders it’s most famous cousin, Tuscany, is called the country's green heart. It is known for its medieval hill towns, dense forests and local cuisine, particularly foraged truffles, and wines. My husband Matthew & I have visited Umbria on two occasions and have both times stayed in the small walled town of Montafalco. We had wonderful times there; Truffle hunting and then drinking Prosecco and eating omelets made with fresh eggs, homemade pecorino cheese and truffles, right in the forest where we found them. Drinking many glasses Sagrantino wine (Montafalco is the only place...
I can only imagine the amount of revenue Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte is responsible for bringing into their coffers each year. It must be quite substantial. Heck, when they first came out with it in 2003, I alone must have bought enough of their Pumpkin Spice Latte’s to at least allow my local Starbucks to make rent for the months of September, October and November! Wikipedia says, “Pumpkin Spice Latte became Starbucks' most popular seasonal beverage, with more than 200 million sold between its 2003 introduction and 2015”. You do that math!Anyways, I still love pumpkin spice lattes, but being...
In the grocery store, often times these mini pumpkins are sold next to the gourds which implies they should only be used for decoration. However, they are not only delicious when baked, but make a fun and festive presentation on a Thanksgiving table or buffet. Kids and adults alike enjoy seeing them and eating them! Just as delish as baked acorn squash or baked butternut squash they are fast and easy to make. Don't just save them for Turkey Day. They add a pop of color to anything they are served alongside. We especially love them with pork as well...
