A crostata or galette is a rustic dessert. It’s pie dough wrapped around fresh fruit and baked to delicious goodness. I consider blueberry crostata a “healthy” dessert, since it is mostly fruit, right? I love making blueberry crostata. Without being a good baker I was successful the very first time! YAY. Even my husband, the designated…
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Bun Cha: Vietnamese Pork Meatballs
While visiting Hanoi I was introduced to bun cha: Vietnamese Pork Meatballs. It was a life changing experience. Really, it was. During the Christmas holiday in 2017 my family and I took a trip to Vietnam. My daughter is an English teacher there. On one of our first days she booked us a street…
Black Beans, Feta, Basil, Red Onion, and Tomato Salad
A delicious side dish for any of your summer meals. Black beans, feta, basil, red onion, and tomato salad goes great with anything and everything. I recently made it for a family gathering, and it went over really well. Having said that, I thought I’d share with all of you. Spread the love, you know!…
10 Easy Easter Recipes
Holy cow! St. Patricks’s day came and went and Easter’s right on top of us. I hope these 10 easy Easter recipes give you some good ideas for your family’s upcoming Easter dinner. I decided to split things evenly: five desserts and five main dishes. There’s something for everyone in this roundup. Every single one of…
Spicy Thai Style Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are a great summer meal. Light, crunchy, and delicious. This is the kind of dish you crave when the mercury rises and heavy foods are out of the question. For those who are looking to curb the dreaded carbs, they are perfect. What’s a lettuce wrap anyways? I first tried lettuce wraps years…
Authentic Brazilian Cheese Bread – Pão de Queijo
In Portuguese, the name is pão de queijo. I heard a lot about this authentic Brazilian cheese bread my gluten-free friend. She’s a celiac, and therefore no wheat. I’ve always been intrigued for a long time. I recently met a lady from Brazil at a conference. Her name is Claudia, and she runs a hip and…
Irish Butter Cookies
You’ve heard the expression “It’s better with butter”, you can now add Irish to this old saying. Am I exaggerating? No! Irish butter cookies will prove this to you. Irish butter cookies are to die for! They will literally melt in your mouth, thanks to the magic of Kerrygold butter. No this is not a…
The Easiest Shortbread Crust
The arrival of the holidays means being busy busy busy. There’s presents to buy and wrap, decorating the house, and parties to attend. With all the hustle it can be easy to cave to your local grocery store for ready-made desserts. I get it. As much as I love my desserts. I don’t like…
French Patisserie Fruit Tart
Without a doubt French patisserie fruit tart is among my most favorite desserts. Topped with copious amounts of fruit, I’m being healthy, right? As long as I ignore the cream filling. This dessert wows visually, but it’s not difficult to put together Three parts: shortcrust, cream filling, and fruit topping. The glaze is optional and…
Authentic Tortilla Espanola – Spanish Potato Pie
Tortilla Espanola is a simple, delicious dish to enjoy as a main or appetizer. In Spain, it’s a tapas staple (appetizer). At home, we enjoy it with salad greens. Tortilla Espanola consists of 4 basic ingredients: potatoes, onions, eggs and olive oil. Salt and pepper are added to taste. As far as the origins are concerned, my…
Garbanzo Beans with Tomatoes and Onions
Garbanzo beans with tomatoes and onions is a simple yet delicious tapas dish. The delicate flavors of the onion and tomato along with soft creamy garbanzo when cooked is something you must experience with your appetizer happy hour. It is hard to believe that this funny little legume packs such a flavor and nutritional punch….
The Easiest Peach Crostata – Step by step
During this marvelous season of peaches, what better dessert to make than a peach crostata. A crostata or galette is a scrumptious, rustic dessert. It’s pie dough wrapped around fresh fruit and baked to golden goodness. In my book, I consider peach crostata a “healthy” dessert, since it’s mostly fruit, right? The beauty of this dessert, lies in its…
Shrimp Ceviche Recipe
A delicious twist on the fish original. This Latin American appetizer is a party classic and oh so easy. Chop, mix done! What are you waiting for? Go make some ceviche, and don’t forget that nice cold beer to wash it down with. The origins of ceviche are as confusing as its multiple spellings. In…
How to Make Thai Mango Sticky Rice
Mango sticky rice is one of those Thai dishes you HAVE to try. You will be amazed at how such an unlikely duo can make such a decadent dessert. Lately I’ve been on this Thai food kick. It all started when my daughter sent us two books on Thai cooking from her ongoing adventures in…
Authentic Moroccan Spice Blend: Ras el Hanout
Ras el Hanout is an authentic Moroccan spice blend that is rich and aromatic to say the least. Its name in Arabic translates to top of the shop. This means that the quality of the spices that go into this amazing blend are “top notch” for lack of a better term. According to some of…
