Halibut en Papillote with Pernod

Great things come in small packages, especially when you cook en papillote. Halibut en Papillote or Halibut al Cartoccio. Both a French and an Italian method of cooking fish in an enclosed parchment paper pouch along with veggies, herbs, wine and or butter. Serves 4 The first time you have this dish, it feels like…

Tangerine (Mandarin) Mimosa

A gorgeous and delicious twist to the classic mimosas prepared with fresh tangerine juice, Prosecco, and Grand Marnier liqueur. Tangerines are coming to the end of their season and are super sweet. The Tangerine Mimosa is uniquely different and refreshing. The perfect ratio of sparkling wine to tangerine juice is up to you.  My suggestion…..

Brie and Grilled Artichoke Tart with Pesto

Serves 4 or 6-8 appetizer portions Nothing says “You’re the best, Mom” like brunch… Parenting is such hard work, now more than ever, this year, if you happen to be sheltering in place with Mom, embrace staying in and do it up big! For this special day, treat her to a fabulous brunch spread or…

Lavender-Vanilla Crème Brûlée

Crème Brûlée is one of the worlds most famous and seductive desserts. Its status is well deserved -delicious, sophisticated, and elegant, there are few people who can resist it. Serves 4-6 depending on ramekin size Julia Child believed that every woman should own a blowtorch. If you’ve lucky enough to have one, it will come…

Spring Panzanella Salad

Bread Salad. Just think about that for a second. Put the word “bread” in front of the word “salad” and you get people’s attention real quick. Serves 4-6 Just add some good grassy olive oil and chunks of summer tomato and they become very good listeners. If you’ve never tried Panzanella, you’re in for a treat. This classic Tuscan…

Crispy Ginger Chicken Thighs with Garlicky Croutons

This might be the simplest, most intensely flavorful chicken you’ve ever tied with garlic croutons perfect for soaking up the luscious juices. Serves 4 Chicken so full of flavor, yet so simple, and it’s all done in one skillet. Chicken breasts might get all the press, but it’s the humble chicken thigh that really delivers…

Brownie Mocha Latte Cheesecake

It’s a fancy mocha latte in the form of a cheesecake with a brownie base.  Serves 12-16 Let’s talk about the amazing ridiculousness that is this cake. The smooth, and creamy cheesecake with a kick of coffee flavor. If you love coffee, ☑️ if you love chocolate, ☑️ if you love brownies, if you love…

Black Forest Expresso Cake with a Bittersweet – Kahlúa® Glaze

Here it is: death-by-chocolate. But what a way to go! Serves 14-16 This is a magical cake – unadulterated chocolate bliss. The texture is similar to that of a very creamy truffle, but even fudgier. It’s critical that you use top quality chocolate for this recipe, such as Valrhona, Scharffen Berger or Lindt. For the…

Herb & Panko Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mint Yogurt Sauce

Roasted rack of lamb is a brilliant centerpiece dish because it’s effortlessly-impressive to serve for special occasions, yet simple to prepare for an everyday meal. You’ll not go wrong with this roasted rack of lamb. The recipe uses a Panko coating with a blend of fresh spices that makes gives it full flavor. It also calls…

Poppy Seed Angel Food Cake with Grapefruit Curd

Serves 8-10 Ready for a slice of heaven? We are no stranger to decadent and rich cakes. But what about a cake recipe where butter, fat, and egg yolks run away in fright? No matter how healthfully we try to eat, most of us sometimes craves something sweet and more so during tough times. A…

Seared Scallops with a Sun dried Tomato-Corn & Bacon vinaigrette

Serves 4 Most people are familiar bacon wrapped scallops but if you’ve made it you’d know that neither was cooked properly. Because scallops take only a few minutes to cook, it always seems like the bacon, which takes longer to cook it always underdone. This recipe is the solution. The scallops are seared for a…

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

Serves 6 The distinctive heat of wasabi plays off the mildness of mashed potatoes – by adding a few teaspoons adds a bit kick, elevating plain mashed potatoes to something truly extraordinary. It really works well with any Asian marinated flank steak, salmon, shrimp and shrimp. I leave the skins on when using baby yukon…

Dried Fruit & Nut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Baby Potatoes and a Fried Thyme-Bacon Vinaigrette

Serves 4-6 This may look and sound fancy but it’s a breeze to make that even a novice could do it. Intensely flavored dried fruit and nuts really seems to bring out the clean, delicate qualities of the pork. Furthermore, the dried fruit and nuts provide a sweetness, tartness, and acidity that showcases the meat…

Kale & Sweet Potato Salad with Harissa Roasted Chickpeas & a Harissa Ranch Dressing

Eating healthy doesn’t have to be boring nor does it have to break the bank. The last 2 days have been really hot here in N. Dallas which is a sure sign that spring is here, it also means summer is just around and “bulking season” is over. What better way to shed that bulk…eating…

Spagheti con Polpette di Tacchino al Limoncello a.k.a Limoncello Pasta with Lemon Turkey Meatballs

Serves 3 – 4 Forget about, “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade.” Instead, When Life Gives You Lemons…Make LIMONCELLO PASTA. This recipe came about when we were on a super tight budget and needed a dish that was quick and easy to make. It’s a weeknight dish that’s impressive enough to serve at a…

Banana Oat Muffins with Pecan & Oats Streusel Topping

I’ve never been very good at banana management – I tend to buy a bunch, eat a few and then watch the rest turn black. I love fruit especially after dinner but winter time there isn’t much to choose from other than citrus, apples, pears and bananas. So when I ask Timothy to shop for…

Rainbow Pepper Crusted Ribeye Steaks with Wild Mushroom Compound Butter

Serves 2 Steak dinners are usually the mark of a special occasion and can be made to feel decadent. It normally entails an outing to big, fancy restaurant and the check that follows. Why spend that money on table service when you can make these restaurant quality steaks in the comfort of you own home….

Brown Butter Lobster with Truffle Butter Fettuccini

Serves 2 – 3 It’s Valentine’s Day, you forgot to make dinner reservations, so you’re knee-deep in Pinterest, trying to find a meal you can make fast with stuff that isn’t going to break the bank or be hard to find. Oh yeah, it’s also gotta be somewhat impressive and romantic. This is basically the…

Framboise Chocolate Torta

Serves 10-12 Framboise chocolate torta is a European-style cake that is extremely moist with deep chocolate notes that conspire with Framboise (raspberry liqueur) and fresh raspberry purée then draped with a chocolate butter glaze. This is a chocoholics dream which is why I always make it for Valentines Day for Timothy. I recommend using artisanal…

Polpette Alla Romana Sub a.k.a Roman-Style Meaball Sub

Makes 12 Subs The perfect meatball sandwich first needs perfect meatballs, great sauce and gooey melty cheese. Once you have those two in place, the rest is a matter of construction and bara bing, bada boom. So back to the meatballs…roasting them on an wire rack gets them evenly browned and keeps them juicy. Adding…

Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Leeks

This sheet pan dinner you are definitely gonna want to make! It is filled with so much flavor – Harissa-laced roasted chicken; crunchy sweet potatoes; browned leeks & onions; topped with a creamy tangy Feta Sauce and strewn with lots of fresh vibrant herbs. Harissa is a fiery-hot North African hot paste, that enlivens everything…

Green Tabasco Roast Chicken

Anytime I think about roast chicken, this is what comes to mind each time — a juicy, crispy-skinned bird. And in case you’re thinking “roast chicken is roast chicken,” as I once did, I’m here to tell you that this is not just any roast chicken recipe. “Lek jou lippe” or “Lip smacking good” Afrikaans…

Pommes Anna al Tartufo a.k.a. Truffle Pommes Anna

Serves 4-6 This is our interpretation of the French classic Pommes Anna. We kicked it up a notch with the addition of truffle Pecorino for an elegant cheesy twist. Named after a mid-19th-century Parisian beauty, this crispy, buttery potato cake with a creamy center is special occasion fare. It’s a marvel still, every time we…

Truffle-infused French Onion Soup

Serves 8-10 Few soups get people as misty-eyed as French onion. Literally and figuratively speaking, for some. Sure, at times I count myself among the many who cry while slicing pounds and pounds of onions. Despite the waterworks, it’s hard to resist the result: a rich, fragrant, deeply colored pot of comfort. The best renditions…

Roasted Carrot-Ginger Soup with Coconut Roasted Shrimp

Serves 4 We LOVE, LOVE, L_O_V_E this soup, and that’s without exaggeration. The carrots natural flavor and sweetness is enhanced by roasting the carrots before for 10 minutes. This carrot-ginger soup has the perfect flavor balance with the sweetness from the carrots and the warm and heat from the ginger. A little coconut milk and…

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake

These are classic American childhood flavors, combined in very grown-up way. The cake features a crispy wafer crust topped with layers of peanut butter and chocolate mousse, then finished with a chocolate glaze and a sprinkling of crunchy peanuts.

Tequila Flambéed Shrimp Tacos with a Pineapple-Avocado, Black Bean Salsa

There are tacos and THEN THERE are tacos! Timothy and I were talking about how we wanted to describe these tacos and all that comes to mind is “blerre lekker!!” Translated means “bloody tasty.” We’re both from South Africa and our first language is English and our second is Afrikaans, so sometimes when we want to…

Quick Pickled Red Onion

A condiment that’s perfect on tacos, sandwiches, avocado toast, salads and so much more. Ingredients: 1 cup apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar ¼ – ⅓ cup water ¼ cup sugar 1 red onion, cut in ½ then cut into ⅛ inch with the natural grain 1 tablespoon Kosher salt or Sea salt 1…

Jalapeño Candied Bacon Snack Mix

The best snack mix ever with a warning label that says ADDICTIVE! Seriously the most irresistible batch of Chex Mix you’ve ever tried. Now you might wonder; “Chex Party Mix? But I can just buy that in bags from the supermarket!” Trust me it doesn’t taste nearly as delectable as this homemade version. It’s hard…