You will almost alway find a mason jar filled with Chocolate Ganache in our refrigerator. Ganache is great to have on hand for an impromptu dessert. The higher quality chocolate you use, the smoother your ganache will be. For this particular batch we used a Lindt 70% Dark Smooth bar that you can…
Almond Cake with Amaro
I love anything with almonds or almond flavors. Amaro Montenegro is a traditional Amaro distilled in Bologna, Italy. It is made using over 40 herbs, including vanilla and orange peels, bottled at 23%vol. The Amaro was first produced by Stanislao Cobianchi in 1885 and is named after Princess Elena of Montenegro. So, this is my…
Meatballs in Fiore Marinara Sauce
There is so much to say about these Meatballs in Fiore Marinara Sauce. They are part family, part Rao’s. Rao’s is a hundred year old restaurant tucked away in East Harlem, New York. The restaurant became so popular that the owners decided that rather than turn away longtime customers who could not act fast…
Fiore Marinara Sauce
This simple Fiore Marinara Sauce has abundant flavor. My husband is Italian and this was his Grandmother’s marinara sauce. I never had the privilege of meeting Lucy Fiore, but I understand she was quite a life force. This is the marinara sauce I use for almost everything requiring a red sauce; I use it for…
Coeur à la Crème
I have always wanted to make Coeur à la Crème. It is so beautiful on a plate. The name means “hearts of cream”, and I know it is not chocolate but it still seems perfect for Valentine’s Day. I love that it is not sweet and a little bit tart. It can easily be doubled…
No Bean Chicken Chili
Try this delicious No Bean Chicken Chili and I guarantee you won’t miss the beans. When I was in the corporate world, in another life, we would have potluck lunches around the holidays. This chili is what I would always make; with garnishes. I would prepare it on the stovetop and transport it in…
Puffed Pear Pancake
I have been making this Puffed Pear Pancake for years. It is one of our breakfast favorites! I started making it with apples and vanilla, but now I make it with pears and almond extract. I used a cast iron frying pan for this one, you can also use a 9 x 13 inch baking…
Simple Salad Dressing
When I lived in Paris, my dear friend Madeleine taught me how to make this Simple Salad Dressing. I have not bought a salad dressing in a store, since 2004. You can vary the dressing by changing the kind of vinegar (red wine, white wine, champagne, balsamic, lemon, lime, or orange), depending on what you are…
Chorizo and Seafood Paella with Cauliflower
This Chorizo and Seafood Paella with Cauliflower is a Paleo version of paella. Instead of using rice I used cauliflower. It looks a little different but the flavor and texture is exceptional. Once you have done the prep work, it comes together very quickly. I love how the flavor of the saffron is so subtle…
Duck Terrine with Apricots
I bought a vintage Le Creuset Pate/Terrine pan at an antique store in Bath, Maine, perfect for Duck Terrine with Apricots. I loved it when I first saw it, but wanted to sleep on it. Since it was all I could think about the next day, I called the store and they mailed it to…