Cooking Show: Vegan Recipes! Zucchini Noodles with Avocado/Pistachio Pesto, Pineapple-Lemon Mojitos, Strawberry & Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing and Paleo Berry-Almond Crumble!

I need to confess that our recently-filmed cooking show was a bit out of my comfort zone!

My friend, Dot, cooked with me.  Dot is a vegan. The theme of each cooking show typically features a menu that mirrors the type of cuisine that my guest would like.  I went into overdrive, trying to come up with a vegan menu...a menu that Dot would approve of, with recipes that would be enjoyed by vegans as well as non-vegans!  

My (non-vegan) family willingly taste-tested all of my attempts and experimenting as I tried to come up with decent recipes.

Some of those attempts were just awful, but my family never complained.  All of the failures only helped to illuminate the recipes that were worth keeping!

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado/Pistachio Pesto

Soooo good!  Zoodles coated with creamy avocado pesto, accented with sun-dried tomatoes...what's not to love?

 Strawberry/Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

We featured this recipe on the cooking show a few years ago.  It's an oldie but goodie!

Click here to be taken to the printable recipe.

Pineapple-Lemon Mojitos

This recipe was inspired by a bottle of Pineapple-Lemon seltzer that I bought on a recent trip to the supermarket.

However, if you can not find pineapple-lemon seltzer, I promise you that you can substitute average, plain, basic seltzer and these mojitos will taste just fine!

How do I know this?  In the interest of quality control, I prepared two batches of mojitos for my family to taste-test (one batch with pineapple-lemon seltzer and one batch with plain seltzer), and the consensus was that both batches were fabulous!

          Berry-Almond Crumble

Please don't let my lack of photography skills scare you. 

This dessert is paleo as well as vegan, and it is FABULOUS.  After he took his first bite, my husband declared, "I could eat this whole thing by myself."

The sweetness of the warm berries combined with the crunchy almond topping is a winning combo!

Cooking Show: What to Make When It's Too Hot to Cook!

Our recent cooking show didn't require much cooking.  

My friend, Lisa, assisted me. We focused on preparing recipes that aren't going to heat up your kitchen while you prepare them.  Sandwiches, wraps, tacos, parfaits and drinks!

Creamy-Dreamy Orange Martini

Would you like to make a drink that tastes like a Creamsicle®, but doesn't involve ice cream?  We've got you covered!

The secret ingredient is whipped cream vodka.

 Triple-Decker Club Sandwiches with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

These sandwiches should be made to suit your taste!  Use your absolute favorite ingredients and have fun stacking them together.  Click on the link to be taken to a list of suggested ingredients and assembly instructions.

Chicken Guacamole Wraps

Buying a store-cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket means that YOU won't have any cooking to do!  Just stir the ingredients together, wrap and enjoy.

Lime-Cilantro Shrimp Tacos

This was the only recipe that we prepared which required a teensy bit of cooking.  Just about 5 minutes to sauté the shrimp.

As if the heat from the habañero peppers wasn't enough, we decided to heat up the kitchen to cook the shrimp.  

This recipe is crazy delicious.

 Totally worth cooking for a few minutes on a hot night and heating up your kitchen just a bit.

Blackberry Parfaits

My daughters were both enthusiastic taste-testers when I was tweaking this recipe for the cooking show.  It's a fancier version of their favorite childhood summer snack! When they were younger and I was desperate for them to not eat junk food snacks, I would give them skewers of fruit to dip into yogurt with whipped cream mixed into it.  Now, twenty years later, it's their version of comfort food!

Cooking Show: Spice is Nice! Fajita Rice, Cinco de Mayo Salad with Chicken, Ginger Soy Shrimp Salad and Frozen Mango-Peach Cocktails

Our recent cooking show featured recipes to wake up your taste buds.

A bit of spice makes everything nice! 

My friend, Maribeth, cooked with me and we covered all the bases with salads, festive rice, and a fruity, frozen concoction to wash it all down.

Frozen Mango-Peach Cocktails

We've featured this recipe on a previous show, but it bears repeating!! Toss frozen mango chunks, simple syrup, lime juice, peach schnapps and ice cubes into a blender and minutes later you'll be sipping this tropical cocktail.  

Fajita Rice with Chicken

Easy clean-up because you only need one pan! Rice, veggies, seasonings, broth, rotisserie chicken--stir it up, let it simmer, sprinkle with cheese...

 ...add your favorite toppings and voilà!

A fabulous combination of spicy/melty/creamy/YUM.

Cinco de Mayo Chicken Salad with Salsa Dressing

A meal that's easy to throw together if you're pressed for time! 

This has recently been the go-to salad in my house.  I marinate the chicken for 15 minutes (a simple mix of olive oil and spices) and while it's marinating I prep the salad and whisk together the dressing.

 Ginger/Soy Shrimp Salad

If you're in the mood for an Asian-inspired salad, we've got you covered!

Another quick salad where you're going to marinate the protein (in this case, shrimp) while you prep your salad and dressing.  A few minutes under the broiler is all it takes to cook the shrimp!

Cooking Show: Slow Cooker Ribs & Chili, Wedge Salad and Roasted Potatoes

We're still waiting here in New England for this seemingly endless winter to end.

Snow in April? Check.

Comfort food still on the menu? Check.

I've been looking forward to spring for months (since the first week of January), but until warmer temperatures actually arrive I'm still cooking comfort food and our latest cooking show menu featured a few favorites!

Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Fall-off-the-bone perfection.  When they're done, throw them onto your grill or stick them under the broiler for a minute or two to crisp them up!

Click here for the printable recipe.

Slow Cooker White Chili.   Perfect chili for a chilly day!

Roasted Parmesan Potatoes.  

My friend, Amy, cooked with me and she has informed me that these are "Everyone's new favorite potato!"

They are so quick and easy to prepare.  No special skills required!

And finally....

Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

I admit that this was my favorite recipe of the night.  Try this and you will agree that salad can be a comfort food!  Crunchy lettuce, creamy dressing and sweet tomatoes topped with crunchy pancetta.  What's not to love?

Cooking Show: St. Patrick's Day Recipes

We filmed an episode of the cooking show last week.  

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching, and given that Dan the Awesome Cameraman hails from the Emerald Isle, it seemed appropriate to feature recipes for a St. Patrick's Day celebration!

We started with a batch of Homemade Irish Cream Liqueur.  If you like Baileys® Irish Cream, you will love this recipe!

My friend, Maureen, was my co-chef for this show.  When we were setting up before the show, I poured her a shot from a batch I had already made.

I wish the cameras were running to capture the look on her face when she took that first sip!  All of a sudden her eyes popped open, like OH MY.  

No special skills are needed for this recipe!  Just pour all of the ingredients into a blender and five minutes later you will be having an OH MY moment of your own. 

Irish Soda Bread

My favorite moment came after we were done filming.  Dan the Awesome Cameraman took a bite of this bread, closed his eyes and said, "Ahhh, lovely!" in his lilting Irish brogue.

Click here for the printable recipe.

 And finally, Chocolate Guinness Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting .

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

These photos simply do not do this cake justice.  It is so chocolatey, so deep, dark and delicious.  And the frosting is the perfect combo of whipped and creamy.

If you make this cake, I promise that you will not be disappointed!

Cooking Show: It's a Wrap!

Our recent cooking show featured an assortment of wrap sandwiches--Southwestern, Italian and Asian-inspired.

Although each type of wrap has its own distinct flavor, the method of preparation was the same: start with shredded chicken (use a rotisserie chicken!), add assorted veggies, drizzle with a flavorful dressing.

Caprese Chicken Wraps with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and fresh basil. My favorite combo!

Asian Chicken Wraps with Ginger Teriyaki Dressing

Always a hit in my house.  Loaded with fresh, crunchy veggies, it will curb your craving for Chinese takeout and you can pat yourself on the back for making a healthier choice!

Southwestern Chicken Rollups

I unabashedly admit that this is my favorite.  Combine the chicken with the dressing, then customize the rollups with assorted add-ins--avocado, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce.  I'll take the works, please.

Butterscotch Pudding

Pudding from scratch, so creamy and so dreamy!

Cooking Show--Tomato Recipes

I feel like I beat this subject to death...but am I the only one who wants to skip right through winter and into summer?

I'm not even going to pretend that winter tomatoes can compare to summer tomatoes...but cooking with ingredients that remind me of summer is one way to beat the winter blues.  Bring on the tomato recipes!

We started with BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing.

So simple, yet so good!  The assorted tiny tomatoes are very sweet and flavorful, drizzled with a creamy buttermilk dressing...I can close my eyes and almost feel like summer is here.  Almost.

Italian Chicken Wraps with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

A couple of tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes in the dressing provide a big punch of flavor!

Creamy Tuscan Shrimp with Pasta

Another recipe where a handful of sun-dried tomatoes add a wallop of flavor!

My friend, Trish, was cooking with me and we discussed adding a few mushrooms in...we ultimately decided against this, but next time I make this recipe I'm planning on adding some 'shrooms!

 Oatmeal Sheetcake with Caramel/Coconut Frosting

Okay, this recipe certainly departs from our tomato theme, but Dan the Awesome Cameraman is a fan of all things sweet. We haven't filmed a dessert since November and I want to keep him happy!

This dense cake is oozing with cinnamon flavor, and the caramel topping (perfectly browned by placing the frosted cake under the broiler for a minute) adds a crunchy texture.

New Recipes for the New Year

Happy New Year!

The idea for our latest cooking show was sparked during a recent trip to the supermarket.  Another shopper noticed the spaghetti squash in my cart and started asking questions:

"Is that a spaghetti squash? What are you going to make? How do you cook it?"

It only took me a few minutes to answer her questions.  It was her final comment that caused the rusty gears in my head to start turning: "It sounds easy enough.  I guess I just need to branch out and try new things."

Hmmm, I thought to myself, the next cooking show could revolve around that theme.  We all get stuck in a rut now and then.

Maybe you've never cooked spaghetti squash before, or maybe you're looking for a twist to your usual prep methods --like baking slices of eggplant parm individually, instead of frying and layering them casserole-style. My friend, Joanie, joined me for this show.  At the end of the night she declared, "I think I may have found my new go-to recipe for eggplant parm!"

Bubbly Raspberry Cocktails

It seemed fitting that we should pop open a bottle of bubbly to toast 2018! We added a handful of fresh raspberries and a few spoonfuls of vanilla ice cream to create Bubbly Raspberry Cocktails. Mmmmm.

Click here for the printable recipe.

Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Prosciutto and Asparagus

We jumped right into preparing our first dish.  We made our sauce while the spaghetti squash was roasting, and then shredded the squash and served it right in the shells.

{{Are you laughing at these pictures?  I forgot to take pictures after we finished cooking! We were already digging in and filling our plates when I suddenly remembered that I needed to snap a few photos for this blog. Instead of asking everyone to freeze what they were doing so that I could grab my DSLR camera to try and take photos, I made do with my iPhone. On my best day, I take horrendous photos. THESE photos, however...yikes.  Please accept my apologies!}}

Pasta with Chicken and Mushroom/Wine Sauce

There is so much going on here.   Sautéed chicken cutlets, bow tie pasta, wild mushrooms.  The mushroom/wine sauce is heavenly...and crumbling crispy pancetta on top sends over the top!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Skip the frying and layering.  This recipe for eggplant parm is quick compared to the traditional method, and this platter was the one that was empty at the end of our cooking session!