Busy Diva's Dinner Menu

Mini Frittatas

2012-01-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Frittatas are quiches without the crust. You can make them as healthy or as decadent as you want. Here’s one of my favorite combinations. It is quite rich, but that is precisely the way a diva likes everything in her life! Make a batch and eat them all week.

8 ounces turkey Jimmy Dean-like sausage

8 ounces mushrooms, sliceda few cloves of garlic, chopped

1/4 cup onions, sliced

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

5 eggs

3 egg whites

1 cup 1% milk

Grease a muffin tin.

Sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onions in a bit of olive oil.

Brown up the sausage, then add to the mushroom mixture, then add the cheese.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, egg whites and milk.

Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

Plop a heaping tablespoon of the sausage mixture into each cup.

Bake at 325 degrees until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with coffee and tomato juice to enjoy while reading your morning horoscope.

Wine: Mimosas!

Bacon Beer Beans

2011-12-18T14:22:00.000-08:00

The first two words caught my man's eyes. The aroma of the rosemary as the beans are cooking caught mine. Well, my nose anyway. Maybe you could cut back on the bacon to make this a tad healthier, but I wouldn't do that to my guy. He's worth a little bacon.

Bacon Beer Beans

6-7 slices of bacon cut up into bits

1/2 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. honey

2 cans white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini)

1 bottle good beer

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Use a Dutch oven to cook bacon. Mine is a pretty green apple colored one.

Transfer bacon to a paper towel.

Throw in onions and garlic to cook about 5 minutes.

Add mustard and honey and cook about 1 minute.

Add rosemary, beans, and beer.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let beer cook down.

Season with salt, pepper, and vinegar.

Make it a meal: Serve with Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

Wine: Chardonnay or some more of that nice beer in the recipe.

Red Velvet Brownies

2011-12-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

These are not only divine tasting, they are divine LOOKING. I adore anything red velvet. Cupcakes, cake, bed sheets...With the red bodies and white frosting, these end up looking like little Santa brownies. I use dark chocolate for health reasons--antioxidents and such--but white chocolate chips are decadent, too! Enjoy, my busy divas!

Red Velvet Brownies

1 box Red Velvet cake mix

1 stick butter, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup water

1 cup dark chocolate chips

buttercream frosting

Mix egg, butter, water in a bowl.
Add box mix, stir until the ingredients are combined.
Add chips and pour mixture into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Let cool before frosting.

Make it a meal: Serve after Slow Cooked Pork with Stuffing (see recipe).

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz

Thanksgiving Day Menu 2011

2011-11-24T08:25:00.000-08:00

Many of these recipes can be found here (*). I hope everyone is enjoying my favorite holiday!

Appetizers

Brie Wheel in Puff Pastry

Pumpkin Soup with Cheese Ravioli *

Dee's Bacon Dip

Wine: Champagne Cocktail

Entree

Apple Cider Brined Turkey*

Wine: Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay

Side Dishes

Elegant Stuffing with Rum-Soaked Cranraisins, Sausage, Mushrooms, & Apple*

Tim's Famous Mashed Potatoes

Turnip

Squash

Cranberry & Orange Marmalade

Garlic Green Beans with Cashews

Sweet Potatoes with Wine-Poached Pears*

Wine: More Chardonnay

Dessert

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Apple Pie

Chocolate Silk Pie

Wine: Port and/or Coffee with Irish Cream

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

2011-10-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Theses darling meatloaves can be packed full of as many vegetables as you dare. Throw them all in the mini-food processor or blender for less chunky pieces. This part can even be done ahead of time and refrigerated. I used half a red pepper, and an entire shallot. Try green peppers and onions, sun-dried tomatoes and chives, or corn and green chilies.

Another option is to serve them with a simple mushroom sauce: 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 dollop of sour cream, 2 splashes of wine all mixed and heated. Make it all fat free and low sodium if you don't want to be chubby. Of course, after that wine is open for the recipe, you might as well have a splash yourself.

Any way you make 'em, they are the perfect portion size. Have one for dinner if you're dieting or already thin. I had three!

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat are nice)

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small dollop tomato paste (I freeze dollops, then put them in a baggie for just such uses.)

vegetables (see above)

1 dash Allspice

3 dashes chili powder

Mix all ingredients together.
Smoosh mixture into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35-45 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with sauteed spinach and couscous.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Easy Pear Cobbler

2011-09-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

Dieters beware! This recipe contains real sugar and an entire stick of butter. My friend, Diana (see Super Fast Potatoes), dropped off about a dozen pears from her family's fruit trees. What to do? My first thought was to eat them as is, but a dozen? I'm just not that healthy.

Easy Pear Cobbler

2-2 ½ cups pears, chopped

2 cups sugar, divided

1 stick butter

¾ cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

1 egg

Mix pears with 1 cup sugar in a pretty bowl and set aside.
Put butter in 2-quart casserole and place in 325° oven until melted.
Combine all dry ingredients, (don't forget the remaining 1 cup of sugar), and mix well.
Whisk the milk and egg; slowly combine with dry ingredients to make a batter.
Pour over melted butter; DO NOT STIR.
Spoon pears over the batter; DO NOT STIR.
Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until nicely browned and pears are tender.
Serve hot or cold.

Options: Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Make it a meal: Serve after a light lunch of Antipasto (see recipe)

Wine: Riesling

Breakfast Pizza

2011-09-04T08:28:00.000-07:00

This smells so good cooking. It is all the food groups in the right amounts. If you don't overload with cheese (I do) and meats (I don't) this is a perfectly healthy breakfast. Divas love pizza for breakfast. It is almost as good as cake for breakfast. Almost.

Breakfast Pizza

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tomato, diced

1 large prepared pizza crust or 2 individuals

1/2 low fat cream cheese brick

1 egg

1 cup diced ham or crumbled bacon

1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar is nice, Fontina is better)

Sauté the vegetables until tender.
In a pretty bowl, mix cream cheese and egg until smooth.
Spread cream cheese mixture onto pizza crust; add vegetables and meat.
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes until cream cheese layer sets.
Add cheddar cheese and bake another 3 minutes until cheese has melted.

Options: Play with vegetables! Spinach and feta would be great! Try goat cheese or add some hot peppers for zip.

Make it a meal: Serve with coffee or mimosas. I, of course, prefer the latter.

Wine: See above.

Roasted Potato Salad

2011-07-20T05:19:00.000-07:00

I adore a potato salad without the mayonnaise once in a while. Especially this time of year with all the fresh produce selections, mayo can be heavy. The fresh basil that I pick out of my herb garden is amazing right now. In this dish, the flavor popped. Believe me, divas like popping whether it's basil, champagne, or something else! This is perfect for nights dining al fresco among the mid-summer gardens.

Roasted Potato Salad

4-5 potatoes, cubed

1/2 onion, sliced (red looks pretty in the salad)

2 glugs olive oil for roasting potatoes

Salt & Pepper

3 handfuls corn

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil for dressing

3 glugs apple cider vinegar

fresh basil, chopped

Coat the potatoes and onions in oil and bake on a baking sheet at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Meanwhile mix olive oil and vinegar for dressing.
Mix corn, celery, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl; add cooled potatoes and toss.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Serve at room temperature.

Make it a meal: Serve with Summertime Stuffed Zucchini for Two (see recipe)

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Faux Fried Pickles

2011-07-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

I love fried pickles, but here in Northern New England, few restaurants offer them. I never made them at home, because I don’t like deep frying things—too messy and smelly. These come out delicious. One thing I do to make things easier is to divide the breadcrumb mixture into two baggies. The pickles get coated more evenly and my fingers don't get so sticky.

This recipe is healthy, even: fiber, whole wheat, vegetables. Pickles are vegetables, right? So then I serve them with full-fat ranch dressing. That’s okay. I'll diet until tomorrow.

Faux-Fried Pickles

1/4 cup Fiber One Original bran cereal
3 tbsp. whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 dashes garlic powder
2 dashes of Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 dash black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper
40 hamburger dill pickle chips, drained
1 egg beaten with a bit of milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.
Place cereal, breadcrumbs, and spices in a sealable plastic bag; remove air, and seal.
Using a meat mallet (or empty wine bottle), crush mixture through the bag to a breadcrumb-like consistency.
Place pickle chips in a bowl, and pat dry with paper towels.
Cover with egg mixture and toss to coat.
Transfer the egg-coated pickles to the bag of crumbs.
Seal and shake to evenly coat pickle chips with crumbs.
Place pickle chips on the baking sheet in an even layer.
Bake in the oven until coating is crispy, about 25 minutes.
Dip them in Ranch or garlic aioli.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Spicy Beef (see recipe).

Wine: I'm afraid no wine goes well with pickles. Better to have an amber beer.

Two Ingredient Muffins

2011-07-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, my friend Karyn has found a keeper. No eggs, no butter, no extra sugar. These come out moist and divine. I use dark chocolate devil cake mix. I'm told spice cake mix is nice, too.

Two Ingredient Muffins

Cake Mix

Pumpkin or Squash Puree

Mix.
Put in greased muffin tins
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

That's it!

Make it a meal: Enjoy after Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Green Apple Bake

2011-04-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

You don't have to make this with green apples. I did, because when my mother and a friend went to Italy for two weeks, my father dropped off a dozen green apples and any other produce my mother left behind, saying, "It will just go bad."

(photo by Matt)

Green Apple Bake

Filling

5-6 green apples, diced

3/4 cup sugar

3 Tbs. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup hot water

cinnamon to taste

nutmeg to taste

6-7 slices butter

Topping

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. butter

2 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1. In a pretty bowl, combine all filling ingredients except butter and toss to coat.

2. Pour this into a pie dish that has been sprayed with Pam or something.

3. Place butter slices on top.

4. Prepare the topping by mixing it all in another pretty bowl.

5. Mix until smooth and drop on top of the filling as evenly as possible. This will spread as it cooks.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Options: Serve this with with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I do both. Too much is almost enough for this diva.

Make it a meal: Serve after a sumptuos meal of Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach (see recipe)

Wine: Champagne

Hi Colleen!

2011-04-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you! I forgot how much I enjoyed this as an outlet. Take care!

Pomegranate Sauce for Lamb

2011-04-28T05:01:00.000-07:00

We had lamb for Easter and cooked enough to feed a small army--very small. So small Rhode Island could beat it in a war. Making this quick sauce put a tasty twist on leftover lamb.

Pomegranate Sauce for Lamb

1/4 cup onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/3 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup pomegranate juice
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. flour

1. Saute onion and garlic to pan.

2. Add red wine; bring to a boil. Cook until liquid almost evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

3. Stir in broth, juice, and sugar; bring to a boil.

4. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

5. Add flour, stirring until smooth; bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat and cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce with lamb.

Make it a meal: Serve over lamb with steamed green beans and roasted potatoes.

Wine: Shiraz or Pinot Noir

Healthy Hash Browns

2011-04-28T04:25:00.000-07:00

I'm back, dah-lings! It has been a while, and in my world you have all been terribly worried about me.

I could eat this dish everyday. It can be as easy or time-consuming as you want. I had a little time, and I actually grated two potatoes for this. It took all of seven minutes, but I kept banging my giant pink sapphire ring, and I don't like that. I may use frozen next time. I did use leftover previously frozen spinach.

My husband said there was too much spinach in this, but he hates vegetables in the morning or in eggs or on pizza or anything else! Surprise, surprise, he thought it needed more bacon. Absolutely hopeless.

Make this for when the girls are coming over for brunch.

Healthy Hash Browns

3-4 slices bacon or turkey bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups chopped spinach
2 cups russet potato shreds (about one 2 medium potato's worth), thoroughly patted dry
3 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, patted dry, chopped
Dash salt
Dash black pepper
3 dashes garlic powder

1. Cook bacon, cool, and crumble. Drain most of the fat.

2. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

3. Add spinach to the skillet, stir often, about 3 minutes.

4. Add cooked bacon, potato shreds, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the skillet. Mix. Evenly spread out the mixture in the skillet, and gently press down with a spatula.

5. Without stirring, cook until potatoes have browned, 5 - 7 minutes. (Use a spatula to check under the edges for browning.)

6. Working in sections, flip mixture over in the skillet with the spatula so the other side can brown. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes, until thoroughly cooked and browned.

Options: Serve with low-fat sour cream and or hot sauce. I use both. You know me, too much is just enough.

Make it a meal: Serve with an egg on top--poached is nice is someone poaches it for you (too messy for me).

Wine: Champagne or Mimosas, Dah-ling!

Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach

2010-11-16T17:20:00.000-08:00

This simple meal made my man happy. Divas love a happy man. Happy men buy diamonds, emeralds, and Marmot ski jackets for their beloved.

Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach

2/3 box whole wheat penne

1 package of chicken sausage (4)

1 handful of grape tomatoes, halved

fresh spinach

2 spoonfuls store-bought pesto

1 handful Parmesan cheese

Cook penne and drain.
Meanwhile, saute sausage and tomatoes.
Set aside.
Add spinach to saute pan and heat with a bit of olive oil.
Combine spinach, cooked penne, sausage, and tomatoes.
Mix in pesto.
Mix in Parmesan.

Make it a meal: Serve with bread.

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Oven-Baked Apples

2010-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Many recipes I see for baked apples call for the apples to be peeled. I prefer the skins on, in this case, because I like the crunchy texture next to the soft, baked fruit. Sometimes a diva likes skins off, but not here.

I cannot resist this dessert in the fall with the variety of apple types. If there is anything a diva knows about, that's variety. If there is anything a diva fails at, that is resisting dessert. Add resisting variety. Indeed, a diva craves variety.

Oven-Baked Apples

5-6 medium to small apples, diced
¼ cup brown sugar blended
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 squirts lemon juice
½ stick melted butter
½ cup golden raisins, (soaked in rum for 30 minutes optional)
¼ cup pecans, crushed

Toss the apples in a bowl with sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and melted butter.
Add raisins and pecans.
Let sit 3-4 minutes while the oven heats and absorb flavor.
Pour apples into baking dish and bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Apples are done when apples are tender but hold their shape.
Serve as is or with heavy cream, sour cream, whipped cream, Greek yogurt or ice cream.

Make it a meal: Serve after a lovely harvest meal of Butternut Squash Pasta (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

2010-10-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

I love the flavor of buffalo wings, but I hate gnawing at them in public. I also can't stand that they are basically skin and fat. This is a bit healthier version and a hundred times less messy than the original.

I hate touching raw meat, so my man did all the heavy rolling. The original recipe I saw made 16 meatballs out of 1 pound of meat. My man made big manly-sized balls out of it. There were only seven. Bless him.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 lb. ground chicken

3-4 cloves garlic

2-3 slices onion, chopped

a bit of Italian-style bread crumbs

some fresh chives from the garden

buffalo sauce (I use Texas Pete's)

a few pads of butter

Mix the chicken, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, and chives together.
Form into meatballs and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and put in a crock pot.
Cover the meatballs with the sauce and butter.
Cook on high for about 30 minutes.
Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Make it a meal: Serve with celery and carrots.

Wine: Beer

Garlic-y Crab Dip

2010-09-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

A bit of garlic and Old Bay make this dip divine. This conjures up images of foamy ocean waves and salty skin. Oh my. Serve it quick, before summer is over.

Garlic-y Crab Dip

8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)

1 can of crab meat

1 big spoonful of mayonnaise (more light)

1 spoonful sour cream (again with the light)

3 pinches of Old Bay Seasoning

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire

2 dashes hot sauce

Mix all the ingredients together and serve at room temperature.
Serve with crudités (raw vegetables) or crackers.

Make it a meal: Serve with a bunch of other appetizers. It's too hot for an entire meal.

Wine: Chardonnay

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

2010-08-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Everyone loved these at my latest garden party complete with white mosaic tiki torches and custom painted purple chairs. There are only four ingredients and a few easy steps. I finished this before Koko Taylor had finished telling her man not to let her catch him with his drawers down. (photo by GoodNCrazy)

Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp. sugar

8 ounces whole water chestnuts, drained

8 slices bacon, cut in half

Mix the soy sauce and the sugar.
Add the water chestnuts and marinate for 30 minutes.
Wrap each chestnut with ½ strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of grilled chicken thighs and brave potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Shiraz

Pickled Carrot Salad

2010-08-07T12:04:00.000-07:00

So easy! This recipe is so good, I actually eat my carrots. I feel so healty!

Pickled Carrot Salad

1 10 oz. bag julienned carrots

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

In a saucepan, cook carrots in a small amount of water for about 10 minutes.
Drain and transfer to a serving dish.
Combine remaining ingredients in the saucepan.
Heat for a few minutes until the sugar dissolves.
Pour over carrots; cover and refrigerate for overnight.

Make it a meal: Serve alongside Cod with Lemon and White Pepper (see recipe)

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Antipasto

2010-08-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

This was such a hit at a family get-together, I will absolutely make this again for company. It requires little work and a patient deli counter service person. There's a little something for everyone in there.

Just be careful with how much dressing you put on and when you are serving. You don't want the lettuce to get soggy.

Antipasto

1 bag Romaine lettuce

a few sprinkles garlic powder

1/4 lb. of deli meat sliced thin--Choose 3: Capicola, salami, ham, roast beef, prosciutto (I used the first 3 for mine)

1/4 lb. Provolone cheese

1/2 can artichoke hearts, quartered

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup marinated mushrooms

1/4 cup pepperoncini

1/4 cup mozzarella balls

Light Caesar salad dressing to taste

Spread the lettuce around the edges of a pretty serving dish.
Sprinkle the lettuce with garlic powder.
Drizzle the lettuce with Light Caesar dressing.
Roll up the deli meats and stack in the middle.
Roll the Provolone and put in the lettuce like the spokes of a wheel.
Make piles of the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, mushrooms, pepperoncini, and mozzarella balls in sections atop the lettuce.
Refrigerate for a bit or serve right away.

Options: Add black and green olives.

Make it a meal: Serve aside pasta with marinara sauce and warm bread.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti

Another Shrimp Spread

2010-07-31T08:52:00.000-07:00

Here's another easy one. I threw this together a few minutes before a golf outing followed by an outdoor luxury BBQ with finger buffet. For those who have more time, you can cook and chop fresh shrimp. Me? I have a tee time. (photo by GenBug)

8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)

a few plops shrimp cocktail sauce

1/2 shallot, chopped (a bit of onion is fine, too)

chives from the herb garden

2 squeezes of lemon juice

1 (6 oz. can tiny shrimp)

Mix well.
Serve with crackers or crudités.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Salmon Wellington (see recipe) and grilled squash and zucchini.

Wine: Chardonnay

Republic Cafe on Elm

2010-07-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

This place is fabulous. It is a European style cafe in our own Manchester, NH. I cannot wait to go back. The idea behind this fairly new eatery is food goes from farm to table. They keep a chalkboard list of the farms they buy their food from.

I went for lunch and tried to keep my meal light (and my weight down), but I ended up eating every bit of my panini. Half would have been fine for lunch, but it was so tasty, I devoured every crumb. I ordered the Grilled Zucchini that also had roasted red peppers and various other gorgeous flavors like feta cheese.

My husband ordered the Chicken Panini, an unusual choice for him since he is not crazy about goat cheese. I tried a bite of his. It was very good, but mine was better. Both came with a modest side salad instead of the usual fries and starches available everywhere else.

On top of everything else, the prices are reasonable. Our paninis were $6.50 and $7.50. The highest priced item on the menu is $22.

The owners, Claudia Rippee and Edward Aloise, are the former proprietors of the most missed Cafe Pavone in the Millyard. According to their website (http://republiccafe.com ) their menu "will convey our culinary philosophy which focuses on quality ingredients, is seasonally appropriate, and is respectful of its sources." Bravo. I will be back soon to sample the Mussels Provencel, the North African Spiced Vegetables, and the Monkfish (Monkfish in Manchester!!) Puttanesca.

Creamed Corn & Asparagus Soup

2010-07-20T09:33:00.001-07:00

I accidentally opened a can of creamed corn that I keep around for making Shepard's Pie. I don't like creamed corn much as a side dish, so I made it into this easy, nice soup. It is uber creamy without the cream. I purred like a kitten when I ate it.

Creamed Corn & Asparagus Soup

1 can creamed corn

1 can cream of asparagus soup

1 cup of milk (or more for thinner soup)

pepper

Pour all the ingredients into a pot and heat.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (See recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay

XO on Elm

2010-07-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

XO on Elm

Upon arriving for a late night bite and glass of wine (late night for Manchester--8:30), we were asked outside the restaurant if we wanted a table by proprietor #1. We said we were waiting for friends and would like to wait at the bar. There were no seats, but we didn't mind standing. That's when proprietor #2 also asked if we wanted a table. We explained again. He assured us there would be a seat at the bar soon. Nice. He took our drink order. That's when proprietor #1 had followed us in and almost insisted we get a table for ourselves and our friends. Now I felt badgered. I explained to her AGAIN how we were expecting company and preferred to wait at the bar. I didn't know how many of my friends were showing up, but do I really need to get into this in order to enjoy a glass of wine?

Seats opened up shortly, and the bartender gave us menus. I thought this was a tapas bar, but there were only four items under the tapas label.

Soon after, our friends came in, and gathered around us at the bar. Now, close to 9 PM, the place was slowing down. More seats became available and diners were leaving. However, my friends couldn't get a drink. The bartender, when around, just flitted by and then disappeared. Proprietor #2 hugged my friend, but then was gone. Finally, 20 minutes later, the bartender took their drink order and our food order.

The food didn't take too long. My mussels steamed with beer and sautéed with Chorizo sausage for $9 were excellent. Unfortunately about a third of them did not open and my bread for mopping sauce was burned on one side. When I showed the bartender, she took the entire appetizer off the bill. I thought that was more than generous.

My friend's dates stuffed with Chorizo and cream cheese filling wrapped with crispy pancetta were outstanding. I could have eaten a plateful, but getting three of them for $7 is not enough value for me.

Another friend ordered the Middle Eastern Taster for $12. It came as cute little bowls of hummus, cucumber taziki, tabouli, and olive tapenade. It was all delicious, but the grilled Naan bread was also burned.

This is a beautiful restaurant, but I did not have a good experience. I will try it again, but not for a while.

BBQ Bacon and Bean Salad

2010-07-01T13:31:00.001-07:00

Beans are so good for you. Here is another way to get that lean protein in a delicious way. Bring this to your next garden party and you'll be a hit.

BBQ Bacon and Bean Salad

4-5 strips of bacon, cut into 1-inch strips

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (I like mine spicy)

1 can corn, drained

2 cans white beans, drained (I use Great Northern)

2 Tbsp. red wine or cider vinegar

salt & pepper

chives for garnish

Sauté bacon for a few minutes, then add the onions.
Sauté it all a bit more.
Remove the pan from the heat and drain a bit of the fat.
Stir in the paprika.
Empty the cans of beans and corn into a pretty bowl.
Add the bacon and onion mixture.
Add the BBQ sauce and vinegar and mix well.
Top with chives for color.

Make it a meal: Serve with whatever you're barbecuing tonight.

Wine: Rosé

Wine Jelly

2010-06-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

I am generally not a jelly girl. What do I spread on toast? Hummus? Yes. Way too much butter? Oh, yes. My palate cannot take “sweet and sugary” in the morning. However, I recently attended a Strawberry Festival in my home town. One of the booths offered locally made Laurel Hill Jams & Jellies. I was not particularly intrigued until I saw the large variety of wine jellies.

I tried one red and one white as if I was at a wine tasting. They were divine and not too sweet. I settled on a Malbec Wine Jelly which does not seem to be available yet on the web site.

I still won’t have jam or jelly on toast in the A.M., but I will indulge in these tasty treats other times of the day. Put a little cream cheese with a little Pinot Noir Wine Jelly on a whole wheat cracker (divas cannot forget their nutrition), and what a great dessert after lunch. Divas always have dessert after lunch!

Check them out at http://www.laurelhilljams.com/. They are fabulous baby shower and wedding favors.

Summertime Stuffed Zucchini for Two

2010-06-30T10:37:00.001-07:00

This dish makes a gorgeous light meal, but is also an easy, elegant side dish.
Use anything in your garden to stuff this zucchini. I used my ripening cherry tomatoes (which are yellow ones this year) and chives. Which cheese to use is simply personal taste. I had cheddar on hand, but Gruyere, goat, or blue would also be nice. Adding chick peas would certainly bump us the nutritional value of this dish. Other ideas are to add some sautéed mushrooms, crab, or tiny shrimps.

Summertime Stuffed Zucchini for Two

1 medium zucchini cut lengthwise

A bit of onion, chopped

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 splashes white wine

3 Tbsp. bread crumbs

A few pinches of cheese

A bit of chives

A bit of Parmesan cheese

Scoop out the zucchini seeds into a bowl and chop it up.
Salt and pepper the scooped out skins and set aside.
Sauté the onion for a bit, then add the tomatoes.
Add the chopped zucchini.
Add the wine and sauté the mixture until liquid is absorbed.
Transfer it all to a bowl and mix in breadcrumbs, cheese, and chives.
Stuff zucchini skins with entire mixture and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Pinch a bit of Parmesan on top and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve by itself with crusty French bread or serve it as a side dish with Potato & Garlic Soup (see recipe).

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Herb Goat Cheese Stuffed Endives

2010-06-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Busy divas, you will love this one. Despite its long name, this one is easy to make and delicious! It will disappear in moments. After you cream the goat cheese and herbs, you can set it aside for hours until you are ready to serve. For herbs, I grow my own basil, oregano, thyme, and chives. I used a bit of them all in this. (photo by Walt Hubis)

Herb Goat Cheese Stuffed Endives

1-2 heads of endives

1/3 cup goat cheese

2 Tbsp. cream (I used half and half)

whatever herbs you like

paprika

Separate and wash the endive leaves.
Using the back of a small spoon, cream (smoosh) the cheese, cream, and herbs.
If the mixture seems too thick, add more cream.
Stuff the endives with the goat cheese mixture.
I found using a knife worked best for this.
Sprinkle paprika on to make it pretty.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Jamaican Jerk Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon

Broiled Apricots

2010-06-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

Divas know that dessert doesn't have to be super sweet to be good. It just needs to be simple to make...and good. This dish is a fabulous way to get one of your servings of fruits in!

Broiled Apricots

apricots, halved and pitted

brown sugar

ground ginger (just a touch)

butter

Place apricots cut side up on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle each with the brown sugar and ginger.
Put a dot of butter on each.
Broil 2-5 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Make it a meal: Serve after you put away the Chinese take-out.

Wine: Champagne

Slow Cooked Pork with Stuffing

2010-05-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

This dish is divine on a cool, rainy day. This says comfort food all over. (photo by Kjunstorm)

Slow Cooked Pork with Stuffing

6 oz. stuffing mix
1/2 onion, chopped
some carrots, chopped
some raisins
1 apple, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
2-3 lbs. pork (I used boneless chops)
1 Tbls. brown sugar
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
pepper

Toss the first 7 ingredients into the bottom of your slow cooker leaving the pork on top.
Mix the rest of the seasonings.
Sprinkle or rub into the pork.
Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans.

Wine: Shiraz

White Sangria

2010-05-02T04:52:00.000-07:00

Summer is nearly here and it is important to have your summer cocktail recipes lined up. This one can be made ahead of time except for the seltzer. Add that just before you serve.

I made a pitcher of these for the Kentucky Derby, since I can't stand bourbon and therefore mint juleps were out of the question. My horse did not come in, but my new Estee Lauder lipstick made my pout so pretty.

White Sangria

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 cup sugar

cup up fruit (I chose fresh strawberries and a green apple)

1 bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio

1 liter lemon flavored seltzer water

Combine the brandy and sugar in a pitcher.
Stir to dissolve the sugar.
Add fruit and wine.
Chill until you are ready to serve.
Add seltzer.

Make it a meal: Serve with pretty appetizers while watching the Kentucky Derby.

Wine: Don't be silly.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

2010-05-01T14:23:00.000-07:00

This dish says,"Summertime!" Spice up your life with a little Jamaican flavor. Divas are already spicy, but then again, divas believe too much is just enough. Don't chop things too much, because you're going to put them in a food processor. (photo by naotakem)

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

1 shallot, chopped

2-3 dashes ginger

1-2 dashes allspice

1 dash cinnamon

2 glugs olive oil

1 jalapenos, chopped

salt & pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 splash cider vinegar

2 splashes white wine

1 splash orange juice

1 splash Worcestershire

8 chicken thighs or drumsticks (or go crazy and do 4 of each!)

Combine shallot, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, oil, jalapenos, salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice, and Worcestershire to make a paste.
Brush the jerk sauce onto the chicken.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low.

Make it a meal: Serve with rice and Sweet & Sour Brussels Sprouts and mangoes.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Sweet & Sour Brussel Sprouts

2010-05-01T05:08:00.000-07:00

A minor miracle occurred last night. My man ate Brussels sprouts. He will eat ANYTHING with bacon on it, so I gave this recipe a shot and bingo! (photo by Kellybeanz)

Sweet & Sour Brussels Sprouts

2 slices bacon, cut up in pieces

1 package frozen Brussels sprouts, thawed

2 thick slices of onion, chopped

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup white wine

1 Tbs. sugar

dash of salt & pepper

1 squirt of brown grainy mustard

In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp, then remove to a paper towel to drain.
In the drippings, saute Brussels sprouts and onion for a bit.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and mustard.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until sprouts are tender.
Serve with the crumbled bacon on top.

Make it a meal: Serve with Jamaican Jerk Chicken (see recipe) and rice.

Wine: Zinfandel or Sauvignon Blanc

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

2010-04-25T06:19:00.000-07:00

Divas love rich and creamy. This no-bake recipe is simple when a girl needs rich and creamy FAST. (photo by sh0dan)

Stovetop Mac & Cheese

3-4 pats butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1/3 cup flour (I use wheat)

salt

4 cups milk

3 dashes cayenne

3/4 lb. small elbow macaroni (again, I use wheat)

4 cups grated cheese (I use a combination of cheddar and Gruyere)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Saute onion in butter.
Add flour and salt.
Stir.
Whisk in milk two cups at a time. Whisk, whisk.
Reduce heat to simmer and let sauce thicken.
Meanwhile boil water and cook the pasta.
Remove sauce from heat for about 10 minutes; the sauce will thicken more.
Stir cheese mixture over macaroni.

Make it a meal: Serve with peas.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Sangiovese

Ignite Restaurant

2010-03-30T15:24:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at Ignite in Manchester, NH. There was a show going on at the Palace Theatre, but we were seated in a reasonable amount of time (1/2 glass wine). Meanwhile we sat/stood at the bar. After being seated, we didn't have to clear our bar tab as the bartender became our server.

We started with the mussels special which was fabulous! A bit spicy and we fought over the bits of garlic and tomatoes to mop up with the garlic toasts.

I had an ostrich burger. The server recommended I go rare instead of my usual medium rare since ostrich cooks quickly. It was too red for me. I would do medium rare next time. They gave me a side salad instead of a starch.

My dining companion had the filet mignon. It was good. I'm used to that cut being seasoned. His needed a shake of salt. His garlic mashed potatoes were real and lovely. We ate it all.

Food: Quite good
Service: Excellent
Decor: Gorgeous
Prices: Fair value

Lemon Butter

2010-03-16T15:34:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite butter to use for garlic bread. Use it on pasta vegetables, or fish for fabulous flavor. Tonight I'm putting it on top of tilapia.

Lemon Butter

1/2 cup butter

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley

Make it a meal: Serve atop cooked orzo with a side of steamed broccoli. Put the butter on the broccoli too!

Wine: Chardonnay

Easy Chicken Satay

2010-03-05T05:07:00.000-08:00

I made this while in a pinch staying at my ski chalet. I had taken chicken out to cook, but night after night, my gorgeous husband took me out to eat. We were having guests the following night, so I decided to make a chicken appetizer with what few ingredients I keep at the Chardonnay Chalet. I whipped this together and it was a surprising hit! (photo by mtcarlson)

Easy Chicken Satay

2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup lime juice (which I keep around for mojitos)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 lb. chicken cut up into bite-sized pieces

Whip the first seven ingredients in a pretty bowl.
Add the chicken and marinate at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
Grill or sauté and serve with little toothpicks stuck in them.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Mountain Chili (see recipe) which will keep you warm at the ski chalet.

Wine: Gewürztraminer

Crab & Orzo Salad

2010-02-28T17:11:00.000-08:00

Salad or pasta dish? I think of salads as being cold. This can be served either warm or cold. Divas can be warm or cold. It depends if you bought them a convertible for their birthday or cleaning equipment.

Crab & Orzo Salad

1 cup orzo

½ onion, chopped

1 can crab meat

12 Roasted Grape Tomatoes (see recipe) or 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. chili sauce (I use Thai chili sauce)

1 squeeze lemon juice

salt & pepper

3 drops hot pepper sauce

Cook orzo according to directions.
Sauté onion.
Combine orzo onion, crab meat, and tomatoes.
In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, chili sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Pour the spicy sauce over the orzo mixture and serve.

Make it a meal: This is a great light lunch on its own or it can be a side dish with Baked Trout with Parmesan (see recipe).

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

2010-02-28T13:22:00.000-08:00

Divas love versatility in their cooking, wardrobe, men, and jewelry.Divas will love this simple dish for the same reasons. I make these ahead of time and then pop them out and throw them into various recipes. They also work fine on their own as a side dish. You can also freeze them. Variety!

Roasted Grape Tomatoes

1 carton grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes cut in half

2-3 glugs olive oil

oregano, thyme, or basil

garlic cloves, minced

Put everything into a pretty bowl and mix.
Pour it all into a roasting dish.
Roast it all at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes.
That's it!

Make it a meal: Serve alongside Chicken & Stuffing (see recipe)

Wine: Sangiovese

Chicken & Stuffing

2010-02-08T16:19:00.000-08:00

Super easy comfort food! Make this in the morning and dish it out to hungry family members in the evening. My man loves this. He had two helpings tonight!

3 celery sticks, chopped

3-4 boneless chicken breast

1 cup chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1/4 cup milk

3 cups stuffing mix

4-5 pats of butter

salt and pepper to taste

Toss celery into the bottom of the crock pot.
Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place in the slow cooker.
Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts.
Combine both cans of soup and milk.
Pour soup mixture over the chicken.
Sprinkle stuffing mix over all.
Put butter on top.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Carmelized Onion with Thyme

2010-02-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

This is a healthy, anti-oxidants side dish. If you like vinegar as much as I do, you are going to adore this dish. (photo by Darwin Bell)

Caramelized Onion with Thyme

1 onion, sliced

2 glugs olive oil

salt & pepper

1/4 cup white wine

dash thyme

dash champagne vinegar

Toss the onions on a large pan; salt and pepper.
Add olive oil and sauté briefly, then cover the pan.
Stir the onion often for about 10-15 minutes until onion is soft.
The onions should be golden brown.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add the wine and stir until wine is evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the vinegar and thyme.

Make it a meal: Serve with roasted chicken and green beans.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Avocado Spread

2010-01-25T15:59:00.000-08:00

This adds a kick to burgers or turkey sandwiches. For a snack I dip wheat crackers in it. Don't blend or whip this too smooth. Guacamole should be a bit lumpy. Divas know how to take their lumps. (photo by Gaeten Lee)

Avocado Spread

1 avocado, cut in half, scooped out, save pit aside

2 squeezes lemon juice

1 small scoop horseradish sauce

a bit of red onion, chopped

Mash everything together and spread on your favorite sandwich.

Make it a meal: Serve atop sliced turkey between two slices of wheat bread, lettuce, tomato included and healthy Sun Chips.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Crab & Cheese Strata

2009-12-26T07:18:00.000-08:00

This recipe is simply divine. I served this at a December 24th Open Haus. Friends and family stop by for a Bloody Mary and a bite to eat as they finish their holiday chores. This dish did not last long.

Crab & Cheese Strata

2 cups good bread, cubed

1 can crab meat

2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tbsp. capers

2 slices onion, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

2 dashes dry sherry

1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

Grease a baking dish.
Toss together the bread cubes, crab meat, Swiss cheese, Cheddar cheese, capers, and onions in the baking dish.
Whisk eggs, milk, sherry, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.
Pour evenly over bread mixture.
Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 2 hours to 24 hours.
Bake strata uncovered at 350 degrees about 45 minutes.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Trout with Parmesan

2009-12-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

So delish and so easy! This can be made last minute for when unexpected, but delightful company shows up. This takes no time to whip up, so take your time doing your make-up.

Baked Trout with Parmesan

1 lb. trout fillet

1 cup sour cream (I use low-fat)

2 big splashes white wine or lemon juice

1 slice onion, chopped

3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

salt

Paprika

Place fish in a greased shallow 3-qt. baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, Parmesan cheese, wine, onion and salt; spread over fish.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve over rice.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli.

Wine: Pinot Noir (my pick) or Chardonnay (my other pick)

Snow Queen Norwegian Cheese

2009-12-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

I didn't know the heaven I was buying when I purchased this product from Jarslberg. I loved the name. That's it. This cheese comes in a square block with a red wrapper. Look for it. Buy it.

Snow Queen is a dark colored cheese with a creamy caramel flavor. It is called Gjetost (pronounced ‘yet-oast’), and is made from both cow and goat milk. It is absolutely delightful when served with crackers and citrus fruit like apples and pears.

I have not yet tried their other variety, Ekte made only from goat's milk. When I do, I'll let you know about it.

Fra Diavolo Pasta Sauce

2009-12-09T06:41:00.000-08:00

While my Broccoli & Cheddar Soup (see recipe) is cooking, I am going to report on one of my newest favorite products. This pasta sauce claims to be hot and spicy. It delivers! Divas love everything hot and spicy, not just their men. It is put out by The Silver Palate.

I love that the first ingredient is "imported San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes" (I suppose that's in Italy somewhere) and the second is "California whole peeled and crushed tomatoes." I was so impressed with this I read on: "imported olive oil, fresh onions, fresh carrots, salt, fresh garlic, pear concentrate, crushed red peppers, and spices." No high fructose anything! No sugar! No tomato puree!

While it is great on pasta, my current man and I enjoyed dipping fried ravioli in it in front of the fire with a fine $11 bottle of Chianti. Now that's hot!

Crab Stuffed Flounder

2009-11-30T15:54:00.000-08:00

I have never cooked flounder before. Wow, is it easy! It comes in these gorgeous thin filets that cook up in moments. Dazzle your company with this recipe. Divas always dazzle.

Crab Stuffed Flounder

1 lb. flounder filets

1 can crab meat

1 dash dry mustard

1 dash Worcestershire sauce

1 dash salt

1 dash white pepper

4 Ritz type crackers, crushed

2 dashes parsley

1 egg white

1 tbsp. mayonnaise, light is nice

14 cup butter, melted

paprika for garnish

Rinse the filets and pat dry with a paper towel.
Place them in a lightly greased baking dish; I use spray Pam.
In a pretty bowl, combine crab, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, white pepper, crackers, and parsley.
Add the egg white and mayonnaise to this mixture.
Brush the flounder with some melted butter.
Spoon the crab mixture over the filets.
Drizzle any extra butter on top of each filet, and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli and cubed sweet potatoes with sage butter (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay

Tetrazzini for Two

2009-11-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

This is my favorite dish for leftover turkey. It is decadent. It is loaded with calories. Sometimes a diva just doesn't care. This diva cannot resist all that cheesy creaminess. Diet tomorrow.

Tetrazzini for Two

1/2 package wheat spaghetti, cooked

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup wheat flour

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cups cream

pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups cooked turkey, chopped

1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Melt the butter in a saucepan.
Add the flour and garlic.
Add the broth and the cream.
Sprinkle with pepper.
Bring it all to a boil.
Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and remove from heat.
Grease a casserole dish and put the cooked pasta in.
Top that with the chopped turkey.
Pour the cheese mixture over it all.
Top with the rest of the cheese and the bread crumbs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it is lightly browned.

Make it a meal: Serve with wine.

Wine: Chardonnay

Herb Butter

2009-11-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

I had a dinner party last night and wanted to do a little something different and easy with the green beans. The answer was herb butter. I made it earlier in the day, then let it melt over the fresh green beans right before serving. This diva reveled in the compliments.

Herb Butter

1/2 stick of butter, softened

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 dash each garlic powder, parsley, oregano

a bit of white wine

Mix everything together and smash into a ramekin.

Make it a meal: Serve atop green beans or other vegetables and along with roasted duck and Cheesy Creamy Potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay for the beans and potatoes, Cabernet Sauvignon for the duck

Pumpkin & Apple Soup

2009-11-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Once again I am trying to emulate something wonderful I had a restaurant. This time it was the Pumpkin & Apple soup at the Barley House in Concord, NH. This is sweeter than I usually like my soup; it was almost dessert. But to have just a cup before our meal was divine.

Pumpkin & Apple Soup

2 apples, peeled and diced

butter

cauliflower puree (see recipe)

2 cans pumpkin

1 tbsp. each cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and sugar

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup apple cider

1 cup heavy cream

Sauté the apples in butter until they are soft.
Add the cauliflower, pumpkin, spices, chicken stock, and cider.
Heat up for a bit.
Lastly, add the cream and heat.
Put it all in the blender; you may need to work in batches.
Thin with more chicken stock if needed.

That’s it.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of roasted duck and green beans.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Dipping Oil with Herbs

2009-11-09T15:24:00.001-08:00

The best dipping oil I ever had was at a little tavern at Jay Peak, VT. We had been skiing all day and were famished. The fresh bread and spicy dipping oil and the three glasses of wine did the trick.

Dipping Oil with Herbs

Olive oil

parsley

oregano

red pepper flakes

pepper

garlic, minced

Parmesan cheese

Mix it all together on a lovely plate and serve with fresh bread.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Cod with Lemon and White Pepper (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay

Roasted Vegetables & Rice

2009-11-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

I adore roasted vegetables. They are so crispy and flavorful. This can be a side dish, in which case, I'd skip the dressing. It makes a lovely vegetarian meal. I use brown rice for extra fiber and nutrients. This heart-healthy dish is one my hearty man will eat on occasion.

I use whatever vegetables I have on hand, but really anything goes. These I chose for the gorgeous color combination. I also add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to the water the rice is cooking.

Roasted Vegetables & Rice

1 cup rice

1 small head broccoli, chopped

1 orange pepper, chopped

a bunch of grape tomatoes

3 garlic cloves minced

red pepper oil

a pinch of shredded cheese like cheddar

Dressing

1/4 cup olive oil

a few splashes red wine vinegar

a small spoonful Dijon mustard

parsley

oregano

pepper

Cook the rice according to directions (mine takes forever).
After you've chopped your vegetables, toss them in a pretty bowl.
Add the garlic.
Drizzle red pepper oil over and toss the mess of it.
Put it all in a roasting pan and roast at 355 degrees for 45 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, put all the dressing ingredients into a closed container and shake.
Mix the cooked rice with the dressing.
Add some cheese.
Toss in the roasted vegetables.
Ciao!

Make it a meal: Tis a meal. Lay off the meat for one night.

Wine: Chardonnay

Turkey & Sausage Chili

2009-10-25T07:34:00.000-07:00

I hosted my first Chili Fest last night. I offered my Mountain Chili and White Chicken Chili, both of which are on this blog. I did a hot number for the diehards full of jalapenos and chipolte peppers. I like the mild flavor of ground turkey, so I added this one, too.

The night was a success. I had a lot of help. My apologies to the hungry vegetarians!

Turkey & Sausage Chili

1 lb. ground turkey, browned

1 chorizo sausage

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of kidney beans

1 red pepper, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

7 garlic cloves, chopped

3 chipolte peppers, chopped plus some of the sauce

cumin

oregano

chili powder

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for about 5 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with corn bread.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir

Cod with Lemon and White Pepper

2009-10-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their favorite lemon and fish recipe. Here's mine. Don't go too heavy on the flour or it will be soggy. Keep it light. Divas usually do.

Cod with Lemon and White Pepper

1 lb cod fish fillet

1/4 cup butter and margarine mixture, melted

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup wheat flour

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

paprika

Italian bread crumbs for sprinkling

Cut the fish into serving pieces.
In one bowl mix the lemon and butter.
In a second bowl mix the flour, white pepper and paprika.
Dip the pieces of fish into the butter bowl first, then lightly dredge through the flour mixture.
Place fish pieces on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle a bit of Italian crumbs atop each piece of fish.
Pour the unused butter mixture over the top of the fish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until fish flakes.

Make it a meal: Serve with roasted broccoli, garlic, and grape tomatoes with a dash of thyme.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Soap

2009-10-18T11:35:00.000-07:00

This isn't cooking, exactly, but I do use the microwave for this. I bought one of those kits at Michael's Arts & Crafts and have just loved the results. I can have all the pink soap I want. I add apricot seeds which add exfoliating qualities and I love all the designs that molds come it. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas this year?

Spicy Beef

2009-10-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is a great change-up from traditional pot roast. This is pot roast a busy diva attitude. Divas are nothing if not spicy.

Spicy Beef

3 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast

12 oz. jar of sliced pepperoncini, drained

3/4 cup beef broth

1 bottle of beer

oregano

basil

thyme

crushed rosemary

1 loaf sourdough bread

Put roast in the crock pot and cover with pepperoncini.
Add broth, beer, and herbs.
Cook for 8-10 hours.
Remove meat from cooker and shred.
Meat will shred easily with two forks.
After shredding, return meat to cooker and mix well.
Serve on slices of sourdough bread.

Make it a meal: Serve with a nice side salad.

Wine: Zinfandel

Creamy Broccoli & Chicken

2009-10-03T09:52:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time to figure out the value of my slow cooker. Now I can't get enough of it. Make this on a rainy day and eat it in front of the fire. If you are fortunate enough to have a gas fireplace, this requires only the flip of a switch and you won't mangle your manicure.

Alas, I have an old-fashioned fireplace. Nail touch-up, here I come.

Creamy Broccoli & Chicken

6 chicken breasts

salt & pepper

your favorite herbs (I use thyme & oregano)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth (or white wine)

1 can cream of broccoli

1 package of cream cheese (I use Neufchâtel), cubed

1/2 cup white wine

2 slices onion, chopped

Place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Toss in the garlic and pour chicken broth in.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
45 minutes before serving, mix soup, cream cheese, wine, and onion in a saucepan.
Cook until smooth.
Pour over chicken and cook another 30 minutes.
Serve over brown rice.

Make it a meal: Serve with crusty bread.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Squash with French Herb Butter

2009-09-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

This isn't really a joke. It just never occurred to me to make squash any other way than mashed with margarine--the way my mother made. The flavor possibilities are endless once you think about it.

Squash with French Herb Butter

1 butternut squash cut in half lengthwise

a few pats of French Herb Butter (see recipe)

Hollow out the seeds.
Put herb butter into the hollowed-out space.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.
Scoop out of skin, mash a bit, and serve.

Option: Substitute Parsley Butter, Rosemary Butter, Sage Butter for French Herb Butter. Thyme and butter work, too.

Make it a meal: Serve with a simple rack of lamb and roasted potatoes with snow peas as a side dish.

Wine: Shiraz or Châteauneuf-du-Pape to go with the lamb

Tomato, Cucumber, & Feta Salad

2009-09-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Here in my hometown, the Greek-Americans are celebrating "Gledi." In honor of my Greek neighbors, I am making this versatile dish. These ingredients are in season, so this should taste especially fresh.

Tomato, Cucumber, & Feta Salad

2-3 cucumbers, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

basil

salt & pepper

1/2 cup feta cheese

Dressing

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

For the salad, just mix all the ingredients together in a pretty bowl.
For the dressing, mix and pour over salad.

Option: Add Kalmata olives, chopped

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite gyro.

Wine: Greek wine is truly awful. Try a nice Cabernet Sauvignon.

Turkey Meatloaf with Mushroom Wine Sauce

2009-09-17T14:46:00.000-07:00

Granted, meatloaf does not sound elegant or sophisticated. Yet, add a WINE mushroom sauce, and we're back on track. This diva cannot mix raw meat with her hands (number one--gross and number two she pictures bits of raw meat hanging from her emerald rings--horrifying)so she uses a wooden spoon or a man. Both work great. The latter also serves as a pepper, onion, and garlic chopper.

Turkey Meatloaf

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green or red pepper, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg

2-3 splashes Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. cumin

Mix all the ingredients together and smoosh into a loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.

Mushroom Wine Sauce

olive oil for sautéing

6 oz. mushrooms, sliced

1 cup water

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 tsp. thyme

2 pats French Herb Butter (see recipe) or crème fraîche or butter

Saute the mushrooms in the oil.
Add the water and wine and bring to a boil to reduce a bit.
Turn the heat down to medium; sprinkle in the thyme.
Just before serving, melt the butter into the sauce.

Make it a meal: Serve with a baked potato and steamed zucchini.

Wine: The rest of the white wine used in the recipe. Oops! Gone? Open another.

Potato & Garlic Soup

2009-09-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

I thought it was going to be cooler today, so I made soup. This one is full of comfort food goodness. It's smoother and creamier than Este Lauder night creme. Also, I use cauliflower puree to add smooth and creamy without adding fat and calories.

I use potatoes from Maine because my mother and all my aunts are Maine-iacs. They're crazy, too, but that's another story.

Potato & Garlic Soup

4 small potatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves

cauliflower puree (see recipe)

1 celery stick, chopped

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup half and half

1 tbsp. butter

Put the first 7 ingredients into a crock pot.
Cook on low for 7 hours.
Add half and half--cook for another hour.
Mash mixture with a potato masher and let thicken for another 30 minutes.
Stir in the butter before serving.

Option: Substitute sour cream for butter.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay

Grilled Zucchini & Tomatoes

2009-09-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year when everyone and their cousin has zucchini to give away. This diva accepts it all. I love the long, smooth vegetable. This recipe is fresh, easy, and versitile. (photo by Dano)

Stay tuned over the next few days for zucchini and chocolate chip bread.

Grilled Zucchini & Tomatoes

1 large zucchini, chopped into bite-sized chunks

1-2 tomatoes, diced

olive oil

butter

thyme

parsley

If you are still grilling, throw all of the above ingredients onto a sheet of tinfoil and wrap it up.
I wrap it in a second sheet of tinfoil to prevent burning, because I buy the cheap stuff.

Otherwise, toss it all in a pan and saute for a few minutes until zucchini is cooked.

Options: Add shallots and a splash of white wine

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled burgers or chicken and Super Fast Potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc with the veggies, Cabernet Sauvignon with the burgers.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

2009-08-29T17:23:00.000-07:00

If you love stuffed potatoes, you will find this version for sweet potatoes absolutely divine. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients. They should be a part of your regular diet. Take one to work for lunch. Have a half with dinner. Divas just may eat them for breakfast.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes

2-4 sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt & pepper

a tad bit of milk

paprika

bacon bits

sour cream (I like reduced fat)

chives for garnish

Slather the potatoes in olive oil and bake at 450 degrees for 40-45 minutes until done.
Keep the oven on.
Remove potatoes from oven, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop out most of the pulp leaving the skin intact.
Mix the sweet potato with salt, pepper, milk, paprika and sour cream.
Stuff the mixture back into the potato skins.
Top with the bacon bits.
Reheat for a few more minutes.

Make it a meal: It is a stand-alone breakfast, but for dinner serve with Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce (see recipe) and steamed broccoli.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

2009-08-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a super easy, sexy dinner. I made this for my man one Saturday night when he never came home from his class reunion. I had planned on joining him--even bought a dress. Then the organizer called that morning to say the event is stag. No women allowed at this Catholic boys school reunion. Misogynist!

This sauce works just as well with turkey. As you can see, I added mushrooms, but you do not need to. Also, I threw in a couple pats of French Herb Butter (see recipe) that I keep around just for this type of thing.

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

1 lb. chicken breast

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for searing

2 cups white wine

2 small spoonfuls Dijon mustard

parsley to taste

Use a mallet or empty wine bottle to pound chicken into a thin cutlet.
Sauté chicken in olive oil until just cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Pour wine into skillet and boil; if you want sliced mushrooms add them now.
Reduce heat, add mustard and parsley.
If you have herbed butter available add now.
Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans and Loaded Sweet Potatoes (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

French Herb Butter

2009-08-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

I love herb butters. Herb butters are rich and flavorful. Divas like rich. I like to keep a ramekin of something gorgeous in the refrigerator to add to soups, smear on breads, melt over pasta. They are all easy to make. The key is letting the butter soften at room temperature.

French Herb Butter

1 stick of butter

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/2 shallot, chopped

parsley

thyme

1 splash dry white wine

capers

Mix everything in a bowl and smash into a ramekin.

Make it a meal: Serve atop grilled vegetables along with your Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or the rest of the bottle you opened to make the butter recipe.

Pasta Weesie

2009-08-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

A nearby restaurant, Carrabba's Italian Grill, makes this dish. I love it so much, but only order it once a year, because I am sure there is loads of butter in it. Here is my version. I use light ingredients and small amounts of butter. Unless I'm feeling decadent. Then I load it in.

Pasta Weesie

8-10 large shrimp, cooked, tails off (I've never understood keeping the tails on--I hate reaching into my food to tear off tails)

½ cup sautéed mushrooms (I used baby Bella)

½ cup of white wine

butter

1 garlic clove, minced

squeeze of lemon

chives, chopped

½ jar of Alfredo Sauce (I used Ragu Light)

½ box whole wheat fettuccine, cooked

Romano or Parmesan cheese

pepper

Sauté mushrooms in wine with a bit of butter, the garlic, and lemon.
Add the Alfredo Sauce and chives.
Put the cooked pasta in a pretty, shallow bowl.
Top with the Alfredo mix and a bit of Romano cheese and fresh pepper.

Make it a meal: Serve with Crab Delights (see recipe) and side salad.

Wine: Chardonnay

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

2009-08-29T07:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a product I declare simply marvelous. Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce is all that and a bag of chips. My man and I enjoyed it atop cheeseburgers and then we dipped our French fries in them. We enjoyed the flavor so much that by the end of the meal we were dredging our grilled vegetables through the sauce. The sauce has wonderful tomato flavors with a bit of tang and hints of garlic and molasses. Personally, I prefer a bit of heat in my sauce, so I look forward to trying Country Bob's Spicy variety. When I do, read about it here.

Country Bob's website, http://www.countrybobs.com/, advertises that the sauce is available at over 3,000 retail stores. Better still, if you go to the website, you can try a bottle for free. Give it a shot!

Perfect Potato Salad

2009-08-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

There are many variations of potato salad. This one is tried and true. Sometimes I like to put chicken bullion into the boiling water for extra flavor.

Perfect Potato Salad

4 large russet potatoes, cubed

3/4 cup mayonnaise

2 scoops sweet pickle relish

3 tsp. white sugar

2 tsp. onion, chopped

1 scoop Dijon mustard

2 cap-fuls Champagne vinegar

1 celery stalk, chopped

2 sprinkles parsley

salt & pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes until soft, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a pretty bowl.
When the potatoes are done, drain and stir into the mayonnaise mixture.
Sprinkle some paprika on top for a polished look.

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite BBQ chicken and Grilled Asparagus (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

My Mother's Bruchetta

2009-08-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

My mother whipped this up and brought it to a friend's island getaway. It was devoured immediately by topless, peckish men in bathing suits down by the water. Life does not get much better than that!

My Mother's Bruchetta

1 baguette French bread

2 fresh tomatoes, diced

2 scoops store-bought pesto

1 glug olive oil

2 spoonfuls Parmesan cheese

Cut the baguette into slices and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
Remove and let cool (this can be done up to 3 hours ahead of time).
Meanwhile mix the tomatoes, pesto, olive oil, and cheese.
Spread tomato mixture over the little toasts and serve immediately.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of grilled chicken thighs and a spinach salad.

Wine: Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon

Fancy Tomato & Cucumber Salad

2009-07-29T05:56:00.000-07:00

Divas tire of the same things over and over again. This can mean men, but it can also mean food. It certainly means jewelry. Divas adore their fresh fruits and vegetables, of course mainly in the form of Bloody Marys. Try this old recipe with a new twist.

Play around with amounts here depending on how many you are serving. The garlic and the capers add zing to an old favorite. This time of year my basil is growing out of control in a kitchen pot. Be sure to take the time to let the dressing sit for a bit. It mellows the flavors nicely.

Fancy Tomato & Cucumber Salad

3 sprigs fresh basil, chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

a few splashes red wine vinegar

a few splashes balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon capers

2 tomatoes, room temperature, sliced or wedged

1 large cucumber, sliced into rounds

salt and pepper, to taste

Put the basil, olive oil, vinegars, garlic, and capers in a bowl and mix.
Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Arrange tomatoes and cucumbers on a pretty platter.
Drizzle with the marinade and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve with Pulled Pork Sandwich (see recipe) and grilled zucchini

Wine: Cheap rose

Chick Pea & Pesto Salad

2009-07-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Easy and quick. Chick peas or garbanzo beans help lower cholesterol, so this is health food. You can throw this together in seconds!

Chick Pea & Pesto Salad

1 can chick peas

store bought pesto

sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 avocado, cubed

Mix everything together.

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled chicken.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Shark Steak with Garlic Butter

2009-07-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, my supermarket carries shark. My man and I first tried shark bites in Newport, RI during a sexy, romantic getaway. He's loved them ever since.

Shark Steak with Garlic Butter

shark steaks

garlic butter (see recipe)

Have your man grill the steaks to perfection.
Apply garlic butter the last minute.
Apply more garlic butter on top when you serve them.

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled zucchini and couscous.

Wine: Chardonnay

Vermonter BLT with Turkey

2009-07-14T09:33:00.000-07:00

Where we ski at Killington, there is a fantastic pizza place that makes brick oven pizza. It is simply the best in the world. One of their specialties is called the Vermonter BLT. I have adapted their idea to my sandwich. This is an adult BLT.

Vermonter BLT with Turkey

2 slices of wheat bread, toasted

Vermont sharp cheddar

Turkey slices

artichoke hearts

sun-dried tomatoes

bacon

mayonnaise

Assemble everything on the toast.
Manga!

Make it a meal: What else do you need?

Wine: Chianti

Divine Chicken & Ham Casserole

2009-07-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

What to do with leftover chicken and ham? Quick and easy casserole, that's what. This dish comes out creamy and comforting. I wouldn't make it for guests, necessarily, but it's good on a cool night, and we've had plenty of those lately here in New England.

Divine Chicken & Ham Casserole

leftover chicken, chopped or cubed (I don't really know the difference)

leftover ham, chopped or cubed

1 cup shredded cheese (Swiss works great here)

1 can cream of anything soup (I used cream of chicken 98% fat free)

a few spoonfuls sour cream (light is nice)

1/4 cup white wine (have a sip yourself)

seasoning (dill or oregano works fine)

Put the chicken and ham in a casserole dish and top with cheese.
In a separate bowl, mix the soup, sour cream, wine, and seasoning.
Pour the mixture atop of everything.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli.

Wine: The rest of the Chardonnay! Finished already? Open another!

White Zinfandel Cocktail

2009-06-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

A colleague of my husband's came to our cocktail party with a big jug of White Zinfandel. It was quite sweet, but I hate the stuff. Apparently he was unaware of my nickname, the Chardonnay Queen. So this is what I did with it to make it more palatable.

This is also nice for those of us sick to death of Cosmopolitans but still like pretty pink drinks. It is a little lighter, too.

White Zinfandel Cocktail

2 oz. White Zinfandel

1 oz. Chambourd

2 oz. lemon or lime flavored soda water

Throw the White Zin and Chambourd into a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake.
Pour into a pretty glass.
Top with soda water.

Make it a meal: Serve with hamburger sliders and green beans.

Artichoke and Crabmeat Triangles

2009-06-28T05:33:00.000-07:00

These appetizers are quick and easy to make. The flavors are mild and gorgeous. Make them ahead of time, then pop into the oven when you are ready. They are the perfect finger food. (photo by Ian Ransley)

Artichoke and Crabmeat Triangles

½ can artichoke hearts, drained

1 can crabmeat

½ cup mayonnaise

1 shallot or a few onion slices, chopped

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 pinches Old Bay seasoning

3 English muffins, split open

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a pretty bowl.
Spread mixture onto English muffins.
Cut the muffins into quarters (hence the triangle in the name of the recipe).
Place triangles onto a baking sheet.
Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with seafood chowder.

Wine: Chardonnay

Baked Potato Salad

2009-06-26T07:03:00.001-07:00

For your next get-together make this ahead of time, then pop in the oven when you are about ready. Dieters beware! Make sure to use light mayo and sour cream to counteract the cheese and bacon. As you can see from my picture, I have a little trouble crumbling bacon.

The horseradish and Dijon mustard give this potato salad zip. Divas know all about zip...and unzip. Especially unzip!

Baked Potato Salad

4 large potatoes, diced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tbsp. horseradish

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

salt & pepper to taste

6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

a sprinkling of chives

Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and horseradish.
When potatoes are done, stir in mayonnaise mix.
Stir in cheese and chives.
Transfer it all into a 9 X 11 baking dish.
Top with bacon.
When ready, heat at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with burgers and dogs.

Wine: Chianti

Elegant Meatloaf

2009-06-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is a mild, mature-tasting meatloaf. If it is too mild for you, only use half the sour cream and then a half cup of Ranch dressing. Also play around with the cheese. Goat cheese instead of Parmesan adds a nice kick.

Elegant Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef

1 egg

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup red wine

½ onion or 3 shallots, chopped

5-6 mushrooms, chopped

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs

a bit of cheddar, shredded

Mix all but the cheddar cheese in a pink bowl.
Smash into a meatloaf dish.
Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Sprinkle on the cheddar cheese the last 10 minutes.

Make it a meal: Serve with green beans topped with garlic butter (see recipe).

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chablis

Goat Cheese, Lemon, & Chive Turnovers

2009-06-23T04:44:00.001-07:00

These turnovers look tough to put together, but they are really not. Assemble them a few hours ahead of time then refrigerate. When the girls come over for book club, pop them in and watch them get devoured. I ate five of them for dinner last night.

Goat Cheese, Lemon, & Chive Turnovers

4 oz. goat cheese

a small bunch chives, sliced (I use my kitchen scissors)

a few squirts of lemon juice

pepper to taste

flour for dusting

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

Mash the goat cheese with the chives, lemon, and pepper.
Flour your surface (for me, that’s my gorgeous granite counter top).
Unfold the pastry sheet and dust a bit more flour on.
Cut the dough into 9 squares.
Put equal amounts of goat cheese mix on each square.
Dip your finger in water and wet the edges of each square.
Fold the pastry over to form a triangle.
Press the edges closed with a fork.
Arrange the turnovers on a lightly greased baking sheet (I use Pam).
Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until puffed and golden.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Champagne or Sauvignon Blanc

Horseradish Spread for Burgers

2009-06-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

Do you get bored with ketchup on your burgers? My man never tires of it, but I am always looking for new flavors. Whisk these few ingredients together for a zesty, grown-up burger.

Horseradish Spread for Burgers

sour cream

2 dashes horseradish

parsley

dill weed

chives

lots of pepper

Whisk it all together and slather atop your favorite burger.

Make it a meal: Add tomato and lettuce to the burger and serve with Brave Potatoes (see recipe).

Wine: Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon

Garlic Butter

2009-06-20T09:31:00.001-07:00

I love garlic bread, but I don't love the frozen garlic bread. Mine is better. Rich and smooth...the way I like my men. Many herb butter recipes order you to roll it into a log and wrap it in clear wrap. Forget it. Way too messy. I smash mine into ramekins my sister-in-law gave me with little lids. Easy.

Use this garlic butter on pasta or burger buns before you grill them lightly. It's also not bad atop white fish or vegetables.

Garlic Butter

1 stick of butter, softened

1 clove of garlic, smashed & chopped

1 shallot, chopped

2 pinches parsley

Mix it up in a pretty bowl, then smash it into a lovely ramekin.

Make it a meal: Serve with Seafood Chowder (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay, dahling!

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo

2009-06-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo is an elegant recipe in a creamy Alfredo sauce. The vegetables pack in nutrients, and hopefully you can find low-fat Alfredo sauce. My own nearby supermarket does not stock it. Go even healthier with whole wheat pasta. I use linguine.

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 carrots, sliced

1 bunch broccoli florets

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1 (16-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 (10-ounce) package frozen fully cooked shrimp, thawed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (12-ounce) package pasta

Mix all but the last three ingredients into the crock pot.
Pour Alfredo sauce over all.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.
During the last 20 minutes, add shrimp.
Serve over hot cooked pasta.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Make it a meal: Serve with garlic bread.

Wine: Chardonnay

Fruit Dip

2009-06-14T05:51:00.000-07:00

This one is fun for kids. Experiment with different flavors of yogurt. I used an apricot and peach flavored Yoplait. For my little skewers, I chopped up cantaloupe and strawberries and topped them with grapes using toothpicks.

Fruit Dip

2 cups sour cream

1 cup fruit flavored yogurt Swiss style (any flavor – play around)

½ pack vanilla instant pudding dry mix

Mix all ingredients and chill.
Serve with grapes, strawberries, kiwi, and cantaloupe on toothpicks.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of marinated lamb and a baked potato.

Wine: For kids? Forget it.

Mountain Chili

2009-06-11T13:48:00.000-07:00

It has been cold here in New England. Normally I serve up chili in the colder seasons, but geez! I've been cold at work and reluctant to turn on the heat at home in June, so this hit the spot last night.

This recipe is different from others in that it contains chunks of steak instead of ground beef. The slow cooking makes the beef uber tender. Sometimes divas have a tender side.

Take this recipe on your next ski vacation. Skiers live on such cuisine.

Mountain Chili

1 lb. sirloin, cut up into bite-sized pieces, fat trimmed

1 onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

2-3 scallions, sliced

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 can tomato paste

3 tbsp. chili powder

3 tbsp. brown sugar

4 squirts Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

dash salt & pepper

3 cans diced tomatoes

2 cans pinto beans

shredded cheddar and/or sour cream for garnish

Throw this all into the crock pot, mix, and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Options: Add some ground sausage to the mix.

Make it a meal: Serve with corn bread.

Wine: A hearty Cabernet Sauvignon or spicy Shiraz

Summertime Orzo Salad

2009-05-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

Here's another one from Diva Karyn. I couldn't stop eating this salad. I love every flavor in it. I can't wait to make it again.

Summertime Orzo Salad

frozen corn defrosted

crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup olive oil

green pepper, diced

8 oz crumbled feta

1 cup basil leaves thinly sliced

4 cups orzo, cooked

1 1/2 lbs. grape tomatoes halved or quartered

1 red onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar

1 3/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp black pepper

cayenne pepper to taste

Roast the corn with crushed red pepper flakes and olive oil.
Add green pepper, feta, and basil.
Meanwhile mix the orzo, tomatoes, and onion.
Make a dressing with the vinegar oil and seasoning.
Pour dressing over orzo mixture and refrigerate at least an hour.

Make it a meal: Serve with your favorite BBQ foods.

Wine:Dry Rosé

Pesto Orzo Salad

2009-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Simple, simple, and quick. When you make this ahead of time, it is even better. I like to serve it at room temperature; my man likes it heated. He's a barbarian. I like to take leftovers to work for lunch, but I hardly ever have any. (photo by faeryboots)

Pesto Orzo Salad

1 cup orzo, cooked (I throw chicken boullion into the boiling water for extra flavor)

a few scoops store-bought pesto

chopped tomatoes

crumbled feta

pepper

Mix everything in a pretty bowl.

Make it a meal: Serve with grilled salmon.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Butternut Squash Pasta

2009-05-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

This dish is gorgeous. And it tastes good, too. This comes from Diva Barbara. Like me, she doesn't mind whole wheat pasta. I used penne.

Butternut Squash Pasta

1 butternut squash- peeled and cut up (I find the already cut up squash is
not as tasty)

4 shallots sliced (onion ok)

1 tsp. sage

3 tbs. brown sugar

2 tbsp. olive oil plus a bit

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix squash, sage, olive oil and brown sugar in large bowl.
Place on baking sheet and put in the oven
After 15-20 minutes, turn, and cook for another 15 min until soft.
Take out of the oven and put back in the bowl and add a little more olive
oil.
Serve over pasta with fresh grated cheese.

Make it a meal: Serve with side salad.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Mushroom, Herb, & Feta Tart

2009-05-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

I made this for my husband recently. Big mistake. He scraped all the mushrooms off, ate the puff pastry and declared it was delicious. I think I'll make it for the book club ladies next time.

You can use any kind of mushrooms. Try using three to four different types. I used Baby Bella for the flavor and color of them.

Mushroom, Herb, & Feta Tart

1 puff pastry (the frozen kind that come two to a box), thawed

5-6 oz. mushrooms, sliced thin

butter or oil for sautéing

thyme

parsley

garlic pepper

feta cheese

Parmesan cheese, grated

Lightly oil a baking sheet and put puff pastry on it.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes until golden.
Remove and let cool.
Sauté mushroom in butter or oil.
Sprinkle with thyme, parsley, and garlic pepper.
Sprinkle with feta cheese.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, again at 400 degrees.
Remove, let it cool, and cut it into squares with a pizza cutter.

Options: Use goat cheese instead of feta.

Make it a meal: Serve with other lovely appetizers at book club...no men allowed.

Wine: Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon

Turkey Panini with Avocado Dressing

2009-05-17T10:17:00.001-07:00

I make all my paninis in my George Foreman grill. Put the sandwich in, bring the top down, it’s as easy as opening up a box of doughnuts for breakfast. It’s small, it’s light, and it’s super easy to clean. I don’t have time to spend all day cleaning things.

If you are an accomplished chef, you could probably grill this in a pan, turning once without the insides falling out all over the place. I’m not that person. Or if you are gadget-girl and have a panini press, feel free to haul that thing out from wherever you store it, and go to town. You probably keep it to the left of the quesadilla-maker in a cabinet you need to stand on a chair to reach. I’m not that kind of cook, either.

Turkey Panini with Avocado Dressing

panini

Arnold’s Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins (see Food Article) or any bread you like

olive oil

deli turkey slices

a few slices tomato

cheese (Colby-Jack or Gouda)

dressing

2 small spoonfuls ranch salad dressing

½ small avocado, mashed

Brush the outside of each bread slice with oil.
Place bread oil sides down.
Top half the slices with turkey, tomato, cheese and dressing.
Top with remaining bread slices, oil sides up.
Place in a George Foreman grill and let her rip.

Options: Add bacon and your man will give you a foot rub tonight.

Make it a meal: Serve with potato chips or carrot sticks. I’ll diet tomorrow.

Wine: Chardonnay

Shrimp Waldorf Salad

2009-05-17T03:50:00.000-07:00

Spring is here and summer is not far away. Busy divas will be invited to many a soiree. Always the gracious guest, divas will offer to bring something nice. This salad is perfect. I brought it to a graduation party recently where it was a hit.

For divas hosting their own backyard garden parties, this salad can be made ahead of time.

Shrimp Waldorf Salad

1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like light)

1/2 cream

2 squirts lemon juice

1-2 tsp. tarragon (I prefer less)

1-2 tsp. Dijon mustard (I prefer more)

1 large apple, diced (Pink Lady is my favorite)

1 handful red seedless grapes, halved

3-4 stalks celery, diced

2 cans tiny shrimp or 1 lb. fresh shrimp,cooked and chopped

lettuce to line the pretty bowl

chives to sprinkle on top

Mix the mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice, tarragon, and mustard and set aside.
Mix the apples, grapes, celery, and shrimp in a large bowl.
Add the mayonnaise mixture.
Line a pretty bowl with lettuce and fill with the salad.
Sprinkle chives on top.

Make it a meal: Serve with whatever your man is grilling.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Boiled Blue Potatoes

2009-05-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

Vary the amounts depending on how many you are serving. I saw one version of this that called for 50 lbs. of potatoes. That’s one big cocktail party! The chives come from my own small garden. Small is all I can handle. I limit the amount of cheese, since my man is not crazy about blue cheese. In addition, I sprinkle bacon bits on his serving.

Boiled Blue Potatoes

3-4 red potatoes, diced

salt & pepper

chives, chopped

blue cheese, crumbled

margarine or butter

Boil the potatoes until tender, 15-20 minutes.
Mix in a bowl with all the other ingredients.

Make it a meal: Serve with pot roast with red wine (see recipe minus the potatoes) and green beans.

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon

Divine Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2009-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

It is spring, but it is cloudy and windy out here in New England. It is also Sunday, so it is perfect for a pot roast. Curl up with a good book or an old movie and let your dinner cook all day.

Divine Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3-4 lb. beef shoulder

olive oil for searing

a couple of potatoes, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

8-10 mushrooms, whole or sliced

4-6 cloves of garlic, halved

2 pinches thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup red wine

1/2 cup beef broth

2 spoonfuls sour cream (I like light)

Salt and pepper the beef.
Sear the beef in olive oil on all sides.
Layer the potatoes and onion in the bottom of the crock pot.
Add the beef, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, bay leaf.
Pour the wine and broth over the top.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours until beef falls apart.
Stir in the sour cream the last 30 minutes to thicken the gravy if needed.

Options: Add in carrots and/or a can of diced tomatoes.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans with herb butter (see recipe)

Wine: Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz

Horseradish Mustard

2009-05-09T09:31:00.001-07:00

Shopping recently, I came across a specialty mustard, horseradish mustard. It cost nearly six dollars for a small jar. I made mine with items already on hand: mustard and horseradish. Divas always have horseradish on hand for emergency Bloody Marys.

Use the horseradish to dip pretzels, atop baked salmon, or on hot dogs.

Horseradish Mustard

Dijon mustard

horseradish

Mix.

White Beans and Lemon

2009-05-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

Divas love to do lunch and here is a nice salad to serve at the next one. Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and they look so pretty in this salad.

White Beans and Lemon

1 can white beans like Great Northern or Cannelli, drained

3 squeezes lemon

2 sprinkles parsley

Put in all in a bowl, mix, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Bring them to room temperature before you serve.
Put them on top of a pretty, leafy salad mix.

Make it a meal: Serve with Rosemary Salmon (see recipe) or just a side of fruit.

Wine: Chablis

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

2009-05-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

I love lemon chicken and this recipe makes it easy. The sherry adds rich flavor. Divas adore anything rich. (photo by kochtopf)

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

3 1/2 pounds chicken (breasts, thighs, or a mixture)

Salt and pepper

1 shallot, chopped

2 dashes oregano

1 dash parsley

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dry wine, sherry, or chicken broth

3 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper the chicken.
Throw everything into the crock pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with Blue Potatoes (see recipe) or wild rice and roasted broccoli (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Divine Deviled Eggs with Salmon & Capers

2009-05-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

These are a delight. And if there is anyone still out there on the Atkins diet, these are for you. I had three for lunch and will have two for breakfast. I love how the salmon makes these a little bit pink.

Divine Deviled Eggs with Salmon & Capers

5 eggs, hard boiled

a bit of leftover salmon, smashed

2 scoops mayonnaise

1 scoop Dijon mustard

1 squeeze lemon

1-2 pinches dill

a bit of pepper and salt

3 dashes of hot sauce

Paprika and capers for garnish

Cut the boiled eggs in half and remove the yolk.
Mix the yolk with all the other ingredients except the garnish.
Fill the mixture back into the eggs and garnish.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Asparagus Lemon Chicken (see recipe)

Wine: Champagne

Blue Potatoes

2009-05-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

My current man is not crazy about blue cheese, so I was surprised that he gobbled this up, as did the rest of the men I was entertaining last night. Of course, I soon realized the recipe calls for bacon! He'll eat bacon off of anything. Trust me.

For some reason none of the wives and girlfriends could not make it. Alas, what's a diva to do? I had them drinking white sangria out of pink cups in no time.

Blue Potatoes

5-6 new red potatoes

a few splashes of olive oil

a few spoonfuls sour cream (I use light)

a toss of blue cheese

bacon bits

a small spoonful Dijon mustard

sprinkle of parsley

Cut the potatoes in half, then toss them in a bowl and coat them with olive oil.
Place them cut side down on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
Let them cool a bit, then scoop out the pulp.
Mix the pulp with the sour cream, cheese, bacon, and mustard.
Fill each potato skin with the mixture.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Here you can serve right away or refrigerate and reheat when you are ready.

Make it a meal: Serve with chicken that has been marinated with The Best Marinade (see Food Article) and Broccoli Salad (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or Rose

White Sangria

2009-05-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a little sparkle and bubbles on a hot Spring night. I sipped on this in front of my manly beer-drinking friends. Before long, they requested a bit for themselves. I love a man confident enough to drink from a pink cup.

White Sangria

1 bottle dry white wine

1 bottle club soda, lime flavored

a few splashes brandy

1/4 cup sugar

1 small bunch grapes

a few slices apple, lime, and lemon

pink cups for serving

Mix it all together and serve over ice.

Make it a meal: Serve with lovely nibbly things like shrimp spread (see recipe) and Simple Bruschetta (see recipe).

Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms

2009-04-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Chicken is probably my favorite meat, because it is so versatile. Here is a super simple and quick recipe for dinner. This one is elegant enough to serve your guests, especially if your guests come baring chilled Chardonnay and a juicy story about someone you both hate.

If you have time to plan and shop, experiment with different mushrooms. Shitake would be wonderful in this recipe. Do not substitute the heavy cream with milk. I did once--big mistake. The milk curdled and I ruined the whole dinner.

Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms

1 lb. Chicken breast

oil for sautéing

mushrooms, sliced

a sprinkle of thyme

a good pour white wine

a good squeeze lemon juice

a few splashes heavy cream

Using an empty wine bottle, smash the chicken breasts down to a thin cutlet.
Sauté in oil for a few minutes each side, remove and keep warm.
Back in the same pan, sauté the mushrooms until they are soft.
Add the thyme, white wine, and lemon juice.
Reduce this a bit, then add the cream.
Heat this for a bit, then pour the sauce over the chicken for a lovely dish.

Options: Substitute a dash of balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice.

Make it a meal: Serve with Orzo with Peas & Parmesan (see recipe).

Wine: Whatever your guests brought!