Meatless Monday - Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

by Dianne Wenz in ,


Saturday was the first day of fall, my favorite time of the year! Signs of autumn are here with cooler days, trees full of colorful leaves and bright orange pumpkins on display in the grocery store’s produce department. I’m already looking forward to sipping warm mulled cider, making my first pumpkin pie of the year and taking my annual pilgrim to the orchards of Warwick, NY to pluck my own apples straight from the tree. 
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Recipe: White Peach, Prosciutto & Mozzarella Salad

by Melody Kettle in ,


White Peach, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Salad (via Downtown Magazine NYC)

This recipe for a lovely light salad is perfect for Spring. It’s a simple but elegant combination of white peaches, fresh mozzarella and prosciutto tossed in a tangy, semi-sweet dressing of lemon, honey and white balsamic vinegar. The saltiness of the prosciutto goes perfectly with the tangy dressing…



 


Meatless Labor Day Grilling – Portobello Peach Sandwiches

by Dianne Wenz in ,


Today is Labor Day, the unofficial last day of summer, which means many people are taking to their backyard and firing up their grills.  It’s a tough day for people who don’t eat meat, right? Wrong!
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Gluten Free Brazilian Yucca Bread Recipe from Samba Montclair

by Melody Kettle in


Mr. Hot and I recently enjoyed some decadent Brazilian desserts at Samba Montclair.

We sat outside and sampled Guava Mousse, Brazilian Carrot Cake - with chocolate rather than the traditional cream cheese - Passion Fruit Mousse, and Flan. All so refreshing and satisfying!

After our desserts, Ilson Goncalves, the owner of Samba Montclair, brought over a iron vessel filled with tiny gluten-free Brazilian yucca rolls.

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Mini Recipe ~ Maxi Flavor : Best Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe Ever

by Melody Kettle in


Favourite Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

 4 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

 1 clove garlic , crushed or finely chopped

 3/4 cup really good extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper , to taste
Method

Combine the balsamic vinegar, mustard and garlic in a blender or food processor. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil through the opening in the lid to process into a thick dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

I've made the dressing using a plug-in immersion blender which produced an almost mayonaisse consistency as a great deal of air was whipped into the dressing. When really thick like this it is a great addition to turkey sandwiches or even as a dip for veggies.

The Balsamic Vinegar that I prefer is Olivier 25 year old barrel aged from Italy. It's so sweet and mellow that its possible to do a full shot without making a face. Its available at Williams Sonoma, its my favorite thing in the store, I always have 2 or 3 bottles around, and even if I wasn't associated with the company I would buy it.

 

 


Classic Fried Chicken Recipe

by Elizabeth Palmer Starnes in ,


For a girl who does most of her grocery shopping at Whole Foods, the idea of buying the requisite can of Crisco to fry chicken was a little out of my comfort zone.  But once I scooped the frosting-like white fluff out of the can and heated it in my big Le Creuset, it bubbled up and cooked the chicken to golden brown perfection.
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