Fresh green peas scream spring to me. Also known as English or garden peas, these emerald legumes require nothing more than just a little butter and salt to make a delightful side dish. They need very little cooking to bring out their sweet and subtle flavor. Of course you can get frozen peas throughout the year, and they serve many recipes well, but there's nothing like the fresh version right … [Read more...]
Mac and Cheese with Collards
I grew up in the age of instant everything. Convenience ruled the day, especially when it came to food prep. With the arrival of processed food, the likes of Hamburger Helper, Instant Breakfast, and Potato Buds filled supermarket shelves. Working moms opted for the quickest possible route to a family dinner, and my Mom was no exception. A full-time 5th-grade school teacher, she worked all day and … [Read more...]
Chicken Spaghetti
I grew up in an era of church socials and covered dish dinners. Whenever there was such an event, all the church ladies prepared their best dishes, casseroles, and desserts, filling the tables to capacity. Without fail, there was enough food to feed an army. The spread always included fried chicken, casseroles of every variety, and an array of cakes and pies. At some point, every church in town … [Read more...]
Linguine with Grilled Shrimp and Peppers
Where do the weekends go? Seems like Friday rolls around and before I know it, I'm rolling out of bed on Monday morning and heading to work. Between blogging, house projects, running errands, and a little socializing, this weekend was gone in a flash. Another beautiful spring weekend provided the perfect backdrop for the Inman Park Festival. Many neighborhoods in the city of Atlanta host a … [Read more...]
Pappardelle Bolognese
Toy Party, a huge holiday charity event in Atlanta, provides tens of thousands of Christmas gifts to underpriviledged children in the metropolitan area. Your heart warms when you walk into the venue in the AmericasMart Building and see mountains of toys that will undoubtably produce smiles on the faces of many children on Christmas morning. Each of the thousands of guests bring gifts as admission … [Read more...]
Linguine with Tomatoes, Brie, and Basil
There are a million pasta dishes with tomatoes and basil out there and then there's this one with the addition of brie. I struggle with describing the layer of texture and flavor that brie adds to this dish other than to say that the melted cheese coats each strand of linguine and brings a delicious richness to an already classic combination of flavors. Each summer, I anxiously await the height … [Read more...]
Linguine with Grilled Chicken, Corn, and Grape Tomatoes
I have an Italian in the house and I'm afraid I don't satisfy his need for pasta nearly often enough. I love pasta, but I guess in the interest of limiting carbs and maintaining weight, it's not on our regular menu rotation. The Mediterranean diet is a very healthy one, so I'm making the effort to let go of the idea that pasta equals weight gain. My weakness with a dish like this is a lack of … [Read more...]
Lasagna with Bolognese, Bechamel, and Spinach
My friend, Mark, recently had a milestone birthday and I wanted to make a dinner for him that he would really like. Mark is Italian, so being the kind of guy that has to make everything from scratch, I started thinking about dragging out my KitchenAid with pasta attachment. I flipped through the pasta recipes filed away in my brain and remembered a lasagna that I made a couple of years ago. The … [Read more...]
Grilled Lemon Shrimp with Penne and Cashew Parsley Pesto
Summertime brings many opportunities for transporting food from one place to another... picnics, concerts, covered dish dinners. We recently went to Chastain Park in Atlanta to hear Sarah McLachlan. Chastain is an outside venue where concert goers bring a range of culinary delights from sandwiches in a to-go bag to wine glasses, white table cloths, and a full four-course dinner. A Chastain concert … [Read more...]