Bacon Dill Potato Salad
The holidays are not always frosty and cold. Sometimes they are downright warm! At least they are in the Dallas area. Sure, last year we enjoyed a white Christmas, but our typical Christmas is spent in often balmy 70 degree weather. When I plan my Christmas Day meal I pay close attention to the weather. If temps are looking to be above 60 then I plan a lighter meal that can be served cold, or at room temperature. This potato salad...
Cornbread Topped Turkey and Green Chile Casserole
The day after Thanksgiving I tend to bag up some of my left-over turkey and freeze it. I love knowing that I have, in my freezer, the means to make any number of easy weeknight meals. From pot pies to tetrazzini, frozen turkey meat is a good thing to have on hand. This year I decided to try out a new idea that blends creamy pot pie filling with a Tex-Mex flair. I served this up to my casserole hating husband who went back for...
Carrot, Cardamom and Coconut Soup
I always carry with me a book I call my ‘Inspiration Book’. This is the place where I jot down ideas, or flavors, so when I get back to my home kitchen I remember what it was, exactly, that inspired me. This little book has served me well, and it is directly responsible for this soup. When my husband and I were off at IFBC last month we took a little side trip into Vancouver, BC. I had never been to Canada and it was...
Paneer Potato Cakes
In the last few months I have discovered a few new ingredients that I absolutely love! The first of these is a spice called asafoetida, a deeply pungent smelling spice that, when cooked, adds a smooth onion flavor. A little of this spice makes a big difference as far as complexity of flavor is concerned. The other ingredient is chickpea flour. I was inspired to try this from a cooking show where the presenter made sweet potato...
Beef Shawarma Meatballs
Not long ago I had lunch at a little Lebanese restaurant and I discovered some really wonderful new dishes. One of these was shawarma, a meat mixture that is marinated in a spice blend, placed on a spit, and slowly grilled. It is sliced thin and served with pita and other fresh garnishes. It is very similar to a gyro but with distinctly different spices. I fell in love! The restaurant owner, of course, would not share their recipe...
