Here is a simple recipe for a tasty snack to nibble on: oven-roasted chickpeas with za’atar. Za’atar is a traditional Middle Eastern seasoning blend usually made with oregano, thyme, sumac, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds and salt. You can find it in most supermarkets. Ingredients: 2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained if using canned ones 1 Tbsp extra-virgin … [Read more...]
Memorial Day Rosé-Rosemary Chicken
At our house we usually grill on Memorial Day and this grilled chicken with flavors of rosemary and Rosé wine is one of my favorites, and not just for Memorial Day. I suggest serving it with the same Rosé wine that goes into the marinade, such as a nice, sunny Rosé from Provence, in France. Ingredients: 1/2 cup olive oil 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 2 … [Read more...]
Pasta alle Vongole
Vongole, in Italian, translates as clams. So, pasta alle vongole is simple pasta with clams. Most of the recipes I’ve seen for pasta with clams don’t include tomato, but I like the added flavor and color that a few cherry or grape tomatoes add to the pasta dish. I used spaghetti here, but you could use any of your favorite pasta shapes. Linguine is especially popular with … [Read more...]
Low-Oil No-Fry Enchiladas
Typically, recipes for enchiladas require quickly frying the corn tortillas in oil, which can make quite a mess and also adds unnecessary fat to the enchiladas. So I recently devised a way to make the enchiladas pliable so they don’t break or tear, but without frying them. Rather than frying the tortillas, I spray one side lightly with vegetable or canola oil cooking spray and … [Read more...]
Sichuan-Style Asparagus
Here is a spicy veggie stir-fry side dish featuring asparagus prepared Sichuan-style. The portions here are for 2 servings, but you could double or triple the amounts to serve more people. Ingredients: 10 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 small yellow or red onion, peeled and thinly sliced A handful of dried red chile peppers such as … [Read more...]
Poke Tuna Recipe
One of my fondest food memories is of eating store-bought poke salad (also spelled "poki") with my wife on a Maui beach during our honeymoon, accompanied by Salon Champagne. Poke salad - which is typically made using raw tuna - is as commonplace in Hawaiian grocery stores as potato salad is here. It's delicious and very easy to make. There's no cooking involved; it's … [Read more...]
Chicken with Mustard-Cream Sauce
Here is my take on a chicken recipe that first appeared in Food & Wine magazine. My wife especially loves this dish, which features a mustard-cream sauce, but the mustard isn’t overpowering. In fact, it’s a very light tasting dish. I like to serve this chicken with a wild rice blend such as Lundberg’s. Ingredients: ½ tsp. ground coriander 2 Tbsp extra-virgin … [Read more...]
Zesty Sloppy Joes
Here is my spicy take on the traditional Sloppy Joe. I like to make them extra zesty by adding cayenne, Louisiana Hot Sauce, chili flakes and such. Don’t let the number of ingredients dissuade you from trying this recipe. Once you get everything gathered and prepped, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook. Ingredients: 1 lb. lean ground beef (I use a 90/10 ratio - who … [Read more...]
Maryland-Style Peel & Eat Shrimp
Whenever I visit my friends in Annapolis, I can’t wait to dig into a big pile of Maryland-style peel & eat shrimp. The key, of course, is Old Bay Seasoning - the holy grail of spices for making peel & eat shrimp, crabs, and such. Recipes don't get much simpler than this one: just boil the shrimp briefly in a pot with beer, water, spices and butter and then enjoy them … [Read more...]
Tandoori-Style Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
This week I’m sharing another air fryer recipe that I like a lot with you. This one's for tandoori-style air fryer chicken thighs that I adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. If you’d like your tandoori chicken thighs a little spicier, just add some optional cayenne chile powder to taste. Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1 Tbsp grated fresh … [Read more...]