September Roasted Peach Cake

I’m 34 weeks pregnant and love the extra 300+/day calories the pregnancy books all agree I should be consuming!  It’s September in New England and peaches are ready for  pickin’.  This Peach Cake is a dense and moist homage to the dog days.   The majority of the peaches are roasted off in the oven […]

Extra MasterChef Footage Revealed

As they say in Reality TV,  if it didn’t air, it didn’t happen.  Well, now this really happened.   No doubt for dramatic effect, these ego-boosting clips had been left on the edit room floor.  Husband verses wife?  Game on.  While AJ’s Dirty Lobster earned a resounding “YES” from all three judges that aired triumphantly […]

Raw Summer Squash and Cucumber Salad with Shaved Fennel and Mint

Sometimes the best souvenirs come  in the most delicate of bites.  Last weekend, AJ and I ventured seven hours north by car, then by ferry to Vinalhaven, Maine for our friends, Katie and Peter’s, wedding.   Vinalhaven feels genuine and authentic and the wedding was a reflection of the close knit community that Katie’s family […]

Cherriette Radishes with Anchovy Butter and Fluer de Sel

I am in Farm Share heaven right now, thanks to Siena Farms.  I just picked up this weeks CSA box and am blown away by everything that is pristine and thriving right now in New England.  First out of the box were gorgeous Cherriette Radishes.  The sophistication of this “amuse bouche” comes in it’s simplicity: […]

Key Lime Pie with Coco-Macadamia Nut Crust and Greek Yogurt

This is one of my favorite summer desserts.  There is nothing like chilled custard-y lime flavors to refreshen the palate on these hot summer nights.  This recipe is extremely quick and easy.  The texture tastes like a delicious egg-based custard, however, the creamy consistency is achieved with sweetened condensed milk.  I like to romanticize this […]

Pies, Pies, Pies! From Berries to Stone Fruit, Happy Summer!

Berries and stone fruit are on sale right now in New England!  AJ and I are talkin’ pies tomorrow AM on FOX 25 Boston.  Try this 5 minute pie crust as your foundation for celebrating summer in New England! Tomorrow we will be featuring: Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Thyme and Cointreau Rainier Cherry and Habanero Crostata […]

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Pickled Maine Rosehips, Mascarpone Polenta and Micro Green Salad

I love duck.  I actually learned how to perfectly cook duck breast from Gordon’s youtube video about a year ago.  My favorite way to serve this beautiful, rich protein is medium rare, sliced on the bias, and served with homemade pickled rosehips from Vinylhaven, ME, creamy Mascarpone Polenta and a Micro Green Salad.   No […]

Virginia Belle’s Brownies

My folks were out here this past week to celebrate the MasterChef premiere with AJ and me.  I didn’t waste a minute asking them to whip up a few of the dishes that remind me of my childhood.  I have lived over 3,000 miles away from them for over 10 years, so recipes are how […]

Ground Beef Challenge – Tarragon Beef Stuffed Onion Wrap with Shallot Vinaigrette and Horseradish Creme

For the Top 36 Elimination Challenge on Master Chef, the judges launched Ground Beef at us.  I typically only buy ground beef if I am grilling burgers out back.  Instead, I like to use ground turkey, pork, chicken or a mix for most of my cooking (chili, meatballs, bolognese, meatloaf…you name it.)  I thought “Hamburger” […]