Oh MAMA! AJ and I are “fluent” in Italian

This past Spring, AJ and I took our dream trip to Italy!  We  literally ate our way across Rome, Positano and Abruzzo.   Among our culinary adventures was a 7 day 7 night all inclusive culinary program with Leonardo de Flaviis at Abruzzo 1.  Leonardo has since become a wonderful friend and AJ and I daily […]

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 […]

My Elimination Recap: MasterChef S3 Ep9 Thanks Kaimana Chee!

What a night! My friend Kaimana Chee just sent this over.  Not only is he an incredible cook himself earning a spot among the Top 100 best home cooks in America, but he also has the ability to bring light to even the most difficult of evenings.  Thank you, Kaimana, for adding a little levity […]

AJ’s Duck Prosciutto

AJ and I love curing our own sausages and meats.  As we live in the Back Bay and have a “galley” size kitchen, duck proscuitto has become a superb “alternative”  to making room in our fridge for an entire dry cured ham.  (Trust me, if it was up to AJ, our produce and condiments would […]

Red Porridge with Cream (Rød Grød med Fløde)

When I was 16, I lived in Denmark for 6 months.  Some of my nearest and dearest friends are Danish and I grew up with special Scandinavian traditions and specialities mixed into my life back on Bainbridge.  I think “rød grød med fløde” or Red Porridge with Cream is the prize of Denmark…well, at least […]

Anna’s Molten Lava Cake…approved by Joe Bastianich

Pressure test? psssh! This dessert will wow🙂  My recipe is quick and easy.  The trick is to measure and prep every ingredients so you can quickly combine once you get moving.  This chocolate heaven is best served immediately out of the oven…(as you will appreciate if you watched episode 7 of season 3 of MasterChef) […]

Thyme Ginger Sole with Roasted Kohlrabi Fries and Sorrel Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Fisherman Nick brought us 4 gorgeous whole grey sole this week from our Cape Ann Fresh Catch CSF.  If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a whole fish, here is a great fillet demo from their website.  Flat fish have a different bone structure than cod or salmon so the technique is slightly […]

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 […]

How to Fillet and Skin a Fish – 5lbs Atlantic Pollock from Cape Anna Fresh Catch

Monday is Fish Day for the Rossi’s!  Every Monday between 4-6p we meet Fisherman Nick in Cambridge to grab the latest catch from Cape Ann Fresh Catch Community Supported Fishery (CSF).  The fish is literally fresh off the boat that morning and I love the pleasure of shaking hands with the guy who caught it.  If we […]

Banana Muffins

This recipe is another one of my mom’s that I remember from when I was little.  She used to make the most delicious Banana Coconut Tea Bread that she would serve when friends would come for an afternoon visit.  Traditionally, her recipe is made with toasted coconut and coarsely chopped walnuts and is lovely sliced. […]

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” […]

White Clam Pizza…as seen (and tasted) on MasterChef USA/FOX

AJ and ANNA's famous White Clam Pizza!

Here she is…   This White Clam Pizza is about to go National!!!  I will be preparing this classic New England Pizza for Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot as my Signature Dish on the premiere of MasterChef USA/FOX tonight and tomorrow night, June 4th and 5th at 9pm on FOX.   My hope […]

AJ’s New England Dirty Lobster…as seen (and tasted) on MasterChef USA/FOX

What does a man who has been born and raised in New England serve to 3 of the most influential guys in the culinary scene? NEW ENGLAND. DIRTY. LOBSTER.   This dish is AJ’s rendition of Jasper White’s amazing Pan Roasted Lobster from the Summer Shack.  My favorite part of this dish is the countless […]

A Sneak Peak Behind the Scenes – Master Chef on FOX

“A burning desire that has yet to be unleashed.”  Gordon Ramsay From Le Cordon Bleu in Cambridge, MA back in November, to a whirl wind pilgrimage to the Master Chef Warehouse in LA this past Spring, AJ and I are thrilled to share our love for each other and our passion for cooking with America. […]