Garlic, Rosemary & Butter Dipping Sauce
Le Voov! Note: This particular sauce can be used with fresh crab, scallops and prawns, as well as a rustic loaf of sour dough bread!
Read More →Marinated Sashimi & Edamame/Wasabi Spread
This is one of my favorite go-to recipes. I marinate the fish and make the edamame/wasabi spread a day in advance to let the flavors mingle and get friendly with each other. This wonderfully fresh appetizer can be served over sesame crackers, fried wontons, cucumber slices or tucked into endive leaves. You can also make a perfect meal by serving the marinated sashimi over a bed of mâche (lamb’s lettuce) leaves and frisée lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces, accompanied by a few slices of avocado.
Read More →Raspberry Mojito-Squadeeto
The classic mojito came to us courtesy of Havana, Cuba. Now that the U.S and Cuba are on friendlier terms, perhaps we’ll need to take a Le Voov! adventure to visit our neighbors 90-miles off the Florida Keys….. Stay tuned!
Read More →Grandma’s Meyer Lemon Pound Cake ?
My Grandmother was always in the kitchen cooking up something wonderful. As I recall, even the couch in her house smelled like a perfectly pleasant blend of fresh-baked cookies and thick-cut bacon. (I know that sounds weird, but it was absolutely the bees-knees as a kid!)
Read More →Raspberry Ginger Snap
Several decades ago I began exploring the art of infusing various fruit and herbal mixtures with spirits. It started innocently enough with a simple curiosity to find a way to blend the medicinal anti-inflammatory qualities of the ginger root with the anti-oxidants in wild berries. Wah-lah, the Raspberry Ginger Snap was born!
Read More →Lemon Chicken Piccata ? ?
Meyer Lemon Picatta is exquisitely divine and easy to prepare. The light, rich sweetness of the lemon sauce in juxtaposition to the salty capers and deep tones of white sage, make this a Splendiferous ‘comfort meal’ to be shared with friends and family. Serve it with fresh pasta, herb-roasted potatoes or lemon-rice pilaf, accompanied by steamed asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts or try our Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Verts & Caramelized Shallots.
Read More →Blood Orange Mimosa ?
Who doesn’t love a mimosa to go with a fabulous Sunday brunch?!! And while regular orange juice is lovely, why not add some unique bling and glam-it-up a bit with fresh squeezed blood orange juice? The deep rose-red color makes a regular champagne glass look like an Oscar-worthy celebration…
Read More →Parisian Lox & Bagels Brunch
This brunch is our daughter’s very favorite lazy-weekend breakfast. We buy fresh bagels the afternoon prior so we can wake up in the morning ready for a truly pleasurable, relaxed meal. I usually get the variety bagels that have a bit of everything on top, rather than a specific topping like plain or sesame seed. It’s important to locate a good source for Wild-Caught Smoked Salmon (NOT Farmed Salmon) to ensure high quality lox, without the unnatural addition of toxins, anti-biotics, dyes, or growth hormones present. I usually add fresh chopped dill, a bit of cracked black pepper, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the top of the lox for an extra bit of flavor. The bagels are accompanied by a platter of freshly sliced organic English cucumber, ripe avocado, thinly sliced red onions, lemons, and cilantro with a small bowl of capers.
Read More →Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Verts & Caramelized Shallots
Rainbow carrots bring a marvelous splash of deep, bright color to any meal. The hues of purple, red, deep orange and yellow are complimented perfectly with the bright green verts (French green beans). This colorful, crunchy medley paired with the deep tones of the caramelized shallots and browned butter make for a lovely sidecar to any meal!
Read More →Nut-Butter Berry Banana Smoothie ?
One of my very favorite morning meals is the Nut-Butter Berry Banana Smoothie. (Oh behave yourselves naughty monkeys…!) I refer to this smoothie as ‘B3Z’ (pronounced bee-3-zeeeeh!) since this name includes the word ‘Bee’, and I just love, love, love bees!!! So, I prefer to call it B3Z!
Read More →Shrimp with Endive, Blue Cheese and Fresh-Cut Tomatoes ? ?
We have enjoyed this salad served both as a pre-dinner salad or an entree on a balmy summer night. The tart flavor of the endive is perfectly balanced by the rich, deep tones of blue cheese in this salad delight.
Read More →Cara Cara-tini Fizz ? ?
For those of you unfamiliar with the fabulously juicy, seedless Cara Cara navel orange, it is the physical embodiment of Le Voov!. Both it’s deep-reddish-pink flesh and the sweet, succulent citrus flavor will make you a believer in heavenly delights. Containing only half the acidity of a traditional navel orange, Cara Cara’s are the perfect cocktail mixer. As one sips the juice of this deep-hued citrus, subtle hints of cherry and blackberry tones can be noted lingering on the back of the palate. The dynamic, complex flavor makes this fruit a perfectly adventurous choice for dipping in chocolate fondue! (We’ll talk about that later….)
Read More →B.L.A.T.O.H. Sandwich (pronounced blah-toe)
Recently, I found myself in a rather ‘delicate’ state, desperately craving salt, fat, protein, juicy tomato & the peppery flavor of arugula. So I decided to make myself a bacon lettuce & tomato sandwich (B.L.T.) With my trusted sous-chef Otter-Pop the dog by my side, we took to the task of creating the perfect ‘hangover helper…!’
Read More →Oven Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Rainbow Carrots make for a festive nutritious side dish. Accented with pomegranate seeds (arils), a dash of nutmeg, and savory herbs, this colorful blend is a true crowd pleaser every time!
Read More →Herb Roasted Garlic
We roast a few bulbs of garlic every week to add to various dishes. Simply cut off the very tippy-tops (non-root end) of each bulb, place in oven-proof dish with lid, add ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup of dry chardonnay, & fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, bay leaves & thyme. Salt & pepper to taste. Place in pre-heated oven at 400 F (204 C) & cook for 45-minutes.
We spread this on toast, add it to soup & pasta dishes, along with using it in homemade salad dressings & sauces. Enjoy the culinary richness of roasted garlic while embracing all the healthy benefits of this star in the allium family.
Read More →Cranberry Whiskey Smash Cocktail
Throughout the holiday season, we find ourselves entertaining and celebrating with friends and family. Inevitably after a grand feast, I end up with leftover cranberry sauce. In an effort not to be wasteful, I’ve found creative uses for the tart and tangy sauce such as spreading it on turkey sandwiches, throwing it into smoothies, and even placing it on top of a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream on occasion.
This year I came up with a new and exciting way to blow through all the leftover cranberry sauce at once with a fabulous cocktail! Though I’m not a big whiskey fan, I found this libation to flow quite smoothly once you get beyond the initial ‘bite’ of the first sip…
Read More →Corn Cheddar Chowder
Corn Cheddar Chowder is my go-to soup as we transition from the late summer heat of ‘Indian Summer’ to autumn each year. Why? Because this is the ultimate in comfort food, without leaving you feeling like you need a long hibernation after ingesting it. (Though that is never a bad idea…right?)
Read More →Spiced Pumpkin Martini ? ??
I created this cocktail on a cold, windy autumn evening recently. The warmth of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom spices just seem to sink deep into my tired body at the end of a long, cold day and warm it to the bone. As I recall, we sipped this lovely drink while handing out Halloween candy last October 31st!
Read More →Sage Roasted Winter Vegetables ?
We visited our local farmers market this morning and I was inspired by the amazing selection. We decided upon fennel root, crimini mushrooms, yellow onions, and rainbow carrots, all packed with freshness & nutrients. You can just taste the sunshine!
Read More →Rockin’ Raspberry Beauty Smoothie
Embrace a diet rich in every spectrum of the rainbow for an ultimate beauty pick-me-up for your hair, skin and nails. Fruits & vegetables are packed with antioxidants along with other vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and minerals that play a huge role in achieving beauty through optimum health.
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