As a die hard Jamie Oliver fan I have made this dish at least two dozen times. And for the longest time I made it exactly how he instructed believing it's perfection didn't need any adjustments whatsoever. And then one cold night I didn't have some ingredients and with a screaming toddler I just didn't have it in me to go to the store. So I improvised and what resulted was a version that I somehow preferred. I felt like I had betrayed Jamie and returned to the original recipe

There are many pasta shapes that we no longer see because, well, very few make their pasta from scratch anymore. With so many places selling pre-made fresh pasta, why would anyone want to spend time making it. Well, I do. There is something cathartic about spending time at my kitchen counter making fun shapes. So I started to do some research after growing bored of making the same old shapes, linguini, spaghetti, ravioli and parppardelle. I poured myself a glass of red wine a

Many would argue that one of the highlights of Fall is fashion week...but us Gourmands would say absolutely not. The best part of Fall is the arrival of Black Truffles! And with that comes incredible upgrades like try adding some slices of black truffles to your morning scrambled eggs! Mind blowingly delicious. But I pay homage to these black beauties by making a gorgeous dish I had a few years ago in Montepulciano: Fettucini Al Tartufo. Or Black Truffle Fettucini. The simpli

Ah yes, the ever impressive Spanish Paella. Many fear attempting this dish for it brings on a bit of anxiety. Once the broth is added, one must pray to the Paella Gods that enough broth is in the pan to cook the rice. It's a nerve wracking moment. I still get anxious every time. This version of Paella will hopefully become one of your go to recipes. The goal is to one day have the comfort to make it your own adding veggies you like and your own selection of protein. Ingredie

I recently found these unique mushrooms at my mushroom lady's stand at the farmers Market. They are called Lobster Mushrooms and according to her they smell and taste just like lobster. The smell yes...but did they test like lobster and could they replace lobster in a dish? I found out that they could potentially substitute but the flavor would be extremely delicate. So in this dish I did add some real lobster, but just one lobster for 5 servings. The mushrooms were the star.

Simple to make and delicious. Perfect for summer with some broiled fish. Ingredients: 2 ripe tomatoes 1 large or 2 small zucchini 2 summer squash 1 onion (white preferably) 1 garlic clove minced Herbes De Provence or your own assortment of herbs (dry or fresh) olive oil Salt and Pepper Directions: 1. Slice all veggies as thin as possible. 2. Place them in a ziplock back with olive oil, salt and pepper, chopped herbs or a pinch of Herbes De Provence and garlic. 3. Seal bag and

I found myself with a lot of leftovers this week. I had made an eggplant/zucchini dish with tomato sauce which was a hit. But funny enough not such a hit that my family wanted to pull it from the fridge and eat it again and again throughout the week. So I decided to get creative as I hate wasting food. Above you will find my leftovers and next to it some pasta dough I whipped up in my food processor. Of course you can use store bought sheets of pasta but it's so easy to make

This is a wonderful recipe for any mom battling a little one who refuses to eat veggies. You can substitute the cauliflower for parsnips, rutabaga, zucchini or any other veggie Cauliflower Gratin: 1 medium cauliflower, cleaned and florets cut off 1 cups shredded cheese, I recommend emmental cheese or comte cheese, but anything will do, even mozzarella a pinch of freshly zested nutmeg 2 tblsp unsalted butter 3 tblsp flour 1 1/3 whole milk 1-2 tblsp breadcrumbs Turn oven to 350

Great recipe if you have some pulled pork, carnitas or chicken left over. Pulled Pork Gratin: 2 tbsp pulled pork (or any other protein) 1 tablespoon blanched peas 1 cup boiled potatoes 1 tbsp whole fat yogurt 1 tbsp whole milk 1 tbsp shredded cheese 1 ramekin Heat milk and pour in a blender along with potatoes. Blitz until smooth. Add yogurt and blitz again. Pour out of blender into a ramekin and stir in peas and pork (make sure pork or protein is cut or shredded into tiny pi

In all honesty, this recipe is fabulous for anyone, toddler or grown up. It’s smooth, creamy and light. Pair this with fish, chicken or even a fabulous bratwurst...it goes with everything. Creamy PC Puree: 1 medium yellow potato (or 2-3 small russet or fingerling potatoes) 1/2 a large cawliflower 4 cups chicken stock 1 tablespoons cream cheese 1 tablespoon sour cream 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (grated) Salt and Pepper to taste In a saucepan bring to boil

I decided that the moment was right to introduce my little one year old to foods from around the world. First stop: Mexico. This is a wonderful dish and one can get very creative with it. Instead of a simple tomato sauce (as seen in this recipe), you may want to add some zucchini, carrots or even broccoli to the sauce before blitzing it in your blender. It’s a great way to add some veggies without your little one knowing it. Toddler Enchiladas: 1 white onion 1 large can of cr

This is a great recipe if you have only 15 minutes to prepare dinner and have some Entire Vegetable Garden Pasta Sauce leftover (or frozen). If you don’t please see substitute area. Turkey Stroganoff: 2 tablespoons organic ground turkey (preferably thigh meat) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup Entire Vegetable Garden Pasta Sauce 1-2 tablespoon organic whole milk (or 1 teaspoon heavy organic cream) 2 tablespoons Rice cereal In a pan heat oil. Once hot, add the ground turkey. Usin

Oh what a fabulous discovery this was. I was strolling along the veggie section of Whole Foods pondering what else to introduce to my baby. As I walked by the Rutabagas I saw a basket full of organic celery roots. The lightbulb went off in my head and I bought one. This puree is fabulous with all sorts of proteins or other veggies. Try it by itself or with some ground up steak, pork, chicken, fish or turkey. Smooth Celery Root Puree: 1 celery root bulb (peeled and cut into cu

This recipe happened completely by accident and it was a HUGE hit with the little monster. It basically mimics the traditional pork and apple combination, but as a puree. It’s a wonderful way to introduce more complex flavors to your baby. Baby Style Pork and Apple: 1 slice of pork loin, sauteed in butter until completely cooked (no salt or pepper added) 1 cup homemade applesauce a dab of butter Pinch of nutmeg Warm up your applesauce and place the applesauce in your blender.