Floating green frog chunks sink into a Halloween night dinner. Blackened bugs and insect wings float to the surface. This Witch’s Soup is a perfect treat to add a creepy vibe to your Halloween feast. Avacado wedges make the perfect amphibian slices, while chunky diced tomatoes and beans add texture to this unsightly mixture. But […]
Eggs, ham and asparagus. I planned to serve all of these for Easter dinner, so why not combine them together in a delicious spring quiche? I was happy to use only a pound of deli sliced ham this year, rather than having too many leftovers from a whole ham. Besides, I like my ham thinly […]
Carrot cake is a wonderful treat, especially for spring time celebrations. I didn’t have rabbit Peeps on hand this year, but a bright yellow chick adorned this cake in true Easter style. Thinly peeled carrot strips created a picturesque orange “fan” around the bright yellow marshmallow, allowing him to take center stage. This cake […]
Buttery shortbread cookies are one of the most popular Irish/Scottish treats. They are simple to make and offer a tender texture and rich flavor. I found a recipe for Shamrock Cookies that sounded great, except I didn’t want to ruin the rich buttery flavor by adding the suggested peppermint extract. I substituted that with 1/4 […]
Meat potatoes and a green vegetable are the main elements of traditional Irish dinners. I have several recipes for Corned Beef and Cabbage, but I don’t really like that meat choice, so I decided to try a version of shepherd’s pie with ground beef. Cheesy potatoes top this hearty Irish Shepherd’s Pie, which does include […]
Candy is a staple of Valentine’s Day, but after a few pieces, I always long for something a little more lasting — dark chocolate. These cupcakes pair orange flavoring with dark chocolate to make it an extra special treat for Valentine’s Day. And the icing is a perfect, creamy complement. I found this recipe in […]
Sliders are just so darn cute and popular. That’s the criteria I look for when New Year’s rolls around. One year it was Jello shots. The next focused on the most popular way to display mashed potatoes — in a martini glass. So in keeping with trendy and tasteful, I decided to prepare a few […]
Turkey gets its chance to shine at Thanksgiving, so for Christmas, ham, cornish hens or beef tenderloin is the main attraction at our house. I like to present different meat selections to shake up the menu each year, but the dish that receives the most praise is beef tenderloin prepared with a mushroom gorgonzola sauce. One […]
A few side dishes and desserts always make it to the table on Thanksgiving day, but I’m not one of those cooks who have a menu that never changes. I find it helps keep the occasion fresh to mix up a few new recipes with the old standbys. Most sides I’ve prepared in the past […]
Eyes with pinpoint pupils gaze at diners on this Halloween night. An appetizer plate presents bat meatballs with their purple cabbage wings spread wide, as if to fly off the table. Miniature spider webs, ghosts and jack-o-lanterns glow in their warm orange pumpkin sauce dotted with black olives. And for dessert, a werewolf paw makes […]
