Dinner

White Bean Chicken Chili with Kale

March 11, 2013
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I’ll admit, I’m envious of those of you in warmer climates!  Here in Quebec, it’s still a winter wonderland.  I find that this cold weather just begs for hearty, warming meals; the perfect distraction until winter finally acquiesces to springtime’s welcome thaw! Not only is this a healthier chili than those beefy varieties, but it’s also a […]

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Black Garlic Sauce with Spicy Beef and Tofu Stir-Fry

March 7, 2013
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Recently, I got my hands on some black garlic.  Isn’t it beautiful? I’d seen it listed in Asian recipes before, but never had the pleasure of meeting it face to…er…bulb.  When I first picked it up, I thought something was wrong.  Have you ever had garlic that’s gone bad, and it’s all soft and mushy?  […]

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Balsamic Pork Chops with Cherry Sherry Sauce

January 31, 2012
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Some people get very excited about all things pork.  I’m not one of them.  Give me a juicy, tender pork chop, though, and I’m one happy girl! I love to marinate them in balsamic vinegar, as the sweet, rich flavor really enhances the meat, but sometimes I like the up the decadence factor another notch.  […]

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Ginger-Mirin Shrimp

August 8, 2011
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Here’s another recipe I came up with for my opera-themed party for my sister.  I made these delicious shrimp for the “Madame Butterfly” dish.  Although I butterfly-cut the shrimp, they did not flatten as I expected them too (I’ve read since that sometimes you need to pound them a bit to keep them from curling). […]

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Broiled Mussels with Chive Foam

August 1, 2011
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Here’s one of the recipes from my opera-themed cocktail party for my sister.  As I mentioned in that post, I recently got a molecular gastronomy kit.  That’s right… I’ve found the grown-up, edible version of the chemistry kit I so loved as a child.  For this recipe, I made a foam.  Flavored foams, or air as they’re […]

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Cherry-Chipotle Beef Ribs

July 17, 2011
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When I came across this gem by Steven Raichlen of Barbeque U fame, I couldn’t get it off my mind.  Cherry + chipotle + beef?  Hell yes! It starts with a intoxicating spice rub, and finishes with a smoky-sweet bbq sauce unlike any other.  The ribs are slow-cooked on the grill, and the tender, über-flavorful meat […]

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Kumquat-Lemongrass Chicken

June 19, 2011
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For the longest time, kumquats were nothing to me but a funny word. Turns out, they’re about as bonkers as their name! Kumquats are a citrus fruit, but they’re itty bitty, bite-sized things.   And unlike most citrus fruit, the peel is sweet and the flesh is tart. You eat them unpeeled, rind and all, […]

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Fettuccine with Artichokes, Peppers and Fontina Cheese Sauce

May 9, 2011
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Last week I showed you how to easily make fresh egg fettuccine without even needing a pasta machine, but this week I’m going to offer a way to eat it, which is even easier.  Well, you have to cook it first, but if you’re reading a recipe post on a food blog, you really should […]

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Japanese Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Mizuna Chips

March 12, 2011

When I’m craving warm, satisfying comfort food, “slowly braised short ribs” is like the dirtiest of dirty talk.  I want it, and I want it now. Spring may be around the bend, but I certainly wouldn’t say it’s “sprung.”  So until that happens, I’m still in need for some tender, falling-off-the-bone beefy goodness.  Aw man, […]

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Wine-Braised Baby Octopus with Saffron Polenta Cakes

December 10, 2010
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      Sometimes recipes start in the simplest of places.  In this case, it was a craving for polenta. Then, as many people do, I transformed that craving into a brainstorming session, thinking of something I could make with what I had on hand. From there the story gets weirder, yet more indicative of […]

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