Category Archives: Spotlight

Espresso Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

Can’t go wrong with coffee and chocolate. Here’s a wonderful Mothers Day Espresso Cupcake recipe! Enjoy!! From the original site: These muffins are great for a coffee loving Mum! Nothing like a deep, delicious espresso cupcake to make the day complete. Dark chocolate pairs beautifully with coffee, and IMHO, a creme chantilly topping might compliment […]

Cold Spinach & Prosecco Soup

I love serving this recipe in the spring and summer when the weather is warm and the veggies are at their best! From the original site: Prosecco; the secret to the lightest cold soup on the planet. 

Speedy Mexican Beef Skillet

This is a great quick, cheap meal to get your family to the table in less than twenty minutes. The best part?! One pan to dirty. It is cheesy, creamy and tastes just like an enchilada,but takes 1/4 of the time! From the original site: It is that time of the day again. Time to […]

Pebbly Beach Fruit Squares

Great Mothers Day cookies from Alice Medrich – her typical style, classic and comforting! From the original site: These squares reminded me of the good old days in the sweltering heat where we read books in shades of LARGE raintrees and tamarind trees, no fans, no conditioners, no frets, no worries. 

Spicy Chicken Tostaditos with Creamy Cilantro Drizzle

Try this perfect appetizer for your Cinco de Mayo party…these mini tostadas are spicy and full of flavor, plus they’re simple to make! From the original site: I’m getting ready to celebrate the big 3-0, which happens to fall on Cinco de Mayo. I like to think that all the hoopla, celebration, margaritas, tequila shots, […]

Poached Pear in Spicy Mango Nectar

Classy Poached Pear in Spicy Mango Nectar served with home made Mango Ice Cream From the original site: Everyone in my family simply loves mangoes. I remember we had a big mango tree back home and my mom used to pick fresh mangoes in the morning and make countless recipes with this tender fruits right […]

Quarkauflauf – Quark Casserole with Balsamic Strawberries

This is a lovely casserole {dessert}, like a firm cheesecake.It can be eaten hot/warm as well, though I served mine chilled. I used seasonal strawberries softened over low heat with brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. From the original site: Ever since I discovered making curd cheese or QUARK at home, food has never been the […]

Georgia Pecan Crusted Grouper with Tomato Coulis

Sautéed fresh Grouper encrusted with freshly ground Georgia pecans then topped with a tomato, lemon, white wine and fresh herb coulis! You’ll be surprised at how the nutty crust flavor marries with the savory tomato coulis creating a tasting experience you’ll want again and again. From the original site: I thought if you can serve […]

Gourgeres

This recipe is a great quick alternative to biscuits and crescent rolls. Gourgeres are cheesy, delicious way to spice up dinner. They are also a great way to start a party. The best thing about them? You can freeze them and have them hot and fresh whenever you need them. From the original site: I […]

Layered Chocolate & Strawberry Cake {Eggless}

We loved this cake! It’s special because it is a layered cake, EGGLESS, no butter and still deeply decadent and ‘chocolaty’ moist! From the original site: Yet this one is special because it is a layered cake, eggless, no butter and chocolaty moist! I filled it with a balsamic strawberry and cream filling, and slathered […]

Caribbean Shrimp & Scallops with Yellow and Red Pepper Lime Salsa

Sometimes you just want to be on vacation but real life gets in the way. I love this dish because it makes me feel like I’m on a Caribbean vacation! From the original site: Unfortunately, with two kids in university, this is about as close as we are going to get to a Caribbean vacation […]

Peanut Butter Crunch Chocolate Treats

I love making this recipe for get-togethers or just for fun for my husband to take to work. It’s easy to make, beautiful to look at and delicious to devour! The pastel M&M’s make it especially pretty for springtime or Easter. From the original site: The treat are really quite simple to make; just like […]

Pistachio Nan Khatai for Lite Tea Bites

These cute little khatais are an absolute delight with tea or coffee. These eggless biscuits are quite lite and crispy. The classic khatai is conventionally made with all purpose flour and aromatic cardamom flavor, topped with either pistachios, cashews or almonds. Here in my version I have added some chickpea flour and semolina and garnished […]

Strawberry Fresh Mint & Lime Sorbet

What better way to welcome the dreaded HOT days of summer. This is a natural and sensational sorbet to beat the heat. It is fresh and exciting, and a wonderful way to use summers bounty. My mint patch is overflowing and I loved that I could add fresh mint to the strawberries. From the original […]

Spoiled Daughter Sandwich

Yes I admit up front that I spoil my daughter Marina. Can’t help it, I adore her and she is so sweet it’s easy to go that extra step. When she was little and had sleepovers I’d bring the girls breakfast in bed; usually pancakes. When we moved to Florida, her bedroom was right next […]

Strawberry Apple Crumble
Strawberry Apple Crumble

One of my favourite fruit bakes … Use fruit of the season,throw in chopped dry fruit, a sprinkling of fresh herbs…healthy & yum! From the original site: I find crisps and crumbles one of the easiest desserts to bake. They are therapeutic, satisfying and look pretty with fruit juices oozing out invitingly.  

Chicken Crepes with Asparagus and Mushroom Sauce

Crepes are a great way to bring a new twist to the average idea of a sandwich. Crepes can be made or store-bought and their light airy texture makes a perfect shelter for sweet and savory fillings like chicken and sauteed veggies or nutella and strawberries. A quick inexpensive meal that will impress the socks […]

Chocolate Matcha Olive Oil Brownies

Keeping in mind the dieting diva I embarked on experimenting with an olive oil version of brownies. Healthy, fudgy, chocolaty and yummy From the original site: Chocolate Matcha Olive Oil Brownies … a healthy brownie matched with matcha with Japan in mind. Also an origami crane for Japan! 

Beyond the Marguerite Pizza

The combination of fresh tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and pesto just happens to be my daughter Marina’s favorite pizza. So simple and tasty; always one of the pizzas I serve on pizza night. Oh I should explain pizza night, shouldn’t I? Well at least once a month I make a batch of pizza dough or two, […]

Turkey and Spinach Stuffed Shells

I love the Novice Chef… she’s got some great stuff! These stuffed shells are pretty enough to serve at a dinner party, or casual enough to have for dinner any day. And I love the idea of making up a bunch in advance, and tossing them in the freezer to pull out when needed! Quoting […]

Pulled Pork the Provencal Way

Pulled Pork Sandwiches were something I never had until we moved from the south of France to Venice Florida. Seems that pulled pork is something of a southern barbeque delicacy and every area claims theirs is the absolute best. I even have a friend from the Midwest who is adamant that pulled pork sandwiches are […]

Chicken Shawarma

Mediterranean sandwich filled with chicken, salad and tahini paste. From the original site: If you haven’t come across this word Shawarma in your life, here is the explanation for that. Shawarma is a type of sandwich made with meat and salad. The special element in this sandwich is the meat, the way how it is […]

Panino with Brie and Pears

3 ingredients is all it takes for a monstrously great sandwich! From the original site: Creamy, salty, sweet, smoky, grilled cheese of the Gods. Contender for World’s Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  Assemble ingredients in headline and grill in panini grill, George Foreman, griddle or skillet (weigh it down). That is all. You may now return […]

Fried Egg with Truffle Salt

This is the best egg I have EVER eaten! I made it for breakfast one day, and couldn’t stand it and made it for lunch the next day. From the original site: It doesn’t matter what meal you eat this for, it will make you completely happy!  There is nothing –I repeat, NOTHING! — better […]