Grocery shopping has its challenges. I try to strategize so that I get everything thing I need once a week. That usually means that at week’s end, all the lettuce has been consumed. So, I plan on end-of-week salads that don’t require lettuce. Japanese-style cucumber salad is one choice: it’s a light and refreshing side dish or starter. One of…
Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, Uncategorized | Jul. 2023
Clafouti with Raspberry Sunshine
Chefs, Cooking, Produce, Recipes, Restaurants | Sep. 2021
Toast’s Luscious Green Tea Soba Noodles
Are you ready to fall in love with the sweet side of lemons? Renowned French pastry chef Pierre Herme will win you over with his Ligurian Lemon Cake, a cake that shows off fresh raspberries and a crown of lightly browned meringue. It is delightfully moist, boasting both butter and extra-virgin olive oil to give alluring flavor and texture. Hungry?…
Something like a custardy baked pancake, clafouti is a French dessert that showcases fruit that is covered with a thick flan-like batter. Often dusted with powdered sugar, it’s served lukewarm or within 6 hours at room temperature. In this version, raspberries are the stars. Butter a 9-inch gratin dish. If you prefer, use a 9-inch cake pan. In a medium…
Hummus for Breakfast? Scrumptious!
Celebrity Interviews, Chefs, Cookbooks, Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, VideosAfter our interview, I tried cookbook author Mark Bittman’s recipe for Turkish Breakfast, a cinch-to-make hummus paired with sliced tomatoes, cucumber, olives and whole-wheat toast. I added a slab of watermelon and served it for a luscious eat-every-bite dinner. Better yet, I tried it for breakfast. Delicious. Much – so much – more flavor-packed than my lonely egg. Turkish BreakfastYield:…
Green Bean Shangri-La, Asian Sauce Gives Sweet-Sour-Spicy Personality
Cookbooks, Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, VideosGreen beans cooked to perfection, somewhere between hard and soft, are delicious tossed with a sauce made with Asian-style ingredients. Oyster-flavored sauce, that bottled oh-so-tangy condiment, adds umami to the mix. Mirin, rice vinegar and sugar balance out the flavors with sweetness. Toasted sesame seeds add a gentle crunch and welcome nuttiness. In Chinese restaurants, a version of this dish often…
Yes, it’s strawberry season! Perfectly ripe, brimming with perky sweetness, they are delicious eaten out of hand. But I love to use them in a wide variety of desserts, including these alluring pillows dubbed “clouds.” For the absolute best results, start with strawberries that are ripe and flavorful. For never-fail berries, I love to use Harry’s Berries. Founded in Oxnard…
Roasted Pepper Salad Royale with Burrata – Appetizer or First Course Yum-Oh-Lah
Cooking, Melissa's, Produce, Recipes, VideosRoasting bell peppers adds a sweet, slightly smoky flavor. You can buy roasted peppers in a jar, but it’s so easy to do and the flavor is so much better. More delicious. I love them napped with vinaigrette and served with burrata and toast/ On small plates it’s a first course, on a platter it’s a scoop-it-up appetizer. To roast,…
This low-calorie Cream of Mushroom Soup with Green Onions is quick to make. Each serving is only 60 calories. The dark brown caps of cremini mushrooms add a delightful earthiness to the pureed soup. The concoction is frothy like a steamy cappuccino, especially if you use a handheld immersion blender to puree it. CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP WITH GREEN ONIONS…