As soon as I saw this sign ... ... at one of my local markets, I knew that we'd be enjoying avocados in soups, salads, salsas (yum!), salad dressings and spreads - all week long! For a while, I've had an idea to put together a hummus in which avocado would be "the star". I tried a Guacamole Hummus a while back from Trader Jo's, but I was a little disappointed in the flavor. I've always ...
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Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Strawberry Icing
Have you ever noticed that candy comes in the most GORGEOUS colors? I love to decorate with candy and my friends, both young and old, love it when I do! Decorate? Yes, I use it to pizzazz up my table decors with an added bonus: my dinner guests get to sneak a nibble here, there and everywhere! You might have to hunt a bit, but look for a store* or perhaps a specialty shop, that carries ...
Read More →Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Are you looking for a lunch or casual dinner that's fresh, fun and fabulous? Don't look any further, The Cafe's got you covered with this delicious Vietnamese Chicken Salad. It's loaded with fresh veggies, sweet mango, lean chicken and a dressing that you'll find yourself craving for long after the last drop has disappeared. Try it today - you'll love it, for sure ............... oh, and ...
Read More →Herbed Potato Rolls
I teased you just a bit earlier in the week when I wrote the post, A Recipe for Endless Herbs without Endless Watering, I shared a few pictures of these fabulous dinner rolls with a promise of the recipe later in the week. It's the end of the week and I'm keeping my promise - I think if you try them, you'll agree they were worth waiting for! I had some leftover mashed potatoes from ...
Read More →Cait & Ina's Tabbouleh
I'm excited today to share a post by my daughter, Caitlyn. Ever since I visited her in London in February, I've been hoping she'd share her delicious tabbouleh recipe .......
............ It's taken awhile as she has three little girlies to care for along with another in the "hopper". :) I had to laugh when she sent the pictures, apologizing because she didn't think they were as ...
Herbed Ricotta Tomato Tart
I know that "real" tomatoes won't be ready for awhile around the Carolinas where we live ............
............ but I've been seeing some lovely ones at my local market lately and this week "the price was right"! Coming home with these beautiful, juicy treasures got my imagination rolling and I decided a tomato tart would be a perfect dinner.
I combined creamy ricotta and ...
Endless Herbs without Endless Watering
Woo hoo, it's that wonderful time of the year once again!... At least in our hemisphere, it's a glorious time when we see the earth literally bursting with new life, freshness and vibrancy. I love this exhilarating season that compels me to alter my cooking style to accommodate all the wonderful produce that is so abundantly available. For me, fresh herbs pair beautifully with spring and ...
Read More →Sweet Cilantro Salsa w/ Fresh Corn
Have you ever had the pleasure of meeting an appetizer that made you think about foregoing the rest of the dinner?..................
No? Let me introduce you to Sweet Cilantro Salsa w/ Fresh Corn - it's that good! It's fresh, loaded with delicious, vibrant flavor and comes together in minutes in your food processor or blender and will have you "hooked" in no time flat!
We ...
Spring Green Vegetable Soup
I love this time of the year but there's one thing that makes me just a teeny bit sad .................... .......... it's that soup season has slipped way for another four or five months. I love everything about soup from it's simplicity and versatility to the fact that it's a wonderful, delicious way to get loads of great veggies into your daily intake. I also love that, with many soups, ...
Read More →Mixed Green Salad w/ Strawberries, Mango, Edamame & Honey-Lime Dressing
Don't you just love it when the first local strawberries start appearing?..............
To me, these vibrant, red-to-the-core berries triumphantly herald in the season of delicious, abundant and fabulously fresh summer produce. Here in North Carolina, spring arrived quite early this year and the berries are almost a month ahead of schedule! My husband tends to laugh a bit and shake ...
Roast Chicken Focaccia Sandwich
Are you looking for something fun, fabulous and unique for a special lunch, brunch or picnic coming up? Have you thought of "sandwiches in the round"? I've been making sandwiches like this one for years for celebration events and parties. I've made the focaccia rounds in varying sizes from small to medium to very large. They can be prepared ahead and warmed slightly before serving, ...
Read More →Focaccia with Dried Cherries, Rosemary and Toasted Pecans
I decided to do something crazy. I know, I know, if you're a regular reader or a friend, you might be thinking, "what else is new?"or "what in the world is she up to now?" I decided to take my favorite focaccia bread recipe and give it a new twist. One evening last week we planned an early evening bike ride with my son and his wife, with a picnic dinner along the way. A delicious sandwich ...
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