Before living in Sicily, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what a fennel bulb looks like, much less known what to do with it.  I knew of fennel seed, but had been turned off by it’s strong licorice flavor after encountering too many links of over-fennelized Italian sausage over the years.  Luckily, four years of eating delicious, well-seasoned salsicce cured me of my fear of fennel seed.  But not only that, I was finally introduced to what has now become one of my favorite vegetables: fresh fennel. Continue reading →

While we mostly eat guacamole during spring and summer when Southern California is bursting with fresh, local avocados, I couldn’t resist digging through the large pile of perfectly ripe Haas avocados at the grocery store the other day. I guess I can thank the Superbowl for that! Continue reading →

This rich and creamy Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Gratin is flavored with garlic, fresh thyme, and Manchego cheese.  The ingredients are simple but indulgent, making this a perfect side dish for your next holiday meal.

It seems like we just finished eating a huge Thanksgiving meal and it’s already time to start thinking about Christmas dinner.  Between the big holiday meals and all the Christmas baking I plan on doing, I think I’ll have to ask Santa for some larger clothes this year!  But hey, that’s what New Year’s Resolutions are for, right?  I’ll worry about dieting in January. Continue reading →

I am so happy to be participating in my second Daring Bakers challenge. I have to tell you that I had my doubts about pulling this one off. It’s been such a hectic month for me and even though I swore I wouldn’t put another challenge off to the last minute, the end of the month crept up faster than I realized. But this month’s recipe featured my all-time favorite dessert ingredient…CARAMEL! So I just couldn’t bring myself to skip it. Continue reading →

It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared any recipes from Sicily, hasn’t it?  I learned this Zucca Gialla in Agrodolce, or Pumpkin in Sweet and Sour Sauce, in a cooking class I took from my friends Alberto and Liliana in Catania.  In the version I learned, the pumpkin slices were sauteed in olive oil rather than grilled, but I decided to put my own twist on it today! Continue reading →

Today is my friend Ruby’s birthday and since she doesn’t live close enough for me to cook her a birthday meal, I told her she could pick today’s recipe for Pinch My Salt.  She chose a curry rice salad with artichokes that she says my mom used to make.  I have a vague recollection of the salad, but I think it must have had some ingredients I don’t like because I don’t remember eating much of it.  But, since it’s Ruby’s birthday, I decided I could create a curry rice salad that we would both enjoy! Continue reading →

This is almost too simple to be called a recipe.  But since I know that many people don’t think to make their own croutons at home, I thought I’d give you this little reminder.  Homemade croutons are simple to make, they are a great way to use up stale bread, and they taste better than anything you can buy at the store. Continue reading →

And today we have the final recipes in the Holiday Recipes series I’ve been putting on with Amanda and Tyler of What We’re Eating.  At our pre-holiday dinner, Amanda made a delicious cranberry sauce that included persimmons and just a touch of fresh rosemary.  I would never have thought to add rosemary to cranberry sauce, but the combination was perfect! Continue reading →