Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

Topping
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Generous pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Filling
5 cups 1/2-inch-thick slices fresh rhubarb (from about 2 pounds)
2 cups halved strawberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon (scant) ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sweetened whipped cream


For topping:
Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form.

For filling:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9 x13 baking dish and reserve on the side.  Combine all ingredients except whipped cream in large bowl; stir to blend. Let stand until juices form, about 15 minutes.

Put rhubarb mixture into buttered dish and sprinkle topping evenly over mixture. Bake until topping is golden brown and crisp and filling is bubbling thickly around edges, about 45 minutes. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream and Enjoy!

Shrimp, Cucumber, and Mango Salad

Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 large pickling cucumbers, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 large mango, peeled, pitted, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 pound cooked medium shrimp
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Hot pepper sauce
12 Bibb lettuce leaves


Mix vinegar and sugar in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in mustard and mayonnaise. Cover and chill. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Combine cucumbers, mango, shrimp, and dill in large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Season with salt and hot pepper sauce. Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each of 6 plates. Top with shrimp salad. Serve with sparkling wine and Enjoy!

Power Smoothie

Need breakfast on the go, looking for something fast and tasty?  Well I love this one.  It taste great and couldn't be easier to whip together on those hectic mornings. Enjoy!


1/2 cup Blueberries
1/4 Avocado
1 Pear
1 1/2 cup Coconut milk
4 Tbsp. Chia seeds
Squeeze of lemon or lime juice
1tsp Honey
Vanilla extract- optional
Handful of Ice

Put all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.  Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken and Kale

Wow, Jeanne put together a fantastic dinner tonight.  I wanted to share it, because, as she'll tell you, it doesn't happen too often (that's her putting a meal together, she actually a very good cook if she tried.  It's the trying she doesn't have down). She pieced this together from a number of different influences and came up with what I thought was dynamite!  Enjoy

1 whole chicken, roasted and meat roughly diced
1/2 cup chick stock or broth
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch kale, large stems removed, roughly chopped
1 onion, diced
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup coconut milk
Pinch saffron (she said optional, we have it on hand and she included)
2-3 Tbsp Ras el Hanout spice mixture- 2 tsp. cumin, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. ground black pepper, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. cayenne, 1 tsp. ground allspice, and 1/2 tsp. ground clove

In a large sauté pan heat olive oil.  Sauté onions until translucent, add mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken, Ras el Hanout spice mix, saffron (if using), stock, and coconut milk.  Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.  Add kale, cover and cook 5 more minutes until done.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, serve and Enjoy!

Seared Salmon with Coconut-Curry Sauce and Basmati Rice

I'm making this with salmon, but any fish could substitute, including shrimp or lobster.  The rice and sauce can be made ahead and the fish cooks quickly, making it a great dinner when you have guests or in the middle of the week.

Makes 4 servings

For rice:
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

For sauce:
1 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons peanut oil
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup well-stirred unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

For vegetables
3 cups finely shredded green cabbage
3/4 cup julienne strips of seeded peeled cucumber
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)

4 (6oz.) pieces salmon fillet
olive oil for brushing salmon
1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Make rice:

In a saucepan with an ovenproof lid bring rice, water, and butter to boil. Cook rice, covered for 12 minutes. Add green onions and mix gently with a fork, cover and keep warm.

Make sauce:
In a heavy saucepan sauté ginger and garlic in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden. Add coriander, curry powder, curry paste, paprika, and cumin and sauté, stirring, 1 minute, or until fragrant. Whisk in coconut milk, tomato purée, soy sauce, and brown sugar and bring just to a boil. Remove pan from heat and keep warm.

Prepare vegetables:
In a bowl toss together all vegetable ingredients. Reserve.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place heavy skillet over high heat.  Brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Once skillet is very hot (test by sprinkling a couple of drops of water into the pan, they should dance on the surface before evaporating). Place fish, skin side up into pan and press down to ensure entire fillet is in contact with hot surface.  Don't touch for 3-4 minutes to get a nice golden brown crust on fish.  Carefully turn and finish cooking the fish in the oven for another 3-4 minutes (I like my salmon medium-rare).

Put 1/2 cup of cooked rice each in center of 4 warm plates and arrange salmon on top. Top salmon with vegetables and spoon sauce around it. Sprinkle vegetables with peanuts.  Serve and Enjoy!

Lamb Meatballs

These meatballs are fantastic, as an appetizer with the yogurt sauce below or as a main dish.  For a main, I serve them in a tomato ragú scented with cinnamon over either rice with slivered almonds or pasta.  Either way, hot or cold they are scrumptious. Enjoy!

1 pound ground lamb
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 375°F and arrange a rack in the middle.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.  Form mixture into 30 balls (about 2 teaspoons each) and place on a baking sheet.  Place sheet in oven and bake until meatballs are no longer pink in the middle, about 15 minutes.


Yogurt Sauce-

7 ounces whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Zest of 1 medium lemon, minced

Combine all yogurt ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well. Serve and Enjoy!

Lamb Stew with Leeks and Artichokes

The lamb shoulder becomes incredibly tender in this dish, and a natural partner for the earthy-sweet artichokes.  Serve with Creamy Risotto for a beautifully satisfying meal.

Makes 6 servings

3 1/2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder meat, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 lemon
18 baby artichokes (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Place trimmed lamb in large bowl; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Combine 1 cup chopped parsley, minced garlic, and grated lemon peel in small bowl. Reserve remaining 1/4 cup parsley for garnish.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Working in batches, add lamb and cook until well browned on all sides, about 7 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to medium bowl. Add leeks and onion to drippings in pot and sauté until softened, about 7 minutes. Add chopped parsley mixture and thyme; stir 30 seconds. Return lamb and any accumulated juices to pot. Add 1 1/2 cups broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until lamb is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Lamb stew can be prepared 1 day ahead of serving. Cool slightly. Refrigerate stew uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring lamb stew to simmer before continuing with recipe.

Fill medium bowl with cold water. Squeeze juice from lemon half into water; add squeezed lemon half. Break off tough outer leaves from 1 artichoke where leaves break naturally, stopping when first yellow leaves are reached. Cut off stem and top 1/2 inch from artichoke, then cut artichoke in half lengthwise and drop into lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Drain artichokes and add to lamb stew. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until artichokes are tender, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if stew is dry, about 25 minutes. Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle lamb stew with reserved 1/4 cup chopped parsley.  Serve and Enjoy!