Food that Comforts: Easy Shepherd’s Pie

Especially when it’s cool or rainy outside, there’s nothing that warms the body better than shepherd’s pie– comfort food at its best. Also called cottage pie, this dish contains a meat  and vegetable base with mashed potatoes on top. It’s quick to prepare and there’s enough leftover for lunch the next day! My recipe is […]

Simple Vegetable Risotto

What is risotto? Risotto is an Italian rice dish. I used to think risotto was horribly unhealthy because of its creamy consistency! But not all creamy sauces are created equally. In fact, this creamy sauce is created as the broth cooks the starchiness out of the  rice. You heard right. Most risottos are prepared by […]

Steelhead Trout with Barley and Broth

I made a delicious dinner for my friend Robin, who was recovering from a brutal knee surgery. In the course of preparing dinner, between chatting, drinking a glass of wine and forgetting to buy a few ingredients, I improvised quite a bit. (Plus, I alway add more veggies than recipes suggest because I like them). […]

Morel Mushrooms and Pasta

One of my favorite treats during this time of the year is morel mushrooms. Morels, with an earthy, nutty, steak-like flavor, are considered by many to be the king of mushrooms. They certainly are in our family! Morels have a sponge-like appearance and hunting them down can be quite challenging. According to Mother Earth News, […]