Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

One fabulous beef stew to come

February 9, 2013 by Mary Frances 2 Comments

With all the blizzard storm warnings out yesterday, we got up early and stocked our larder for the weekend. Well it was pretty nasty on Friday, particularly with the gale-like winds, but NYC did not get hit so hard. We woke up this morning and it was all over, with just a foot of snow – so not so bad.
Here’s the view from our apartment.

So yesterday, with the thought of staying put all weekend, I had decided to make a favorite beef stew recipe today, to serve for Sunday night dinner. I use a recipe from Lee Bailey’s Long Weekends cookbook, that I have adapted and changed but the basis is his. He is no longer with us on this earth, but I will tell you, most all of his recipes are great!! I first met him though his Food & Wine magazine contributions and then searched him out in other places as well.

I have a sneaky suspicion that beings in the afterlife do not eat food. They don’t need to, but they miss it. Now I know you think I’m a little crazy, but haven’t there been times when you have to have an extra bite or an extra sip of something and YOU really don’t want it but feel someone is making you do it? Maybe that is some being who wants a little taste through you??

Just musing….

I will post the recipe and pictures later. Right now, I gotta get cooking!

Gourmet fast food

February 7, 2013 by Mary Frances Leave a Comment

That’s what my husband calls my leftovers. While I really enjoy the process of cooking and find it a great way to unwind from the day, and I like the act of making up a great dish out of what I have on hand, working with the beautiful colors of the vegetables, herbs and spices. But when the week is busy, especially with evening work-related events, leftovers can be a lifesaver.

TIP: I only shop once a week – buying only what looks great in vegetables and figuring out what to make with them day by day. This is a time saver, and with the Internet you can always look up recipe ideas to match the ingredients you have on hand, or come back here to LOVE and check our recipe tab.

You can also make dishes that incorporate leftovers into a bigger meal – this is a way to quickly make a simple dish gourmet. I did this on last Friday night. I bought fresh catfish fillets, lightly coated them with flour, salt and pepper, and flash fried them in a little canola oil, and then topped them with the multi-use leftover fennel compote and it was fantastic!! To “freshen” the compote, I added in three chopped cherry tomatoes and tiny drizzle of olive oil, warmed it up in the microwave and a quick dinner was spectacular! TIP: I like to always have fresh tomatoes on hand and a few fresh herbs. With those, you can liven up any dish.
Here is our plate with a little steamed Jasmine rice and sautéed Swiss chard with garlic. Delish and quick!!

When your husband wakes up the next morning and is still talking about the dinner the night before, you know it was good.

This is the thing: the more you cook, the more accumulated resources you have at hand to continue to cook better and better!

Great Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl recipes

February 3, 2013 by Mary Frances 7 Comments

Our latest newsletter went out this past Thursday with two very special recipes, never before seen here and perfect for a Valentine’s Day dinner. If you haven’t signed up for it, you won’t receive it. But, you can sign up now, in the upper right hand column of this blog, and I will personally make sure you get one pronto.

Also, don’t forget, our LOVE the secret ingredient aprons make a great gift for any time of the year, reminding you to always cook with LOVE. When you do, everything will always taste better! If you order by February 5^th, you can still receive it in time for V-day!

And for the Super Bowl tonight, check out these recipes – Super Easy Nachos, Nacho Burgers, Artichoke dip, and my Bean Dip!

Enjoy!!– Nachos made fresh and easy

“Provence in Ancram”

January 30, 2013 by Mary Frances 26 Comments

This is not directly food related, but I have exciting news! One of my paintings, “Provence in Ancram,” (24″ x 30″) has been selected for the Columbia County Council on the Arts annual Juried Art Show at the Hudson Opera House (327 Warren Street, Hudson). The opening reception will be Saturday, Feb. 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. and I will be there! The show runs through March 25.

Zucchini, fennel, red pepper and mint torta

January 23, 2013 by Mary Frances 8 Comments

Several of you asked for this recipe from our “Birthday Linner”. The truth is that my older son made it up, on the spot, based on vegetables that I had in the apartment, plus some herbs from our grocery store downstairs, which does not have a broad selection, particularly on a Sunday. He originally wanted some basil but they had none. He came back with a beautiful bunch of fresh mint instead. And, I just learned last night from my fellow cooking friend, Margaret, that mint is a relative of basil, so that was a very good choice indeed.

He meant to put in fresh grated Parmesan, but forgot. But as a dish in the middle of this many-course celebration, it did not need Parmesan. The clean tasting vegetables were a welcome interlude between the pasta with spinach and Pecorino Romano cheese and the very rich and super delicious short ribs with polenta.

This son is a big cook – he just gets in there and does things! Fearless and big, that’s what I call him. He says, “Thank you!”

Here’s a stab at his recipe.

ZUCCHINI, FENNEL, RED PEPPER AND MINT TORTA
3 zucchinis
1 and 1/2 fennel bulbs
2 large red peppers
3 – 4 tbs. olive oil
Salt
Pepper
½ bunch of fresh mint leaves

Broil red peppers, checking and turning until all skin is blackened. Using tongs, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice zucchini and fennel on a mandoline, somewhere between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Using 1 or 2 tbs. of olive oil for each vegetable, toss separately in a bowl, with salt and pepper (test and taste for proper seasoning) and lay out each on separate baking sheets. Roast zucchini and fennel until crisp tender. Check in 20 minutes. The fennel will most likely take a little longer. This is why you keep them on separate baking sheets.

Peel the red pepper, core, remove the seeds and cut into 1 inch wide strips.
Layer the zucchini, fennel, red pepper and mint leaves in 10 inch round dish, repeating again until all is used up. Place a plate on top and weight it down to press ingredients together. We used a 28 oz. can of tomatoes with a large heavy mason jar of honey on top of the plate. Press for an hour or two. Then carefully slide the torta out, top side up, on a large round cake plate. Cut into pie wedge serving pieces and enjoy!

We used only two red peppers but three might be better. You could also add a layer of grated Parmesan cheese. We talked about that and then forget to do it.

Aprons for sale!

January 18, 2013 by Mary Frances 6 Comments

Do you wear aprons? I do – all the time. I really don’t want to spend the time getting olive oil splatters out of my clothes. I also use the ends to dry my hands quickly and this one is extra long with room to do that. So I thought that maybe you’d like a LOVE-the secret ingredient apron too! It can remind us all to cook with LOVE! And with Valentine’s Day coming up, this could be the perfect little gift! It’s beautifully embroidered, 100% heavy-weight cotton twill fabric and of course, machine washable, with adjustable neck strap and two front pockets. Click on this link to order one now.