Sides

Mexican Street Corn

Mexican Street Corn

Next time you’re making your favorite tacos or enchiladas and want a tasty side dish, try Mexican street corn.  Street vendors in Mexico City serve ears of grilled corn slathered with a creamy sauce, cojita cheese and cilantro. In my one-butt kitchen, I take some shortcuts. I cut corn off […]

 
Fancy corn

Fancy Corn

Fancy Corn is an old family recipe, handed down from my grandmother Mabel, to my dad, to me. My dad’s birthday was March 8. I decided to honor his memory by making several of his favorite recipes in March. My dad was a great cook. While my mom made most […]

 
calabacitas

Calabacitas 

Calabacitas, a tasty Mexican squash and corn dish, is the perfect complement to tacos, burritos, and other Mexican entrees. My brother-in-law, Mark Zalmanek, developed this recipe after eating it in a Mexican restaurant many years ago.  Thank you, Mark, for another delicious recipe. The trickiest part of preparing calabacitas is cutting the […]

 
pecan cranberry brussels sprouts

Pecan Cranberry Brussels Sprouts

Pecan Cranberry Brussels Sprouts is my attempt to recreate an appetizer I had at Wild Blue Yonder Brew Pub in Castle Rock, Colorado. Last summer I met six friends at Wild Blue Yonder for a socially distanced lunch on the patio. Three of us ordered the Fried Brussels Sprouts appetizer […]

 
Roasted winter vegetables

Roasted Winter Vegetables

If you want to minimize trips to the grocery store during the pandemic, roasted winter vegetables contain longer-lasting veggies that can be stored for a week or two before they must be used. This tasty combination is my idea of comfort food on cold winter days. Active time: 20 minutes […]

 
Venice Olive Oil

Venice Olive Oil Veggies

While everyone else was hoarding toilet paper, I headed to Venice Olive Oil to stock up on my favorite flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Venice Olive Oil veggies appear on my dinner plate several times a week. To make these tasty treats, I keep these essentials in my kitchen: […]

 
Almond Garlic Green Beans

Almond Garlic Green Beans

Whether it’s raw or cooked, garlic has an impressive list of health benefits. With 4 or 5 cloves of garlic in a simple veggie dish for 2 people, almond garlic green beans may be a new miracle cure. More importantly, the sautéed garlic adds a delicious flavor to this veggie […]

 
Mushroom risotto

Mushroom Risotto

When Jim is cooking steaks or chicken on the grill, one of my favorite side dishes is mushroom risotto. It’s also the perfect complement to red curry halibut. Mushroom risotto is my idea of comfort food: rich, creamy, and delicious. When a friend told me she makes risotto in an […]

 
Bacon candy

Bacon Candy

Bacon candy is sweet, salty, spicy and crispy. When I first heard of it, I wondered if it was an appetizer or a dessert. That just shows how limited my thinking was. It can also be crumpled in a salad, placed on a hamburger, or used to garnish a Bloody […]

 
roasted asparagus

Roasted or Sautéed Asparagus

Whether it’s roasted in the oven or sautéed on a stovetop, asparagus is easy to make, tastes great and is good for you.  All you need is fresh asparagus, Butter Olive Oil from Venice Olive Oils, salt and pepper. Topping it with parmesan cheese is optional.  If you are in […]