Food and Crafts for All Occasions

Grilling Season: Grilled and Marinated Bell Peppers

Grilled bell peppers are no less tasty treat than grilled Anaheims or Poblanos. To my taste, however, whereas mildly spicy green peppers are great served as they are, almost right from the grill, bell peppers become even better and develop more complex flavor after being slightly marinated.

Grilling Season: Grilled Aneheim or Poblano Peppers

One of our most favorite summer treats is grilled peppers. Especially, mildly spicy peppers like Anaheim or Poblano with their deep, earthy, a bit sweet and slightly bitterish flavor that matches perfectly a variety of meats, poultry and fish.

Decadent Diet: Sliced Fennel Roasted with Garlic, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice

Who said that diet cannot be decadent? There’s no oxymoron here. You can eat food that will let you lose several pounds and still maintain high gourmet standards. Like that Japanese style salad below. Or what about roasted fennel? It’s just what the dietician ordered: it’s lean, it’s not starchy and it’s full of health benefiting nutrients. At the same time, it’s a perfectly decadent dish - unique flavored, moist, crunchy, fragrant and absolutely delicious.

My Perfect Mashed Potatoes

I mentioned mashed potatoes in my previous post, so here they are in case you're interested how I make them. In the kitchen, I am one hell of a perfectionist, so when I cook something and am not 105% satisfied with the results, I will spend tons of time and effort until I get exactly what I have in mind. It can feel quite pain-in-the-assy, but the results are usually well worth the pain.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As I've already said here, we’re big fans of bitter greens. And then I thought about one more delightfully bitter treat – Brussels sprouts.

Sautéing: Moroccan Style Chicken Breast with Pureed Garbanzo Beans

I believe that sautéing is the best cooking technique for a busy weekday dinner. In mere minutes, hot, delicious, restaurant-worthy meal is ready to the joy of hungry family.

Morel Mushrooms Sautéed with Asparagus or Green Peas

Hurry, hurry, guys! Morels are in season right now. I won’t lie to you, they are quite pricey - around $50 at Whole Foods and $40 at Central Market – but the good news is, being hollow inside, they are very lightweight, and you don’t need that many of them because of their strong earthy flavor. Today, for dinner for two us, we needed less than a quarter of a pound.