Just before guests arrive I’m always very busy making dinner ready. Of course my husband can entertain the guests until dinner is ready, but when coming to our house, our guests are used to not only lots of spirited conversations, but certainly also lots of treats for their tummies. This spinach, artichoke and cheese dip is the perfect treat to serve right when the guests arrive. With lots of fresh spinach, artichokes and no less than five cheeses, it’s sure to lay the foundations for a great evening of entertaining. As we all know, a happy belly is, after all, the foundation for relaxation, great thinking and overall wellbeing. Making…
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Cajun shrimp bread
We spent this March break doing a road trip through Louisiana and Texas, and had some pretty amazing encounters with real southern food classics. Even just writing about it makes me hungry! This Cajun shrimp bread was inspired by a Cajun crawfish bread we had one sunny afternoon in Louisiana. If you can get your hands on crawfish, I’d use that instead of shrimp, but alas, we don’t all live down south, and shrimp will also do nicely. The Louisiana kitchen is world famous for its spicy and flavorful Cajun and Creole tastes. In my mind, this recipe represents quintessential Louisiana food culture: great shellfish combined with hot Cajun spice,…
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The ultimate winter soup
In my book no soup beats a well-made classic French onion soup as the ultimate comforter on a cold winter’s day. It’s packed with taste, easy to make, not expensive and healthy too. The first time I had onion soup, though, I have to say I was a little suspicious. And it’s true that with its muddy brown color this dish will probably never win any beauty contests. But its understated appearance completely fooled me, and I was taken aback by this rich and flavorful soup. Though I try a lot of new dishes all the time, I very rarely get a really powerful tasting experience that immediately wins me…
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A little extra something for your cheese board
Up for a cheese feast? In our family we love cheese, and having guests over is the perfect excuse to serve a cheese board. Whether it’s a substitute or a supplement for dessert or something you want to do for a casual Friday night get-together with friends, it’s fun and easy to put together. Well, maybe it’s not so easy to choose between all the great cheeses at your local cheese dealer?! Well, ask them if they’ll let you taste and then choose your favorites. If they all turn out to be favorites, another good pointer is to choose a variety of mild and mature cheeses, to include both soft…
