This past weekend we continued to stay on the no meat track, and I decided to make an old favorite of mine: Red pepper paprika pasta. I used to make this a lot when I was at university, not only because it tastes awesome, it is also very very easy to make and great if you’re on a slightly tight food budget. Preparation and cooking time is less than 30 minutes, so it’s also a great go-to recipe on busy weekdays when you have a house full of hangry family members. If you’re in a tight spot and want to cut down on the time spent chopping the veggies, you…
-
-
Autumn gnocchi
The flavors of sage, Parma ham and gnocchi go really well together. In this autumn gnocchi recipe we’ve added some green zucchini and chopped almonds on top for a bit of crunch. These are wonderful autumn flavors! Of course you can go the extra mile and make your own gnocchi, but in well-stocked stores they usually carry ready made good quality gnocchi. Also, the bonus if you use the ready made kind is that you’ll have your autumn gnocchi dinner ready in less that 30 min. This time of year when it’s dark and gloomy outside when you come home in the afternoon, it’s vital that making dinner is not…
-
Toast for fall
This October I find myself cooking a lot with zucchini, almost to the point where you’d think I grew them in my own garden. Maybe you’re growing them yourself and are trying to find good use for the overwhelming yield this sturdy little plant produces, or maybe, like me, you just brought home a whole bunch for the price of almost nothing. Either way, these zucchini toast with fresh herbs are a wonderful way to make the most of this very reasonably priced, yet very delicious vegetable. As the days are getting shorter (way too fast!), and there’s no way of ignoring that fall is here, I really like cooking…
-
Green harvest risotto
Back from a long summer hiatus which we’ve spent experimenting and coming up with new must-try recipes, this green harvest risotto with fennel and peas and mint perfectly reflects our end-of-summer, beginning-of-autumn mood. I often make risotto, both because I find it’s easy to make and because it’s so wonderfully versatile. There are infinite possibilities to vary a basic risotto by switching up your add on ingredients depending on mood and season, or even what’s sitting in your fridge waiting to find a good purpose. What I like especially about this risotto with fennel and peas and mint is the sweetness of the peas combined with the freshness of the…
-
Lobster, cream, cognac, pasta…I’m in!
This lobster pasta with cognac cream sauce is somewhat extravagant, I admit. But if you can get you hands on lobster without breaking the bank, or in the unlikely event that you should happen to have lobster leftovers, you owe it to yourself to try this dish. It basically contains pure goodness, if you ask me: lobster, cream, cognac, ripe cherry tomatoes, pasta and of course a generous sprinkle of good Parmesan cheese on top. Really, what’s not to like? You can of course go all in and buy a couple of whole fresh lobsters and boil them yourself. But since I’m a chicken when it comes to staring a…
-
Addictive appetizer dip
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…
-
Rich and crunchy cauliflower side
I am always looking for new and delicious ways to use cauliflower, and this rich and crunchy cauliflower side is my new favorite. It’s perfect for summer BBQ, steak, fish, lamb, chicken, you name it. Moreover, it is very easy to make, and it’s a great alternative to potatoes if you want to skip the starch. If you like, you can easily skip the Pecorino or Parmesan, or experiment either with other cheeses, a bit of grated zucchini or a bit of lemon. Or, if pistachios are not your favorite, almonds work very well as a substitute. As I make this side quite often, I like to mix it up…
-
Little heavenly ricotta bites
Need a great idea for an appetizer that is fast and easy to make and that will instantly charm your guests’ taste buds? In my book these little heavenly ricotta cream bites are the perfect appetizers. They are creamy, crunchy and light with that amazing freshness and fragrance that basil and lemon so perfectly provide. I’ve been making these for years, and every time I serve them, they seem to be gone before I know it, and my guests always ask for the recipe. I think it often comes as a surprise that these little pale rather innocently looking mouthfuls are so powerful and packed with taste. Because of the…
-
Praised be the potato
Well… I have made and tasted a lot of potato dishes. But none of them compare to the creamy and salty taste of this one. The curious thing about this creamy potato dish is that I have never succeeded in making too much. For the portion shown in the picture, which I thought by far would be too much for 8 people, I used almost 7 lbs of potatoes. That is a lot, as anyone who has ever tried peeling such an amount will attest to! I was convinced that there would be leftovers, but by the end of the night there was nothing left. Not all of it went…
