She Paused 4 Thought

For this refreshing Spinach, Apple and Fennel Salad, thinly sliced fennel and apples are tossed with baby spinach, then dressed with a sweet and savory vinaigrette. Perfect for the season, you’ll put this salad on your table time after time.

Spinach, Apple and Fennel Salad is one of many recipes I tasted at a recent Melissa’s Producefor a media meet-and-greet with Denise Vivaldo & Cindie…

The simplicity of fresh ingredients makes this Fish Baked in Tomato Sauce a weeknight favorite in my house.

This approachable dish made with easy to find ingredients actually comes from a Turkish cafe in the Black Sea Region. It is just one of many unique recipes found in food and travel journalist Robyn Eckhardt’s latest cookbook, Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey’s Diverse Cuisines. But…

These simple and healthy “Persimmons & Pomegranate Endive Cups” features Fuyu persimmons and pomegranates nicely paired with crunchy pistachios and salty-tangy blue cheese to make a flavorful and colorful holiday treat.

I made this for the annual Melissa’s Produce holiday event as well as a Christmas party and I believe they are a holiday hit.

Today’s Recipe: Persimmons & Pomegranate Endive Cups

These Cinnamon Roll Cookies are cute and delicious which makes them perfect a cookie exchange.

I belong to a wonderful group of food bloggers here in LA and our annual Christmas Cookie Exchange is one of the highlights. Thanks Erika from In Erika’s Kitchen for hosting this fun day.

I was looking for a unique cookie to bring and stumbled upon this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Today’s…

Elegant Pomegranate – Sima’s Healthy Indulgence Cookbook

Let the festivities begin! And what better way than with this Elegant Pomegranate sparkling drink?

This fantastically flavorful drink is just one of the many nourishing indulgences from Sima Cohen’s new cookbook Sima’s Healthy Indulgence: 100 Revamped, guilt-free recipes to transform your life.

Sima is a celebrity trainer, nutritionist, wellness expert and life coach with 20 years experience.…

Heritage Barley Pilaf (Slow Carb)

This colorful and healthy Heritage Barley Pilaf is a great way to replace a fast carb (rice) with a slow carb (barley). 

I love good stories, relevant information, and flavorful recipes. When the three coincide, I am thrilled. Such is the case with today’s cookbook and review of Deepa’s Secrets: Slow Carb New Indian Cuisine by Deepa Thomas.

In response to her husband’s Type 2 diabetes and her…

Graveyard Rice – Bowls of Plenty Cookbook

This decadent dish of Graveyard Rice will have the adults at your Halloween party swooning.

Halloween decorations are starting to pop up everywhere. Yes, it is that time of year when people start to get obsessed with ghosts, graveyards, skeletons and such. The only thing I am obsessed with are the flavors and textures of the marrow and vegetables in this recipe for Graveyard Rice, which looks…

Kale and Quinoa Salad – Cuisine del Sol Cookbook

This refreshing and delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad is a recipe from the CUISINE del Sol Cookbook supporting Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC)

I love it when a delicious dish coalesces with a great cause to create an Olympian outcome! This refreshing and delicious Kale and Quinoa Salad is just such a dish. It comes straight from the CUISINE del Sol Cookbook, the work of several area…

Hatch Chile Party Bites

Hatch Chile Party Bites are great for summertime entertaining.

Spicy, creamy, a little smoky, and a bunch of fun — Hatch Chile Party Bites are the perfect party appetizer.

Hatch Chiles are everywhere in the grocery stores this month. Many locations will even roast them for you. I couldn’t help making these tasty green guys into cheesy party bites – which sparked a story from my past. I’ll share…

Seriously now, does anyone really need another deviled egg recipe? You have your Grandma’s special recipe, your mom’s standard recipe, and the one that you based on theirs, which you love best of all.

So why am I featuring another deviled egg recipe? Because this one is amazing. And who ever said a Devilled Egg was amazing. Make this twist on a classic and you’ll become the Devilled Egg Master…

I didn’t know there was “101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die” until I met Jet Tila. Quite frankly, I can’t even name 30 Asian dishes by their proper name, let alone know how to make them. I didn’t even realize by the nature of the title of Jet’s latest cookbook that he would challenge me to cook every recipe in his book.

I recently met Chef Jet Tilaat a book-signing, media luncheon…

Spicy daikon radish stands in for rice paper wraps in this unique recipe. Thinly sliced daikon is stuffed with shiso (a Japanese herb that has a minty basil flavor) cucumber, avocado, sprouts, and mint. It is garnished with black sesame seeds and drizzled with a bright citrus sauce.

This Japanese inspired recipe is from Jean-Christian Jury’s latest culinary publication Vegan: The Cookbook. If…

Outdoor entertaining just got elevated with this gorgeous potato salad. It is perfect for picnics and potlucks because is it doesn’t contain any mayonnaise—just fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. The blend of red, white & purple potatoes makes this lighter version of potato salad a show-stopper. (more…)

One of my favorite childhood flavors is Rhubarb. It was practically a weed on our Midwest farm. Every year we strategically planted all types of vegetables, but never rhubarb (yes, it is a vegetable), because it was always just there. Now, when I see rhubarb at the market or in the stores in Los Angeles, my heart skips a beat. Although rhubarb pie is my favorite, I am learning to prepare it in…

Rhubarb Scones with Ginger & Vanilla

Rhubarb is in full swing right now and I can’t get enough of it. I have made this recipe several times and it is just too good not to share.

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Everybody has his or her go-to recipes, and this is one of mine. They’re simple, scrumptious and for me who gets easily tired of the same old thing, they seem endlessly fresh and new.

I got this favorite from Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes from My Mother’s Kitchen, which features family-style, Chinese-American dishes she learned from her mother. (more…)