If you need a tasty dish for a Cinco de Mayo party, look no further than the papaya in your backyard or at the farmers market. Papayas grow well in Florida and a mature tree can yield many, many pounds of fruit, so it’s common for neighbors and co-workers to share them with the “papaya-less” crowd. Just…
Wahoo Salad & Green Goddess-Inspired Dressing
Fishing friends gave me a beautiful piece of Wahoo this week, so I quickly put it into action. It’s one of my (and hubby’s) faves. If you’ve never had Wahoo, PLEASE put it on your list of fish to try at a restaurant or fish market. It’s sort of like Swordfish – white, flaky, sweet,…
Field Trip Friday – Sunshine Community Compost
(Field Trip Fridays capture interesting, fun, food-related and/or fishing adventures that I like to share with you!) Garbage. Refuse. Debris. Rubbish. Scraps. Lots of words for stuff we don’t want anymore. . . But the one I’m focusing on today is scraps. Kitchen scraps, to be exact – the magical stuff used for compost, also known as…
8 Recipes for Flavored Butter
Butter adds richness and deliciousness to just about anything, right? Julia Child surely thought so, as evidenced by her statement “With enough butter, anything is good.” Yes, butter is awesome on its own, but why not jazz it up, especially for that holiday dinner where you’ll be serving your warm, homemade rolls? Flavored (a.k.a. compound)…
Ham & Cheese Puff Pastry
I was just a kid in the ’70s and Easter was a big day because it meant a visit from a magical rabbit who left me and my brother treats, including huge, chocolate-filled eggs that took weeks to eat, sliver by sliver, because they were so big. Our baskets were full of Russell Stover jelly…
Grilled Pineapple & Shrimp Salad with Citrus-Thyme Dressing
Spring break in Florida is a busy time of year! Visitors from cold climates love to escape wintery conditions, and we in Florida welcome them with open arms. True, it’s a little busy on the roads, our beaches are packed to the gills, and getting reservations at restaurants is challenging unless you’re willing to dine…
Beer Battered Fish with Mango/Cilantro Sauce
Fish and chips is a classic dish that’s also a sign of summer vacations near a beach. I myself have many fond memories of eating crispy fish and chips slathered in malt vinegar and salt, all while smelling salty air from a weather-worn picnic table. It’s certainly not a healthy dish but, it’s not like…
Quick-Pickled Veggies
Visiting Florida farmers markets this time of year is so fun. It’s easy to find beautiful carrots with their greens attached, huge celery bursting with crunchiness, bright greens, deep purple eggplant, colorful peppers, big bunches of fresh herbs, and more. I don’t have a bag or basket big enough to carry everything I’d like…
Strawberries & Cinnamon Mascarpone
“It’s time to get off the sugar train!” I exclaimed to my hubby Monday morning. To my surprise, he said he was ready to disembark, too. As I write this, 96 hours have passed since deciding to cut out refined sugar and carbs (for one month, that is, in order to push the reset…
Kitchen Towels For Sale!
Remember the scene in the movie The Jerk when Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) gets a delivery of phone books? He grabs one from the delivery man, frantically flips through it to find his name, then shouts joyously “The new phone book’s here! The new phone book’s here!” That’s how I feel about my kitchen towels….
Farro Salad with Preserved Lemon, Basil & Edamame
Grain salad = easy + portable + hearty + healthy + delicious. I’ve made lots of them and have picked up a few tips to make them especially yummy: Any grain works. Each offers unique texture, so pick what you like like farro, wheat berries, barley, quinoa, spelt or millet. Wild grain rice is also…
Roast Cod with Kumquat-Kiwi Slaw
Valentine’s Day will be here soon! I’m sure there are many of you who relish an opportunity to enjoy a lovely dinner at a ‘nice’ restaurant on the big night, but my guy and I enjoy making dinner at home. We’ve been married almost 15 years and still have fun planning the main course together…
