Category Archives: main courses

Grilled Chicken and Nectarine Salad

august 18, 2017

grilled chicken and nectarine salad

 

My favorite event in culinary training was market basket day, when we were asked to craft a multi-course meal from items in the basket. A similar concept shows up on cooking competition shows these days, only the time crunch is more exaggerated. We had most of a morning to come up with creative turns on, for example, red peppers/whole chicken/shallots/apples.I was always astounded at the level of creativity of my classmates and the dozens of different ways simple items could be transformed into dishes with complex flavors and showstopping presentation. When I make a new monthly menu for The Good Eats Company clients, I may look around and see what surplus items might be made into savory and sweet entries on the menu. Lots of walnuts? Time for walnut chocolate caramel tart, and perhaps a walnut crusted roasted fish.  Continue reading

Tomato Eggplant Stacks

august 4, 2017

tomato eggplant stacks

 

Remember the vertical food craze — towering foods precariously perched on plates and daring you to topple them with puny knives and forks? Pretty to behold, but not always practical to eat without messing up tablecloths and clothing. Intimidating and not always user friendly. These stacks are not like that. Continue reading

Steak and Blue Cheese Salad

may 26, 2017

steak and blue cheese salad

Warm weather meals can be so simple to prepare and often involve assembly only, with perhaps a little grilling or searing on the side. That’s what this meal is all about. Taking advantage of the local, the seasonal and the colorful, with some pre-meal searing of a versatile and very tasty cut of well-marbleized pasture raised beefsteak.  Continue reading

Crunchy Quinoa Vegetable Salad

april 1, 2017

crunchy quinoa vegetable salad

 

You probably have your breakfasts covered, even if your choices are routine and familiar. Perhaps dinners are easy, too, since you cook on the weekends for the week ahead. But lunches may have you scratching your head , as you decide what to pack, if you take a lunch, or where to pick up something not too heavy, something that won’t have you napping in the early afternoon. If you are in the habit of buying lunches out, you may fall into the trap of eating too much in volume and not enough in quality. Continue reading

Moroccan Chicken with Prunes

march 3, 2017

moroccan chicken with prunes

Quinoa makes a great substitute for couscous.

Some years back I was gifted with one of the first Crockpot cookbooks, a used version which, by the looks of the dogeared pages, was at one time much loved. This was before I even had a slow cooker. After awhile I sent it to the thrift store, since so many of the recipes involved opening cans of condensed soups or packs of spice mixes. The food snob in me declared this was most certainly not cooking. On the contrary, it was dumping fake ingredients into a machine and waiting for the results. A  mix of foods and non-foods which eventually would resemble food.

Continue reading

White Bean and Cabbage Soup

january 14, 2017

white bean and cabbage soup

Last weekend Richmond enjoyed the first snow day of winter. The silence was magical and holiday decorations still up were given the seal of authenticity with caps of fluffy snow and dangling icicles. Snowmen appeared as kids and grownups alike frolicked in yards and parks. Snow ice cream recipes were traded and the desserts were devoured and pronounced the best ever because it was so very cold. Continue reading

Goat Cheese Quesadillas

november 4, 2016

goat cheese quesadillas

 

 

 

If you’re like me, you keep a stash of emergency items in your freezer that are easy to defrost, heat and enjoy when life gets over scheduled. Usually it’s my Turkey Meatloaf with Sundried Tomato, Spinach and Feta, each portion individually wrapped and ready to devour with a super quick version of smashed potatoes.

Continue reading

Lamb Eggplant Shepherd’s Pie

october 7, 2016

lamb eggplant shepherd's pie

Time to say so long to summer foods and hello to meals perfect for a chilly evening, lovingly prepared in your cozy kitchen with continued appreciation for all that is locally produced.

Continue reading

Apple Plum Smoothie Bowl

september 24, 2016

apple plum smoothie bowl

 

A couple of years ago, I grew tired of my breakfast routine and tried starting my day with smoothies. Fruits, Greek yogurt, almond butter and red kale growing in my tiny garden patch  – all went in the blender, with the occasional toasted nut and seeds.

Continue reading

Grilled Apricot Burrata Salad

july 15, 2016

grilled apricot burrata salad

Sometimes the muse taps me on the shoulder several times at the markets. She whispers in my ear “pssst..this would make a great combination – put these together and magic will happen”. 

Continue reading