Hummus is versatile and straightforward– simply put all the ingredients in a kitchen blender and pulse until you get the consistency you like. When I am looking for a snack and the refrigerator is running on empty, I whip up a homemade batch of hummus and serve it with flatbread. In my pantry I always keep a few cans of chickpeas around, a jar of tahini, try not to ever run out of garlic, and tend to keep a few jars of red peppers in olive oil. Practically everything that goes into this recipe is shelf stable.

This recipe can also use roasted cauliflower, pesto, a pinch of parmesan cheese, or chopped olives. Whatever you have on hand.

Roasted Garlic Red Pepper Hummus

15 oz Canned Chickepeas/Garbanzo Beans
2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons 100% olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper (in olive oil, drained)
1/3 cup tahini
2 roasted garlic cloves
2 tablespoons roughly chopped parsley (can use the new fancy frozen flat bread

In a kitchen blender combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil, red pepper, tahini, garlic cloves, and pulse until well combined. Taste to add more lemon juice. Sprinkle in the parsley and pulse again until the consistency is smooth. Serve with flat bread.

Having marinated feta on hand is great because it brings big flavor in a pinch to salads, soups, sandwiches, pasta, omelets, the list is endless. If you already do this with store-bought marinated feta, you’ll really love this recipe. And, I’ve priced it out where I shop and have found it to be a whole heck of a lot cheaper to make it from scratch which makes me feel super smart as I am chowing down.

This recipe calls for dried oregano and thyme, however if you can get your hands on fresh herbs, feel free to substitute them in. If you plan to make this a second time, consider using spices like rosemary, savory, dill, tarragon. To add more kicking flavor, pinch in some red pepper flakes. Marinated Feta keeps in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

Marinated Feta
3-inch square Fresh block of Feta, sliced into cubes. The size is up to you, I prefer 1/8 to 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup Marinated Assortment of Olives*, or your favorite types of olives; finely sliced or minced
1 tablespoon whole red peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
good extra virgin olive oil (this flavor will matter so don’t go cheap, nor too expensive. Stick with middle of the road.

Combine the Feta, olives, peppercorns, oregano, thyme in a 8 to 12 oz glass jar. Fill it with extra virgin olive oil, ensuring the feta is completely covered. Place a well fitted lid on top and store in the refrigerator.

*if you use Marinated olives, this will add even more flavor. If you cannot find these at your supermarket’s deli counter or prepared food section, make your own by combining your favorite olives, sliced up finely and add in a dash of the seasonings from pickle relish. Mix until well combined.

Marinated Mushrooms are a great appetizer, salad enhancer, or wonderful served as a side dish with meat, poultry, and fish. They are also great in soups and can be used as a base (just omit the vinegar). If you like the soup route, after cooking the mushrooms, add in 3 cups of chicken or veggie broth and cook on low heat for an additional 10 minutes. When the mushrooms are soft, blend up the soup with an immersion blender and add in other fun ingredients. When serving add a dollop of herbed goat cheese and a generous slice of crusty French bread.

Lobster Rolls are traditionally from New England and quite delicious. While some hardcore lobster roll fans might suggest this classic should be left alone, I think, it’s a lot of fun to mix it up and make it your own. This down at the shore version is one I created with the herbs growing in my garden. And you’ll see this recipe really doesn’t deviate that much from the classic. If you were feeling adventurous and wanted to go that route, I’d suggest adding sauteed onions, a pinch of old bay (for that southern taste), and maybe even some minced cherry tomatoes on top. 

Whichever side you’re on, classic or classics-with-a-twist, good food is meant to be enjoyed. Serve this with a nice side of kettle cooked chips and a tall glass of homemade lemonade.

Lobster Roll from Down at the Shore
makes 4 servings
 
Two 1½ -pound steamed lobsters meat removed from shells
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 lobster rolls, split
In a large bowl, combine the lobster meat with the lemon zest, pepper, basil, chives, salt, and mayonnaise. Stir until well combined. Let the lobster mixture marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, butter the split rolls and toast them in a 350 degree oven until golden brown. Divide the lobster salad among the rolls and serve.

Last year, while in Sicily, my mom and I had the opportunity to sample some homemade Amaretto in our espresso. It was excellent!

Last week, when my mom came to visit, I surprised her and made some of my own homemade Amaretto.

We added two teaspoons per espresso shot, which is a great ratio. It adds flavor without knocking you out! Because I love iced coffee, I also tried serving it cold. I brewed my espresso over 4 ice cubes and tossed it into a blender along with 1 tablespoon of homemade amaretto. I blended until the ice was crushed. The results were quite good and would be lovely on a hot summer’s day. If you like sugar in your espresso, you’ll probably want to include that in the Amaretto Iced Espresso too.

Homemade Amaretto
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tablespoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup vodka (or I hear rum works well too)

In a sauce pot combine the water and sugars. Heat over medium heat. Stir the sugar until it dissolved. Don’t boil the sugar. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Whisk in the almond extract, vanilla extract and vodka. Store in a clean glass container with a tightly fitted lid.

I love pasta.  While my kids can gobble pounds of it without much consequence, I have to watch how much I eat. You see, once I hit 40, my carefree relationship to pasta changed. Suddenly I was considering the unthinkable and I did it for months. I ban pasta from my plate. But, I was miserable. I really truly missed it. So I decided to figure out how I could bring pasta back to my plate.

What I discovered was the only way that I could include this beloved food in my life (without feeling the pounds) was to manage the balance between pasta and topping. This sounds so simple. Right? It is but it never occurred me! I was just used to eating pasta the way I had always eaten it.

Now, instead of dressing my plate with the traditional 3:1 ratio of pasta to topping, I eat it the reverse.

For example, if you are serving Agnolotti (smaller pinch size delicate ravioli), only put 4 to 5 pieces (about 4 oz) on your plate and pile it with a healthy and delicious topping.

What the topping is made of makes a difference. While I love tomato, olive oil and garlic, I like to invent creative toppings that have personality and robust flavor. It also serves as a way for me to forget that my pasta portion is much smaller than my eyes would like. But that all changes when I take the first bite.

One of my favorites toppings at the moment (I go in fazes) is a combination of things I pick up at the Farmers Market: sauteed minced onions, chopped roasted red bell peppers, minced fresh parsley, minced fresh rosemary, roasted garlic slices, a pinch of red pepper flakes, pinch of sea salt, and a splash of olive oil. Serve with a lemon wedge and squeeze a few drops on top to smooth out the spicy bite.

This pasta dish can be served alongside just about anything and by all means consider adding in fresh grilled chicken, tuna or swordfish kabobs. This pairs nicely with a glass of red or white wine.

Serve pasta this way and you aren’t giving up anything. You are gaining. Not pounds. You are gaining back the fun and freedom to eat the things you truly love.

While traditional Italian wedding soup does not have butternut squash or bok choy, I included them here as a healthy twist.

Italian Wedding Soup with a twist
Makes 4 appetizer servings, or 2 heaping servings

8 cups chicken broth 
1 cup of your favorite butternut squash soup
optional: 2 bok choy leaves, chopped
24 .5-ounce all natural beef meatballs (recipe below if plaining to prepare this from scratch)
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese 

Combine the chicken broth, butternut squash soup in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add in the optional bok choy cook until the leaves have wilted, about 10 minutes. Add in the meatballs and gently stir and cook for another 5 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Reduce the heat to low and add in the spinach to wilt. Turn off the heat and serve in 4 shallow bowls with the cheese sprinkled on top.

Homemade Meatballs for soup
8 ounces all natural ground beef
3 ounces panko
1 ounce grated parmesan cheese
1 egg, whisked
Pinch onion powder
pinch garlic powder
pinch italian seasoning
pinch salt

Combine the ingredients and mix until well blended without overworking. Form approximately 24 .5-oz meatballs to be placed in the soup.

Beer Soaked Scallops Wrapped in Bacon 
makes 12 scallops wrapped in bacon

1/2 cup of your favorite pale ale
Dozen Sea Scallops (the big ones!)
12 piece of your favorite farm raised bacon (that sounds kinda funny, but you know what I mean)
a few pinches of salt to season
12 bamboo skewers OR tooth picks
1 tablespoon melted butter

So the first thing you have to do place the scallops in a large zip lock bag with 1/2 cup of your favorite pale ale. Meanwhile soak 12 bamboo skewers in water. The scallops and the skewers need to soak for 30 minutes. If you are using toothpicks these must also be soaked.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the bacon strips onto a sheet pan. If you want to avoid a build up of oil, line the sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper and place the bacon on that. Bake the bacon for about 15 minutes. You just want the bacon to start cooking but it still need to be soft enough so that you can wrap it around the scallops. Remove it from the oven to cool.

When you are ready to start assembling, turn the grill on to medium high heat. Make sure the grates are well seasoned. I like to rub them down with a little olive oil. It’s important that the grates are clean because scallops tend to stick and any left over food can make that happen.

Remove the scallops from the beer and shake them off. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Wrap each scallop in 1 piece of bacon. Sometimes I cut the bacon shorter so it only goes around once, that’s up to you. Carefully slide the scallop onto the skewer or tooth pick. Make sure the bacon is secure and not flopping around. Do this with the remaining scallops. Only place one scallop per skewer. If you are accustom to using two skewers when grilling scallops so that they don’t turn on you when you pick them up to flip them, certainly do so here. (in which case soak 24)

Grill the scallops until they are opaque inside or about 3 minutes per side. Depending on the grill it can be an extra minute or even a minute less. It is important to stay attentive. Moments before removing them from the grill, lightly drizzle them with butter. BE CAREFUL! Butter can create flareups, and you do not want that.

Serve immediately!

These lovely scallops would be perfect served before a nice Porterhouse Steak. Think: Surf and Turf!