Delaware Girl Eats

Asparagus Risotto with Tomatoes and Sausage

What better way to take advantage of spring produce than asparagus risotto. I’ve been cooking a great deal lately to pass the seemingly endless amount of time trapped at home without being able to go out. In the past I grocery-shopped for entertainment as well as sustenance but these days it’s seldom and totally about necessity. Luckily the few trips I’ve made to a local farm market instead of a grocery store have yielded great produce and other ingredients to supplement my well-stocked freezer and pantry. Having limited choices also has provided the added benefit of focusing on seasonal ingredients... Read more →

Red Lentil Soup Not Only is Delicious but Good for You Too

This Persian approach to red lentil & onion soup is as tasty a it is healthy Did you know that lentils are super healthy? I didn't but learned this in researching them for this post. In fact, this humble legume has shot up to the number 1 slot for healthy foods and here are key reasons why: * they are full of protein and make a good meat substitute * they are a great source of nutrients like iron, calcium and folic acid * they are full of fiber * they are an affordable food What's not to like here?... Read more →

One-Pot Dijon Chicken with Shallots & White Wine

This one pot preparation of classic French Dijon Chicken will please all the family palates Recipes evolve. That's the beauty and creativity of cooking, resulting in a treat for all of us. Sometimes the adaptation represents a great deal of change, sometimes it's just a little tweak. Each cook adds his or her own particular twist, even to classic recipes. The recipe featured in this post has quite a heritage, yet I couldn't help adding my own adaptation. So here's the history.....This recipe for Dijon Chicken originally was adapted by TV food personality Andrew Zimmern from a recipe presented on... Read more →

Adventures in Abruzzo and Pasta alla Chitarra

The authentic foods of Italy’s Abruzzo region are so well hidden that not many people other than families who live or have roots there have had the pleasure of savoring them. Ringed by the Apennine Mountains and flanked by the Adriadic Sea, this region’s remote and inaccessible location compared to popular Italian tourist destinations like Rome and Florence has helped preserve longtime traditions. Luckily my own family hails from its seaside town of Giulianova along the Adriadic coast and my grandparents brought those culinary traditions to the US when they immigrated at the beginning of the 20th century. To reconnect... Read more →

Abruzzo Style Swiss Chard & Cannellini Beans

Sauteed onion and garlic add tang to this summer side dish In this cycle of Cook the Books, we are reading the memoir, Blood, Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton, owner of the NYC restaurant Prune. Reading it, I first of all can't imagine how anyone survived such a chaotic youth and young adult growing up, but it was a compelling read nonetheless. And then there are a few strange quirks. For instance as someone who visits my own Mom every week, I can't quite imagine how she allowed nearly 20 years to go by before seeing her mother. Quite... Read more →

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Updated 11/15/19

Rosemary added to shortbread adds a perfect hint of herbs Looking for the perfect treat to take to a garden party this summer? Look no further. Shortbread cookies can be the answer. Yes, many people think of them as holiday treats but they are wonderful to eat year round. Rich and buttery, crumbly and dense, a classic shortbread is always a satisfying choice. One of the best assets this cookie has to offer is its ability to accept many different flavors, so there are countless ways to make them including adding spices, dried fruit, citrus, vanilla, even nuts or seeds.... Read more →

Pepperoni Rolls - Born in West Virginia, Now an Italian-American Favorite

Pepperoni Rolls are iconic Italian American treat Contemporary West Virginia is an Italian melting pot. Who would have thought that? Would you? And why is that anyway? It's because multitudes of Italians including my grandparents and many cousins chose to come to that state in the great early 20th century Italian migration seeking work, in my family's case, in the mills that line the Ohio River, and others in the state's many coal mines. Edward Lee highlights this in his book, Buttermilk Graffiti, in the chapter on his travels throughout that state. He comes across a woman named Alba, who... Read more →

Layered Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Eating outdoors free from the usual dining etiquette is a tradition dating back to medieval times. But the word “picnic” seems to have originated from the French “pique-nique”, meaning to pick (pique) at food and referring to something small of no value (nique). Whether a picnic or a pique-nique, nothing beats the simple pleasure of enjoying food outdoors. And, there's just something about a cool, refreshing salad to make the best of a summer day. In honor of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday I have prepared a composed salad that makes a strong visual impact and that will easily feed... Read more →

Mushrooms Star in TV Chef Nick Stellino’s Kitchen

Mushrooms and arugula join together in this easy side dish for a marriage of flavors (photo courtesy Nick Stellino) “Food is a celebration of life and there’s joy to be found in the kitchen,” according to Emmy-nominated PBS cooking show chef Nick Stellino. I recently had the opportunity to chat with him about Italian cooking, his passion for teaching his viewers and about favorite dishes that can be seen on his new Create TV program, Storyteller in the Kitchen. Stellino has been cooking on PBS for 25 years and views his mission as inspiring viewers to have the conviction that... Read more →

Asparagus Leek & Potato Chowder

Delicious Asparagus Chowder makes for a great spring dish Steamed, sautéed, roasted or grilled -- asparagus takes on differently delicious qualities depending on how you cook it. Roasting and grilling turns asparagus almost sweet. Steamed, it retains the heart of its natural flavor. Please, please don’t boil these lovely stalks. That’s how they often get cooked beyond all recognition and lose a lot of their healthfulness. Did you know that one serving provides 100% of daily vitamin K needs not to mention being with packed with vitamins A, C, E and B-6, as well as iron, copper, calcium and fiber?... Read more →