bridal shower bliss & cherry pits

I really can't get enough of planning menus for showers-- especially when one is celebrating the upcoming nuptials of a good girlfriend of mine.

While on vacation in Austin, I cooked for my friend Reagan's shower held at another high school girlfriend parents' house. Lucky for my, this hostess is also a fabulous new photographer and my last minute food preparations turned into an impromptu photo shoot.

My social media peeps also went crazy when I posted a picture of this decadent sweet contribution to the shower: Banana Cream Cheese Muffins with Peanut Butter Frosting and Toffee Peanuts-- I couldn't get the recipe posted fast enough...

First on the shower menu: Stone Fruit Salad with Rosemary Syrup and Toasted Hazelnuts

I began with a cooled rosemary simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water simmered with fresh rosemary from the garden until reduced by half), and soaked it with sliced Texas peaches, white nectarines, plums and cherries in the refrigerator overnight.

Next, I toasted a handful of buttery hazelnuts at 400 degrees on a sheet pan until toasted and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.

Serve toasted hazelnuts atop chilled, soaked fruit with a sprig of rosemary. Refreshing and so summery! Remind guests to mind their cherry pits.

Next on the menu is an oh-so-simple side from my "non recipe" in the summer issue of Fort Worth Foodie Magazine: Tomato Carpaccio.

I also made a syrupy balsamic reduction to serve alongside the gorgeous tomatoes. Guests can gracefully spoon (or slather) the increments of their liking atop the juicy tomatoes.

I like to cluster the tomatoes by size in a monochromatic fashion to add eye appeal. Make sure to bring the tomatoes to room temperature if they aren't already to truly taste the wonderfulness of this summer staple.

Finish tomatoes with fleur de sel, fresh-cracked pepper and fresh thyme leaves. Delicious!

Next on the menu: Salmon Phyllo Tarts perfect for breakfast, lunch or brunch.

I began by making a salmon salad with flaked, cooked salmon, dijon, mayonnaise, fresh rosemary, fresh tarragon, capers and liberal salt and pepper. Next, I began an assembly line with melted butter, the salmon salad and delicate phyllo sheets. After I filled and folded the tarts, they went to chill on sheet pans until ready to bake.

Brush tops of tarts with melted butter or olive oil then bake at 400 degrees approximately 8 minutes until they reach a gorgeous golden brown.

I served salmon tarts with a simple aioli made with mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice and zest, fresh tarragon, salt and freshly-cracked pepper.

Finally, the moment you've all been waiting for...

Banana Cream Cheese Muffins

with Peanut Butter Frosting & Toffee Peanuts

These "muffins" are creamy, luscious and the perfect guilty pleasure with a morning (or evening) cup of coffee.

Yields 36 muffins

Adapted from Artisan Baking Company's Seasonal Fruit Muffin Recipe

3½ cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 pound cream cheese, softened

½ pound unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temperature

½ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

2 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 4 bananas)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin pan or pans with nonstick baking spray or place paper liners in each cup and lightly coat papers with nonstick baking spray, so that the paper liners slip off muffins easily.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with milk, vanilla and almond extract. Fold in mashed bananas. Batter will be thick.

Portion into prepared muffin pans with an ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Rotate pan in oven (for even baking), and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin has only a few or no crumbs clinging to it.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Remove muffins from tin and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut butter frosting:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

4 T unsalted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

4 T whole milk

Cream together peanut butter and butter in a stand mixer with the whip attachment until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Scrape down sides. On medium high speed, slowly add 1 cup of powdered sugar, then whole milk. Add remaining powdered sugar then beat 5 minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Pipe or spread atop cooled banana muffins. Top with salted peanuts, candied peanuts or toffee peanuts.

Foodgasm, for real. Enjoy, folks!

wedding bells & one-pot meals

What a pleasure it was to cook for a crew of gorgeous, successful young women celebrating the upcoming wedding of their dear friend, Sarah.

I arrived in the charming home of one of her cheery bridesmaids, Kacey, and immediately set to work in preparation of my Linguine and Dirty Martinis Risotto 101 demo.
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Gals sipping wine always seem to love

cheese, fruit and carbs

so my appetizer combination seemed like a natural choice.
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As guests arrived, hors d'oeuvres and libations awaited including my new favorite appetizer for a crowd:

Savory Bleu Cheese Cheesecake with a Rosemary Pecan Crust

serves 16 appetizer portions
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3/4 c pecans, toasted and salted
2/3 c breadcrumbs
3 T butter, melted
4 eggs, room temperature
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb bleu cheese, room temperature
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the bottom of 8-inch springform pan with foil. Set aside.

In a food processor, grind pecans, breadcrumbs and butter to form a fine crumble. Press in an even layer into greased springform pan. With a handheld or stand mixer, beat cream cheese, garlic and rosemary until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Delicately fold in bleu cheese with a spatula then transfer mixture and spread evenly atop pecan crust.

Bake approximately 40 minutes until slightly brown and set completely. Transfer to cool completely on a rack before releasing springform. Serve at room temperature with fig compote. Can be made and chilled 1 day ahead.

Fig Black Pepper Compote

1 c apple juice
1 c water
1/2 c sugar
1 bay leaf
1 c dried figs, halved
1 c dried currants
zest of 1 orange
1 T fresh-cracked pepper

Reduce all ingredients over medium high heat approximately 30 minutes until reduced by half. Let cool and serve room temperature atop cheesecake.

After guests snacked on assorted cheese preparations, I began the risotto and vinaigrette demo:

Spinach, Fennel and Bosc Pear Salad

This salad is sweet, bitter and anise-ridden with a thick, slightly-spiced vinaigrette perfect for the holidays.

Toss fresh spinach, sliced bosc pears and julienned fennel. Serve with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette and garnish with fennel fronds.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

3 T mustard
1/2 c pure maple syrup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t fresh rosemary, minced
zest of one lemon
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together all ingredients except olive oil. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking frequently, until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
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Winter Squash, Pancetta and Sage Risotto

Although I was a bit immersed in my cooking to recall a "formal" recipe, this wintry risotto takes a traditional base of aromatics, arborio and white wine with vegetable stock and is amplified with sweet and smoky additions.

During my "stir-time", I made sure to season arborio mixture with liberal salt and pepper and fresh, minced sage. After all stock was added and risotto reached al dente, I stirred in roasted acorn squash, crisp-rendered pancetta, whole butter and fine parmesan cheese.

Sheer comfort in one bowl.

For desserts to share over gift-giving, I decided on an array of hand-held glossy cakes that would lend well to chocolate cravings.

Cocoa and Lavender Salt Cakes

with Ganache and Edible Flowers

I added just enough

unsweetened, fine cocoa powder

to my favorite Artisan Baking Company recipe
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along with

a sprinkling of dried lavender salt

to substitute for kosher salt.

After a
swirl of bittersweet ganache

and the careful placement of
delicate edible flowers,

the delightful cakes were ready to shine!

a candy shoppe & springtime crops

Rhubarb,
asparagus,
ramps & fiddleheads
have been on my mind.

Spring has sprung-- and what a gorgeous, season, indeed!

I've broken out the sunless tanner, juicer, oversized sunglasses & bamboo steamer and cast away my cashmere scarves, Dutch oven, knee-length boots & pressure cooker 'til a few seasons come...

On a recent Twitter post, I mentioned by "grease and alcohol" cleanse after a fried food and sugary cocktail-ridden weekend.

On my radar:

...smoky vegetables
a hit of spice,
creamy, herbed polenta
and a tangy goat cheese finish...

Thyme Polenta

with Roasted Vegetables, Radish & Goat Cheese

Roasted vegetables:

1/4 c whole garlic cloves

1/2 c cherry tomatoes

2 jalapenos, ribbed, seeded and sliced thinly

1 c fresh corn off the cob (frozen can be substituted)
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan, toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast approximately 20 minutes until vegetables are charred. Keep warm.

Polenta:

6 c water
2 c polenta
4 T butter
1 T fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 c whole milk

salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to a boil then slowly add polenta, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook for approximately 3-5 minutes while stirring until mixture thickens. Add milk, butter, thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Garnish:

1/4 c radishes, sliced

crumbled goat cheese to garnish

In a large bowl, spoon warm polenta. Top with roasted vegetables, sliced radish and goat cheese. Serve immediately.

This past Sunday was soaked with April showers and a cry for sunshine. Determined to bring an outdoor feel to a quaint dinner party for 6, I fired up the grill for these springtime delights:

Turkey Sliders

with a Serrano Mint Pesto, Grilled Watermelon and Butter Lettuce

Yields 12 sliders.

Sliders:

1 lb lean ground turkey (85/15)

1/2 c saltine crackers, crushed

1 serrano, ribbed, seeded and minced

2 T fresh mint, minced
2 T olive oil
1 T honey
liberal kosher salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

Combine ingredients with hands. Form into 3 inch patties. On a charcoal grill, cook burgers approximately 4 minutes on each side until just cooked through. Keep warm.

Aioli:

1 c mayonnaise

1 T olive oil

1 serrano, ribbed, seeded and minced

1 T fresh mint, minced
1/2 t honey
salt to taste

Combine ingredients. Chill until ready to use.
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Accompaniments:

12, 1" x 1" slices of fresh watermelon

12 slider buns, toasted

butter lettuce leaves

Assemble sliders with a shmear of aioli, fresh grilled turkey patty, leaf butter lettuce and watermelon square. Secure sliders with toothpicks-- perhaps a frill pick for whimsy!

Gazing at the
sparkling, rain-drenched lawn,
we munched away on these whimsical sliders,
slurped margaritas,
and sipped luscious, beer cheese soup
with crumbled saltine crackers.

We've all spent numerous hours, time and money experimenting with muffin recipes and ended with dry, tough results. For your next venture, don't bother with other recipes.

These muffins are the best I have ever had.

The trick is thoroughly creaming together the cream cheese, butter and sugar-- at least 5 minutes. Patience is indeed a virtue in this instance. The thoughtful "creaming" process is what makes these muffins so unbelievably moist, creamy and light.

For an upcoming tea party I'm catering, I tested this recipe and decided to add ripe bananas, pure almond extract and toasted almonds for garnish. The beauty of this recipe is the versatility-- any seasonal fruit can be substituted for the bananas and the almond extract can be omitted.

Banana Almond Muffins

Adapted "Seasonal Fruit Muffin" recipe from Artisan Baking Company.

Makes 24 muffins or 48 mini muffins.

3½ cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 pound cream cheese, softened
½ pound unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
½ cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 c ripe bananas

1/2 c toasted almond slivers for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin pans with nonstick baking spray or place paper liners in cup and lightly coat papers with nonstick baking spray, so that the paper liners slip off muffins easily.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine crushed bananas, milk, almond extract and vanilla extract in another mixing bowl.

Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after egg addition. Add dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with wet banana mixture. Batter will be thick.

Portion into prepared muffin pans with an ice cream scoop. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Rotate pan in oven for even baking), and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin has only a few or no crumbs clinging to it.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Remove muffins from tin and let cool completely on a wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!

*Mini muffins take approximately 17 total minutes.

Finally, I wanted to end with a
whimsical gift idea
perfect for children or the young at heart-- a retro candy & soda basket!

After a recent peruse at the World Market "Candy Shoppe" section, I fell in love with vintage confections, theater-style candy boxes, cane sugar sodas, funky, local beers by the bottle and oversized salty snacks.
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I put together a sugar-laced arrangement for my boyfriend as well as:

imported chocolates,
champagne,
saturated spices
and water crackers
for myself.

What a perfect entertaining destination!

Corn Cakes and Fresh Dates

What a treat these past weeks have been! Along with acquiring new foodie goodies for my apartment (pasta machine, mini food processor, bistro table, stemless champagne glasses and an adorable rainbow whisk!), it was time for the infamous Restaurant Week. I was only able to dine at Grace and Eddie V's but it was a fabulous time regardless!

Some friends and I started off the week with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at Eddie V's followed by dinner from the Restaurant Week Menu.

Cocktails started in the notoriously dark and hip V Lounge with The Westsiders singing Frank Sinatra, a Dirty Belvedere in my hand and spicy fried calamari with wok veggies and cashews in my chopsticks. Although I think the appetizer presentation was a bit overkill, it still hit the spot!

After our "happy two hour" sesh, we were seated in the dining room and hungrily awaited dinner. To begin, we chose the hot rock with raw, thin-sliced filet to quickly sear and savor with a soy sauce and wild mushroom accompaniments. The mushrooms were lightly dressed, the filet tender and the sauce was addicting!

To begin our next course, I chose the heirloom mozzarella salad and my fellow diners opted for the butter lettuce salad with a fried egg, pancetta and lemon thyme vinaigrette. To my dismay, the salads were pretty awful. The cheese on my salad was definitely not fresh mozzarella and was topped with greasy fried onions- I pushed it aside. On the bibb salad, the anticipated fried egg was replaced with a fried, cold, overcooked hard-boiled egg....not a fan.

Fortunately, our second course, seared scallop with homemade gnocchi and sun-dried tomatoes was quite lovely. The scallop was seared to perfection, the gnocchi was airy and the sundried tomatoes provided a tart, salty contrast.

For our entrees, we each ordered a different offering: mango-stuffed Ahi for Ms. Annie, grilled chicken with jus for my lovey and New England Cod with corn and bacon for me. Although the Ahi was cooked well, it was hardly stuffed with mango (more like injected with a 1/8 inch cube.) The chicken was a bit overcooked but the sauce was delicious. My cod was cooked to perfection and paired nicely with the sweet corn and salty bacon.

For dessert, I anticipated key lime panna cotta from the on-line menu but received so-so vanilla creme brulee covered with powdered sugar instead. Ouch.

Later that weekend, my parents, a friend and I dined at Grace. Warmly greeted at the door, we were seated in the jam-packed green marbled dining room and welcomed by our fabulous server, Michael. As we scoured the menu, I ordered a trio of St. Caroline cocktails with St. Germaine, Prosecco, soda and fresh thyme.

For my first course, I chose the roasted eggplant soup with creme fraiche and rosemary. I know it's completely taboo to add salt at a fine dining locale but I had to do it. After the hint of salt, I was able to enjoy the wonderful flavors...the bowl was cleaned.

The second course was a seared scallop and Berkshire pork "surf and turf" with black eyed peas and tarragon....this course was cleaned as well.

My entree was a beef filet with stone ground grits and a squash medley with marjoram and roasted cherry tomatoes. The filet was a perfect medium with a sweet caramelization. Although my dad wasn't a huge fan of the fragrant "marjoramed" veggies, I was quite happy with the freshness of the squash and the sweetness of the roasted cherry tomatoes.

For dessert, our table shared chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and peaches with a cobbler-style biscuit. Both were understated and luscious.

Even though I was keen to try Restaurant Week menus around town, I was able to put some personal recipes together too.

This sandwich started with beautiful, sticky dates and went from there. I'm not trying to toot my own horn- wait, is that the phrase?!- but this sandwich was one of the best I've had....the salty bread with the woodsy rosemary, sugary dates, savory mushrooms, charred radicchio and creamy, tangy goat cheese.......agh! It was THAT good!

Dijon Chicken Breast on Open-Faced Rosemary Toast with Braised Dates, Cremini Mushrooms and Grilled Radicchio with Goat Cheese
serves 2

For dates:

1 c water

1/2 c brown sugar

salt to taste

1/2 cup dates, sliced in half with pits removed

Mix water and brown sugar in a saucepan. Simmer dates in sugar water until plumped (about 10 minutes.) Set aside and salt to taste.

For chicken:

1 large breast dijon-marinated boneless skinless chicken breast (I bought mine at CM)

salt to taste

1 T butter

Sear chicken in a saute pan with olive oil until brown color has developed. Finish in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest then slice in two portions for sandwich.

Sauteed mushrooms:

1 c creminis, sliced

1 T fresh rosemary, minced

2 T butter

salt to taste

Saute mushrooms in olive oil with rosemary and butter until browned but texture remains. Set aside and reserve leftover pan sauce to spoon over sandwich.

Grilled radicchio:

1/2 head radicchio

olive oil to grill

Grill radicchio on grill pan to develop grill marks. Set aside.

Additional ingredients:

2 slices rosemary bread, toasted

crumbled goat cheese as desired

To assemble sandwich, line toast slices with radicchio, dates, chicken, mushrooms then goat cheese. Spoon over reserved pan sauce.

Later that weekend, my folks came into town and I prepared:

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Oil and Nectarine Salsa

Corn Cakes with Scallions and Fresh Herbs

Blackberry Pie with Vanilla Sugar

serves 4

For chicken:

3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 c olive oil

2 T red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

2 T honey

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts with other ingredients for 30 minutes. Grill chicken on grill pan to achieve grill marks, then finish chicken in 350 degee oven with a pat of butter until cooked through and juicy. Set aside to rest and slice before serving.

Nectarine salsa:

2 nectarines, diced

1/4 c minced red onion

1/4 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

zest and juice of one lime

1 t honey

2 T minced Italian parsley

1 clove shaved garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and let macerate until ready to serve.

Rosemary oil:

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed

salt to taste

3/4 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients in food processor until blended well. Serve drizzled over chicken with nectarine salsa.

Corn Cakes with Scallions:

This recipe is an Epicurious recipe that I altered by using fresh corn and adding fresh herbs.

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2/3 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil

1/4 c minced herbs (I used sage and marjoram)

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Whisk together eggs, milk and vinegar and combine with dry mixture. Fold in corn, herbs and scallions to develop batter.

In a deep skillet, heat vegetable oil (1 inch deep) until flour sizzles in the pan. Add batter 1/4 cup at a time until browned on one side. Flip cakes until browned on opposite side then finish in a 350 degree oven on a baking sheet until cooked through (about seven minutes.) Serve warm and garnish with scallions if desired.

Arugula Salad with Pistachios, Yellow Tomatoes, Avocado and Grapeseed Oil Vinaigrette

3 c fresh spinach

1/3 c roasted pistachios

1/3 c sliced yellow cherry tomatoes

1/2 avocado, sliced and salted

For vinaigrette:

1 T honey

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 t dried lavender

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 c grapeseed oil

Combine first four ingredients then slowly whisk in grapeseed oil until an emulsion has developed. Toss with spinach, pistachios and cherry tomatoes. Top salad with avocado.

This meal was summery, light, yet comforting with the fried-deliciousness of the corn cakes. My Dad scarfed about four corn cakes...

Saturday morning, I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed headed to Cowtown Farmers Market. After half an hour and a sore arm from my heavy bag, I left with fresh dates, baby okra, baby eggplant, gorgeous emerald basil and tarragon, goat cheese, breakfast bread and pesto bread from Artisan Baking Company.

With my pesto bread, I cut the bread into chunks and roasted them into croutons to dry the bread. I then combined the bread with a simple custard base (eggs and whole milk), sauteed baby okra, zucchini (salted to release moisture then dried), fresh basil, goat cheese, salt and pepper. I popped the mixture in my Le Crueset casserole and a delicious side dish was ready 30 minutes later. Paired with browned chicken sausage and caramelized onions, it was a hearty spread!

blueberry scones and the beer companion

The start of May has been a month of new beginnings for me- new apartment, new opportunities and my impending 24th birthday on Cinco de Mayo! It's also been a week of yummy food...

Tuesday evening, a group of us headed to the Ginger Man for happy hour. I sipped on my Sunshine Wheat (I'm not into the dark stuff) while we snacked away at the beer companion- an array of cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, smoked gouda), salami, green apples, stone ground mustard and baguette.

After our drinks, we headed across the street for an outdoor dinner at Winslows. Although it was a bit chilly outside, we cozied up with blankets and their outdoor fire. To begin, we started with the bruschetta trio- tomato, cranberry bean and mint and a baba ganoush (roasted eggplant dip). I liked the baba ganoush but wasn't a huge fan of the mint and bean. The beans were undercooked and underseasoned.

Next, our table ordered soups and salads. Amongst our picks were the wedge salad, spinach salad with grilled pineapple, house salad with a quail egg, roasted tomato soup and vichyssoise. Thankfully, my favorite was exactly what I ordered- the roasted tomato soup. The bacon added a nice smokiness and there was also a warming heat at the end.

Our entrees were the Spanish pie with chorizo, chicken pesto pizza and bacon-wrapped sea scallops with a honey-thyme tartar sauce. I really wasn't crazy about the pizzas but the scallops were well cooked and the sauce was really delicious.

The next evening, I broke in my new apartment and cooked my first meal in my tiny, yet quaint little kitchen. Although I'm usually veggie-crazed, the menu was a little more Rustic and heavier than I'm used to.

My menu was:

Salt and pepper crusted filet of beef

2 6-ounce filets of beef (take out of fridge to remove chill about 20 minutes before cooking)

Sea salt

Fresh-cracked pepper

Olive oil

3/4 cup red wine

2 Tbl butter

First, remove filets from packaging and dry both sides with paper towels. Next, liberally coat both sides with a mixture of the coarse sea salt and fresh-ground pepper. Sear the first side with olive oil in a smoking hot pan until a nice, brown crust has developed. Flip filets, deglaze pan with red wine and finish beef in a 350 degree oven with a pat of butter on top. I cooked mine medium rare (5-7 minutes in the oven). To serve, top filets with pan sauce.

Gnocchi with a roasted garlic and sage cream sauce

1 package potato gnocchi (I'm too lazy to make my own)

3 heads roasted garlic

(Cut garlic bulbs in half, drizzle liberally with olive oil and roast about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven until browned. Squeeze cloves out, let cool and mince.)

1/3 cup fresh chopped sage

1 quart heavy cream

4 Tbl butter

1/3 cup milk (Whole would be ideal but I used skim because that's what I drink)

salt and pepper to taste

Boil water and cook gnocchi according to package directions. After draining, return gnocchi to pot. Add cream, butter, minced roasted garlic and sage. Add salt, pepper and milk if mixture is too thick. Simmer on low for a few minutes until sauce reduces a bit then serve immediately.

Sweet and spicy pan-fried okra

2 cups fresh okra sliced vertically

1 Tbl olive oil

2 Tbl honey

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute okra in olive oil for a few minutes. Add honey, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

The following rainy weekend evening, my girlfriend Cat and I snacked on an antipasto tray and a bottle of Riesling at my apartment then headed to Ferre for dinner. We split:

My antipasto platter:

Green grapes, blackberries with fleur de sel and honey, brie, parmigiano reggiano with a honey glaze, dry salami, marinated feta with olives and fresh baguette

Once at Ferre:

Martinis (I went for Grey Goose Poire straight-up and Cat ordered the Pink Heart with vanilla vodka and pomegranate liquor)

Crab cakes with a scallion puree and Fuji apple slaw

Housemade pasta with beef tenderloin, mixed mushrooms and a cognac sour cream sauce

Creme brulee with berries and Sambuca

Dinner was delicious and the service matched the food. My favorite dish was the crab cakes with the apple slaw. The crab cakes were light, almost all lump crab and the apple slaw was a delicious match.

My week ended with a visit to the Artisan Baking Company- specializing in fresh, seasonal and local bread-making. After a delightful interview with owner and chef, Gwin Grimes, I found some yummy goodies for breakfast and snacking- multigrain bread, spiced nuts with sugar, cumin and cayenne, mango spread and blueberry scones fresh out of the oven...what could be better?

My mom, aunt and cousin are coming in this weekend and it should be one full of shopping, delicious food and good company. More foodie details to come...