Pasta Carbonara

This is not diet food.  No way, no how. It is, however, one of my family’s favorite pasta dinners, which happens to be quick and easy to make.  A win-win situation. In the little town where I grew up in …

Roasted Halloumi Olive Tapenade Pasta Salad

My sister is a fabulous cook, with totally different tastes than mine.  Well, not totally different… Her kitchen is the only kitchen in the world (that I know of) that I can walk into, and all the comforts that I …

Orzo Olive Salad

A simple salad using whole wheat orzo pasta and New Orleans olive salad, which is filled with with carrots and capers and garlic and oregano. The olive oil is so well seasoned that there isn’t a need to add a …

Crockpot Cooking: Italian Sausage Spaghetti Sauce

I can’t visit the in-laws without making at least one dish, despite the numerous protests my mother-in-law made this time.  Once I started making it, and told her about the mushrooms, she got a big smile.   They both love mushrooms, …

Roasted Red Peppers with Shrimp

If you have the opportunity,  it is best to roast the peppers on the grill a few days in advance, if you know that you will be grilling the week that you will be preparing this dish.  Fire-roasted peppers have …

Creole Remoulade Shrimp Pasta Salad

A slightly different shrimp pasta salad.  This one is all New Orleans with a classic remoulade dressing.  A New Orleans remoulade has all these flavors, minus the mayonnaise.  Feel free to increase (the remoulade sauce seasonings) or decrease (the mayonnaise) …

Pasta with Beet Greens and Raisins

I was looking for a good way to us up some beet greens, and found a recipe that turned out to be a quick and delicious vegetarian pasta dish. At the same time, I have a friend  who got put …

Lemony Shrimp Pasta Salad

This is a good salad to serve as a side for a grilled dinner or to bring to a potluck.  It’s also great as an entree, with some fruit on the side.  1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp (150-200 count), cooked in …

Pantry Staples: Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Casserole

An easy meal to put together with pantry staples such as jarred Alfredo sauce (that has been languishing in my pantry for a very long time), frozen broccoli and frozen, shelled edamame, and a little bit of leftover shredded chicken …