The First Salad of the Season

By Lori Powell

The fresh air of spring has arrived and with it are thoughts of bathing suits, the ocean, vacations, spring cleaning and fresh produce. With the advent of fresh produce comes inspiration for lovely salads for dinner and for lunch, hopefully resulting in a couple of pounds and inches off my frame.

My first salad of the season is a pickled shrimp and red onion concoction with cucumber. You make a simple pickling liquid which uses seasoned rice vinegar, agave, star anise and a pinch of heat from red pepper flakes. The star anise is optional but adds nice dimension to the pickling liquid.

Star anise can be found in the spice section of the supermarket. This spice is shaped like a star about one inch in diameter and has eight dark-brown spokes. It is grown in China and Japan, similar to licorice and anise, and is one of the spices in five-spice powder.

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Sweets in One or Two Bites

By Lori Powell

During the week, I mostly focus on the savory foods such as what to have for the day’s three meals: breakfast lunch and dinner. I am lucky enough not to have a severe sweet tooth but do on occasion crave a sweet bite of something which is usually satisfied by fruit or a bite of chocolate.

I love to bake but living alone, that can be a dangerous thing to have baked goods sitting around, like leftover chocolate cake, cookies, pies or tarts. If I had any of that hanging around, I might develop a sweet hankering.

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A Sumptuous St. Patrick’s Day Celebration for One

By Lori Powell

All this week, Special Fork bloggers will be sharing recipes for St. Patrick’s Day. And to celebrate, Special Fork is giving away a prize package of a year’s supply of delicious Kerrygold Butter and cheeses, imported from Ireland, courtesy of Kerrygold! It’s easy to enter the sweepstakes.

March 17, St Patrick’s Day, is in a couple of days and this year it falls on a Saturday. So the streets of New York City will look like a river of green with people off from work free to attend the parade and celebrate the day.

One of my favorite trips abroad was to County Cork, Ireland, where I took my mom for her first visit about 10 years ago. My mom is a Murphy and had never been so it was up to me to plan the trip.

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Eggplant Parmesan

By Lori Powell

I was surprised to find out the other day that chicken Parmesan is an Italian-American invention. I’m just scraping the surface on what the story behind this dish might be….

Most likely it was a hybrid or a version of a dish related to a veal cutlet that was breaded and deep-fried but was not served with sauce or with cheese from Parma, Italy. The American version might have evolved due to the expense of veal, creating chicken Parmesan, but using mozzarella rather than Parmesan. Still confused? So am I, but I didn’t invent it. It does kind of make sense…yes?

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Sandwich Dinners to the Rescue

By Lori Powell

Life has been so super busy these days. I mean, crazy busy to the point that I have not read a book that wasn’t food-related, nor have I had time to go to the movies.

Actually, forget about recreational activities. I barely have had time to pay my bills or keep up personal hygiene, such as getting the laundry done or taking a long bath....

Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as all that! I somehow stumble into the shower each morning and muster up a respectable-looking outfit. At least I have not noticed any snickering or laughter when I walk by. Or maybe I’m just too tired to notice. So at least I am managing for now.

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