BLT Pasta for One

By Lori Powell

With the hope that spring is actually on its way I turn to food that incorporates fresh herbs and veggies. However it is still winter so I am bridging the gap with a BLT pasta for one.

The combination of bacon, lettuce and tomato is undeniably a delicious combo and can take many forms. There is even a cookbook named simply The BLT Cookbook by Michele Anna Jordan.

Who doesn’t like bacon? Apparently a lot of us do – otherwise, why would there be so many bacon-of-the-month clubs? And who knew there were so many flavors...peppered, applewood-smoked, honey, BBQ, some made with heritage pig breeds such as Berkshire, Tamworth or Duroc. Yummmm!

Click to read more ...

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.

Click to read more ...

Tomatoes in the Raw

By Katie Barreira

August is the right time for a ripe tomato. As a latecomer to the joys of this fresh fruit (ketchup was as close as I came to a tomato in my youth), I do my best to make up for the lost years during tomato season.

Whether it’s grape tomatoes halved in guacamole, beefsteak slices layered with fresh mozzarella or whole sun-warmed heirlooms eaten straight off the vine, I can always find room for fresh tomatoes.

Click to read more ...

Slow Cooking in a Fast World

By Sandy Hu

Michele Scicolone made me buy a slow cooker. She did it by writing The Italian Slow Cooker cookbook, filled with such irresistible recipes, to tempt anyone who doesn’t own a slow cooker to run out and buy one. Who wouldn’t want to try mouthwatering, traditional Italian dishes made easy?

Michele is a friend of many years and I have always admired her deep knowledge of Italian cooking and her meticulous recipe writing. One of the foremost authorities on Italian cooking, Michele is the prolific author of 14 cookbooks.

Click to read more ...

Celebrate Tomato Season

By Lori Powell

Finally… since it is a bit cooler up here in the Hudson Valley, tomato season has just arrived and with a flourish. Last year all of my carefully planted and tended plants turned black and were subject to the tomato blight. Sadly, no tomatoes. But this year is making up for it.

Every day I have a basketful of new shapes and colors. And every day there is the struggle to get out there and pick them before the rest of the animal population does.

Click to read more ...