Morning Mini Quiches
April 10, 2012
Mini quiches are the perfect answer when you have a late afternoon brunch on the weekends, but need something quick and easy to hold you over until 2 or so. Easter morning, my father cooked up these delicious muffin size quiches. Quick and easy to make, he threw in some eggs, cheddar cheese, spinach, asparagus, bacon and ham– a little taste of everything in one bite.
Mini Quiche with cheese bread
Ingredients
Ham
Happy Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2012
May your day be filled with lots of love and delicious desserts! x
Heart cookies from Eleni's
Superbowl Sunday
February 5, 2012
It’s that time of year for all the wings, chips and salsas to come out for the Superbowl parties. While contemplating what to cook up for this evening’s festivities, I was inspired by Eat Yourself Skinny’s BBQ chicken bites. Changing up the recipe a bit for a lighter flavor, I made a couple different versions: Whole Foods pulled chicken with tangerine dressing, Mammuth goat cheese from the farmers market and fresh cilantro into mini phyllo dough shells, and a vegetarian-friendly option that included teriyaki baked tofu. As an additional quick and easy dish, Whole Foods Alaskan Salmon bites are perfect. Go Giants!
Tangerine Chicken Bites
Salmon Bites
Cilantro, Goat Cheese and phyllo dough
Super Bowl snacks
Baked Teriyaki Tofu
Pulled chicken with tangerine dressing
Bringing in the New Year
January 4, 2012
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the start of 2012 than with great food, friends and skiing. I’ve been pretty bummed because a photographer’s worst nightmare came true when my card with all of the Christmas holiday food shoots was damaged, and even after attempting recovery at New York’s top repair services, there was no such luck. But that just gives me an excuse to revisit some of the locations, like Elderberry Pond Restaurant, to enjoy yet another great meal. Well, enough of the disappointments, it’s time I look forward in the New Year and share with you some amazing meals from this past weekend spent at Killington. We were lucky enough to have a friend/personal chef join us for the 3 days and prepare all the meals– I should add for 16 people– with more enthusiasm than anyone I’ve seen. Here’s the menu we had, and check out the highlights below:
Taco Night–Pulled Chipotle Chix, Ground beef , Soft and hard shells, Assorted toppings, Black beans, Rice and Corn
Steak and Scrimps’ Night–Filet wrapped in applewood smoked bacon, Grilled Ribeye with fried onion strings, Marinated grilled scrimps’, Roasted Garlic Parm potatoes, Broccoli, Dilaurios butter rolls
That NYE staple known as Champagne
Filet wrapped in applewood smoked bacon
Sunday's pre-pasta meat and cheese plate
Lobster Bisque
Lobster Bisque
Baklavah
Killington
A skier's breakfast
Bacon, Egg & Cheese sandwiches
Berries & Yogurt
Homemade croutons
Pasta & Cheese
Loster Bisque
Shrimp & Broccoli
Merry Christmas!
December 25, 2011
Christmas Cut-outs
Frosting the cookies
Gifts for the Foodie
December 20, 2011
This time of year is always a whirlwind for me. Between holiday prep, recent traveling for work, gift buying and festive gatherings, I haven’t had any time to spare, and am just getting around to sharing some of my favorite gift ideas this season– brought to you by my amazing friend, Leslie. She recently launched Gifts Curated, a collection of carefully handpicked items from independent artists and vendors, ranging from food to body products, candles, bags and more. Last weekend she hosted a brunch and trunk show at her apartment. Not only selling her items, but giving customers a taste of her products and leaving them with inspiring ideas of recipes they could try at home. On the menu was grilled chicken and tofu sandwiches using the spicy pumpkin ginger and tomato apple chutney sauces, popcorn with sea salt, cookies with raw organic cacao chips and her grandmother’s homemade pound cake recipe with caramelized bacon using barrel-aged maple syrup. I also included shots we did for her website of my other favorite products that I couldn’t resist sharing with you. Happy Holiday Shopping! x
Gold rimmed spoon and bowl perfect for olives
Alta Cucina's Basil Olive Oil is perfect dipped in a fresh loaf of Eli's bread
Oil & Bread
Spicy Ginger Sauce and Sandwiches
Saucy By Nature Spicy Pumpkin Ginger & Tomato Apple Chutney
Sandwiches, Pretzels and Saucy By Nature
Popcorn with Salt Farm's gourmet sea salt
Vandalia Street Press Card & Salad
Pancakes with Langdon Wood's Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup
Pound Cake, Bacon and Maple Syrup
Homemade cacao chip cookies
Graham Crackers and cacao chips
JC Hot Sauce
Sydney Hale Company Candle & TM1985 Hand bag
TM1985 Handbag
Aromatherapy bath salts
Annie of Gift Shop Brooklyn makeup bags
A Rustic Post-Thanksgiving Picnic
November 27, 2011
It’s that time of year for my second seasonal themed dinner party. For autumn, I decided to go with a rustic outdoor picnic, inspired by my family’s leftover Thanksgiving food and style inspiration from my great grandfather’s fishing gear. For the ingredients I couldn’t find in the fridge, I spent the morning in the quaint village of Cazenovia getting fresh, local food from Troyer’s, a general store opened by the Amish (I have a whole other post on this I’ll share soon).
The Menu…
Drinks: Pellegrino Sparkling Orange Drink and Saranac Craft Beers
Appetizers: Maple Popcorn, Roasted Edamame, Vegetable chips and Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer’s Country Store
Main Course: Roasted Turkey Sandwich with homemade toasted bread, lettuce, tomato, basil infused mayonnaise, provolone and caramelized onions
Side: Saratoga country fried potato crisps seasoned with oregano
Dessert: My mother’s chocolate Italian roll cookies and homemade banana bread
Styling Tips…
• Pack each meal individually in a small cardboard to-go box for an easy transport to your great outdoor picnic location. Cut gift wrap from Anthropologie in thin strips and adhere to the sides of the box and label the menu on a strip of tape on the top of the box
• Birch bark as name cards and propped up at each place setting with one of my grandfather’s fishing lures
• Brown paper bags folded over, tied with ribbon and a burlap bow make for great serving bowls for snacks
• Sprinkle the center of the table with leaves and pine needles
• My great grandfather’s blanket from World War I as a table cloth
• Centerpiece floral arrangement, dried hygendra with a plume from ornamental grasses
Roasted turkey sandwich
Table setting and packed lunches ready to go
Homemade Trail Mix from Troyer's
Floral arrangement
Roasted Edamame
Country fried potato crisps with oregano
Boxed meals and Saranac Craft beer
Maple popcorn and birch bark place cards
Dried vegetable chips
Roasted Turkey sandwich
Drinks and cookies
Chocolate Italian cookies and banana bread
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 24, 2011
Before the hustle and bustle of the biggest cooking day of the year begins, why not treat yourself to a relaxing cup of tea. Using some of my mother’s ingredients for her cranberry salad, I added fresh squeezed oranges, cranberries and cloves to my orange spice tea. The vintage spoon was a recent purchase from Love Adorned, an adorable lifestyle boutique in Nolita.
Have a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving, and I’ll be back this weekend to share some fun post-turkey leftover festivities!
Thanksgiving Morning Tea
Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2011
I stopped by Made Fresh Daily yesterday, a cute café and bake shop near South Street Seaport, to check out my friend’s pop-up floral shop, Stage & Asch, and have a delicious blueberry pomegranate smoothie. A great place to catch up with friends, they strive on using organic and local farm ingredients, and why not treat yourself to a beautiful arrangement while you’re there. You can stop by Thursdays through Sundays for other adorable autumn and Thanksgiving decor.
Gold decorated gourds
Blueberry Pomegranate and Orange Julius smoothies
Stage & Asch pop-up shop
Festive treats
Happy Fourth of July!
July 4, 2011
I could not think of a better way to celebrate the American holiday weekend than an outdoor breakfast at East Rosebud Lake in the middle of Montana’s wilderness. An hour of dirt roads finally opened up to a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains and we popped up the grill for pancakes with berries, bacon and coffee. I couldn’t resist including some of my other Fourth of July shots from this weekend. Quite possibly one of the most patriotic small towns I’ve been too, these folk in Red Lodge know how to celebrate America with their famous 3 day rodeo and parade. Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful holiday!
Blueberry, strawberry, banana and chocolate chip pancakes from the grill
Fresh fruit
Cooking the bacon
Red Lodge Fourth of July Parade
Red Lodge Rodeo and parade
a camera in the kitchen 
