Three Berry Chicken Salad with Thyme, Tarragon and Toasted Pinenuts

I have a deep and abiding love of chicken salad. It wasn't always this way. I grew up a solid "lunch meats" kind of girl, because that's what you eat for lunch when you are from Wisconsin. Maybe mix a little PBJ in the rotation to keep things interesting. But then I married Terry. He was an avowed omnivore, but the more we were together the more I noticed that there were a few things he didn't

Tortilla Espanola

Several years ago I took a trip to Spain with a childhood friend of mine. We wound our way through small towns, being enchanted by local honey, olives and cakes of fig sold on the roadside by wizened old men. But we spent most of our urban time taking in Sevilla and Madrid, which were nothing short of foodie fantasies. We stumbled on a hole in the wall restaurant in Madrid packed with locals

Easy Healthy Broccoli Soup with Rosemary Flatbread

We are checking back in with our new friends Butter Vixen and Sugar Daddy as they continue in their epic quest to eat healthfully and cheaply for a week with a minimum of waste. Part of Butter Vixen's commitment is to eat a great big serving of cruciferous vegetables every day. These vegetables have health benefits (like cancer fighting) that routinely help them score in those endless lists of "

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The combination of the subtle adobo heat with the bright flavors of lemon and cilantro make this Chicken Tortilla Soup an ideal way to savor those increasingly cool late-summer evenings. This is a soup that I have been making for more than 8 years now. That fact should tell you two things: first, it has stood the test of time. This is one of a small number of soups that are so good that we make

Gourmet Italian Pasta Salad

In this dish, pasta salad, that iconic American summer food, grows up and goes gourmet. I bring in high flavor touches like sun-dried tomatoes, hot marinated artichoke hearts, and creamy Asiago cheese to create a high-taste, low fat pasta salad that is bursting with well-balanced Italian inspired flavors. This is a dish that everyone raved about, and had many of my friends eagerly asking "Where

Irish Chicken Salad Sandwich on Soda Bread

Summertime always seems like the perfect time for chicken salad. It is a medium that offers endless possibilities for creativity to bring an unusual gourmet touch to a lunch or picnic. However, after a series of more innovative chicken salads, I found myself craving something a little closer to traditional, but not so traditional as to be boring. In that spirit, the idea of importing the flavor

Jarlsberg French Bisto Sandwich...for American Independence

As this Fourth of July loomed, I found myself increasingly taken with the idea of doing something French to celebrate American Independence Day. Why? Do I have some perverse desire to infuriate legions of freedom-friers? On the contrary, I think it is because most Americans have either forgotten, or were never aware, of the debt we owe the French for our success in the Independence struggle.

"Proper" Chili: Shh, there's turkey and veg in it!

If you are someplace cold and dreary, chances are that tasty bowl just got your attention. But it might surprise you to know that meaty bowl of chili is actually quite good for you. In general I am not a fan of "sneaking" things into food. I might even go so far as to say I am categorically opposed to it. But now that I have been so unequivocal about my objections to trying to sneak healthy bits

Curry & Thyme Chicken Salad

This recipe is a favorite in our household, and really highlights the flavor of thyme. I love the way the crisp and subtle tartness of the apples stands up against the creamy, spiced curry base. The fresh thyme is really the star of this dish, bringing the rest of the tastes together. If you are someone who likes a little more sweetness with your chicken salad, you may enjoy the optional addition