Quick and Easy Cucumber Tea Sandwiches with Chevre Herb Spread

If you already have an eye to the summer season of picnics, chances are you know how tough it can be to find something that is tasty, healthy, easy to put together and a breeze to pack. These little cucumber tea sandwiches are just that. You can put the spread together in under five minutes. Then it is just grab and go. Leaving you plenty of time to worry about the more important things. Like

Vietnamese Pho Soup

Skip to recipe.Skip to nutritional information.In our household, we are on the constant hunt for foods that are delicious and healthy. If it is also easy to prepare, then it is more or less the perfect food. Such "trifectas" of taste, health and ease are likely to make it into frequent rotation in our home. This healthy and super flavorful broth-based soup has recently become one of our favorite

Chilled Asparagus with Wasabi Dipping Sauce

If you are looking for an easy, healthy, and elegant holiday appetizer, look no further. This recipe for chilled asparagus with Wasabi dipping sauce has to be one of the simplest and most elegant appetizers I know. Since I first learned the recipe from my mother-in-law, this has become a family favorite. We served it last year at our New Year's party to rave reviews. People simply could not

Heart of Palm Amuse Bouche with grapefruit, thyme, and champagne vinegar

The holidays are, among other things, about glitz and glamour. About feasting with your eyes. One of my favorite tricks for holiday entertaining is to serve a tray of amuse bouche in flat-bottomed Asian soup spoons. This allows you to gather together interesting combinations of tastes that don't conform to traditional "finger food" forms. But this dish can be served equally well plated for a

Artichoke Dip a la Natalya

Many things can be sources of inspiration, but nothing occasions accidental brilliance like necessity. That is how a "Eat Us Out of House and Home" party to consume perishables before my husband and I move to Africa became the inspiration for an outstanding artichoke dip. This dip features many of the traditional elements of classic artichoke dip, but with a few modifications that really elevate

Bruschetta Essential

Bruschetta is, in essence, the simple rubbing of garlic cloves onto toasted peasant bread, drizzled with olive oil so fresh and unadulterated that it still has delectable fruitiness. In the United States however, the basic image of bruschetta is the combination of tomatoes, basil, and garlic. This recipe also makes use of some thyme, which is one of my favorite spices. Thyme has a long and

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

Roasted beets pair exquisitely with the subtle tang of goat cheese. I first fell in love with this combination while dining al fresco in Napa Valley, but have since tried it just about anywhere they serve it, including at Crofton on Wells in Chicago and Quince in Evanston. So I decided to prepare some version of this favorite and submit it as my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging #97, hosted this

Asparagus and Blue Cheese Bruschetta

This unconventional bruschetta puts big flavors together in an unusual combination that somehow just works. The gourmet combination of blue cheese, lemon, and asparagus, in just the right proportions, delights the palate while being very low in fat and calories. I served this as part of the trio of bruschettas for a picnic at Ravinia last friday night. I also brought some to a friend's house for

Wenona's Fontina & Jarlsberg Fondue

I know what you are thinking: there is no place for fondue if you are eating healthfully. But see my post on cheese and see if you aren't convinced. It is better to grant yourself intelligent indulgences than to cultivate a sense of deprivation. And the warmth of melted cheese fondue is the perfect vehicle for memories. Last week my husband and I hosted a going away party. Our entertaining style