Blue Cheese Ranch Dip with Fresh Vegetables

The keys to potluck success I’ve learned over the years are to keep the food simple for transportation purposes and serve familiar favorites with my own twist to add interest. I reviewed my calendar recently and realized I had 6 potluck parties to attend in December! That’s a lot of Crockpot fare in my very [...]

Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing

This dressing is creamy, chunky and tangy all at the same time. What’s not to like? I decided to try something different when whipping together a dressing for a steak house salad. Rather than adding the traditional amount of sour cream, I opted for Greek yogurt instead. This substitution incorporated a slightly Mediterranean tang to [...]

Spring Greens with Roasted Red Peppers & Blue Cheese

The lettuces at the Chatham University green house are growing beautifully. I love how the delicate leaves feel when I run my hands over the plants. Watching the beauty emerge from the soil all of these weeks has encouraged me to eat more salads. I was inspired to make this salad after having a similar [...]

Pear, Gorgonzola & Caramelized Onion Focaccia

It was quite an experience the first time I had a back massage. My masseuse was a sturdy 35-year old woman with tattoos scattered on her arms, shoulder-length dreadlocks and a silver ring pierced through her nose. Her meaty hands pounded my tight muscles into submission as I thought to myself, “pain is beauty…pain is [...]

Strawberry & Mandarin Orange Salad

Creative juices flowed freely while preparing dinner for a few friends. I knew a simple salad would be the perfect opportunity to use a lone can of mandarin oranges that has been setting on my pantry shelf. I honestly can’t remember when I bought the can and I needed to silence it’s desperate cries to [...]

Bacon & Blue Dip

One of the ways I make entertaining look effortless is to always serve an easy and simple appetizer. It helps to keep my guests focused and entertained while I put the finishing touches on the meal. Best of all, appetizers keep my guests out of the kitchen and away from view should a mistake bubble [...]

Make-Your-Own Wedge Salad

If anyone ever says you can’t have guests over for dinner on a weeknight, then I say they are crazy. My secret to success for a fun impromptu weeknight dinner party is to take something classic and display it in an interesting way. I recently invited a friend over to be my taste tester a [...]