Pasta el’Moundo Salad: A Story

Let’s face it. When you’re invited to one of my dinner parties, you are sure to be greeted with more food than you can imagine. Unless your jaw was wired shut and you drank meals through a straw, there is no way you would leave my dinner table hungry. Even then, I would pull out [...]

Easy Dipping Oil

Go to any fancy Italian restaurant and you are sure to be greeted with a basket of crusty bread and fruity olive oil. You don’t have to put on your Sunday best to experience the same pleasure of tearing chunks of bread and plunging them deep into a shallow bowl of goodness. I wasn’t planning [...]

Gazpacho Mamor

While walking through my local farmer’s market, I noticed the most gorgeous vegetables I have seen in a long time. Baskets were brimming full of rich red tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, and peppers of all shapes and sizes. My most favorite part of all was the reasonable prices for fresh ingredients; sold to me by the [...]

Grilled Caprese Pizza with Balsamic Reduction

Summer is quickly coming to an end, but there are still a few more weekends to take advantage of outdoor grilling. Sure your neighbors might be satisfied with a classic combination of burgers and hot dogs. They even may be ok with a tub of potato salad mush from the grocery store. You, on the [...]

Marinated Artichokes

This recipe was a classic example of having to improvise to ensure I stick to the plan. I was originally intending to make roasted artichokes for my Party on the Porch. But, what seemed like a simple visit to the store, turned into an adventure around Pittsburgh to find them. The only place that had [...]

Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salad

You’re considered part of the “really good friend” category when you’re invited to a messy meal at my house.  Not too long ago, I hosted rib night.  Say it with me folks….. “Riiiiiiiiiiibbbbs”.  There were only three of us for dinner, but I made enough ribs for 20.  Imagine a pile of tender, fall-off-the-bone, pork [...]

Marinated Grilled Lemon Rosemary Chicken

This was the entrée for my Impromptu Dinner Party. The sun awakens from a restful slumber and shines its golden rays of light through the herbs growing in my kitchen window.  About a month ago, Brent’s mom gave me basil and a parsley plant because she felt our kitchen needed to be filled with some [...]

Tomato Feta Salad with Basil Parsley Vinaigrette

This was the salad served at my Impromptu Dinner Party. Life has thrown several twists and turns this week, which has kept me fairly distracted.  Admittedly, I’m just now catching up on writing the rest of the posts for my Impromptu Dinner Party.  I know, I know.  I should have written these in advance, and [...]

Impromptu Dinner Party: Appetizer & Place Settings

This was the appetizer and casual setting for my Impromptu Dinner Party. When it comes to dinner parties, I am a firm believer in serving some sort of appetizer with drinks before the full meal.  It doesn’t have to be fancy, overly complicated or a huge portion.  It just needs to be something for your [...]