Just a Note

I was hosting this blog on another site and decided to move, so while the recipes have been transferred, the comments and ability to self-designate as a "follower" did not. Thanks for visiting at this new location! Please update your bookmark/favorites.

Blood Orange Sorbet

Mmmm, spring is almost here! We recently enjoyed blood orange sorbet at Le Cellier in EPCOT, so when I found Tarocco Italian blood oranges at the market, I could not resist. The key is to start with ripe, juicy, flavorful fruit.

• 6 ripe seedless blood oranges


• 1/2 c. organic turbinado sugar

Peel oranges and pulse in blender. Place sugar (less or more to your taste) in heavy saucepan and use just enough orange juice to cover the sugar. Stir constantly over medium heat, until sugar is melted and absorbed. Removed from heat, stir in the remaining juice. Place in shallow container and freeze overnight. Optional: garnish with mint spring and/or candied peel. Yields 4 modest servings.

Toscana Soup

Ah, a winter soup that is easy to make and fairly cheap. We made a pot tonight and my only wish was that we had a light snowfall and roaring fire to go with it. Below is the recipe; if you give it a try, let me know how you enjoy it. We use mild sausage since we have a little one who also enjoys this recipe.

• 1 package of 5 large sausage links- mild or hot, but not sweet.


• 6 sliced of bacon, chopped


• 3/4 c. diced onion (about 1 large onion)


• 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, pressed or minced


• 32+ oz. chicken broth (low-sodium is fine)


• 2 potatoes, cubed


• 1/3 to 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream


• Approximately 2 c. washed and shredded kale, removed from center stems

Bake 5 sausages in 350 oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. While sausage is cooking, dice the bacon and onion, and cube your potatoes (no need to peel, unless you prefer). In large stockpot or dutch oven placed on medium heat, cook bacon about halfway, then add onion. Continue cooking until onion is clear and bacon is cooked thoroughly. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add chicken broth and potatoes and simmer about 15 minutes. By now, you should be ready to remove the sausage from the oven. Slice each link in half vertically, then slice horizontally into 1/2 inch slices. As you simmer the potatoes, if your stock cooks down too much, reduce heat and add in some more chicken broth. Once potatoes are cooked, add sausage, cream, and washed/shredded kale. Simmer on low another 5 minutes, then serve.

While we do not use kale much, it is quite nutritious, packed with calcium, vitamin K, magnesium and beta carotene; it’s also easy to find and cheap! The stems are quite thick and woody, so I simply pull the leaves from the center stem and hand tear into the soup. I never use a full head or bunch in the soup, so I shred the remaining leaves the next day and sautee with some olive oil and garlic.

Farmer's Quiche

Use your favorite crust and add this mixture:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 1 onion
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 pound of smoked/uncured cottage ham, diced
• 1/2 c. shredded swiss cheese
• 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 Tbsp. dried chives, or 1 Tbsp. fresh
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Tomatoes

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In pan over medium heat, sautee onions in butter until almost clear. Add chopped ham and sautee approximately three minutes. Remove pan from heat. In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, cream, chives, and salt and pepper to your liking. Fold in onions and ham from the pan. Pour all into crust and top with sliced tomatoes. Bake 35-40 minutes; crust should be golden and flaky and filling cooked and set. Remove from heat, cool 5-10 minutes, then enjoy. This also makes nice leftovers for lunch the next day, served with a garden salad.

Sausage Balls

It's that time of year again, making all of those Christmas goodies that you typically do not prepare throughout the year. One of my favorites is sausage balls, which is ironic since I'm not a fan of sausage.

• 1 lb. mild sausage


• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese


• 1.5 to 2 cups self-rising flour


• Optional- chopped green olives or olive tapenade (amount to your liking)

Mix all with hands, roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 325* for about 15 minutes, then 350* for another 5 mintes to brown. Best served warm.

Cranberry Sauce

This is one of my favorite sides to make for the holidays; it’s fairly simple, tastes delicious, and makes a big impression!

• 1 bag fresh cranberries


• 1 cup orange juice (not from concentrate; I use high pulp)


• 3/4 cup organic turbinado sugar


• 1 orange


• Optional: Grand Marnier

Combine orange juice and sugar in saucepan, stir to dissolve well, bring to boil. Once at a boil, turn down and simmer about 5 minutes; stir occasionally. Add fresh cranberries and simmer as they pop. This will take about 15 minutes and you will need to stir occasionally. Simmer, do not boil the cranberries; if this is splattering, the heat is too high. Once the berries have popped and this thickens up, add orange zest, amount to your liking. I use about 2 tsp. Zest longer pieces of peel for decoration. If you’d like to add Grand Marnier, add it once the sauce is removed from the heat. Place in dish, top with decorative zest, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Leftovers also make a delicious topping on vanilla bean ice cream. Bon Appetit!

Peanut Butter Apple Dip

I still have fond and vivid memories of apple picking as a small child in northern New Jersey. We’d load up the car with the neighbors and we’d head out to the orchard, where us kids could enjoy the great outdoors, try to climb some trees, and pick some delicious apples. As old as I may get, I’ll never forget the first crisp days of fall and how my mind wanders to the time spent in the apple orchard.
This dip is a perfect complement to fresh apples, cored and sliced.

• Apples- variety of your choosing


• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter


• 1 cup vanilla yogurt


• 1/2 cup whipped heavy cream, sweetened if you desire


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


• Optional: 1 tsp. honey

Mix by hand all ingredients except for the heavy cream- beat that separately to form whipped cream. Once all items are blended, gently fold in the whipped cream, careful not to over-stir. Store unused portion in the fridge.