Creamy Risotto with Lemon, Asiago and Rosemary!

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Ahhh, creamy, cheesey risotto!

What a wonderful creation from the food gods, you are!

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This week the "I Heart Cooking Clubs" bloggers prepared 'grains' recipes from Nigella Lawson. Each and every one of her creations has filled our tummies with delight and our faces with smiles. I simply MUST run out and collect her cookbooks! For this theme on grains, I selected rice, more specifically, risotto.

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So many people sadly shy away from preparing risotto due to the continual stirring and adding of broth while the rice absorbs the broth and becomes creamier by the minute. For me, the process of standing by the stove, and the stirring, stirring, stirring while the cream thickens around the rice is beautiful in the love and patience required for this specialty. The results always reward the patient cook!

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Just look at this gorgeous, creamy, rich risotto . . . simplicity and perfection!

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Ooey, Gooey & Fudgey Mississippi Mud Cake

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Good old Huckleberry Finn would have been SO proud of this cake named after his favorite American river -- Mississippi Mud Cake!  This cake is the February selection for "The Cake Slice Bakers" group and I just could not wait to make it. I have had this cake many times in many places with my husband, W.D., and each and every time it has just been indescribably wonderful! Oh my goodness, this baby is so sweet that you need some vanilla ice cream to bring it down a notch and/or a huge glass of milk or water to drink. It is so RICH, SWEET, GOOEY, FUDGEY and SINFULLY RICH!
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Very Berry Romantic Anglo Italian Trifle for Valentine's Day

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Buon San Valentino Everyone!

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I am so glad that Valentine's Day is finally here in this cold winter that we're having! Such a sweet little holiday to break up the monotony of this time of year! This week the "I Heart Cooking Clubs" challenged us to prepare a romantic recipe from Nigella Lawson's collection. So I chose her Anglo-Italian Trifle that is seductively red with the juice of berries, sweetened with Italian Marscapone cheese, Amaretto cookies, and then spiked with some Italian Limoncello. Now that ought to get someone's attention!

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This trifle is decadent and rich. I'd recommend making a few adjustments if you are like us and like desserts more on the sweet side. First of all I would add alot more sugar to the 'custard'. I also recommend decreasing the amount of Limoncello because it makes the custard somewhat bitter (or else just add more sugar and taste as you go). You'll find that this is a very special dessert, stunning in presentation, and all around yummy! This lemony, almondy, cream-swathed berry delight lends well to a perfect ending for a romantic dinner with your sweetheart or your friends! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

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Fontina & Asiago Grilled Cheese Panini & Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

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For those of you who live in parts of the country that have been getting hit hard with the Winter of 2010 blizzards, snow and ice storms . . . here's the perfect cozy-up lunch idea that I made last week when the weather rolled through the Carolina's. Here's a few photos of what we experienced that was just enough 'weather' to build a roaring fire in the fireplace and put my diet to the side for one day!

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Tied For First Place on FOODISTA: My Guacamole Recipe!

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Well, I'll be!  My most recently posted recipe, "Awesome Guacamole" tied for First Place on FOODISTA's contest for "Best Super Bowl Appetizer". The announcement was made today on FOODISTA's Facebook page (you need to go there and click on "Become A Fan" to receive announcements).

Well, what a hoot and a great way to start my Super Bowl weekend cooking! I truly am all smiles right now! :-)

Many thanks for this wonderful and very unexpected surprise!  **Psssst! ..It really is darn good guacamole! ;-)

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Can't Get Enough Of This GUACAMOLE For The Super Bowl !

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"ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?"


Well, the big American football day is nearly here . . . and even though most folks are focused on the game, I know that I'm going to focus on preparing and presenting all of the food while W.D. sits in his "man-chair" with remote control in hand! (Yes, he helps, but I really like doing it all so he's just out of the way!)
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First and foremost on our Super Bowl menu is ALWAYS, fresh guacamole! I have made this recipe for years now after trying numerous versions of the green stuff. Personally, I feel that this is just plum awesome. But we all have our own ways to make 'gwauk', and this is my humble little attempt of green bliss on a chip! Just look at these fresh avocados and limes that I picked up at the organic food store . . . incredibly beautiful colors!
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Web Sites to Purchase Mojo or My Recipe for Homemade Fresh Mojo

Well from the number of emails and comments that I received about my last post on Mojo marinade, it sounds like most of you were like me, in that you had never heard of Mojo marinade before. So I did y'all a big favor! I did a search on the Web for sites where you can buy the marinade and I also included my own home-made recipe version of this signature Cuban marinade. As with every recipe that I try, I make my own adjustments. For this, I added more garlic and cilantro, and I added some lemon juice. Cilantro is not typically used in the traditional Mojo recipes. But we love the bite of cilantro in combination with lime, so that's just how we do it.

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Do You Mojo Your Chicken?

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Mojo marinade, that is!


We have a wonderful friend who was born in Cuba and became a U.S. citizen many years ago. He has shared incredibly delicious recipes with us, that I have never mastered. However, one simple thing that he led me to that both you and I can easily add some Latin zest to any meat or fish is this marinade called "Mojo".
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This marinade is a blend of garlic, onion, citrus, and more in which I give my chicken a nice soak in for a terrific grilled chicken. You can find a bottle or a jug of Mojo in the ethnic/Mexican section of your grocery stores and also in any international grocery store.
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