I feel pretty guilty it’s taken me so long to get back to posting recipes. Please tell me you didn’t lose faith I would be back. And I really hope you haven’t stopped relying on my recipes and wandered off somewhere else looking for dinner inspiration. I guess I wouldn’t blame you. Because I’m definitely [...]

Thai cooking was the most popular class of all the classes I taught over a span of 15 years. The mystique of cooking from this culture which many people hadn’t experienced in person, combined with the exotic nature of the ingredients were my explanation of why. But true to most things popular in cooking, the [...]

Honestly, I don’t think there is a better way to cook fresh salmon than grilling it on a cedar plank. Native Americans had it about as close to how nature intended it when they invented this method of cooking. They called it fire pit planking where they tacked a fish on a cedar plank and held [...]

A few years ago a good friend of mine introduced me to the idea of grilling Romaine lettuce. Up until then I had grilled things you typically wouldn’t think of like fresh peach slices and pizza dough, but it had never occurred to me to grill lettuce. After that evening it pretty much became a [...]

For those of you who limit the amount of beef you eat, if you’re like me it has to be really worth it when you do. Believe me, these ribs are. We used to serve them at our restaurant and they were hugely popular. The recipe was inspired by Azeka’s market on the island of [...]

My inspiration for this week’s recipe was my recent sailing trip to the British Virgin Islands. All I can say is “why did I not travel there sooner?” The warm, tropical temperature, the brilliant turquoise water and the laid back atmosphere of this part of the world are nothing short of amazing. Most of the [...]

With the Northwest wild spot prawn season almost upon us, you may want to try this. It goes together in 30 minutes with the help of using jarred roasted red peppers and is remarkable enough for guests, yet easy for a weeknight meal. If you’re not able to nab some spot prawns, the wild frozen [...]

Fresh cod continues to be my seafood of choice for its firm texture, mild flavor and reasonable price.  And I love this method of cooking it in parchment paper. It’s so easy you almost feel like you’re cheating. The only tricky part is getting the hang of folding the parchment paper edges and crimping them [...]

For those of you who have wanted to make pho at home, but are just not sure how to do it, I have streamlined the technique making it simple enough to make for a family weeknight meal but equally novel for a weekend dinner party for friends. The key to good pho is the broth, [...]

If I have leftover roast leg of lamb I like to use it in this recipe for Shepherd’s Pie.  Although I am going to have to admit that two out of the four of us in my house turn their nose up at leftovers. What’s up with that anyway? But that’s the beauty of this [...]

My best friend’s Mom introduced me to lamb. She was an extraordinary cook, an avid reader of Gourmet magazine who went out of her way with an ingredient or method to enhance her cooking, which was not the mainstream way in the 1970’s. From the flank steak she marinated for days in soy sauce, ginger [...]

I tend to forget how versatile pork tenderloin is. Not to mention it’s affordability compared to similar cuts of beef. Because it comes from a part of the body that does not get exercised, it is naturally tender. So you do not need to use liquid and long cooking times to break down connective tissue [...]

I’m ushering in the spring equinox with one of my favorite salads and keeping my fingers crossed that the warm weather that has been in so many parts of the country this past week is coming our way to Seattle. Cheers to the beginning of spring! Curried Chicken Salad with Coconut Makes 4 servings 4 [...]

I love cooking and eating halibut. The only downside is its expensive price, making it more a special occasion seafood than one you would cook every week. One way to get around the price issue is by cutting the fillet into chunks and simmering it into a sauce. This method “extends” the servings of halibut [...]

There are a few extra steps to this salad that are worth doing that even I, as a believer in the most simplistic recipes, will do. The first is to make crispy tortilla strips from corn tortillas. Sure, you can buy a high quality corn tortilla chip and use them as a replacement, but I [...]

The refreshing, tangy flavor of the cucumber dill sauce compliments the rich flavor of the Copper River salmon.  The sauce is simple to prepare and is best made a little ahead of serving time to develop flavor.  I like to baste the salmon with this simple mixture of butter, brown sugar, lemon zest and dill. [...]

Whether the weather cooperates or not, Memorial Day weekend just beckons to fire up the grill and cook something wonderful.  And you cannot go wrong with universally loved flank steak. Balsamic vinegar and fresh, fragrant rosemary do the work in this recipe. Marinating the meat overnight insures more in-depth flavor in the grilled meat.  I [...]

Even though I love to cook, I still find myself looking for an easy way out to make a quick dinner during the week.  My favorite recipe is one that does everything in one dish – protein, vegetable and starch. This recipe for Springtime Asparagus and Chicken Pasta does it all, while highlighting the season’s [...]

If you like the exotic flavor of curry and coconut then you will love this recipe. And if you are a fan of marinating to save time and add flavor, then the recipe will win you over even more. Marinating can be your best friend when it comes to putting together a weeknight meal. By [...]

My favorite thing about these tacos is the cilantro and fresh lime flavor. For speed in making them quickly during the week, I cook the fish under the broiler or even in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove. But since I like to grill year round, if I have the time I will [...]

I find many people shy away from serving roast rack of lamb because they are nervous they will not prepare it correctly and they think that it is difficult to make. When in fact it is really quite easy to prepare.  Begin with a high quality rack of lamb purchased at your favorite meat department [...]

I taught Thai cooking classes for years and this recipe was easily one of the all time favorites.  “Tremendously flavorful” is how everyone describes it. The stems of cilantro have more flavor than the leaves and that is why they are used in this recipe, along with a hefty amount of garlic. I like to [...]

If there ever was a dependable, go-to weekday recipe, then this is it for me.  It is consistent, easy to prepare and is happily devoured by anyone who encounters it. I like to use Isernios mild Italian chicken sausage, but you can use whatever is your favorite. I am also partial to using a red [...]

I recommend this recipe for a Friday or Saturday evening dinner with friends or family. It is easy and elegant. Marinating the chicken gives it tremendous flavor and makes it easy for you to do the night before. It is important to brown the chicken before you roast it because it looks better and gives [...]