Category Archives: My Recipes

Butterbeer

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Butterbeer in glass mugs surrounded by candles and Harry Potter books. Photo by Sara Klein from inlieuofcordonbleu.com

You do not have to visit Hogsmead, the magical village of J.K. Rowling’s imagination, to cozy up with a glass of butterbeer this season. Warm butterscotch forms the base for this “potion” and the spicy ginger notes are sure to have you bewitched. Beer lovers can give this drink an extra kick and a hint of classic beer flavor with a splash of Prosecco, but to me this is a rare instance where the booze-free version somehow tastes a bit more festive. The books of Harry Potter may evoke Halloween, but this spirit tastes like Christmas in a glass and you will want to sip it by the fire all autumn and winter long.

Ingredients

Butterscotch

1/4 cup heavy cream 

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Salmon Gravlax

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Salmon Gravlax on Bagels

The Swedish mother of one my dearest friends taught me this recipe for my friend’s bridal shower. Like cold-smoked salmon, gravlax is cured not cooked and thus retains its velvety texture. However, using sugar and salt instead of smoke creates a more delicate flavor that lets the fish shine through. The slightly sweet dill mustard sauce has just a little bit of bite to balance the rich salmon. Gravlax can be served any way you would serve smoked salmon. The traditional Scandinavian way is over a bit of rye crispbread spread with cream cheese. Accompaniments such as capers, thinly sliced red onion, and fresh dill are all very nice. Some Swedes wouldn’t dream of having gravlax without ensuring there was some free-flowing aquavit nearby. However, if you’re like me you’ll find a glass of champagne, while not traditional tastes fine indeed!

Ingredients

Gravlax

Two 1 pound pin-boned salmon fillets cut from the thickest cross section of the fish

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Raspberry Cheese Blintzes

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Raspberry Cheese Blintzes on a plate with a fork, napkin, and roses

Madison Park Cafe used to be a favorite brunch place for my mother and I. After they closed we really missed their amazing cheese blintzes. So a few years back, I created my own version for Mother’s Day. Now it is an annual tradition. Creamy, sweetened ricotta on the inside brightened with just a little bit of lemon zest, wrapped in a delicate crêpe and topped with fresh raspberry sauce — these blintzes make a wonderful treat for a special breakfast.

Crêpes

3 large eggs

2/3 cup milk

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Apple Cinnamon Trail Mix

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Bowl with trail mix spilling out

Trail mix isn’t only for the trail. I love having this around for football parties, as a little something sweet on a cheese platter, or over the top of vanilla or better yet, cinnamon ice cream. The crystalized ginger chunks are tart bursts of sunshine on a cold autumn day.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

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Peach Ricotta Fruit Salad

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This is one of my most versatile recipes. So much so, that I almost didn’t know what to call it. Is it a fruit salad? A pudding? Who cares, it’s delicious! Creamy lemon and vanilla-scented ricotta forms the bed for bright, juicy peaches that are the essence of summer flavor. Passion fruit vinegar adds a unique tropical note and olive oil and basil lend it fresh from the garden quality. I originally made this dish to have for breakfast in the summer, but spread the ricotta in a shallow bowl and top with all of the peaches and it makes a fantastic fruit salad for a picnic or BBQ.  The ricotta can be made in advance and kept for several days in the refrigerator.

Peaches

2 1/2 lbs peaches, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1 teaspoon sugar Continue reading →

Fresh Nectarine Pie

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Fresh Peach Pie Slice and Pie

I look forward to nectarine and peach season all year long!  There is something about that sweet, juicy fruit that just screams summer.  In this pie, I paired an extra thick and crumbly graham cracker crust with a luxurious cream cheese topping and bright, fresh nectarines to create a perfect bite of southern comfort.  A little bit of apricot liqueur adds some crisp acidity and intensifies the nectarine flavor.  It’s sweet, salty, creamy and exactly what I want after a BBQ on a hot summer night. And if a little of that apricot liqueur ends up in your glass with it, I won’t judge!

Graham Cracker Crust

12 whole graham crackers, roughly crumbled into pieces Continue reading →

Frosé Champagne Float

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ILCB Frosé Champagne Floats - 1 of 4

Summer is here, which means it is time for strawberries, rosé, and my birthday! For my birthday party this year I wanted to create foods that were grown-up takes on childhood favorites.  And what’s more reminiscent of childhood than ice cream floats?

For my grown-up take I started with a fruity rosé filled with notes of sweet honeysuckle, fresh strawberry and hints of lemon zest. Then I amped up all these flavors with added strawberry and lemon juice and created some wine-like complexity with star anise and vanilla bean. Top it all with champagne and it’s all the grown-up and the kid in me craves on a hot summer day!!!

Frosé

4 1/2 cups strawberries, coarsely chopped Continue reading →

Pancetta & Pea Mini Frittatas

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ILCB Frittatas - 2 of 2

I love, love, love frittatas!!! There’s something about rich, silky eggs and melted cheese that just screams weekend brunch indulgence. But here’s my little secret, these babies aren’t just great fresh from the oven, they reheat like a dream in the microwave in just 30 seconds! I love making a big batch of them on Sundays and then having them for quick breakfasts or even breakfast for dinner (shh, don’t tell!) throughout the week. They make me feel like I’m having something hearty and nourishing even when I’m racing out the door. Salty pancetta and bright, fresh peas are one of my favorite combinations, but the only real limit to filling options here is your imagination. Just be sure whatever you use is pre-cooked.

Ingredients

1/2 cup frozen petite peas* Continue reading →

Maui Brownie Bites

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Maui Brownie Bites

This recipe was inspired by a brown sugar buttercream truffle enrobed in dark chocolate at my favorite local chocolate shop in Seattle.  I’m not sure what it is about brown sugar buttercream that makes me think of Hawaii.  Perhaps it’s that the flavor reminds me, not of the coconut, but the rich sugary brown notes you smell in suntan lotion on the beach.

I wanted to take those flavors and bring them to something more easily made at home. These brownie bites are still rich and chocolatey. The graham cracker adds a bit of buttery, salty crunch and also makes the bites easier to remove from the muffin tin! But it’s the buttercream that takes it over the top.

Ingredients

Graham Cracker Crust

6 whole cinnamon graham crackers, crumbled

2 tablespoons sugar Continue reading →

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie Stew

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Hearty Chicken Pot Pie Stew

Chilly winter days make me crave comfort foods like chicken pot pie, but having survived the debauchery of the holidays I want something with a slightly healthier twist.  These days healthy means something different to everyone, but for me it means ditching the simple carbs.

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie Stew

This has led me to a recent love affair with turnips, which lend this recipe a comfort food heartiness without potatoes. If you want to make this recipe really low carb, make it with cream. On the other hand, if you’re not so worried about the carbs serve it with a biscuit and it will be all your chicken-pot-pie-loving heart desires!

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded Continue reading →