sausage and shrimp stew

This seems like a paella to me so I served it over rice. I love to go get head-on shrimp from a local market, they are super fresh and have a great depth of flavor. I used andouille sausage here but kielbasa would also work.

chicken torta with 2 cheeses

A torta is a Mexican sandwich. This one was piled with roasted chicken, jalapeno, 2 cheeses and salsa. I chose to just do an open face version and paired it with some cooling avocado slices.

german chocolate cake sundae

One our most favorite desserts this year. We got the coconut ice cream (or gelato) from Whole Foods. We also had a fresh coconut and made our own toasted fresh coconut so that was also fun. Recipe from Food and Wine: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/german-chocolate-cake-sundae

an elegant shrimp dinner

We updated a classic cocktail, Clove-Scented Citrus Sidecar, to have with our Spanish-style toasted pasta with shrimp (and aioli served as an accompaniment), and a chocolate torte with whipped cream and fresh raspberries for dessert.

pasta and salad

What could be finer? A bowl of penne in vodka sauce, accompanied by a caprese salad. Cheers!

parchment baked fish

I just put some herbs, wine, butter, lemon juice and a fish fillet in a foil packet and baked until done. Juicy and tasty (and easy clean up).

chicken and vegetables for a fall dinner

Here is a pan-seared chicken thigh (I find them more flavorful than chicken breasts) with winter squash, served over mashed potatoes. I got some fresh green beans from the Farmer's Market so I steamed them and then sauteed with some bacon.

homemade pizza

Not just homemade pizza - but homemade ricotta to make a fantastic ricotta-spinach pizza. Sometimes I choose to make my own pizza dough but more often I use the Trader Joe's dough.

steak and potatoes

This is a grilled steak with Brandy Cream Sauce. I also had some freshly dug potatoes from the Farmer's Market and so I made some Garlic Mashed Potatoes. The chive garnish is from a little pot of chives that returns every year in the backyard.

tomato-bacon-blue cheese salad

I stopped by one of our local Farmer's Markets one afternoon to pick up a variety of colorful farm fresh tomatoes and a bunch of basil. Then I put together this salad to take to a potluck dinner. The tomatoes are cut in slices or wedges and lightly dressed with a simple vinaigrette. The entire platter is topped with cooked crumbled bacon, crumbled blue cheese, and fresh basil. It was as tasty as it was lovely.

a feast for all the senses

There is no way to convey in pictures the sights, sounds, smell, taste and awe of being out at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Here is a sample of what awaits if you brave the dark, cold, early morning to get out to the field.

southern style bbq shrimp; apple tart

I put all the shrimp ingredients (spices,hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire, shrimp, sliced onions and lemons) in a foil packet and cooked it on the grill. For dessert I enlisted some of our apple crop in a maple-glazed, cream cheese and apple-filled tart.

zoo picnic

On a nice summer early evening we took this spread to an event at the zoo. Besides the tortilla chips, pita chips, pita bread and baguette we took an assortment of crudites and cheeses. We also took homemade hummus, baba ganoush, and guacamole for a lovely evening of snacking before a thunderstorm caused us to pack it in.

grilled chicken tacos & a caesar salad

Once I go through the process of heating the grill, I like to use it for many components of the meal. Here I grilled some boneless, skinless chicken thighs and vegetables to chop all that up for soft tacos (you can lightly heat the corn tortillas on the grill too). I also lightly charred some romaine lettuce on the grill - and the large bread 'croutons' for the base of a Casear salad.

pizza and salad

Taking advantage of the summer garden last month, I made a homemade pizza (well, dough and sauce courtesy of Trader Joes) with roasted garlic, prosciutto, and green chile. To go with the pizza I mixed up a bunch of colorful tomatoes with some torn up creamy burrata cheese, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

corn & crab soup, rack of lamb

Our first course was a chilled corn and chive soup, topped with crabmeat. The fresh corn was so beautiful at the local Farmers Market. Then, I oven roasted a garlic crusted rack of lamb for an easy entree. (Our Farmers Market also has a local vendor of organic beef and lamb.)