When it comes to making desserts for myself, I usually chose something with fruit.  (I am one of those odd people who doesn’t love chocolate).  In the summer months when berries and melons and stone fruits are wonderfully sweet and in season, I don’t have any problems creating fruit desserts.  The winter months, however, are a different story with limited produce options.  Yet, even though our temperatures sink below zero, the tropics are ever-producing.  Due to vast globalization, we can now get our hands on tropical fruits that were previously unavailable.  Most tropical fruits have more than one peak season, and therefore you can still get a great pineapple or mango at your grocery store in the middle of winter.  (I will admit this goes against my attempt to buy locally and use what’s in season – but I am just not ready to give up tropical fruits all together, so yes, I pay to ship them half way around the world to arrive neatly packaged at my local grocery store.  I’m not proud of it, but I’m human). (more…)

Chicken Fajitas

Scott and I love to play games, and when you live in New England in the winter time, inviting neighbors over on a cold night beats the bar any day (not like we go to the bar in good weather, but you get the point).  I love to entertain, but a lot people shy away because they believe you have to go all out and produce a 5-course French menu any time you have guests.  That is simply not the case.  Casual entertaining is a whole other ball game.  With less fussy menus (however not less tasty) and more do-ahead friendly dishes, not only are you guests at ease with a casual atmosphere, but more importantly, you the host are relaxed.

For our last game night, I decided to serve Chicken Fajitas.  I love all Mexican food, but I especially love to serve fajitas.  Whenever I have a big crowd to feed (I made these for a Superbowl party one year) I turn to buffet style.  Buffets are usually easier when entertaining and fajitas are great because they also offer “make your own”  component to the evening.   Its a great way to get your guests up and moving, talking and mingling.  Also, most people enjoy participating in dinner and feel like they are “helping” by simply being able to create their own plates – they aren’t being waited on and again the atmosphere is taken down a notch. (more…)

Last summer I instituted “Sangria Sundays” in our household.  A lover of sangria, especially on a hot summer day, I wanted to develop all kinds of variations of this Spanish wine classic.  I had some hits, (Blackberry Plum paired with a red wine, and Melon paired with a pino grigio) as well as some misses (Pink Grapefruit….something about this was just off)  Anyways, although its not exactly sangria weather outside, there are some great fruits in season now that I wanted to try to incorporate into this fun drink.  Blood oranges are a milder, slightly herbal orange with bright cranberry red flesh and juice.   Only available in the winter months, this citrus has a distinct flavor, but more importantly a very impressive color.  I love to use blood oranges in tarts, mixed with navel oranges for a brilliant color contrast.  (Tart ideas to come later)

For any of you who are not already avid sangria lovers, sangria is a sweetened wine with fruit and usually brandy.  As you can imagine, the possibilities are endless.  Traditional sangria is made with red wine and a combination of oranges, lemons, and limes (not surprisingly fruits that are common in Mediterranean Spain, where the drink originated).  With a hint of sweetness and a burst of fruit, sangria can be a fun alternative to cocktails or wine.  I think of it as a mixture of the two. (more…)

I would have to say that this was my first “signature dish.”  And it all came about with an elementary school raffle…

Years ago, my mother won a “Father’s Day Grill Basket” in a school fund-raising raffle.  At the time we neither owned a grill, or had a father that was at all interested in grilling, but nonetheless, we were now the proud owners of a grill basket.  A normal person would have given the basket away to a family with use for all the utensils, cook books, and funny grilling apron, but no – not my mother.  Instead, she marched herself to Home Depot and bought my father a grill for Father’s day.  Clearly this was the logical way to go about making sure this basket of goodies was put to good use.  So Father’s day rolled around and my father was presented with not only a new grill, but a whole basket of grill paraphernalia.   I have mentioned before that my mother was never all that interested in cooking but I promise you that my father was even less so.   And so from that day on, the grill became my new toy that benefited not only my dad, but my entire family.  (more…)

This golf cake is my latest creation.  I made this for my brother’s 22nd birthday.  He is an avid golfer, so the theme seemed to fit.  The golf bag, balls, and flag are all made from fondant.  The “sand” is sugar in the raw and the “grass” is pipped buttercream.

Even though the newest addition to the Max’s Restaurant Group has been open a full year, it has taken us that long to give it a try.   True lovers of Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford, my husband and I, were excited to try Max Fish in Glastonbury.  A fan of most of the Max’s restaurants, we are rarely disappointed with a meal.  Unfortunately, I have to report this was not the case with Max Fish…we were disappointed.

Decorated with floor to ceiling white tile, the atmosphere is reminiscent of  a classy fish market on the San Fransisco pier.  The white tile certainly says clean and simple, but it lacks the warmth and comfort you also expect when dining out.  With a smaller main dining room, we felt cramped at small tables, seated relatively close to our fellow diners.  I am always a fan of intimate dining, but the sterile feel of the restaurant made the close quarters annoying rather than cozy. (more…)

I should have disclosed this information earlier, so I apologize for not yet recognizing the hard work that my staff puts into this blog.  My husband, Scott, is the sole and most important staff member of “Whisk This.com”  A web-developer by day, taste-tester, photographer, and blog tech by night, Scott is hard at work behind the scenes.  Along with his typing fingers, his taste buds get quite a work-out.  (I know, he leads a very difficult life having to try all these great recipes.) (more…)