Risi e Bisi – Rice and Peas For Spring

Risi e bisi is a comforting spring dish that incorporates risotto rice and fresh peas, perfect for a cool spring evening.

Heralding Spring With A Tasty Celery-Potato Soup

Spring has finally sprung! The air is warm, raindrops abound on my windows, Passover and Easter are upon us and color is back in my world!  It might sound funny but I have always felt like living through the first few months of the year is like living in a black and white movie.  The…

New Year’s Day cooking … sort of!

2018 was some year for me. In the early part of the year we lost my Dad.  His health had declined over the past couple of years, but you are never really ready I suppose.  Then right about the same time our sweet dog got desperately sick.  We spent the next six months back and…

Garlic Scapes Herald Summer

Summer has officially arrived, with plenty of rain, bits of chill and oppressive heat.  It’s all good, because who am I kidding?  I will take that over freezing cold and snow any day of the week.   I am finally done with my breakneck Spring catering and looking forward to some fun farmers market demos…

Ramps: A Sign that Spring is Finally Here!

I think this must have been the longest running Winter on record.  Just when we thought it was over another storm dumped snow on us.  I am relieved to say that is all behind us now and Spring is finally here.   My first indication was the appearance of fiddlehead ferns at the farmers market and specialty…

Summer Polenta Tart

Sometimes the universe aligns itself and sends me a clear message about what to make for dinner. That happened in the last couple of days. This week when I popped up to Hilltop Hanover Farm to get my CSA I noticed they had a new batch of  Wild Hive Farm polenta on the table. Their…

Exploring Winter Squash

There is a chill in the air as October rolls to an end.  I am feeling somewhat wistful with 55 days until winter.  In the meantime our  farmers markets are thankfully bursting with colorful vegetables, though most are now of the root variety. Carrots, beets, turnips and radishes in all shapes, sizes and colors line…

Chicken Soup From Scratch with Ramps

Somedays I find myself with a little extra time on my hands. As was the case yesterday. After an excellent spin class I headed to Whole Foods with the initial intention of finding something to make for dinner, but then got inspired to update my homemade chicken noodle soup. I make a version of this…

A Little Departure From the Norm ….

What an amazing rollercoaster two months I’ve had. Probably the busiest in my seven years doing Bella Cucina Maria. Not only juggling my regular private work, but catering and part time cooking for the Canadian Permanent Mission. Honestly, as tired and wiped out as I am on December 16th  – with at least seven more…

End of Season Zucchini

Fall is here. The pool in our complex was drained and covered this week. There is a slightly familiar chill in the air most mornings now, though still nice and warm in the afternoons. Today I read a weather prediction that we will be subjected to several Nor’easters in the coming months. This time of…