Meatless and Marvelous Collard Greens Soup

Meatless & Marvelous Collard Greens Soup

Meatless and Marvelous
Collard Greens Soup

Want to add some pizzazz to a bowl of classic meatless Southern collard greens soup, try this! Greek yogurt brings that rich creamy element, Calabrian chili sauce adds fruity, super-spicy notes, and plenty homemade croutons nail it with a buttery crunch.

This simple, easy soup is so satisfying… (almost) no one will miss the ham. It is chock-full of nutrient-rich collard greens where cannellini beans, carrots, and celery play a supporting role. Onion and garlic provide aromatic and savory undertones, thyme and oregano bring those lovely herbal qualities, where a very flavorful vegetable broth is essential to the recipe.

Meatless & Marvelous Collard Greens Soup

Meatless Collard Greens Soup Recipe

Continue reading “Meatless and Marvelous Collard Greens Soup”

Cooking in Challenging Times

Chickpea Stew with Lots of Veggies

Chickpea Stew with Lots of Veggies
Kale, Cabbage, Spinach, Carrot, Onion, Celery, Tomato

We are cooking in some challenging times, my friends. But we can do this and we can do this well! Look in the fridge and get excited!

We are cooking without the luxury of just popping over to the supermarket to get whatever ingredient our original recipe requires.

Today’s meal started in the pantry with a can of chickpeas and progressed to the veggie drawer in the fridge. There was a very small head of cabbage left over from my Stuffed Cabbage rolls. Less than a half bag of pre-washed spinach, and an aging bunch of curly kale.

Staples of carrot, onion, celery and garlic are almost always on hand. It was here that this hearty, healthy, satisfying stew recipe began to take shape.

Also, don’t underestimate dried herbs. They definitely have flavor and can substitute for fresh in these unusual times. Hopefully the dried herbs in your pantry are not too old!

Chickpea Stew Recipe

Continue reading “Cooking in Challenging Times”

Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup

Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup #raw #vegan #glutenfree

🥕🥑 Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup 🥑🥕
#raw #vegan #glutenfree

Chilled soup, in January? Let me explain.

Rock Stars in the Kitchen Kelly Hansen, lead singer of Foreigner; and Mary Moore, Founder and CEO of Atlanta’s The Cook’s Warehouse teamed up last Sunday at The Las Vegas Market for a gourmet cooking demonstration.

The presentation was delightful and the food was divine. Along with Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup they prepared Kelly’s Kickin’ Guac with Blue Corn Chips, Ensalada de Noche Buena, and Argentinian BBQ with Chimichurri.

In addition to sharing his enthusiasm for cooking and how clean healthy eating was important to his career as a singer, Kelly captivated us with stories about his gourmet food competitions, life as a rock star, and a bit of history of Foreigner whose first album debuted in 1977.

Las Vegas Market Cooking Demonstration

Las Vegas Market is a trade show held twice a year at the World Market Center located in downtown Las Vegas. It is a 5 million square-foot showcase for home décor, furniture, lighting, textiles, housewares, gifts, gourmet products, hospitality furnishings and more. Additionally, the trade show features many excellent seminars, presentations, and cooking demonstrations.

Kelly & Mary’s soup demonstration was so fast and easy. Fresh vegetables, fruit, and spices just go into a blender, et voilà – a very tasty, raw, vegan, gluten-free, healthy soup is born! I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR A SOUP LIKE YOU, TO COME INTO MY LIFE.

Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup Recipe

Continue reading “Chilled Carrot Avocado Soup”

BLT Quiche

BLT Quiche
A Quiche Inspired by the Classic
 Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich

Are you a fan of the BLT?
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayonnaise
Served here on Toasted Ciabatta 
Caperberries for Garnish
BLT Quiche Recipe

Slice high-quality bacon, cook in a non-stick skillet until cooked through but not crispy. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

Meanwhile sauté finely chopped yellow onion with a small amount of bacon fat until soft and slightly browned. Set aside on paper towels to cool. Combine bacon and onion.

Spray a pie dish with baking spray (cooking spray with flour added). Form pie dough (homemade or store-bought) in the pie dish.

Add bacon onion mixture.

My ratio for quiche custard base is:

  • 5 fresh whole large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups of warm light cream
  • 1 T flour
  • salt and pepper
I beat these ingredients with an electric hand mixer.
Pour custard base over the bacon onion mixture. Bake at 350° for about an hour, maybe a little longer, until just cooked through.

Let quiche cool completely to room temperature.

Slice the quiche into wedges before topping with the salad. Top the bacon quiche with tomato wedges and mixed lettuces tossed with mayonnaise or ranch dressing, salt and pepper to taste. A pie server is perfect for serving. This is a great dish for a brunch buffet as it is served at room temperature, it’s colorful, whimsical and delicious! 

let’s share our meatloaf secrets


Moist is a key word when it comes to delicious meatloaf.


Isn’t this a cute little meatloaf? Baked in my Le Creuset Chestnut Oval Baker.


Really good meatloaf recipes are a dime a dozen… No, actually, they are cheaper than that, they’re free! You can ask your mom, my mom, your cousin, your best friend, your co-worker, Molly, my butcher, Google, Foodbuzz (click here)…or me.

But this post is about my secrets to a scrumptious meatloaf:  Cook at 325 until the meat registers 155 degrees as opposed to a specific cooking time. Use a remote thermometer. Remove from oven and let rest before serving. This results in a moist juicy meatloaf.

And have a gooey zippy sauce. This one is 4 parts barbecue sauce to one part each honey and Worcestershire plus several hearty dashes of hot sauce. Whisk together and pour over the meat prior to cooking.

Peas are optional.

Do you have a meatloaf secret to share?