Yield: 2 1/2 cups This recipe came from my sister, who uses basil fresh from her garden for this delightful dip. Enjoy! Note: If you’ve already prepared pesto, simply puree it to taste with the low-fat cottage cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Ingredients: 3 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic […]
Author Archive | Kristen Desmond
Wonton Crisps
Yield: 30 crisps Direct from Golden Door to you, these crisps are great as crackers or dippers. Dress them up with black and white sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander, crushed fennel seeds, or other seeds/spices of your choice. Ingredients: 15 wonton wrappers 1 egg white 1 tablespoon water seeds/spices (optional) Procedure: Preheat oven to 350 […]
Baked Corn or Whole Wheat Crisps
Yield: 32 crisps This recipe is a Golden Door standard and works well with either corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas. These crisps, a healthy alternative to store-bought chips, are great dippers for Pesto Dip. Ingredients: 4 tortillas (either corn or whole wheat) 1 egg white, beaten 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon cayenne salt Procedure: […]
Life’s a Picnic
Lucky us. A friend was headed out of town for the weekend and just had to unload some tickets for a concert under the stars. We were more than happy to help him out with this little problem. Time for a picnic! When I think picnic, I think salads and side dishes. I had some thin green beans to […]
Haricot Vert and Red Onion Salad with Pistou
Yield: 6 servings as a side dish Pistou is a French variation of pesto and makes for a nice, simple dressing. This recipe is easy to make ahead. You can prepare the pistou up to 6 hours ahead and refrigerate it – same goes for the beans. Store them separately and then toss them together at […]
Grilled Cheddar Cornmeal Cakes
Yield: 18 – 24 wedges These little corn cakes are yummy! I clipped this recipe from a newspaper so long ago that I don’t even know which paper it was anymore. You can fire these up on the grill, or on the stovetop in a grill pan. Keep them from sticking by oiling your cooking surface well and […]
Grilled Rosemary-Crusted Pizzas
Yield: Four 8-inch Pizzas This is a really fun idea for a dinner party. I clipped this recipe from Bon Appetit many, many moons ago. I adapted it to use a whole grain flour and it’s been a favorite since. The dough takes about an hour to rise, so plan accordingly. You can roll out […]
No-Cook Pasta Sauce
Yield: 6-8 servings This recipe feeds a crew. Even when I don’t have a crew to feed, I often make the whole recipe, because this makes for a delicious cold pasta salad. Ingredients: 8 cups tomato (about 5 large), chopped 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 cup kalamata olives, chopped 3/4 cup feta cheese, […]
Cod en Papillote with Summer Squash
Yield: 2 servings Cooking fish “in parchment” works best with a firm fish fillet such as salmon, sole, cod, or halibut. Using the basic method described below, add your favorite herbs (thyme, chervil, cilantro), chopped ginger, lemon juice, white wine, olive oil, a light sauce, chopped vegetables (onions, zucchini, mushrooms), or combination thereof, to […]
Grilled Lemon Chicken Salad
Yield: 4 servings I adapted this recipe from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook to serve 4. In my copy of the cookbook, this page is well-used and wrinkled – always a good sign of an old favorite! “Ina” calls for marinating the chicken for 6 hours or overnight – I go for 30 minutes. Do whatever works […]