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Traditional Italian Easter Pie
My favorite dessert for the Easter holiday has always been Italian Easter Pie. An Italian tradition, Easter Pie is made by mixing cooked rice with fresh ricotta, eggs, sugar and toasted pine nuts and wrapping the mixture in layers of crispy, buttery phyllo. Orange zest is added to take the ricotta and rice mixture to the next level. The pie browns beautifully in the oven and comes out with a golden brown top and sides.
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Chic (Creme) Brulee French Toast
In honor of the Chic Brûlée, I had to blog about Crème Brûlée French Toast – a rich and satisfying dessert-like indulgence. My favorite recipe is from Gourmet Magazine and is so easy to prepare! The french toast can be prepared the night before and baked in the oven the next morning.
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Spicy Vegetable Chili
Get ready for a healthy twist on a favorite southern comfort food, chili. This recipe is full of nutritious vegetables and has a mix of spices that really packs a punch. Veggie chili is surprisingly easy to make and extremely satisfying. Serve over brown rice or cornbread and top with plain greek yogurt, avocado and shredded Monterrey jack cheese for a scrumptious meal.
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Southwest Turkey Burgers
Last night I made the most fantastic recipe for turkey burgers — Southwest-style! Bursting with flavor, these burgers feature a variety of vegetables and southwest spices that create the perfect easy and healthy dinner.
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NYC: The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern
The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern, $26 Minetta Tavern, a bustling French bistro in the middle of Greenwich Village, has 2 burgers on the menu: The $16 Minetta Burger and the $26 Black Label Burger. Do me a favor and please order the Black Label Burger – I promise it’s worth it! Like all foodies in NYC, I have sampled all of the best burgers in town and this one ranks right up there with the best of them. It is juicy, succulent, oozing with flavor and topped with sweet caramelized onions set on a perfect sesame brioche bun and, of course, complemented by a mountain of salty, crispy frites. A force to be reckoned with, I guarantee.
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Fluffy & Healthy Cottage Cheese Pancakes
I love this recipe because I adore pancakes, but I never choose them because they can usually run up some serious calories. I finally found the perfect recipe that is both healthy and satisfying. This recipe from Mark Bittman uses cottage cheese to add fluffiness and creaminess as well as a healthy dose of protein and calcium. The result is a delicious, tender pancake that is protein-packed and guilt-free! Even if you don’t care for cottage cheese on it’s own, you will still love these pancakes because it all blends together perfectly. Feel free to add your favorite mix-ins to the pancakes (I always add blueberries). Don’t forget to dust with powdered sugar or top with lite maple syrup. The recipe is below. Enjoy!!
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Healthy Turkey Meatballs
Think turkey meatballs are bland and lack flavor? Not my recipe. These turkey meatballs are oozing with flavor and will change your mind completely! Overflowing with fresh parsley and garlic and a surprise crunch from toasted pine nuts, these meatballs are healthy and delicious. I made them tonight and served over brown rice with a simple marinara sauce drizzled on top. It’s a new, modern twist on “spaghetti and meatballs” and I guarantee you will love it!
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NYC: Pommes Frites : A Taste of Belguim in the East Village
Hungry East Villagers know that the spot for the most delicious, authentic Belgian french fries is Pommes Frites on Second Avenue. Crispy, salty, thick-cut and accompanied by endless choices of tasty dipping sauces, these fries are irresistible. This miniature shop ONLY sells fries, but really what else would you want anyway? Go in and grab a paper cone overflowing with fries and you will feel like you just stepped into a hidden fry shop off a cobblestone street in Europe.’
The dipping sauces range from curry ketchups to creamy blue cheese to Sambal Olek. They let you sample, so feel free to be adventurous. I heard they are now offering an organic black truffle mayo… what a combination!! -
Healthy, Crunchy, Panko Crusted Chicken Fingers
If you love fried chicken, but HATE the fat and calories, you will adore my recipe for Crunchy Panko Crusted Chicken Fingers. I prepare my chicken fingers by rolling them in a tasty mixture of panko crumbs and spices and then baking them in the oven to crisp them up to perfection.
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Soft Anise Biscotti
You will love this recipe for an unexpected twist on traditional biscotti. Instead of a crunchy, crumbly cookie, these biscotti are soft, spongy, cake-like and light as a feather! Have one in the morning with your coffee and you’ll be hooked. Read more for my recipe…
