Brie with Pomegranate and Pears

Posted by Marguerite in Featured, Holiday, Recipes on December 30, 2010

STORY

I found this recipe in a magazine and thought it was so simple it was a near perfect holiday appetizer. But of course I made few changes. The mint enhances the crispness of the pear and smooth taste of the brie. This is a great last minute recipe if you only have a [...]

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(Why Aren’t You Making) Homemade Yogurt

Posted by Marguerite in Healthy, Recipes on May 12, 2010

STORY

Sometimes we think things are hard when they’re not. I’d always assumed that yogurt required special aging time, like cheese, and I lived most of my life purchasing little yogurt cups, or big yogurt quarts. Guess what? Yogurt takes just a few minutes of active time to make. When I say a few minutes, [...]

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Arugula Pizza with Mozzarella, Onions and Thyme

Posted by Marguerite in Recipes on April 17, 2010

Yesterday, my friend Sara came over for lunch. I had taken out some pizza dough the night before, and I promised her that I would make one of the best pizzas she’s ever had. I based it on a recipe from Skinners’ Loft that I thought was pretty good. But I tweaked and tweaked away, and the results were so fantastic, I had to share it immediately.

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Margarita Tortilla Pizza

Posted by Marguerite in Healthy, Recipes on March 24, 2010

Very little story here. I wanted a pizza, but it was 2 am and no one was delivering. And I just don’t believe in the prepackaged type since I don’t know what imitation cheese is. So I took a tortilla, covered it with a little red sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil and baked it for 15 minutes. Voila, a snack was born.

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Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onion Pizza

Posted by Marguerite in Recipes on March 18, 2010

There are two reasons I love making pizza at home: 1. I am not limited to the “traditional” toppings provided by local shops, and 2. I don’t have to pay the exorbitant prices at the “artisanal” pizza bistros. I also like that I get to use up leftover ingredients (I have a thing about not throwing away good food, but I hate eating the same thing night after night). Pizza makes every ingredient new and exciting.

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(Use Your Leftover Bacon) Chicken Corn Chowder

Posted by Marguerite in Recipes on March 12, 2010

I find that most bacon packages are prejudice against the single person. Bacon doesn’t last very long (well-stored bacon only lasts about a week), and the packaging is clearly family-sized. And so, whenever I get a craving for bacon, I have to figure out ways to use up the bacon within a week. One day, when I was reviewing recipes for chowder, I noticed that the corn chowder called for salted pork (which I didn’t have). But I did have bacon. The result? A creamy, rich, decadent chowder that used up all the extra ingredients in my house.

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Mixed Berry, Almond, and Yogurt Smoothie

Posted by Marguerite in Healthy, Recipes on March 1, 2010

Because I am not a wealthy girl, I’ve been quite sensitive to the drastic increase in dairy prices. A half gallon carton of organic milk in my area costs $3.99. And I soon noticed that my favorite smoothie was $2.25 instead of $1.50. I know it’s just $.75, but toward the end of the week $.75 a day added up. (That was more than the cost of a burger or a glass of wine!) This seemed unjust to me, and so I made the decision that I could make my own yogurt, and that would make my smoothies a lot cheaper. When I don’t have time to make my own yogurt, I use Stonyfield Farm’s. Either way, I still save enough to enjoy a glass of wine with friends at the end of the week.

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(My Bliss) Beet, Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad

Posted by Marguerite in Healthy, Holiday, Recipes on November 2, 2009

I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed beets until recently. I loved them as a little kid, but I think I was influenced by peer pressure sometime between my 5 birthday and my 25th. I avoided them, and when I did finally get a chance to eat them they were always the wretched canned variety. And then, during a date I was offered a forkful. I don’t remember the date, but I do remember the first taste of beets, paired with goat cheese and arugula. Bliss.

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