Sharing Plate – Your Cooking Coach |

I love making frittatas for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is also a great way to get rid of leftovers in the fridge.

The usual base is potatoes, onions with a bit of garlic. Those three things are always in my pantry. So are the eggs, cheese and some kind of vegetable in the crisper.

In this case, we were getting together with family for brunch and my cousin was making blueberry pancakes. I decided to make something savory. She was also serving bacon with the pancakes so I decided to keep the frittata vegetarian. In the past I have made it with baby spinach, asparagus or green beans. This time, I decided to top it with a baby arugula salad. It looks pretty and tastes delicious. It took me no time to put the omelet together. I sliced the potatoes really thin and sauteed them with onions and garlic. I then covered the potato mixer with eggs beaten with a bit of half and half and cheese. Any kind of cheese can be used. I had a pack of four Italian cheeses- it was delicious. Once the frittata was fully cooked, I mixed arugula with a bit of lemon juice, salt and olive oil.  I then topped the dish with the arugula salad right before serving. It looked gorgeous- the bright green against the creamy yellow eggs. The taste was not so shabby either- the slight bite of the arugula went perfectly well with the savory, creamy eggs and potatoes. We all enjoyed the brunch with the delicious pancakes, bacon and mimosas.

• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Pepper
• ¼ cup half and half
• 1 cup shredded four-cheese mix (asiago, provolone, parmesan, mozzarella) divided

Add the eggs, salt, pepper, half and half and half cup cheese. Beat well and keep aside.
Click here for the recipe… »

This is a perfect spring/summer salad. I used golden beets instead of the regular red ones- there isn’t much taste difference but I love the way they look. They are a tad bit milder than the other ones. I paired them with a lovely bunch of asparagus.

I individually wrapped the beets and roasted them in the oven. I like them roasted the best- they become nuttier and sweeter. Half way through, I roasted the asparagus in the same oven and I was done.

The rest was easy- I made a vinaigrette with mustard, olive oil and some white wine vinegar. I love a big burst of salt – so, decided to add some crumbled feta and kalamata olives.

The salad was delicious. This will be perfect with any grilled meal you decide to make this weekend. Enjoy!
Click here for the recipe… »

By the time you read this tomorrow morning, I will be relaxing on a plane with a friend heading to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I am super excited since we have been planning this trip for a while and finally all three of us were able to agree on a weekend. By all three I mean- myself and two of my college friends. Two of them are turning forty this year and all of us thought it was a great occasion to go away- just by ourselves without the kids or the husbands. The last time I went away, alone was over four years ago when I flew to Paris for the long weekend. A friend was working there for a couple of years and I went to visit her. It was fabulous and very memorable- especially  the food. I remember going down to an open market with her early in the morning and purchasing some snails, which we devoured right after we enjoyed a coffee with a fresh croissant.

Speaking of the food- that is what I am looking forward to the most this weekend. I can’t wait to try some delicious Cuban and any other ethnic cuisine that will be come my way. The funny thing is, my husband tries to convince me not every trip can be or should be a culinary experience – but I disagree- and why not??? I don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy the food- I just want to eat great, delicious food cooked by someone who loves to feed people. It is amazing how good the food is when it is made with love and care.

Besides the food, I am looking forward to the spa treatments we have planned. I can’t wait to relax and enjoy my friends and eat great food- okay there it is again- the food. I can’t help myself- no great occasion is complete without delicious food and drinks.

I hope you get the opportunity to get together with some family or friends to enjoy great food and conversation this weekend.

This is a dessert I recently made and think will be perfect for the upcoming long weekend. Next week I will be posting recipes for a burger and some side dishes including a fabulous drink- so stay tuned.

I love to make fruit crumble in the summer with all the gorgeous fruit in season. In this case I had tons of mangoes in my fridge. My daughter loves, loves mangoes and has at least 2 to 3 everyday.

We were going for a barbecue to a friend’s house and I offered to make the dessert. As I mentioned I had lots of mangoes- so that was a natural choice. I also had fresh raspberries and decided to pair them with the mangoes. I added some raspberry liquor which gave the fruit mixture a delicious flavor- yum!

As far as the crumble was concerned, I decided to doctor it up a bit. I had the usual suspects including oats, brown sugar and walnuts- I also added some sweetened, shredded coconut, ground ginger and nutmeg. Since I was using mangoes, I thought of coconut- a tropical theme.

I brought some vanilla ice cream along and the dessert was a big hit. Everyone enjoyed it. I thought the coconut was a great addition and I especially loved the raspberry liquor with the fresh fruit. Overall it was a huge success.

If you are having a big Memorial Day get together- definitely make this dessert- everyone will love it- guaranteed!
Click here for the recipe… »

This is a super quick, healthy dish- oh, and it is a one pot meal. I feel like taking a bow to the applauding audience- yes, I realize no one is applauding- but I feel like they should.

It was one of those days when I had no time and no ideas swimming around in my head. I took out two chicken breast from the freezer and in order to make it really simple, I spiced them with salt and garam masala. Garam masala is made with any where between 5 to 15 spices- depending on who is making it. Since I make my own, it is super flavorful, filled with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.

I sauteed the chicken pieces and then used the same pan to cook onions and garlic and more garam masala. I added some tomatoes, chicken broth with the rice and tossed in a whole bag of baby spinach.  I sliced the chicken pieces and introduced it to the rice and spinach and came up with a wonderful dish.

The busy day ended with a well-balanced, one pot meal and I had only one pot to clean after making the dinner- perfect.

Make this rice dish when things are crazy and you have no time to spend in the kitchen….
Click here for the recipe… »