Spinach Celery Soup

This is as much technique as recipe. It’s a delicious and nutritious way to get more veggies into your body, and a good way to use up produce that isn’t very pretty to look at. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables. I have added everything from leeks to asparagus. Just be sure to cook the vegetables until they are tender, but not so long that you lose that beautiful green color. For a healthier version, saute with olive oil and leave out the half and half. It’s still creamy and has a luxurious mouth feel even without the cream. Click here for the starter recipe. Please leave a comment if you find a particularly delicious way to alter it. We love to hear everyone’s adaptations.

You’ve heard of East-meets-West fusion, well, this is old-meets-new fusion. The Cobb salad was invented in 1937 by Bob Cobb, owner of the Brown Derby restaurant. I’ve updated it here with Romaine lettuce, toasted walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese. The original is still delicious, but if you’re in the mood for something new, give it a try. Click here for the full recipe.

What exactly is tapas.  From Wikipedia:

Tapas (IPA: [ˈtaˌpas]) is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as puntillitas, which are battered, fried baby squid).

In North America and the United Kingdom, tapas have evolved into an entire cuisine. In these countries, patrons of tapas restaurants can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.

The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.

For me they mean really flavorful appetizers made with great ingredients that are meant to be a shared experience.

When making tapas at home keep it simple. Make one dish that you have to cook, two if you have a lot of help, add a great cheese and some wine.  Cooking one or two tapas is not difficult.  Making ten would be.

These aren’t meant to feed a family of four.  However, if your looking to have something interesting to serve with wine, these are exceptional.

My tapas idea here is Mussels with Bacon and Blue Cheese.  The marriage between the three main ingredients works amazingly well.  As a bonus, this dish is much easier to cook than it might sound.  If the need to drink the broth afterward with a spoon hits you, by all means feel free.

Recipe follows.

Mediterranean Shrimp Salad

With shrimp and chickpeas, this salad is a satisfying and delicious meal all by itself. It’s also easy to pack this salad for lunch. Just store the lettuce and pita separately from the rest of the ingredients and toss it all together just before eating. Keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days this way.

For the recipe, just click here.