If you’re a pasta lover who’s tried to cut calories and/or carbs, no doubt you’ve heard that spaghetti squash is a fabulous substitute.  Well, I’m here to tell you, with apologies to Mark Twain, the difference between spaghetti squash and spaghetti is “the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning”.  But if you love squash,… Read More How to Prepare Spaghetti Squash

Pasta frolla is the go-to pastry dough of Italian baking.  The phrase means short pastry, and you might find it reminds you more of shortbread cookie dough than of typical American pie dough.  It is rich, sweet, buttery, slightly citrusy, flaky, and a little bit crumbly.  It can be used in a range of baked… Read More Pastry Dough, Italian-Style

If you’ve ever read Mireille Guiliano’s paradigm-shifting French Women Don’t Get Fat, you know how the author prizes the weight-loss power of leeks.  She even advises a weekend of eating almost nothing but leeks with some mild seasonings.  (I tried it, and don’t plan to do it again.)  But I do agree with her that leeks… Read More Leeks with Dijon Mustard Sauce

Don’t you just love the soft melt-in-your-mouth comfort of butternut squash?  It’s been one of my favorite vegetables since I was growing up in New England.  So I created this simple recipe to go with pork for Christmas dinner.  The roasted apples give the squash an extra zing of sweetness.  I’m happy to say it… Read More Butternut Squash with Apples