St. Patrick's Day Recipe Ideas

I've heard that dressin up in green color brings you good luck when worn on St. Patrick's day. Cooking green food might bring you luck too! I gathered a few dishes that are the perfect color to be part of your St. Patrick's Day celebration. They would make a leprechaun “green” with envy (I think that's a recylced joke). Sorry but I couldn’t resist... Enjoy!

If you're searching for savory green dishes, visit the link. 

Masala Chai Eggnog Recipe

This weekend, in the spirit of the holidays, we wanted to make some eggnog. We’ve made eggnog and "soynog" so many times before that it seemed like time to mix it up a little. If you're a regular reader, you might know how much I love masala chai. I'm a weakling when it comes to caffeine but once in a while, especially when we have large family gatherings, we make loads of the fragrant chai and I just can't resist sipping a few cups. So why not combine the two?

Eggnog already has nutmeg, so adding the spices used in masala chai just enhances the flavor. The cardamom in particular really shines through. If you're adventurous (and not making this for kids), you could also spike it with a little rum or cognac. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Tortellini Recipe

Butternut squash is called "courge musquée" in French. I roasted one today, blended half of it for baby Aria and used the rest for the pasta sauce.

I sautéed tortellini pasta with leeks and paired it with the butternut squash. It's fall season and it's time to roast some veggies!

Cepe Mushroom Gratin Recipe

While strolling in an open-air market in Paris with my father, he noticed fresh cèpe mushrooms. If you've never seen them, they're quite large and brown, very similar to porcini mushrooms. In my opinion, these are very tasty mushrooms and Jean-Damien, my brother-in-law, had mentioned people go "hunting" for these wild mushrooms in the Parisian forests ("les forêts d'Ile-de-France"). Papa bought 2 small cases and I made a very simple mushroom gratin to showcase the unique flavor of these wonderful mushrooms.

I sautéed the cèpes in garlic and sweet basil. Then I transferred them to a gratin dish and covered them with alternating layers of Gruyère cheese and béchamel sauce. The result was a divine, creamy dish that suits the rainy weather we've experienced here in France.

Thai Curry Cheddar Cheese Sauce Recipe

A few months ago, I met with my friend Steve from the Milk Pail Market in Mountain view. He's better known to locals as the cheese expert. On that day, I tasted a wide variety of cheeses. Some of them made me reminiscent of my childhood in France, while others were intriguing and unusual. In particular, there was a vibrant yellow cheese I had never seen before. It's called Thai Curry Cheddar cheese. Since Steve knew that I love mixing cultures and flavors, he thought I'd like it.

Of course, like most cheddars, this cheese could be enjoyed with sliced apples and a crusty bread as a snack. But I wanted to really play up the fusion of cultures represented in the cheese, so I used the cheddar to create a Thai-inspired béchamel sauce that would pair wonderfully with any pasta. Good thing Steve gave me some of his new ravioli to bring home!

Instead of using good ol' nutmeg for the white sauce, I flavored it with melted Thai Curry Cheddar cheese, turmeric, ground coriander, ground fennel, freshly grated ginger, ground fenugreek, a touch of cumin and a fresh bay leaf. The result is an aromatic taste with the richness from the cheese. It was a great addition to sautéed ravioli.

If you're not lucky enough to live down the street from a great grocer like Steve, you should enter our Full Circle giveaway. We're going to pick one lucky winner this week to get a free box of organic farm fresh produce delivered to your home. To enter, just type your name into the box below. The winner can choose any size box. The largest Full Circle offers is Harvest, which is $42 in CA, $45 in WA/ID, and $56 in AK (shipping not included outside of Anchorage).