Summer Orzo Pasta Salad

Orzo pasta salad is a very quick and easy dish to prepare. You can vary the ingredients in the sauce, but the basics are the same: you need the orzo pasta, some vegetables and a sauce. I made a roasted red bell pepper paste, added some green beans for color, lentils for protein and finished the dish with enoki mushrooms and cashew nuts for texture.

If you're looking for a quick and easy recipe for a picnic, this dish is an excellent choice. It's a light dish that pairs well with almost any kind of protein (hamburgers, fish, etc.). It's also very flexible; as spring turns into summer, you can incorporate many different seasonal vegetables into the recipe. Our extended family has a lot of picnics and potlucks this time of year, and I often prepare some variation of an orzo pasta salad. It's great for both the vegetarians and non-vegetarians in our house.

Quinoa with Vodka Tomato Sauce

I flavored this quinoa [pronounced keen:'wah] dish with homemade vodka cream tomato sauce, roasted bell peppers and parsley for color. I also added lightly toasted pine nuts for a nutty taste and a poblano pepper to give it a kick.

Quinoa is a great alternative to pasta, potatoes or rice.  One of the advantages is that quinoa is gluten-free. If you have someone in your house who is allergic to gluten, quinoa is the perfect option. It has a nutty flavor and is packed with protein and amino acids. The preparation is so easy that you will be making this dish over and over again.

If you're looking for other ways to prepare quinoa, check out my eggplant vegetarian caviar recipe.

Pesto Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

You may not believe it, but buttermilk mashed potatoes are just as fluffy as regular mashed potatoes made with heavy cream. The only difference is a pleasant tangy taste that the buttermilk imparts to the potatoes. To enhance the flavor of the mashed potatoes, I added some homemade Pecorino basil pesto. There is nothing subtle about this dish; it is absolutely bursting with color and flavor.

I was inspired to make this dish during our Christmas trip to Las Vegas. We went to our favorite eatery, "The Buffet at Bellagio". They served pesto mashed potatoes, but without buttermilk. It was so good I had to replicate it but of course, I wanted to add my own twist. I recently made a large batch of Pecorino basil pesto, so I thought it would be a good time to try my hand at the dish. I hope you like it!

Lyonnaise Potatoes

Pommes de terre lyonnaises is a crisp, yet tender potato dish. The potatoes are parboiled for faster cooking before being sautéed in butter. Sliced caramelized onions and parsley are added to the dish for color and a mild contrast of flavor. These potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to meat. I recently served them with lamb chops.

Lyonnaise potatoes originated in the city of Lyon which is located in East-central France in the region called Rhône-Alpes. The region is famous for being one of the main centers of French gastronomy. It has produced several beloved French dishes, such as coq au vin and marrons glacés. I haven't made a lot of dishes from Lyon in the past, but that will soon change. Bon appétit, and stay tuned!

Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Asparagus

There are few side dishes that are as intensely colorful and beautiful as a platter of roasted red bell peppers and asparagus. The flavors and textures are very distinct and complementary. They don't need much in the way of dressing; I usually only add a little lemon, pickled red onion and sea salt after drizzling them with olive oil and roasting them in the oven.

It's a great party platter because you can prepare it in advance. I usually roast the vegetables several hours before we have guests over, and then dress them right before serving. You could also serve the veggies straight out of the oven if you'd like them warm. Either way, this simple yet elegant dish is a perfect way to begin a dinner party. Enjoy!