Cooking Page: Take 2, 3 and 4!

I'm thrilled to report: my cooking lessons with Shalah have continued! And I think I'm improving, although I'd still call myself the sous chef. :) We're making the transition from the cold weather to warm in New York, and the dishes above reflect this change. 

The first: a delicious recipe for chicken parmesan. The fresh mozzarella and basil really made the flavor pop. It was a rainy, cold night when we decided to give this dish a try. Definitely warmed us right up!

The second: our mouths watered at the sight of Deb's recipe for extra garlicky pasta with broccoli rabe on her food blog Smitten Kitchen. As an hors d'oeuvre, we also made white bean dip from scratch, and served it with bread. This recipe was so easy to make. And fresh broccoli rabe — how can you go wrong?

The third: this week, we decided to have a burger party. Shalah picked up some ground bison, and we also made a vegetarian option, following Gwyneth Paltrow's recipe for homemade veggie burgers. The bison was a hit; the veggie burgers might take a bit of practice to perfect. :) As a side dish, we made a fresh zucchini salad, seasoned with lemon, salt and pepper, and a touch of cilantro and mint.

The cooking lessons will continue — check back for more recipe recommendations soon!