Appetizer Recipes

Roasted Chickpeas & Cauliflower with Spanish Olives & Chilies

September 25, 2011
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One of my favorite ways to dine is Tapas style, sampling a variety of small dishes of intensely flavorful food.  My tangy Roasted Chickpeas & Cauliflower with Spanish Olives & Chilis is a fabulous example of a Tapas style dish.  It combines the nutty flavors of roasted chickpeas, caramelized cauliflower and briny Spanish olives with a perfect [...]

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Succotash Bruschetta Recipe

August 4, 2011
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photo credit: Joe Rauzi Succotash Bruschetta: Roasted Tomato, Charred Corn, Lima Puree and Goat Cheese (Serves 4 to 6 as an Appetizer) 1 Bag                    Lima Beans-fresh or frozen, about 2 Cups 1/2 Pound         Bacon-sliced into thin strips, cooked, remove from drippings (reserve drippings) 1/4 Cup              Red Onion-chopped, plus extra for garnish 5 Cloves             Fresh Garlic-Chopped [...]

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Green Olive and Roasted Pepper Spread

April 14, 2011
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It’s been a crazy kind of month for me and between a new puppy ( Lucky Peluci -I promise to tell you all about him in my next post ) and a cold I was able to throw together a simple spread to put on my sandwich at lunch. Lots of green olives buzzed together [...]

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Rustic Paprika Potatoes Recipe

February 19, 2011
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My grandparents lived the simple hard peasant life. Woke up at the crack of dawn 7 days a week, worked the land till the sun went down and then tended to their family. Fed their animals and got a meal on the table for their kids. Simple meals of course, like bread and oil, polenta [...]

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Fried Pizza Dough

February 12, 2011
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Fried Pizza dough, Pizza Fritte or Placinta is what we ended up making for Friday’s dinner after a long walk from Santa Monica to Venice Beach. If you have never tried this before it might sound a little strange but I promise you it is one of the best street foods you will ever taste. [...]

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Grilled Shrimp Recipe

January 22, 2011
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It’s been warm enough on this side of the country to turn on the grill and fill the backyard with that barbecue smell. Most people go for burgers and steaks, for me it’s always been seafood. Salmon and shrimp, juicy, succulent prawns infused with garlicky flavor and wrapped in a light robe of smokiness and [...]

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Rustic Pizza Dough Recipe

January 13, 2011
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With a name like Florentina you would probably be willing to bet that I live La Bella Vita Under The Tuscan Sun and I can toss a pizza like no-body’s business. The truth is I do live La Bella Vita but under the California Sun and I can’t toss a pizza for the life of [...]

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Roasted Pepper and Chickpea Dip Recipe

December 2, 2010
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The Farmer’s market and the Whole Food’s store where I shop, burst with color this time of year, and it is all because of the gorgeous bell peppers display. They come in so many different colors, from green to yellow, to orange and purple, even a chocolate color ( which i would love if it only [...]

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Roasted Eggplant Dip Recipe or Salata de Vinete

November 17, 2010
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With all the bloggers busy busy working on yet another turkey recipe, I decided to give you an appetizer, because let’s be honest: you need to munch on something while you smell that turkey cooking in the oven. I don’t know many people that get excited about eggplants, including myself, unless I say eggplant dip. [...]

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Chive and Sour Cream Biscuit Recipe

November 12, 2010
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With less than two weeks away from Thanksgiving Day, I can’t help but wonder what your menu looks like… Besides the bird we all have a couple of special things we make, or someone else makes that we are really looking forward to this time of year. Is it grandma’s apple pie or mom’s sugar cookies [...]

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