The Best Salsa Ever

This salsa is an absolute winner. It's great for parties served with low-fat tortilla chips (Trader Joe's) or as a topping for tacos.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble

One of the treasures of spring is having fresh rhubarb. The farmer's market didn't have a lot last week, but I could not pass up the gorgeous  ruby stalks of rhubarb. This week I bring you this crumble I adapted from a recipe found in Taste of Home's The Market Fresh Cookbook.

Hidden Veggie Spaghetti

My version of spaghetti sauce is absolutely packed to the brim with nutrients. All of the vegetables are pureed so that it's impossible for even the most picky eaters to identify individual veggie flavors. Note that this could easily be a vegetarian dish by substituting the ground turkey for diced mushrooms. To puree the vegetables, check out my Guide to Purees.

Three Cheese Eggplant Parmesan

I've never eaten an eggplant before this dish—I must say, it was pretty good, although the taste and texture took a little getting used to. This dish was even good microwaved the next day. I recommend serving this with a green salad.

Zucchini-Goat Cheese Frittata

Recently, I've had the urge to make a variety of vegetarian dishes. One is this recipe I found on the Whole Foods website. I've got to say, frittatas are amazing! And they're extremely easy! This recipe is so versatile, you could make one with breakfast meats and cheddar or a pizza-style one with mushrooms, olives, sausage, and mozzarella that would also be excellent. This dish does not have to be for breakfast only—it would make an excellent dinner with a salad on the side.

Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are my husband's favorite! Forget the enchilada mix that comes in the can (or the powdered form in a packet), there's nothing that tastes better than fresh. The cilantro adds the perfect bite of freshness in every mouthful.

Broccoli-Chicken Stir Fry with Orange Sauce

This is for those nights when you want Chinese take-out, but the place is closed. My chicken and broccoli stir fry comes with the lovely bonus of a tangy, sweet orange sauce.

Easter Dinner

On Easter I hosted a small dinner party for our friends. People wanted to eat, so the pictures aren't as good as usual. On the menu was Herb-Roasted Turkey, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Baked Asparagus, Fresh Cranberry Sauce, Cornbread Stuffing, and Sage Gravy.

Turkey Stroganoff

Believe it or not, I get those occasional cravings for Hamburger Helper. I think we've all gone through the Hamburger Helper phase, and some of us may still be there. Well, you can have the convenience of a one-pot-meal-in-a-box without all of the preservatives and extra fat.

Braised Beef Short Ribs in Barbeque Sauce

This past weekend my husband and I were shopping at Central Market and saw the most gorgeous package of beef short ribs. These brought back memories of the chunky, tomato-y barbeque short ribs my mom used to make in her dutch oven. By the way, a dutch oven is an oven-safe (no plastic or wood handles) pot with a lid. My favorites are made of cast iron with an enamel coating. Make sure to wash cast iron right away and dry it in the oven at a low temperature so as to not allow any rusting to occur.