MARIANN MAIDA

PESTO RUSTICA:

2-3 bunches of fresh basil
1 small bunch of parsley
1 small bunch of mint
A small handful of dry [not olive-oil cured] sun dried tomatoes
2 cups of pine nuts
Add garlic to taste, olive oil and Parmesan


Roast pine nuts on medium heat in a large dry frying pan. Be sure to stir often. When they are fragrant and have a light-brown color, remove from the heat. It should only take a couple minutes. Let nuts cool on a plate. Combine all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.
Here’s my secret: roughly chop a handful of nasturtiums, use the rest for – garnish. It gives the pesto and nice, peppery taste.
I love to cook with my family or with my girlfriends of 40 years - we spend hours planning meals, tweaking recipes and shopping for food.
I love to cook comfort food. One of my favorite things to make is pesto- two years in a row Mrs. Ciany and I won first place at the Harvest Fair at the Bird Sanctuary. My relatives in Italy make it. They’re poor; don’t have food processors so everything is done by hand. One of the best meals I've ever had was a picnic on the beach - the food was simple, just lots of cheeses, olives, bread and vino. What makes food and meals special is the company and the memories they make.
Watching my granddaughter Luna eat has become another very special meal experience on its own. She is being raised a raw vegan and attacks those greens with pure joy.

............................................................................................................................................

JENNA DOYLE

CHICKEN PICATA:
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast (butterflied)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock or dry white wine
Lots of garlic
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brined capers
4 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 cup flour
Salt and pepper

2 tbsp. Parmesan

Mix flour, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Heat olive oil in a frying pan on a low heat. After rinsing chicken, thoroughly coat with flour mixture, then brown chicken and set aside. In the same pan add capers and garlic. Add lemon juice, chicken broth and butter. Allow to reduce by half. Serve chicken with the sauce poured over.
Get creative and add other veggies like mushrooms or peppers to sauce with the capers and allow to cook before adding broth.
......................................................................................................................................

My all-time favorite meal to prepare is chili. It’s one of the first things I learned how to cook. I love chili because there are so many different things to put in it. Sometimes I like to make it spicy, and sometimes I like to add mangoes, adding a little sweetness. It’s such a comfort food and it’s easy to share with friends. I love chili loaded with meat and cheese.
The best part of cooking it is getting to taste what you've created. I love to cook with Raph and friends. I love it so much when Raph cooks for me, he is a chef.
Love is a never ending excitement for something. With Raph, it’s when we can be in a room together, say nothing and be so comfortable just co existing. It’s a feeling that fills my chest and shoots into my brain, then feeling his embrace through my whole body. It is the best feeling I have ever felt.
I am not sure if I have a song I directly connect with love or the way love makes me feel. But when we were starting to get to know each other he made me the most delicious dinner. It was fresh scallops in a homemade red curry sauce served over brown rice with stir fried vegetables. After dinner we drank wine and listened to music. The song, “Brand New Start,” by Little Joy came on and I made him dance with me. Since then we have had a connection to that song and every time I think of that moment I can’t help but smile. Dancing has been special to us, its how we met.

SIMON MARNANE

SIMMON’S ENGLISH MUFFIN PIZZAS:

English muffins
Pizza sauce
Shredded cheese
Favorite toppings (pepperoni, bacon, veggies etc.)
Preheat oven to 425.

After halving the English muffins, start saucing. Mix it up, get creative, and try barbeque sauce or maybe Alfredo. Which ever you choose, be sure to really spread it around the muffin. Then spread with cheese. Top off with your desired pizza toppings. A tip for pepperoni or large items: cut down into smaller pieces. Of course that’s totally optional but I found it worked great to have a nice even distribution of toppings.Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges get crispy. Cool slightly before eating.

................................................................................................................

The one meal that really gets me going is English Muffin Pizzas!
It is a fun messy process for having an abundance of toppings available and a multitude of muffins to create.
The rippled valleys and crevasses to the interior of the muffin are filled with a rich and flavorful tomato sauce. Cheese is liberally spread over top while the oven pre-heats. Toppings are added and the tray is filled up. In the oven they go, and when the door closes, the oven light turns on. Sitting and waiting while salivating over the subjunctive, I watch as the cheese slowly boils up and over the toppings. A few pizzas’ sauce drops down and boil to a burning crisp upon the pans surface. The timer always takes too long and I always have to “just check” to be sure they aren’t burning. Then they are done, and for the sake of keeping this PG-13, I won’t get into the euphoric pleasure of biting into the sweetness of a pizza which was similar to... But what is Love? Love is what you make it. One is free to make that decision for themselves. Love for me is an unyielding connection to something other than oneself; one must learn to love in all myriad sorts of ways, every day. Love is not just about being loved, it’s more so about loving. It’s the thing that keeps you up at night and equally the thing that puts you to rest. It’s a tension.
Love is ageless, precarious, and unyielding affection.
Love is nothing you see here. Language is futile when it comes to love. You want to know what love is? Stop trying to explain it and be.
Now English Muffin Pizzas, THAT I can talk about!

JADE PHILLIPS

FAT LADY CHOWDA:

4 cups fresh clams
1 cup bacon, cut into small pieces
3 small onions, finely diced
3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
Black pepper, freshly ground
3 cups milk
Crumbled crackers, to serve

Shuck the clams or steam them open using a little white wine. Keep the juice. Slowly fry the bacon and onions until golden; transfer to a saucepan. Add the boiling water, potatoes and pepper and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add clams, wine, and milk. Bring to boil, cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 1 hour.

Before serving, reheat chowder. Ladle into bowls, and serve with crumble crackers over.

.............................................................................................................
Enjoying a meal with loved ones has significance that may not be readily recognized by our consciousness, but it is there, rooted perhaps in our very DNA; To dine together is to offer up whatever we have, to willingly set aside differences for even a few moments, and engage with one another. 
My best friend, Scarlett and I get together every week and have dinner together with our kids. We have been cooking together for so long, and the laughter and hilarity we share over a pot or a pan never ceases to take my breath away. 
As a child, I remember my grandparent’s tiny colonial home filled to capacity, smells and aromas torturing me, until the meal was served. Roasted beef, grilled lamb, pork roasts, sea food of every description would be served to a lucky group.
We invest so much of ourselves in the preparation of a meal. We create with our mind and palate, employing physical skills and devoting our full attention to the dish. We invest our mind, body and soul. The affection you feel for someone is reflected in the effort required to create a truly great meal. 
There a picnic I’ll never forget, my boyfriend thoughtfully packed all my favorites. That day; those flavors, the sounds and smells are all burned forever into my mind, and even when I’m 80 I’ll remember the zing of the cheese, or the sweetness of the berries in the fruit salad. I’ll remember the rotisserie chicken falling off the bone and the creaminess of the potato salad and how the chocolate torte melted in my mouth. 
More than anything food and sharing a meal with people is what says “Love.”

Food Blog Appreciation

The Pioneer Woman, I just discovered this one. The photos are just wonderful and she has photo step by step instructions as well as a condensed version.

Picky Cook, yet another food porn photo site. There are some really great recipes on here also, I tried the white chocolate raspberry scones and they were wonderful!

smitten kitchen, This one was sent to me from a friend who loves the pear and chocolate scones and the picture are amazing here too.

Well those are a few but I'm always interested in more. back to the rest of these recipes.

LISA KAY

WONDERFUL SPRINGELES:

1/2 tbsp. crushed anise seeds
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar


Lightly grease cookie sheets and sprinkle with anise seeds. Set aside until needed.Mix the flour and baking powder together in a bowl until well blended. Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat until light and frothy, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour mixture until thick dough forms.
Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Lightly sift confectioners’ sugar over the dough. Place springerle molds onto the dough and press so the design registers in the dough evenly. Remove the mold and use a knife to cut around each cookie. Place on prepared cookie sheets. Cover the cookies with a lightweight cotton cloth, and allow to dry at least 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
Bake in preheated oven 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are pale brown and set. Cool on a rack. Store in an airtight
container for up to a month with apples.
................................................................................................................................
An old co-worker of mine experienced a tragedy right before Thanksgiving one year. My best friend and I worked on a Thanksgiving dinner for my co-worker and her family, staying up until 2AM baking a turkey and pies. We delivered the meal to the burn ward at Legacy Emanuel the next day. This memory is one of my most cherished Thanksgiving memories.
Apparently, I am nostalgic for Thanksgiving. I can think of my first Thanksgiving not with my mom, my freshman year of college. I had an aunt who lives in town; she invited me to her Thanksgiving. Talk about a fish out of water, a frozen-food fed girl has dinner in the big city. I remember feeling alone and crying in the bathroom.
I am not sure I can define love. I know it has many different flavors--family, friendship, fraternity among others. Love stories in my life: my mom putting my hair in curlers the night before my college graduation, an old boyfriend kissing me on the forehead before leaving my life forever, buying gloves for a homeless man, and eating sandwiches after hiking to a secret swimming hole.
My grandfather is allergic to peanuts; my grandmother reads the label on every food item that enters their home.

My great grandmother would make us all springele, before we lost her in February at 96. A San Francisco native, she survived two Southern husbands. She loved Christmas, spinach dip, making cookies, and having everyone around one table.

SARAH SHOEN

MAGIC AND NO CHEESE:

1 Cup Peeled, Finely Chopped Potatoes

1/4 Cup Peeled, Finely Chopped Carrots

2 tbsp. shallots, peeled and chopped

1/3 Cup Raw Cashews

1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard

1/3 Cup Earth Balance Margarine

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp. cayenne

1 to 1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 º

Boil potatoes, shallots, onions and carrots in 2 cups of water, until they’re soft. Combine with earth balance, salt, pepper, garlic, cashews, cayenne, mustard, lemon juice, and one cup water in blender until smooth. Pour this magic sauce on top of your macaroni, along with breadcrumbs. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until its all crispy and yummy.

......................................................................................................................................

My mom is one of the best cooks ever, in the entire world, seriously. Above any other meal, I love when she makes me mashed potatoes. It is simple, easy, not very nutritional, but a meal. A big bowl of Mama’s Mashed Potatoes- butter, salt, and love.
What is love? Wow. Love is everything, as silly as that may sound.
Love is here and now and everything that has built up to opening my eyes this morning. Love picks us up when we are down, and is the only thing to turn too. It is the ultimate answer, truthfully, when you think about it. You’re sad - love yourself. You’re mad - love someone else. You’re happy - spread the love. You’re excited -share the love! Everything is always attached to love when you just let it in.
I know I feel it, I feel it whenever I think of my dad holding me close after falling on the cement. I feel it when I think of my Great Grandma’s hands. I feel it when I think of all those times my mom took care of me and when she’d make me Mama’s Mashed Potatoes for my birthday. I felt it a lot, thinking of my brother when he was fighting in Afghanistan. Love rushed in when fear filled my mind.
Love is watching your favorite movie over and over again. Love is getting caught in the rain at two in the morning after a night of karaoke. Love is serving pancakes to an absolute stranger. Love is caring for a child. Love is in the mirror. Love is in the heart. Love is in every smile on the street. Love is saying goodbye. Love is saying hello. Love, my dear, is everywhere.

LAUREN REIMER

PERFECT POT PIE:

1-2 sheets puff pastry dough
2 large chicken breasts, cooked and cubed 
1/3 cup salted butter
2/3-cup flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
2 cups pea and carrots, frozen work fine
1 egg
1 tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium heat. Add in flour, stirring until the consistency of peanut butter. Slowly add in milk and keep stirring. Add in the chicken stock, onion, and garlic. Use a whisk to break up any lumps. Turn the heat up to high till you reach a boiling.
Bring on the mashed potatoes, soggy green beans, barbecue sauce, and brisket, and this gal is happy.
When mixture thickened, turn the heat to low. Add in peas, carrots, and cooked chicken; stir well. Fill your pie dish with your filling; then cover with pastry dough. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tbsp. of water. With a brush, lightly coat the puff pastry with egg wash. Pop them in the oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

................................................................................................................................................

I LOVE cooking good ol’ comfort food.
I love to cook for the ones I love. Mainly because I’m still learning, and those who love me will always, at least, pretend to love what I make for them.
The time I cooked my first homemade chicken pot pie is a meal I’ll always remember. It was the very first time I’d ever felt like I’d really achieved something, in the kitchen. I made it for my boyfriend, a friend of his, and myself to share. By the end of dinner, I went to pack up the left overs for the next day, bur there was absolutely not a bit left to pack up. They ate the whole darn thing and were scraping the dish clean. I really felt like quite the little housewife at that dinner, and I will never forget it.
Love is a many-splendid thing. All you need is love. It may sound silly to most people, but the way he shows me he loves me is by letting me know that one day he will take care of me forever. That I can be a house wife and mother, and he will take all of the financial stress off of me. It doesn't make sense to most, but that’s how our relationship is and that’s what we both want from and for each other.

AIMEE INOUYE

ROASTED BEET SALAD: 
2 red beets, cubed
2 golden beets, cubed
1 leek, cut lengthwise, then into slices
2 parsnips, cubed
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dried Rosemary, Basil, Oregano, Salt & Pepper to taste
*Smaller cubes are better

Preheat the convection oven to 400˚F
Cut, cube and slice all your veggies and place it into a large mixing bowl. Then drizzle the veggies with olive oil, season with dried herbs, salt and pepper; toss together until lightly coated. Spread the veggies into a single layer in a foil-lined roasting pan.
Roast for 15-20 minutes or until tender and golden on the edges. Let cool, then place into a serving dish and it’s ready to be served warm! (It’s also great as a cold salad!)...................................................................................................................................

I like cooking ethnic foods and foods that remind me of home. I was exposed to a lot of different foods and ingredients since my parents attended culinary school and dabbled in the food industry. I enjoy cooking simple things like seasonal vegetables with fish or chicken. When I could still eat gluten, I loved making a roasted vegetable orzo salad with pesto and fresh mozzarella with balsamic vinegar and fresh basil. Another of my favorite was a homemade recipe --whole wheat pizza with roasted eggplant and goat cheese seasoned with curry. I have a lot of favorite dishes and I love cooking for everyone, my parents, my brother, my extended family and friends. I’m more than happy to cook for any of my loved ones.
Love is when you care for someone or something more than yourself. Love is when you want to see them happy and achieve everything that they desire, when you are willing to do what you can to help them. It is respect for them and their beliefs and accepting them for the people they are, and not for the people that you think they should be, accepting their flaws. My grandfather made sure that my grandma was always happy, no matter what was required of him. Whether he worked late nights to provide for her and the family, or doing something that he knew she would appreciate; He cooked dinner for the family without her having to ask. This was my first example of love.

CHRIS CASEY

SPICY TURKEY TOMATO SAUCE:1 onion, chopped
1/2 head of garlic, separated into cloves, trimmed, diced fine or crushed in a garlic press1 package of hot Italian turkey sausage, peeled
3-4 fresh tomatoes, chopped.
1 28-oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes.
2 tbsp. butter
Chopped fresh oregano and basil, about two tablespoons
OPTIONAL: finely diced habanero pepper. Add this with the onion in step 1. Wash your hands after slicing it!

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add the onion. Sauté for about five minutes until translucent. Add the garlic. Add the skinned sausage and break it apart with your spatula. Stir and fry for five minutes. Add the diced tomatoes. For each tomato, add a tablespoon of water as well. Add the can of tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about thirty to forty-five minutes, stirring occasionally. If you want it thicker, raise the heat toward the end.

.................................................................................................................................................

I like to cook for friend, and to see people appreciate what I’ve made. I like learning to make new dishes, or twists on old ones. I cook a lot of fusion food. I learned how to make pasta and risotto from scratch while living in Italy, I mix in the black beans and smoked peppers that I cooked with while living in Central California.
After Italy, I moved to Japan, risotto made its way into miso soup and bonito flakes instead of veggie or chicken broth. Every time I move somewhere I like to think of how I can mix what I used to eat with what I eat now. Also, the collection of syllables that sounds like “tu-much-gar-lick” has no meaning in my language.There’s a place I go to in Little Five Points, Atlanta, for Kimchee Quesadillas... absolutely divine. Love is being comfortable enough around someone to travel with them. Sharing the same spoon. Love is enjoying the moments when you do nothing with them, and also when you do something you've never done. Love is being comfortable enough to say that you really don’t want to do something, but promising to do it later, and have every intention of keeping that promise. Love is singing poorly in front of someone in private, which gives you the confidence to sing beautifully in public. It’s reading next to each other after a long day. It’s how you roll into her warm spot when she gets up in the middle of the night, keeping it warm until she gets back.

Sparks and Beginnings

So I love food, and I love people.
This is where I hope to share the food I love with people I love.

These are some videos I relate to food or love:

Kid President

My Brightest Diamond

Narayanan Krishnan