I’m a huge fan of seafood, and for some reason I’ve been craving a good piece of orange roughy. So, when I happened to run through the market after leaving work a little early yesterday, I found my orange roughy, which Eddie (my fish monger) told me was brought in that afternoon. I snapped up two fillets and did my best to replicate a cheesy, breaded version that seemed to be haunting me.

The best part about whitefish – it can be so easy to cook and picks up a lot …

I love that we have a pasta maker in our house, it’s probably what sealed the deal on my marriage (ok, maybe there are a few other wonderful things my wife brings to the table). I hate that we never take the time to use it. But, when you have access to really good, ready to go pastas (as we always seem to), it’s hard not to opt for speed. And since last night, I didn’t get home until about 7, speed it was!

This was great pre-made ravioli. They’re really …

This morning, I was really hungry as I was rushing out the door. And since I had leftover Kaiser Rolls from Greek Buffalo Burgers, I opted to make something that would satisfy my hunger pang that was portable and required no cooking – An Antipasto Sandwich.

I already know what you’re thinking … Antipasto? For Breakfast? I’ve said before that I’m secretly Canadian, but I think my love for cured meats and non-traditional breakfast foods makes me so much more Europian, Mexican or Jamaican. When Vita and I were honeymooning, I …

Being sick really sucks my friends. Unfortunately, I’ve been continually coughing for my fourth straight week and it has seriously cut into my willingness to cook and work on original recipes. Pair that with the holiday weekend and you have a near week with no recipes. This is certainly not the way I wanted to kick this thing off.

At any rate, I’m starting to feel a bit better and am working on a bunch of recipes to cook throughout September as it gets cooler here in the Mitten state (yes, …

Antipasto means “before the meal” and is the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Fortunately and unfortunately, I often can make Antipasto a full meal if I’m going for something lite on the palate.

Traditional antipasto includes cured meats, marinated vegetables, olives, pepperoni (marinated small peppers, not to be confused with the sausage, pepperoni), and various cheeses, such as provolone or fresh mozzarella. I always toss a little extra virgin olive oil over mine and have gotten in the habit of really indulging in it over the cured meats.
I’ll …

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m pining for end of summer and all her bombs of flavor. So, as I wrote yesterday’s post I was already racking my brain as to what to prepare for dinner (Vita and I didn’t quite have the time to meal plan this week due to an office reorganization project that took precedent).

I wanted to make something for my wife that would tickle all the vegetarian atoms left floating around in her body, while playing off my current passion for summer tomatoes. So, with my brain …

It became incredibly apparent to me last night as I was walking the dog … the stiff breeze raising goose bumps along my arms and a sun hanging ominously low at 8 p.m. Summer is coming to an end.
I take a little joy in knowing that fall (my favorite time of year) is just around the corner, but am admittedly a little sad to know that warm days lounging in polo shirts (and the best tasting tomatoes of the year!) are almost behind us here in Michigan.
To celebrate the ending …

Whenever my wife is on call at the hospital, I usually use it as an opportunity to eat things that are either:
a.) Incredibly bad for my health
b.) Very meaty and delicious
c.) Very strong in flavor
d.) All of the above
While the aforementioned call was in effect last night, I went against my cravings for a Benito’s Pizza and opted to cook myself something from category “c,” a Spicy Penne Pasta Puttanesca.

The beautiful thing about this dish is that you can make it at any time of the year because it’s made …

My wife comes from a Sicilian family, so needless to say, her palate for Italian flavors is well developed. That being said, as snobby as she can be about Italian food, I’ve always wanted to prepare something traditionally Italian for her – and to execute it well.
I’m happy to report that last night, I hit a home run with an adaptation of Gourmet’s version of Chicken Marsala.

Let’s do it.
Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups chicken broth (14 fl oz)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 1/2 …

I had dinner with my wife and a good chunk of my extended family at Piccirilli Ristorante in Shelby Twp. on Sunday following a baptism. My wife comes from a large Sicilian family, so their taste in Italian food and restaurants is usually pretty much spot on. For the most part, Sunday was no exception.
Antipasto (Starter): Antipasto Piccirilli
The antipasto was very, very good and featured fresh Mozzarella in a very light olive oil surrounded by Capicolla ham, Genoa salami, fresh Prosciutto, smoked Provolone and pickled pearl onions and vegetables.

It was …