AJ and I are detoxing!  As if there is any question, I love to eat:)  I’m not one to “diet”, I don’t like feeling deprived and, while no saint, I keep a balanced nutritious diet.   However, a couple weeks ago, I woke up groggy and realized the “moving parts” in our lives were starting to swallow me, leaving me fatigued, moody and *gasp* staring at a dull and pimpled complexion in the mirror. ACTION TIME:  The objective of our detox is to increase our energy, sleep more soundl

Hot olives, creamy goat cheese and a crisp panko crust?  Yes, I’m in love.  Go beyond the cheese board and crudite- think hot, toasty amuse bouche and give your guests an extra bite that says you were expecting them.   We all know the kitchen (no matter the size) is the favorite hang out in any house.   If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.  Stay a step ahead and have these sitting up on the kitchen island ready for guests arrival.  My favorite thing about these bites is that they

As they say in Reality TV,  if it didn’t air, it didn’t happen.  Well, now this really happened.   No doubt for dramatic effect, these ego-boosting clips had been left on the edit room floor.  Husband verses wife?  Game on.  While AJ’s Dirty Lobster earned a resounding “YES” from all three judges that aired triumphantly on Day 2 of the MasterChef Season 3 Premier, the final cut left me sweating and pleading- well, so it seemed:) Well, White Clam Pizza Lovers of the world, res

I love a rich, nutty granola.  The deep flavor of the antioxidant-rich Grade B Maple Syrup balanced by the earthy-ness of the walnuts, flax and wheat germ make this a special treat on top of greek yogurt.  I even keep a baggy of this in my glovebox for when I get tied up doing errands and my hunger starts to get the better of my good mood! A mason jar filled to the brim with this fibrous treat makes for an excellent hostess gift, too.   “Long weekend” at your friends ski cabi

Turkey Sage Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze This app is a shout out to the Queen Bird and her favorite Berry.  As AJ and I will be heading down to Connecticut to celebrate with the in-laws this year, we wanted to have a little get-together with some friends up in Boston.  Pavlov got it right…there is something about the flavors of the Thanksgiving spread that can help set a tone for a evening of gratitude and cheer.  Without having the time to commit to a full Turkey before we

Enter to win this MASTERCHEF apron! Winner will be chosen at random from Followers and will be contacted by email. Good luck! Brave Apron just turned 1!  What started as a “fire-side” project during 2011’s October Nor’easter has evolved into a blog platform that has received over 50,000 visitors from all across the world.   This past year has witnessed the simple pleasures of chocolate brownies on a Wednesday night and potluck dinners with friends, to the thrill and insanity

Autumn Macaron Trio: Pumpkin Pie with Maple Creme, Maple Sugar with Pumpkin Ganache, Cumin with Citrus and Anise Let’s face it, macarons are chic little buggers.  How can we even think of calories when something is this adorable and well dressed?  With a few basic tools and a little finesse, macarons are simple to execute.  Below is the my Basic Macaron Recipe.  The recipe provides a solid base structure to customize anyway you wish.  As foliage is near peak in Boston, I play

A crisp fall night, a cauldron of “Stone Soup“, al fresco dining family-style with neighbors and a play in the midst of the sunflowers, apple trees and hay bails… I must be dreaming. Fable Farm, Barnard, VT AJ and I own a small piece of land in the beautiful Town of Barnard, VT located in the Upper Valley Region of the Green Mountains.   This past year has been remarkable for Barnard and Windsor County, a year heavy with rebuilding after the catastrophe of Hurricane Irene. Th

Garden Pesto with Roasted Pignoli It’s the first week of August and basil is in abundance.  Not only is it thriving on our back patio, it has also arrived spilling over the top of our Farm Share from Siena Farms for the past 2 weeks.  That’s my queue to whip up some PESTO!  I first learned how to make pesto in Siena, Italy with a mortar and pestle.  This method is not for the faint of heart.  The benefit is that by using the muddling method, you are able to release the oils f

Lime Infused Watermelon with Minted Feta Guilty pleasure confession: I love to sit with an entire, chilled watermelon half on my lap and chow.  Give me a spoon and 15 minutes and there will be nothing but rind and one happy soul left over.  However, that’s when I’m alone, without a witness, as it looks like I am about 7 months pregnant after I finish.  Here is a refined twist on this summer staple.  A simple marinade of lime zest and juice, olive oil and sea salt bring out th

Braised Bluefish with Baby Bok Choy in Saffron Jus We received a whole Bluefish last week in our Cape Ann Fresh Catch CSF.  Bluefish is another great example of why buying whole fish really works to your advantage when it comes to quality and flavor.  One of the reasons why this delicious fish has a bad reputation for being gamey and fishy is that it has not been filleted properly.  Removal of the dark meat closest to the skin is key when ensuring a clean, rich flavor.   AJ h

Kohlrabi from Siena Farms in Sudbury, MA Kohlrabi is another new favorite of mine.  Based on appearance, when it arrived in my CSA box, it could have easily been confused with cabbage.  Instead, it reminds me of a cross between radish and potato.  This great textured vegetable is extremely versatile- whether you shave it raw for a salad, puree it for a beautiful side with meat or grate it for a latke alternative (as recommended by Ana Sortun at Oleana in Cambridge).  Last nig

Monday is Fish Day for the Rossi’s!  Every Monday between 4-6p we meet Fisherman Nick in Cambridge to grab the latest catch from Cape Ann Fresh Catch Community Supported Fishery (CSF).  The fish is literally fresh off the boat that morning and I love the pleasure of shaking hands with the guy who caught it.  If we aren’t catching our own, this is certainly the next best thing! What I also love about this is the surprise!  We are two weeks in and so far have had hake and pollo

Soft Shell Crab It’s soft shell crab season in Boston!  Soft Shell Crab is a Blue Crab that has recently molted its hard shell, making the entire crab delicious and edible.  The meat is tender, delicate and sweet.  When you find these little guys fresh and in season, there are 3 simple cleaning steps necessary to prepare them for the pan- removal of the lungs, face and rear. Tonight, we are having Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches.  We are going to keep it simple by dusting the crab

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza with Roquefort and Chive This is one of AJ’s and my favorite pizza combinations, inspired by Todd English’s Figs restaurant on Charles Street in Boston.  The fig paste is rich and sweet and is beautifully balanced with the earthy Roquefort and salty prosciutto which crisps nicely in the oven.  I like to garnish with chive after I’ve pulled the pizza from the oven so the texture stays intact and the flavor maintains spice and brightness.  My Mom’s 35 M

5 Minute Pie Crust This spring, I took an amazing pastry class out in LA from Pastry Chef, Clemence Gossett.  So while Pillsbury may have a place in my Thyme Lattice INGREDIENTS: yields 1 pie crust, top and bottom 355g all purpose flour, (I like King Arthur’s) 14g sugar 6g salt 325g butter, cold and diced into 3/4″cubes, (I like Land O’Lakes) 104g ice cold water PREPARATION: Combine the flour, sugar and salt in Cuisinart and pulse 10 times in 1 second intervals to incorporate

“A burning desire that has yet to be unleashed.”  Gordon Ramsay From Le Cordon Bleu in Cambridge, MA back in November, to a whirl wind pilgrimage to the Master Chef Warehouse in LA this past Spring, AJ and I are thrilled to share our love for each other and our passion for cooking with America.  This will certainly be something to “tell the kids” one day! #AnnaRossi #AnnaElizabethGreist #GrahamElliot #Anna #AJandAnna #masterchef #GordonRamsay #AnnaElizabeth #AJ #Competition #

Is it just me, or does everything taste more exciting when you eat or drink it from a jar?!  Here, the beloved trifle made its way into a glass packed with country charm – perfect for a treat on the porch at a low key *yet swank* gathering.  The best part is that the screw top lid makes chillin’ a synch! This trifle is 1/3 Sponge Cake (you can also use lady fingers, angel food cake, nilla wafers, amaretti cookies, etc if you do not feel like making a sponge cake from scratch)