Winter is here and that means it is time to cook up some comfort! With a polar vortex looming around New England this week, pulled pork and herby biscuits are calling our name.  This slow cooked, bone-in pork butt is loaded with flavor thanks to a tasty rub and a bottle of our good friend Sam Adams.  Did I mention, prep time is under 5 minutes???  Let your slow cooker do the finessing for the next 8 hours and enjoy the benefits.  Our Herby Olivio Biscuits are beautifully flak

Whether you are staying close to the fire this New Year’s Eve or planning your next Game Day Menu, this heritage dish speaks Winter Comfort all the way.  This is an early New England dish with a name the kids will love to say.  “Come on Kids!  Get your Rinktum Ditty!” I mean, I love it already:) Traditionally made with butter, we modified the recipe to use Olivio and goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil.  No one ever said comfort couldn’t be healthy too, right?  Think Grilled

Eggs Benedict is synonymous with “Today is Special”!  It is always my birthday breakfast of choice and what I lean to on the big holidays and special occasions.  No surprise, it is on the menu this Christmas Morning (along with my favorite Stickiest Brioche Pecan Rolls)!  But this year, in the interest of closing out 2014 on a note of good heart health, the decadent Hollandaise has been made with Olivio Buttery Spread and the goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil.  Imagine, sla

Citrus is such a wonderful flavor to celebrate during the winter months.  I call this cake Fleur de l’Orange because of the layers of orange flavor.  The orange juice and Cointreau are forefront and the zest and Olivio Extra Virgin Olive Oil add fragrance, spice and a story.  I chose to use extra virgin olive oil because I like the subtle grassy note that makes me think of an orange tree when paired with the zest and Cointreau.  Olivio Olive Oil is the secret to this uber moi

AJ’s Mom is pulling out all the stops this year for Thanksgiving.  As she is a master of the bird and the sides, I thought this year I would mix things up and bring some breakfast treats to keep us going as we baste and braise.  This Apricot Nut Bread was one of my Great Grandmother Muddy’s stand-bys from Dallas, Texas.  I love discovering a forgotten family favorite and cleaning it up with modern ingredients.  For example, the original recipe calls for shortening.  Olivio Bu

Candy Apples are a favorite treat for us this time time of year.  While these Candy Apple “Nachos” are still finger lickin’ good, we have taken some of the commitment out of biting into a whole apple by serving these as wedges with all of you favorite fixings.  We made Olivio’s Salted Caramel for a healthy twist on this typically indulgent sweet treat and the kids had fun sprinkling healthy toppings like toasted coconut, roasted pecans, oats, flax seeds and raisins on top.  T

Part savory custard,  part polenta, think of this as “Soufflé Americana”.  Delicious and hearty, the corn meal is wonderful staple of the season.  The chives and buttermilk brighten this nostalgic side and the goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil in the Olivio Buttery Spread keep your heart health in mind.  Now that is something to be thankful for:) Spoon this bread directly from the baker to your plate for a delicious Thanksgiving side that will belly up beautifully to your t

Note: “Compound” does not mean “complicated”.  Infact, these delicious additions to your Holiday spread are anything but… Easy and packed with flavor and the goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil, we made our Holiday assortment of compound butters this year using Olivio Buttery Spread.  Whip with a variety of herbs, fruits and spices, reshape  into logs using waxed paper and chill until firm enough to slice. Sweet or savory, these festive spreads make a fabulous side that brigh

We love having friends and neighbors back to our place to warm up after a chilly night of Trick or Treating in the neighborhood.  These Spookalicious Wings make for the perfect casual snack that will certainly please the kid in all of us.  Sweet, sour and packed with a little heat, these are made with the goodness of Mediterranean Olive Oil using Olivio’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Olivio Buttery Spread.  As a Mom, I love seeing the kiddos get some delicious protein even on a

There is something so warm about gifting a loaf of bread.  For the holidays, we constantly have Pumpkin Bread batter in the mixer and loaves in the oven.  This recipe comes from a long time family friend, Ilsa from Bainbridge Island.  A gracious entertainer and wonderful cook, Ilsa’s recipe will yield enough for you and three for “them.”  This batter keeps well in the fridge, too.  If you are like me and want to take full advantage of your little ones “nap time”, mix up this

We celebrated Max’s 1st birthday in the heart of October with this quintessential fall dish!  Creamy mascarpone polenta warms INGREDIENTS: Serves 4 For the Pork Chops~ 4 boneless Pork Chops, sliced 1″-1 1/2″ thick 2 tsp Kosher Salt 1/2 tsp cracked pepper 2 Tbs Olivio Pure Olive Oil 3 Tbs Olivio Original Buttery Spread or Olivio Spreadable Butter 4 sprigs Thyme 2 Tbs Apple Cider Vinegar 2 cups Apple Cider For the Mascarpone Polenta~ 4 cups 1% Milk 1 cup Corn Meal 2 tsp Kosher

If a donut and a muffin had a baby… DUFFIN: noun, a breakfast treat (or any time you need a pick-me-up snack) made with the ingredients and flavor of a donut, prepared with the technique of a muffin; fabulous and better for you! Baked, not fried and basted with Olivio and cinnamon sugar, these Mulled Cider Duffins satisfy any Leaf Peepers craving 🙂  Mini muffin trays make the perfect mold for these “Duffin Holes”.  The batter comes together quickly.  Make the night before an

This hearty salad is a nod to fall, from here in New England to travels along the Mediterranean.  The creamy butternut squash is roasted with aromatic cumin, sweet paprika and the goodness of Olivio’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil then tossed with hearty lentils, refreshing mint and an earthy goat cheese which balances out the exotic.  Toasted almonds add the perfect crunch and a splash of red wine vinegar brings everything together over a bed of spicy arugula.  Grab a hunk of home-

AJ shook up this rockin’ Mojito at the peak of summer last year.  At the time, I was 28 weeks pregnant. (By omitting the rum, this drink makes a fantastic MOCK-tail that certainly delighted this Baby Mama!)  Back by popular demand, and with rum in-tow this summer, we are ready to toast the sun, the beach, dining al fresco and our little boy Max! Magic Wand Fruit Kabobs Tip: Use cookie cutters to cut the watermelon into fun shapes! I had an event last weekend making “Magic Wan

On Set with Brian Dunn, Corporate Development Chef of Roche Brothers at Gordon’s Fine Wine and Liquor ‘Tis the season for big family dinners and holiday entertaining!  Are  you hosting this year?  If you are looking for some last minute inspiration for your holiday meals, check out the Master Your Holiday Meals web cooking series that Brian Dunn, Corporate Development Chef at Roche Bros and I put together with 5 home cooks across Massachusetts!  Roche Brothers supplied beauti

I’m 34 weeks pregnant and love the extra 300+/day calories the pregnancy books all agree I should be consuming!  It’s September in New England and peaches are ready for  pickin’.  This Peach Cake is a dense and moist homage to the dog days.   The majority of the peaches are roasted off in the oven with lemon zest and granulated sugar to capture the sweet and heady intensity of this nostalgic stone fruit.  The roasted peaches are tossed with panko or amaretti cookie crumbs bef

AJ and I are expecting a baby boy this October! Last weekend my Mom and best friend Katie threw me an adorable  Baby Shower.  Love was pouring out of the details- from the hand cut Onesie Picks for the Appetizers to the blue and white trimmed flower vases and seasonal New England menu. My mom even traveled with a bassinet that she wove when she was pregnant with me in California 30 summers ago from Seattle to Boston that held center stage on a beautiful stand that AJ built.  

This past Spring, AJ and I took our dream trip to Italy!  We  literally ate our way across Rome, Positano and Abruzzo.   Among our culinary adventures was a 7 day 7 night all inclusive culinary program with Leonardo de Flaviis at Abruzzo 1.  Leonardo has since become a wonderful friend and AJ and I daily reminisce over the hundreds of special moments, dishes and recipes we collected along our adventure.   As I convert from grams to cups in order to share on Brave Apron, I tho

AJ and I are lovin’ our morning smoothies.  This Blueberry Avocado Smoothie has become another one of our regular favorites.  I can’t wait to pick and freeze my own berries this summer!  The avocado adds a beautiful creamy texture and the mint makes this a refreshing *spa~like*  way to start the day:)  Surely summer will be here soon! INGREDIENTS: (yields 1x 12 oz smoothie) 1 cup organic blueberries, frozen (packed with antioxidants, reduce belly fat, urinary tract health, vi

AJ and I had were honored to be invited up on the Main Stage as presenters at the International Restaurant and Food Service Show of New York at Javits Convention Center last weekend.  We had a blast doing what we love to do best together… cooking and dishing about MasterChef:)  With over 18,000 attendees and food and product vendors as far as the eye could see, we made some amazing connections for the Blog and Catering Business.  Have you tried Sir Kennsington Spiced Ketchup