Spanako-Quesadillas (Spinach Pie Quesadillas)

 There are times when a quick lunch or dinner is a must but that doesn’t necessarily mean takeout or fast food needs to creep into our diet. The other night, I was all tapped out and as the kids had enjoyed a heavier lunch I wanted to make a rather light and quick dinner. Knowing that I had some spinach and some flour tortillas on hand, I thought, “Why not make some spinach quesadillas?” I wasn’t originally thinking I’d go with a Greek flavor profile, but the container of Feta was calling out to me much more emphatically than the block of

Cranberry Mavrodaphne Clafoutis

I’ve always wanted to make clafoutis but for some very, very odd reason haven’t. I’m not sure why … these little desserts are really quite simple and so versatile. A complement to any and all seasonal fruit, they are the perfect ending to a savory dinner or a sweet and simple addition to a friendly brunch. Cranberries, fresh or dried, embody (at least for me) the spirit of fall. They’re tart flavor and deep red hue just scream autumn. Simmered in wine and scented with cinnamon, they made the perfect base for these buttery clafoutis. The

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions over Polenta

It’s been a while since I participated in the Leftover Queen’s Royal Foodie Joust, but I’m back this month with an entry using each of the three chosen ingredients (orange colored squash/pumpkin; black tinted stout; sugar) and lots of Fall flair. A heartwarming, soul-satisfying dish fit for Autumn is what I was going for here. So I took some flavorful butternut squash, soaked it in dark beer, coated it in brown sugar then browned it in some butter and roasted it with a bit of the beer til tender. Onions caramelized with the remaining beer joined the

Ricotta Pancakes with Fig Compote

This weekend we picked the last of the figs off of our fig trees and it’s safe to say we’re all “figged” out. Since early September we’ve been blessed with literally hundreds of sweet purple-fleshed figs and I’ve made everything from a Greek fig spoon sweet; to roasted figs stuffed with Gorgonzola and wrapped in prosciutto; to a cinnamon-spiced fig jam; to two large batches of vanilla-scented fig compote. Not to mention that we ate dozens of these little fruits as is. On Sunday morning, I opened my fridge to see a half full (some