Leeks, Gruyère Cheese and Walnuts Mini Bakes

Leeks are among my favorite vegetables, and are now at their best; fresh, plump and juicy. So obviously, I found myself buying some and then had to decide how to cook them. While I could use one of my former the recipes (check THIS PAGE), but this time, I’ve decided to use them as a base for mini-bakes.

Turkey Burgers with Halloumi Cheese and Herbs

If you follow this blog for a while, you know by now that I hardly ever use store bought ground meat, and always prefer to grind it a home. However, as fresh turkey legs/thighs were not available for the turkey burgers I’ve had in mind, I went with the next best option: ground dark turkey meat from a local farm.

Orange, Ricotta and Cardamom Cake

As the days are getting shorter, and citrus fruits rapidly replacing summer fruits at the stores, I felt it’s time for a comforting orange flavored cake, and the result was the following quick and easy “all in one bowl” cake.

Eggplant, Mushrooms and Cheeses Bake

Both mushrooms and eggplants have unique texture and mild flavor, that blends beautifully with cheeses. In the dish here, I decided to combine both in one bake, and the result was just what I was hoping for:

Filo Bake with Spinach, Mint and Cheeses

This tasty dish was inspired by the two others: the Greek Spanakopita, (layers of filo brushed with oil, with greens with Feta cheese filling), and the Bulgarian Banitsa dish (in which the filo sheets are rolled with feta, yogurt and eggs mixture).

A Few Dishes with Dandelion Greens

Dandelion is known mostly as a seasonal plant, of which all its parts have been used in cooking and traditional medicine from ancient times. To many who are unfamiliar with the plant, the greens are many times considered an invasive weed in fields and gardens, but they are in fact edible and highly nutritious. As I’m not a gardener myself, nor a forager of wild greens, I’ve never tried them, until I recently found them at the store, and decided to buy a bunch.

Rosemary and Parmesan Savory Freezer Cookies

I make my Blue cheese, Rosemary and Pecan crackers often. However, this time, I wanted to create a different version of it, of thicker savory cookies, that can also work as a base for canapés.

Egg Noodles Bake with Mushrooms and Cheeses

This tasty and aromatic bake is the easiest way to serve pasta to a large party. It is based on the  East-European Jewish “Kugel” dish, that is more known in its sweet version.

Goat Cheese Mousse with Grapes

One of my favorite ways of relaxed entertaining is serving cheese platter, or baked cheeses, with stewed fruits, nuts and more (check THIS recipe for an example).
However, as the days get warmer, this option becomes a bit too heavy for the weather. So, my solution is to switch to lighter cheeses, and serve them with fresh summer fruits.

Vegetables Loaded Tuna Salad and Open Face Tuna Melt

Tuna salad is too often a boring and heavy blend of canned tuna, mixed with too much mayonnaise, a bit of celery and not much else.
The version I have for you here is tastier and healthier:

Baked Brie with Quince in Spiced Red Wine

Baked Brie is a festive and easy to make dish. The warmed, creamy cheese is served with crackers, fruit and nuts, and the combination of salty, sweet and creamy flavors is irresistible.