How do you make simple foods sensational? Great presentation creates a sense of excitement and expectation, creating balance and contrast without overwhelming the food.

Combine color, texture, shape, simplicity and height.   Crispy, crunchy, creamy– combine these elements for exciting texture. Add it with Dole Salads, fruits and vegetables.

Make sure the garnish “belongs” to the dish, like a sprig of rosemary on lamb or lemon slices on fish.

Think of the plate as picture frame and present food artfully inside it.  Don’t overcrowd – try to leave some empty spaces.

As a rule of thumb, the more complicated the dish, the simpler the garnish.

These elements come together to make even a humble  cheeseburger a work of art.

Baby Mushroom Bacon Cheese Burgers with Field Greens
Prep: 20 min.
Cook: 10 min.
Makes: 12 servings

1-1/4 pounds ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 small (silver dollar size) soft buns, cut in half, toasted
Mayonnaise to taste
3/4 cup DOLE® Field Greens [Read more →]

“May your home always be too small to hold all your friends”

Mini Ruebens in Rye Cups
From Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends
Makes 12

The Rye Cups are so simple- they’re really just a variation on crostini- but they look like they took real effort. You can use [Read more →]

How do you take a favorite party food and turn it into a nutritional powerhouse? By adding superfoods. Superfoods are certain fruits and vegetables that are super-rich in nutrients with proven targeted health benefits. Here’s a perfect example. Everybody loves baked brie. Fill it with Dole Baby Spinach dressed with a little balsamic vinegar and strawberry preserves. Add dried blueberries and walnuts and top it with sliced strawberries. Serve it with crusty slices of bread and you’ve got something your guests will feel good about eating. Dole Spinach is an immunity superfood and  a good source of iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Blueberries and Strawberries are superfoods for your brain. Eating good food is a pure pleasure. Eating good food that’s good for you too? Now that’s a beautiful bonus and you’ll discover that little changes can have a big impact. You can find all kinds of healthy tips and salad inspiration at Dole.com/salads

Baked Stuffed Brie

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 6 min. Makes: 6 servings [Read more →]

Here are the recipe I prepared on HomeWorx with Gary Sullivan. The Rosemary Roast Beef Crostini is from my book, Amy’s Table: Food for Family and Friends. The second is made with brie and fig spread, items right off the shelf at The Party Source. I think it’s important to keep things like great cheeses and spreads on hand to pull together quick and easy appetizers.

Rosemary Roast Beef Crostini
Makes about 20 pieces

This is a favorite of our cooking school students at EQ at The Party Source. If you’re looking for an alternative to blue cheese, try a horseradish sauce. [Read more →]

Yum, yum Bumble Bee! I received so many awesome recipes, it was hard to choose! In the end, Michael Schiaparelli’s Gourmet Italian-Style Tuna Melt won the $250 cash prize. Check out the recipes from the other finalists, too! Thanks for entering!

Gourmet, Italian-Style Tuna Melt
by Michael Schiaparelli

Ingredients
2 (5-ounce) cans Bumble Bee ‘Prime Fillet’ Solid Light Tuna packed in Olive Oil
1 small shallot, finely minced [Read more →]

I’m having so much fun with the wine dinners at EQ that are leading up to my California Wine Country trip! Tonight I’m preparing a menu that is being  paired  with MacMurray Ranch wines (one of the premier Pinot Noir producers in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley) by wine expert Matt Preston. Here’s the menu:

Tapas Trio
Spinach and Orange Salad with Pine Nuts
Oven Roasted Honey Mustard Salmon
Wild Mushroom and Potato Gratin
Frangelico Bread Pudding with Shaved Chocolate and Toasted Hazelnuts

The dinner is sold out, but you can still come on the trip. For more information, click here.

You say potato I say potah-to and there are a lot of potatoes out there. What’s the right potato for the job?

Russet or Idaho potatoes are the ones with rough brown skin and lots of eyes. They’re a low moisture high starch potato and that makes them great for baking and frying. You’ll also see round white or round red potatoes. Aside from the color of their skin, they’re nearly identical. They have waxy flesh and a lower starch content so they’re great for boiling or in dishes where you want the potato to hold its shape, like potato salad or scalloped potatoes. And then there’s Yukon Gold which has a moist texture and makes a great mashed potato. New potatoes are just that – new. I love to cook them whole, either boiled or pan-roasted.
Whichever one you choose, select potatoes that are firm and unblemished. Steer clear of potatoes that are shriveled, with sprouts or cracks. Sometimes you’ll see a green tinge just under the skin of the potato- it’s bitter and you should peel that away with a vegetable peeler. Potatoes should be stored in a cool dark place for up to 2 weeks. I’ve got some great potato recipes to share, like Baked Potato Wedges, Quick and Easy Hash Browns, Twice Baked Potato Casserole and Corn and Potato Soup. You can find these recipes and more at Crisco.com

Baked Potato Wedges

Quick and Easy Hash Browns

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Corn and Potato Soup

Today I’m making some of my favorite tapas for Jeff and Jenn on Q102 and Tonya O’Rourke on WCPO.

Warm Rosemary Olives
Makes 3 cups
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Make ahead: The olives can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; warm gently before serving.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Zest from 1 small lemon
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
3 cups mixed oil- and brine-cured olives

In a medium saucepan, combine the oil with the lemon zest, rosemary and garlic and cook over moderate heat until [Read more →]

What are the chances of one of my favorite foodies  having a tuna recipe on her blog while I’m running a Bumble Bee Tuna recipe contest? Mmmm I love the sound of this “Poor Man’s Sushi” recipe from author Pam Anderson! Click here for the recipe

Listen to the interview.

Who doesn’t love wings? Over 90 million Buffalo wings are served and eaten during the Super Bowl alone. Chef Kevin Roberts has appeared on the Food Network, The Today Show and CBS The Early Show and he’s sharing his tips and tricks for the ultimate Big Game Party. Kevin is an expert when it comes to tailgating. Last year, he cooked his famous chili LIVE from the Super Bowl with Al Roker and he owns 3 sports bars where he’s famous for his wings. This year, Kevin will be in Miami for the Super Bowl’s premier food & wine event called “Taste of the NFL” where he’ll be dishing out the “Official Buffalo Wings of Taste of the NFL” For  Kevin’s tailgating ideas and recipes, visit www.franksredhot.com