Cooking and Chef Recipes

The divas love a grill master who plays with his food – and this cheesy version of classic chicken cordon bleu is the creation of our pal Bobby who’s king of the ‘cue in his back yard. His secret ingredient: a tease of whiskey to notch up the flavors.  

Serve on crusty bread with a slice of fresh tomato, lettuce and a dollop of mayo or a good ol’ Southern side of macaroni salad and a slice of dill pickle. Don’t forget the sweet tea. Or a cold brewsky.   

What begins as an ordinary tale of when ‘tater-met-onion soup receives a plot-thickening twist from artichoke hearts and a heady dollop of mascarpone cheese.

Intensely rich, this triple cream dessert cheese is best known for its role in tiramisù, yet it also adds a creamy decadence to pastas, soups or as a spread for crackers or crostini. Sold in teensy tubs, mascarpone cheese is available in most supermarkets in the gourmet cheese aisle.

Try this souper-quick bisque when you’re craving comfort on the fly. With just six ingredients and a single pot for hubby to wash, your soulful bowlful is ready to spoon in just 20 minutes.

Diva pals, you know how important it is to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. Not to be indelicate, but we certainly knows what happens when we do not. Black beans contain up to 6 grams of fiber in a mere half cup, and pantry-perfect canned varieties make it easy to, um, keep things running smoothly.

Need we say more? Go for booty and brains: serve this savory side with roast pork, piccadillo or fish. Or, shake your booty center stage with whole-grain tortillas, chopped fresh herbs, avocado, tomato, and goat cheese. High in protein and fiber, here’s to your health. Bottoms up!

Time to sharpen that knife, girlfriends. Just a bit of chopping therapy creates this melodious meltdown of intense, smoky flavors that bottled curry powder cannot produce. So pour a glass of wine and resign yourself to the simple pleasures of domesticity (diva style, of course).

This dish is fabulous paired with a tsatziki (cucumber-yogurt salad) and a slather of feisty tomato chutney.  Fold it all into Indian naan, the East Indian white-flour flatbread and go culinary day-tripping across the globe.

The divas escaped the sticky summer heat with a quickie getaway to chilly upstate New York, where we were beguiled by the charming William Henry Miller Inn in Ithaca, N.Y.  Innkeepers Lynette and David spent hours in the kitchen dreaming up the most luscious summertime treats starring gorgeous fruits and veggies.

Just to prove that every dessert does not need chocolate, give this simple treat a try. It’s a lusty taste of summertime when the warm plum encounters the sweet, creamy cheese.  A divine moment for ladies who brunch.

Who doesn’t love a makeover? The outmoded transformed before our very eyes, a veritable miracle of “ick” becoming “it.” Well, we’re here to say it can happen on your plate. Sloppy Joe, tried, true and loved by all, is trimming down with lean ground chicken and dressing for fall with lot of pantry-friendly veggies. Stock your shelves with fire-roasted red bell peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives and sun-dried tomatoes. Keep a variety of nuts in the fridge or freezer and a grownup cheese or two.
 Just in time for the frenzied, overscheduled daze of school, we’ve fashioned the Messy Mediterranean. Defy weeknight dinner doldrums and pump up nutrition, all in a single, glorious pot. Serve on toasted baguette topped crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. (Mom or Dad may even wish to indulge with a delicious glass of vino tinto.) To chaos!

We’ve all gone crazy for sliders. The forbidden bliss of a juicy burger in miniature—the diet transgression equivalent to a mere white lie or some innocent flirting. And perhaps even more alluring is our obsession to dress them every which way but plain.
This week, we’re slip-slidin’ on the Pacific Rim. Punching up petite patties of lean ground turkey with off-the-shelf teriyaki sauce, scallions, grilled pineapple and a kicky mayo spiked with wasabi paste. Serve with oven-baked sweet potato fries and your favorite tropical drink, muumuu optional.

It’s a salsa, it’s a salad—or a maybe even a side. Black beans, mango and smoky chipotle chilies create a colorful confetti begging either tortilla chips or a spoon, we certainly don’t care which. Spoon this lusty concoction over grilled fish, atop fajitas or toss together a double batch for your next potluck.

Make it your own by substituting whatever fresh fruits and herbs look best to you. Try peaches, nectarines or pineapple; mint or sweet basil can stand in for the fresh cilantro.

It’s peachy keen when we find our favorite summertime fruit in abundance, but what happens when the divas overdo it at the weekly farmers’ market?

Our gal pal from South Carolina (“where peach is king!” says she) sent us gobs of recipes from the “Old 96 District Peach Off,” which inspired us to come up with our own easy, gooey jam.  

This isn’t about canning and preserving dozens of jars – but a sweet way to appreciate the taste of summer each morning on a crisp muffin or thick slice of whole-grain toast. Or just savor on a spoon right out of the jar. 

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy with this bowl of big shrimp, sweet crab, peppery watercress, a zing of fresh red onion and a backbeat of  basil and mint. 

The dressing plays along, a simple harmony of lemon juice and olive oil hitting just the right notes. And for a little hot fun in the summertime, the divas amp up the chili peppers for a slow burn.