Fried Calamari with Pickled Red Fresno Chili Peppers

Fried calamari is such a classic dish, and I find that most people only think about it when out at a traditional Italian restaurant. But once you see how easy it is to make at home, you’ll probably start to cook it a lot more often.

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Bay Scallops with Sweet Orange Glaze & Bok Choy

Once I tried Glory Kitchen’s Provence nut and spice mix for the first time, I was hooked. So much flavor is packed into one little perfectly sized container. The Provence blend contains cashews, dried currants, flax seeds, onion and an intriguing blend of herbs (thyme, marjoram, basil and savory) with just a touch of sea salt to bring out the other flavors.

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Root Vegetable Chips with Rosemary Salt

I have always been a huge fan of homemade chips. They’re rustic, earthy, and of course have a wonderfully fresh taste compared to store bought options. They’re the perfect appetizer or snack to make for a crowd. People are impressed when the chips aren’t just dumped out of a bag, but instead cooked to perfection in your very own kitchen. Instead of using the ole potato, I wanted to mix it up with some of my favorite, incredibly tasty root vegetables.

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Crab & Salmon Stuffed Mushrooms

Celebrations call for appetizers that are festive and fun for guests to enjoy, and these mushrooms are exactly that! I had made this recipe for New Years Day, but because of all of the festivities, I am a little late on posting them. So, even though the holidays are over, it doesn’t mean you still can’t whip these up for all your 2015 gatherings to come.

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Steamed Mussels in Spicy Tomato-Wine Broth with Crusty Garlic Bread

In traditional Italian fashion, my family would make the Feast of the Seven Fishes every Christmas Eve. Over the years, the tradition has changed. We now tend to serve steak and pasta, with only a few of our seafood specialties. Mussels are always a big hit, so this year I am making sure they end up on our holiday table!

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Holiday Appetizer Spread

The time has come to start thinking about what we’ll be eating on Christmas. Since my family has our traditional dinners we make for both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I decided to put all my festive energy into the appetizers. I’ve created a huge appetizer spread that is full of little treats for everyone to enjoy.

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Grilled Peaches with Fresh Mozzarella & Prosciutto

A fun appetizer for the summertime: grilled peaches with fresh mozzarella & prosciutto. Drizzled with a thyme-infused marsala syrup. It’s sweet, savory, and bursting with juicy flavor.

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Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes with Chipotle Lemon Mayo

My family and I love to make crab cakes for a Sunday appetizer or for special occasions. Over the years, I have tested and tweaked many different versions of this classic dish, finally ending up with a recipe that we will make from now on.

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