Recipes

My aunt was married to a Sicilian-American and it was from her that I learned most of my Italian food recipes. She, in turn, learned from her mother-in-law, Inez Valenti, otherwise known to all of us as Nana. She wasn’t my grandmother but I always felt like she was and I never called her by

Looking for a satisfying sweet treat but don’t want the calories that come with it? Try this dessert that has only 268 calories per serving and is very satisfying. It’s another recipe I developed for my daughter’s fitness group. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: For the Cake: 1 Box moist chocolate pudding-in-the cake mix 1 Can

  This was one of my favorite dishes when I visited Delhi, India. When I was back in the states, I searched and tried different recipes but the one I found that most resembled what I had in India was from Madhur Jaffrey, a writer and cookbook author from Delhi. This is her recipe and

  I had never had Mexican food until I was 21 years old and was stationed in San Antonio as a newly inducted airman in the United States Air Force. It was there that I met my wife, who is Mexican-American, and learned the scrumptious cuisine called Tex-Mex from my mother-in-law. Tex-Mex is a fusion

LIGHT, EASY & DELICIOUS This is another light meal that I developed for my daughter’s fitness students. It’s easy and delicious. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: For the Fish: 4 (4 to 5 oz.) tilapia filets 2 Tbsp butter at room temperature Zest from one lime Salt & Pepper to taste Paprika for finishing For the

I’ve been missing New Orleans and their incredible food. Here’s my version of Shrimp Creole. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: The Stock: 3 Tbsp olive oil Shells and Heads from 2 pounds of shrimp (no problem if you purchased shrimp with no heads) 1 Cup chopped onion 3/4 Cup chopped carrots 2 Celery ribs chopped 1

Mangoes are in season. Even if you are not a mango lover, I think you will like this dessert. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: Mango filling: 5 Cups of mangoes cut into 1 inch chunks 1/2 Tsp cinnamon 1 Cup sugar 2 Tbsp butter 2 Tsp lemon juice 2 Tsp vanilla extract 3 Tbsp cold water

  I love this marinade for chicken. I’ve also used it for pork ribs. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: 1/2 Cup roughly chopped garlic 2 Tbsp kosher salt 1/2 Cup olive oil 1/2 Tbsp dry oregano 1 Tsp Cajun seasoning 1 Tsp smoked paprika (if you like your chicken on the spicy side, use hot paprika)

A few years back, when I was a fundraiser for a chapter of a national charity, one of my volunteers was a woman from Italy. She was part of Houston’s elite society and a very warm and generous lady. We had a meeting at her home with the then President and CEO of Continental Airlines

This is an easy salad that presents beautifully and great as your salad course for company. When used with my recipe for lemon garlic vinaigrette, each salad is only 150 calories. MISE EN PLACE INGREDIENTS: 4 Cups spring mix salad 4 Plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded 2 Yellow pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into