By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Most folks have the same reaction when I tell them lavender is one of my favorite things to cook with. “Lavender! You can’t eat lavender! That’s just for soap.” If that’s what you’re thinking too, you couldn’t be more wrong. No doubt, lavender is a popular ingredient for soaps and perfumes. [...]
FOOD WISE: A fiber-rich diet doesn’t have to taste bad
April 27, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN There’s nothing quite as interesting and invigorating as a good, in depth, conversation about dietary fiber. Yes, I said fiber, and I’m not just talking about that terrible, powder stuff you mix with a drink in hopes of avoiding or remedying one of those unmentionable problems, shall we say….sluggishness, we all [...]
FOOD WISE: Appetizers for Cinco de Mayo
April 22, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Recently, I was asked to do chef demos in one of the model homes at this year’s Tour of Homes. If you aren’t familiar with this event, each year area home builders use this weekend to showcase the finest examples of their workmanship and the homes they offer. All the tricks [...]
FOOD WISE: How to throw a wedding in a week
April 12, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Ain’t love grand? A few weeks ago, I met a couple named David and Danielle, who are just the cutest! They are young, in love and made for each other. Like many young couples just starting out these days, money is pretty tight. So even though they were engaged and wanting [...]
FOOD WISE: Decorate your own specialty cake
April 6, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Here’s the problem with being a chef…you never get to just be a guest at any party where food will be served. Family, friends, people who pretend to be your friends, they all need some free help when it’s time to party. It’s both a compliment and a curse. A [...]
FOOD WISE: Eggs-cellent choice for springtime meal
April 1, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Spring has sprung, the birds are singing, the trees are turning green, and a chef’s thoughts turns to….eggs. Well, what do you egg-spect? (get it?) It is the Passover/Easter season, and it’s as if my chickens know it, or maybe they just know warmer days are coming. The production of those [...]
FOOD WISE: Try Moussaka for a taste of Greek Isles
March 22, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN I’m in desperate need of a vacation. I’m sure you can relate. Between the job, the housework, running mom’s taxi service, helping kids with homework and breaking up their fights, my most hated chore – grocery shopping, and don’t even get me started on tax season….I’m ready for a break! Let’s [...]
FOOD WISE: Translating ‘highfalutin’ chef language
March 9, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN Ever start to make a dish and realize the recipe is written in what seems to be some strange foreign language? Oh, it looks like English, or American, as we say in my family but it just doesn’t make sense. It reads something like this. Lobster En Papillote (What is a [...]
FOOD WISE: Simple ideas for last-minute entertaining
March 3, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN How do I get myself in these predicaments? Somehow, last week, I ended up hosting three different social events back-to-back. I suppose I was excited about having people over to the new house. I know better than to schedule so many things in one week. When I was in real estate, [...]
FOOD WISE: Try France for a romantic dinner
February 25, 2013 By
By CHEF RENEE MORGAN What a happy coincidence that Valentine’s Day should fall during the very week I’d decided to “visit” France on my year long culinary journey. Wink! Wink! Adorable hubby started it all. You see, John and I don’t go out to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We used to, but one year I finally [...]
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