Menu

This is a sampling of the many dishes available from my Chef's Choice menu. E-mail me for a complete copy of the current menu, and feel free to request meals that aren't listed here. Do you have a special recipe that you would like me to cook? Just ask!

Mexican-Inspired Cuisine

• Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
  Pinto beans, black beans and cheese wrapped in your choice of flour or corn tortillas, with a piquant, savory red sauce. See if you can identify all 14 spices used in this dish!
• Spinach Enchiladas
  Tender spinach sautéed with garlic and spices and wrapped in your choice of flour or corn tortillas, with cheese and salsa.
• Tamale Pie with Corn, Tomatoes and Cheese
  a layered casserole with beans, corn, tomatoes and polenta, topped with cheddar and jack cheese.

Italian-Inspired Cuisine

• Brown Rice Croquettes with Pesto Dipping Sauce
  Delectable nuggets of brown rice, vegetables, garlic, and fresh basil covered with bread crumbs, served with homemade pesto.
• Pizza
  Homemade, hand-rolled crust; toppings include Pesto, Traditional Cheese, Vegan, Multicolored Peppers and Garlic, Veggie, or Design your own.

Indian-Inspired Cuisine

• Winter Vegetable Curry Over Cous-Cous
  Buttery-soft carrots, potatoes and cauliflower are simmered with garbanzo beans, green peas and tomatoes, in a delicate curry sauce seasoned with ginger, cinnamon and garlic. Served over cous-cous (white or whole-wheat) with raita (yogurt-cucumber salad).
• Spicy Chickpeas with Coconut Basmati Rice and Red Lentils
  Chickpeas are slow-cooked with cumin, coriander, parsley, garlic, ginger, onions and fresh tomatoes, served over brown basmati rice and red lentils seasoned with coconut milk, cinnamon and chile.
• Pink Lentil Dal
  A smooth puree of pink lentils with cumin, cayenne, and Garam Masala, served with rice and vegetables.

Asian-Inspired Cuisine

• Tofu and Broccoli With Peanut Sauce
  Crisp broccoli and sautéed tofu with a creamy, slightly spicy peanut sauce.
• Nori Rolls
  Nori seaweed wrapped around your choice of fillings: white or brown rice, cucumber, baked tofu, carrot, avocado, scallion, sesame seeds, and tamari roasted almonds.
• Korean Pancakes with Soy Dipping Sauce
  A substantial dinner pancake made with glutinous rice flour, filled with brown rice, grated carrots, scallions, and tofu. A great meal for novice tofu eaters.

Main Dishes

• Portobella "Boeuf" Bourgogne
  A remake of a classic, with meaty chunks of portobella mushrooms simmered in a red wine sauce, served over bow tie noodles with a green salad.
• Shepherd's Pie
  A classic casserole of broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, greens, tomatoes and basil, topped with mashed potatoes and served with your choice of a green salad or in-season vegetable.
• Potato Carrot Kugel
  A kugel is a pudding, and this one is a satisfyingly hearty departure from the traditional sweet noodle version. Served with your choice of in-season green vegetable.
• Green Lentils with Marinara Sauce
  Tiny lentils simmered in white wine, with tomatoes and bay leaf, served over long grain rice with a green salad
• North African Cous-cous Paella
  A rainbow-colored melange of bell peppers, five-spice tofu, green peas and cous-cous, flavored with garlic and toasted almonds.
• Caribbean Black Beans
  A sophisticated bean dish flavored with garlic, ginger, thyme, and orange, served over rice with a green salad.
• Red Lentil Loaf
  A savory loaf made with lentils, oats and carrots, flavored with garlic and sage. Served with tomato sauce and your choice of in-season green vegetable (leftovers make great sandwiches!).

Main Dish Salads and Cold Entrees

• Orient Express Pasta Salad
  An exotic combination of whole wheat pasta, arame seaweed, sliced carrots and peas, with a light Sesame Dressing.
• Orzo and Lentil Salad
  This salad invokes the flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, with tiny pasta, green lentils, diced plum tomatoes, golden raisins, Feta cheese and spinach, seasoned with almonds, olive oil, parsley and cinnamon.
• Avocado, Black Bean and Corn Salad
  A hearty salad with creamy avocados, bell peppers, beans and corn, seasoned with lemon and cumin and a dash of red pepper.
• Greek Pasta Salad
  Tubular pasta, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and Kalamata olives are lightly dressed with olive oil and oregano.
• Middle Eastern Sampler
  Hummus, Roasted Eggplant Spread and Tabouli, served with pita bread.

Pasta (All pasta dishes are served with a green salad)

• Penne with Kale and Tomato Sauce
  A hearty, homemade sauce of tomatoes, garlic, and fresh sautéed kale, served over semolina or whole wheat penne.
• Linguine with Basil-Pine Nut Pesto
  This is my mom's recipe for pesto: fresh basil, pignolias, minced garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and parmesan cheese (if you like). This perfect-for-summer sauce is served over linguine, and tastes great hot or cold.
• Pasta with Mediterranean Tomato Sauce
  Sometimes simple is best: ripe tomatoes are sautéed with diced onions, garlic, olive oil, and a dash of red pepper, and then simmered to perfection and seasoned with a dash of black pepper.
• Mama Ruth's Lasagna
  Growing up, I ate this on almost every Thanksgiving. Who could miss turkey after a bite of this lasagna, with its traditional Italian tomato sauce, long noodles, and mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan cheeses?

Main Dish Soups and Stews

• Red, Gold, Black and Green Chili
  For better health, some nutritionists recommend that you fill your plate with a "rainbow" of colors. You get everything in this gorgeous dish: red kidney beans, golden corn, black beans, green peppers, juicy tomatoes, and a dash of red hot pepper for zing. Served over your choice of grain and in-season vegetable.
• Grandma's Split Pea Soup
  My grandma used to bring frozen quarts of this soup on the airplane with her when she came to visit, so that when she arrived her grandchildren could argue over who got the biggest bowl. (It's true--we all loved it!) Split peas are blended with tiny carrots, celery, whole peas and yellow corn, with alphabets for name-spelling practice. Served with crusty bread and your choice of a green salad or in-season vegetable.
• Ethiopian Yellow Lentil Stew
  A delicately spicy lentil soup with ginger and jalepeno pepper, served with rice and your choice of in-season vegetable.

Sandwiches (All sandwiches include toppings that are stored separately in the refrigerator)

• Feta Spinach Mini Pizzas
  These "pizzas" are really pita breads topped with spinach, scallions, dill, tomatoes, feta and ricotta cheeses, a dash of black pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, served with a green salad.
• Baked Tofu Sandwiches
  Thinly-sliced, slightly-spicy tofu, pickles, avocado and crisp lettuce on whole-grain bread, served with chips (my husband's favorite!).
• Beet Burgers
  Don't be put off by their name! These are actually the "meatiest" burger I've tasted, with tofu, gluten and whole grains, and the beets give them color. Served on white or whole wheat burger buns, with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard (and chips, of course).
• Indian Curried Potato Wraps
  Creamy curried potatoes are spiked with green peas and wrapped inside flour tortillas. Pop leftovers in the microwave for a quick hot lunch. Served with a green salad.

Holiday and Special Occasion Meals and Appetizers (All entrees on the regular menu can be made for a crowd)

• Torta Rustica
  A truly splendid creation: flaky crust surrounds a rainbow of layered vegetables and cheeses including cremini mushrooms, roasted red peppers, garlicky spinach, gruyere, and parmesan. Served with a green salad, you have a holiday meal fit for royalty.
• Quiche
  Whether they're filled with mushrooms, spinach, onions, tomatoes, leeks, broccoli, or just cheese, quiches are well-loved by almost everyone. Ask for your favorites.
• Grandma Lily's Noodle Kugel
  Golden egg noodles baked with eggs, milk, butter, and a dash of orange juice.
• Middle Eastern Platter
  Hummus, Roasted Eggplant Spread, Mujadarah (lentils, rice and fried onions) and Tabouli, served with pita bread.