Recipes

Day 3, meet my blueberry-mango antioxidant smoothie. This is a more classic fruit smoothie packed with antioxidants. We already know the power of the mighty blueberry, but the addition of mango and coconut milk takes this fruit smoothie to a new level. With a subtle tropical essence, this fruit-forward smoothie is a great go-to any […]

For my 2nd post of Smoothie Week, I developed this tasty and satisfying Fall-focused, pear-oat almond smoothie. Even though it is not quite Fall, I am a bit obsessed with this smoothie right now. This is a great, go-to breakfast smoothie that is smooth, filling, and loaded with nutritional value. No time for a hot […]

The end of Summer is approaching, Fall is almost here, and back-to-school time is at hand for many families. After a long summer filled with indulgences, it’s to get “back on track“.  With that in mind, I am declaring this week “Smoothie Week” on Simmer + Sauce. This week, I’ll be posting a new easy, […]

I’ve always wanted to enjoy sake. I have tried it warm and cold, over the years, but never loved it. Friends always said, “Drink the really good stuff and you will love it.” They were wrong. Straight-up sake always struck me as too medicinal. For me, hard alcohol is always tricky.  Even when it’s the […]

Unless you’ve traveled to Peru, chances are you have never tasted chicha morada. I have Erik Burmeister to thank for introducing me to this delicious Peruvian specialty. Chicha morada is a non-alcoholic Peruvian beverage made from purple corn called “maiz morado“.  “Chicha” is common in South and Central America–it is a fermented (alcoholic) or non-fermented […]

My thoughts on pies are no secret: I’m not a huge cooked fruit person, I say this yet I still enjoy a pie on occasion, especially a good one.  This year, I decided to play around with an easy pie-like type of dessert—fruit hand pies or as my older son calls them, “personal pies”.  I […]

Nothing says summer to me like chilled soup. As I mentioned in a post last year, my family lives on gazpacho. I make my quick gazpacho year-round, as it is a family go-to even when the weather turns California cold.  In the summer, I make double batches. Any time of year, it is a wonderful, healthy go-to snack […]

I don’t typically crave jam. But in the summer, with delicious ripe fruit and berries, it’s more appealing. Right before traveling to Europe, our entire apricot tree ripened at once. Totally serious, the whole tree! I made some coconut-apricot bars using my raspberry-coconut oatmeal bar recipe if you check out my Instagram feed you will see […]

I have been struggling to get a post up the last several days. I lost a close friend recently and although I had been mentally preparing for this for years, it hit me substantially harder than I anticipated. Loss sucks. But today I woke up thinking about my friend and all the many good memories. […]

I love Fridays in the summer, and I also love cocktails. To me, nothing says summer like lemonade. Sweet deliciousness. Raspberries are also a sign of warm weather and are glorious right now. In celebration of the carefree summer months I love, I developed this fun raspberry vodka lemonade cooler with fresh summer berries. Sweet yet […]

I have always loved lamb kofta but, surprisingly, I have not made it very often until recently.  A trip to Iceland put lamb back on my radar–one of my sons, who does not eat fish, ate lamb almost every night while we were there. When we returned, I started looking for ways to add more […]

Changemaker Series: Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. As a chef, food blogger, and mom, food is important to me. Food is something we all need, and for many of us, good food is readily available. But this is not the case for everyone, even in an area like Silicon Valley. […]

A frozen Grand Marnier soufflé is a thoroughly elegant dessert.  It is also one of the tastiest. Some say it’s similar to ice cream. But not in my book. Frozen soufflés are rich and heavenly. They are light but luxurious. Back in my restaurant days, I made them almost daily.   Regular diners loved them, […]

I don’t believe I had ever heard of agua fresca until I came to California. Popular in both Mexico and the United States, “agua fresca” is Spanish for “cool water” and is just that–a cool, water-based drink with various flavor combinations. You can blend fruits, cereals, flowers, or seeds with sugar and water and serve […]

My sheet pan chicken recipe was well received, so I am adding another easy sheet pan meal to my recipe arsenal.  I love shrimp, including shrimp ceviche.  To me, shrimp is a neutral shellfish.  You can do almost anything with shrimp, provided you don’t overcook them.  They are also a quick-meal option, which I love. Three out of […]