Recipes by Erin Berdan

Delicious and nutritious chewy granola bars by Erin Berdan

I love to make homemade crunchy granola, but it's not really a food that travels well. As we prepared to go away for the weekend, I decided to give homemade granola bars a try. The good thing about homemade granola or granola bars is that you can fill them with whatever you like. Choose your favorite fruits, seeds and nuts; experiment…

Turkey and artichoke stuffed shells by Erin Berdan

I first tried this recipe from Giada DeLaurentiis's Everyday pasta a couple of years ago and it makes a reappearance in my kitchen once or twice a year. It's a great use of ground turkey and the recipe makes a ton especially for my two-person household. If you're like me, make it in 3 smaller baking dishes, putting about 12-16 shells…

Olive and goat cheese tart by Erin Berdan

Lately I've been seeing a lot of fabulous recipes on other blogs - I've been bookmarking them like mad and have actually found time to try a few. The ingredients in this one should leave no guesses as to why I decided to give it a try: olives, goat cheese and rosemary. Need I say more?? Oh and it's also from Todd English. Several…

Authentic Greek chicken souvlaki by Erin Berdan

The second dish on my Greek menu is chicken souvlaki. With a simple four ingredients, this chicken is full of flavor, especially when served with homemade tzatziki. It wasn't in Greece that I fell in love with chicken souvlaki, but rather at Pithari Taverna in Highland Park, NJ. Grilled to perfection, it's juicy and flavorful - and I…

Angel hair pasta with chicken, white wine and garlic by Erin Berdan

Quick and easy pasta with arugula and Romano cheese by Erin Berdan

Last weekend found us driving from NJ to MA and back in a day and then headed to Albany overnight on Sunday, so Saturday was all about getting things done. (And having time to go shopping with mom for baby clothes! Priorities!!!) So dinner needed to be quick, but yummy...And who doesn't love a fast, easy, side dish that's packed with…

Little Italy Relish: Quick pick-me-up for grilled steak by Erin Berdan

One of the simplest dinners is grilled steak. It's quick and easy, but with a little extra effort it can seem like an elegant dinner. Paired with a nice side dish, a classic caesar salad, and some good red wine, it was a perfect Saturday night dinner. To add a little more flavor and flare to the meal, I made a fresh batch of Little…

Recipe from a friend: Artichoke Pie by Erin Berdan

Last week, I ended up having numerous work functions for people who were leaving the business or retiring. All of them centered around food (of course!) One of the best things about it was seeing friends and co-workers I don't see everyday. I got a chance to catch up with my friend Patty; she's a fellow foodie so we always have plenty…

Lobster salad with avocado, pesto and tomato vinaigrette by Erin Berdan

Lobster is one of those foods that makes any day feel like a special occasion. We're lucky enough to live in an area where we can get Maine lobsters any time of year, often for less per pound than the cost of deli meat. Usually I simply steam them and serve with drawn butter and corn on the cob. But I found a recipe for a lobster…

The Ultimate Rigatoni with Vodka Sauce by Erin Berdan

There seem to be as many variations of vodka sauce as there are Italian restaurants. Some are smooth; others have chunks of tomatoes. Some add peas and prociutto; others add sausage; still others add chicken or shrimp. The same goes for vodka sauce recipes, making it hard to choose one.With more than 100 cookbooks in my collection, I…