White Bean and Rosemary Soup with Kale Chips

Spring time snow calls for tasty and bone warming soup. Even if it means freezing your fingers off to gather the ingredients. Alright not my fingers, but my loving husband's.

It was 5:45am and I needed to get this soup rolling before I left for work. "Chriiiiiiiiiiiis?!  Can you help me with something?"  He's getting used to the helpless plea from the kitchen.  Accept he knows that call usually involves a kitchen fire, or going outside for something.

Double Chocolate Espresso Cookies

It has taken me a little while to "release this recipe" because I had to get permission to share an Italian family's secret restaurant recipe with the world.  Wouldn't want the Mafia coming after me.  So for the record, "the daughter gave me the go ahead!"  I'm just the messenger.  And these cookies are just too good NOT to deliver.  It's like the chocolate gospel and I've become the preacher.

Fennel and Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate and Blood Orange

I find that it's important to cook with color in the winter months. It keeps me hopeful for Spring. Drab days call for exciting food.

And who really likes to eat salad in the winter? It's not exactly my "go to" lunch come late February. But throw some mint and cilantro in there, fabulous fennel and seasonal citrus... now there's a salad!

The picture in Bon Appetit of this salad is what won me over. I loved the pomegranate with the herbs. But with a few blood oranges on hand, I thought I would take matters into my hands.