Blog - Artful Dishes

Blueberry Cheesecake Crostada

This Blueberry Cheesecake Crostada is a perfect mash-up of a cheesecake and a blueberry pie. It’s the best of both worlds with a classic cheesecake filling topped with fresh blueberries all encased in a crispy, rustic (premade!) pie crust. This is the perfect time of year for a blueberry dessert! The next time you see some good looking blueberries, or go berry picking, you have to try this blueberry cheesecake crostada. A crostada is just a flat pie, not made in a tin, but in a rustic shape on a baking sheet. The blueberries are tossed with a little sugar and lemon, the cheesecake filling is sweet… Read More

Red Curry Beef Pot Roast

If you love pot roast and you love curry, you’re going to really love red curry beef pot roast! It’s the perfect mash-up of a classic pot roast and the flavors of Thai red curry. Don’t tell anyone but there’s a secret ingredient too. (It’s cashew butter!) Red Curry Beef Pot Roast: If you love pot roast, but need a new twist on the classic recipe, then this red curry beef pot roast is for you! Think about the best parts of a pot roast, like the browned, super tender beef and veggies slowly cooking in a rich broth in the oven. Now add flavorful ingredients… Read More

How to Make White Rice

Rice is a quick and easy (gluten free!) side dish that goes with almost any meal. White rice takes only 15 minutes to cook, so it’s perfect for nights when your meal planning has deserted you. You don’t need a fancy rice cooker either! Just a saucepan and a stove. How to Make White Rice: I always have the best of intentions as far as meal planning goes. But inevitably, there’s a night where I have no ideas for dinner. You know, the nights where making dinner seems like a chore. On those nights I usually start by making some rice, and then opening… Read More

How to Use Fresh Ginger

Fresh ginger root can look like an intimidating ingredient when you see the gnarly, coral reef looking pieces in a basket at the store. It’s actually really easy to cook with and gives an amazing flavor to lots of Asian and Indian inspired dishes, baked goods and even drinks! It’s bright, super flavorful, and gives a kick of spiciness that is completely different from chili peppers. Not burn your mouth heat, but a warming, pleasant heat. Peeling the skin off the ginger root is the first step. I find that using a spoon is the easiest way to do this…. Read More

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsamic vinaigrette is a classic for a reason. It’s sweet, tart, and complex! It also goes with almost every kind of salad, and even on fruits like strawberries, or drizzled over grilled chicken. I like to add a little honey, Dijon mustard and minced shallot to the basic dressing ingredients. Not only do they add flavor, but they also help keep the dressing from separating as it stands. The nice thing about making a vinaigrette dressing yourself is that you can easily change the additions and proportions to suit your own tastes. If you don’t like Dijon, leave it out. If you… Read More

Simple Quinoa Side Salad

Simple to make, but complex in flavor and full of protein, this simple quinoa side salad will become your go-to recipe for leftover quinoa. It’s the perfect addition to your dinner, or a filling, healthy lunch! This simple quinoa side salad is a tasty and healthy addition to any meal. Savory spinach and peppery arugula make up the base of the salad. Top it with craisins for sweetness, sunflower seeds for crunch, shallot for a little bite, and chewy quinoa for a flavorful, and filling dish! I like to serve this salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette. The Ingredients: This side salad… Read More

Mango Lemonade Popsicles

If you or your kids like lemonade and sour candies, these are the popsicles for you! Lemonade, mango and lime create that sweet and sour taste that’s hard to resist. I found a lemonade that is a little more tart because it has real lemon juice in it, but use whatever kind of lemonade you like. Added to the lemonade are a can of mango nectar and a little fresh lime juice, that’s it! These popsicles are easy, refreshing, tart and tasty! Once I have everything mixed together, I use my favorite popsicle molds. These are the ones that I also use for Watermelon Lime Pops… Read More

Cast Iron Chicken with Smokey Spice Rub

Cast Iron Chicken with Smokey Spice Rub is your next Sunday dinner favorite. You’ll love the smokey, garlicy, lemony flavors! This Cast Iron Chicken with Smokey Spice Rub is a perfect recipe to add to your Sunday dinner rotation. The chicken is brined so it stays incredibly moist during cooking, then it’s rubbed with a smokey, garlicy, lemony spice rub mix that you are going to love. After the chicken is browned in a cast iron pan on the stovetop, you’ll pop it in the oven to finish cooking. I like to serve it with extra lemon wedges on a bed of… Read More