Greek Macaroni and Cheese

I served this delicious Greek style mac & cheese with feta cheese and olives with jalapeño and Cheddar scones for an especially cheesy meal. Soon it will be time to go vegan for a few days to cleanse myself of all of these rich dinners! Spring can't come soon enough.

Black Mustard Seed Rice (Kadugu Sadam)

This is a spicy rice dish and it paired well with a spicy lentil rasam. It has been a while since I have shared a spiced up grain dish in this space, but better late than never. Grains such as rice, millet and quinoa really never need embellishments, apart from some butter and tamari perhaps, but it is always just fine to experiment. The birds are chirping. I think spring is finally here. What a delight to get out for some walks after this long winter of global freezing.

Light and Creamy Ricotta Pancakes

Ricotta cheese lends delicious warmth and creaminess to make these pancakes a perfect way to greet a cool early spring morning. Light and fluffy besides, a thorough and patient beating of the egg whites with an electric hand mixer is essential … I still can't quite believe that I used to beat egg whites by hand with a whisk, but it is good exercise for the arm.

Chickpea Salad with Goat Cheese, Olives and Arugula

As warmer weather is finally upon us here in London, Ontario, I decided to make a salad rather than a soup. I do enjoy soup year round, but I wanted to celebrate the sunny weather with a Mediterranean style dish. Easy to prepare, but packed full of flavor, this salad will be on the menu again for sure. I do recommend you use top quality olives and goat cheese. Feta could be used instead of goat cheese if desired, though I rather enjoyed the creamy texture of the goat cheese.

Jalapeño Cheddar Scones

Biscuits and scones are a big favorite in my household and I am always on the lookout for new ideas. Regular readers will know I like some spice in my life and so I immediately bookmarked this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I have so many bookmarked recipes and cookbooks and never can seem to keep up, but I am certainly glad I baked up these little delights. I served these delicious scones with a cheesy Greek mac and cheese dish.

Late Night Peanut Butter and Vanilla Ice Cream Treat

I admit I did not make my own ice cream, but this was an inspired late night creation that turned out even better than I expected.

Drop a spoonful each of natural peanut butter and raw honey over a couple of scoops of real vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, and top with a drop or two of real vanilla extract and a scattering of your favorite variety of granola.

On the top of the reading stack: Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan

Audio Accompaniment: Arc of Passion by Steve Roach

Urad Dal with Tomatoes, Spices and Coconut

This soupy, yet creamy curry is very easy to digest and was inspired from 660 Curries, a favored book that I always browse through when I am looking for a simple, but tasty meal solution. As I have noted before, this cookbook is not vegetarian, but there are tons of creative vegetarian recipes, including ideas for appetizers, spice blends, egg curries, vegetables, legumes, rice and breads. Since I have been eating a lot of dishes with cheese lately, I wanted a vegan meal to cleanse the soul. Serve with basmati rice or Indian flat bread for a complete and satisfying dinner.

Ricotta Dumplings with Best-Ever Mushroom Sauce

These not-quite-traditional dumplings made with ricotta and Parmesan cheese are creamy, filling, and just plain comfort food. Top them off with a batch of my "best-ever mushrooms sauce" — which is always better than I remember — and you've got a delicious dinner that is an improvement on tradition, as far as I'm concerned! I really could eat the sauce just all on its own, but the dumplings are a serious update — dare I say improvement — on tradition. I have served this sauce with plenty of foods, including scalloped potatoes, black-eyed pea and quinoa croquettes and fresh pasta. It is one of my favorite staple sauces and a big hit with everyone who has tried it.

Chickpeas and Paneer in a Spicy Creamy Cashew Gravy

If the winter blues are getting you down, this creamy chickpea and paneer dishis certain to cheer you up. The only positive thing I can say about the snow is that it gives me a chance to get some exercise with all of the shoveling that needs to be done lately. I am especially eager for spring this year. Let the global warming begin!

Massaman Curry with Paneer Cheese

In the mood for Thai flavors, I simmered up a hot and sour mushroom soup. To go along with the meal, I also prepared this massaman curry with golden brown fried paneer cheese and a fresh and spicy homemade massaman curry paste. I spent many hours in the kitchen that day, as I also made my own nam prik pow sauce to go into the mushroom soup. It was certainly worth the effort and the meal was enjoyed with friends.