Appetizer Archives - Lisa Samuel

My Favorite Kale Salad

It’s funny the food memories that imprint in your mind and never dim. I first had a version of this kale salad at Gjelina in August of 2011. My dear friend, McKenzie, and I were fresh out of our dietetic internship at Bastyr and we road tripped from San Francisco to Los Angeles with Elie, two years before Elie and I were married. It was one of those magical trips that could never be replicated. We were all at a place and time in our lives that necessitated a trip like this–a trip of friendship, filled with days on road, lots of singing and laughter and good food.

by Lisa Samuel April 11, 2018April 17, 2018.

When you visit the Old City of Jerusalem, walk through the entrance to the Muslim quarter and follow the sloped path through the spice vendors and past the shops selling trinkets and kitchenware, until you get to the end. Turn left, and there, on your right, you will find the best hummus in the world.

Tomato and Stone Fruit Salad

by Lisa Samuel September 27, 2017February 7, 2018.

I know everyone has moved on to pumpkins and fall sweaters, but our farmers market this past weekend still held tightly to the last lingering days of summer, with mountains of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and crates of stone fruit belying the shortening days. Deep purple plums will forever remind me of this summer, as we…

Neapolitan Pizza with Homemade Ricotta

by Lisa Samuel June 12, 2015January 31, 2019.

If you start the pizza dough right now, you could be eating this for dinner tonight. When I’m teaching classes, many people tell me they are afraid of making pizza dough at home. What is the worst thing that could happen? It might not be perfect the first time, but you’ll get better at it.…

Roasted Beet & Blood Orange Salad

by Lisa Samuel March 6, 2015January 31, 2019.

We were supposed to be leaving for Vietnam tomorrow, on a luxury biking tour with Butterfield & Robinson. Instead of packing today, I’m in Vancouver and getting ready to head back to St. Paul’s Hospital, where my father-in-law is there awaiting a procedure for a new heart valve. We’ve actually been in the hospital with…

Joyful, Thankful and Sausage Balls

by Lisa Samuel December 28, 2014January 31, 2019.

The end of this Christmas season and the beginning of a brand new year launches me into excessive self-reflection, leaving me equal parts joyful, thankful and sad. Joyfulness for the grace that Christmas brings and the boundless possibilities a new year holds. Thankfulness for the most amazing husband, for loving relationships, for the opportunity to…

Easy Entertaining & a Salad

by Lisa Samuel December 14, 2014January 31, 2019.

I almost didn’t write this post. The topic of easy holiday entertaining sounded trite to me, and maybe even a little pompous. Because really, holiday entertaining can be stressful. Especially if we start to compare ourselves to Pinterest boards and Instagram posts and beautiful blogs portraying perfectly set tables (or perfectly imperfectly set tables) and…

Grilled Summer Salad with Haloumi

by Lisa Samuel August 4, 2014January 31, 2019.

There are moments when I’m awed at how beautiful life with Elie has become. Last weekend, standing in my sunny kitchen listening to the sound of laughter surround me, I was filled with awe. The weekend held so many opportunities for thankfulness, reminding me to appreciate the simple pleasures that make life sweet. I went…

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

by Lisa Samuel June 30, 2014January 31, 2019.

I want to warn you that this post starts with sadness, in case you need to save this reading for another time. But, it ends with friendship and a recipe.

Pimiento Cheese & Spicy Sesame Wafers

by Lisa Samuel May 2, 2014February 19, 2018.

I don’t know why my childhood holds such vivid memories of pimiento cheese. Mom didn’t make it often, so I mostly indulged at church potlucks and in the homes of friend’s. Especially at Melanie and Missy’s. It seems like we always ended up in the kitchen at their house. Even at nine years old, I…