Though the leaves on the tall oaks have thinned considerably, our window panes remain candy boxes of red, orange and gold. That time of year again. Halloween days away. When we shut off the outdoor spigots for fear of frost and burst pipes. And we've waited til the last possible minute to lug in the remains of the garden, the salvageable herbs that can be brought in for the winter and then taken back out again next spring!
What a thrill it is to invite these summer friends back inside! Fragrant, bountiful greenery at a time when the rest of nature is going into hibernation. We spray off mossy pots and turn them on end to lift our new housemates to sunny heights! Each morning they quiver with joy as I mist them all over. (Thanks for the suggestion Pamela!)
And I am beside myself… adding fresh mint to my honey tea, oregano to my egg salad sandwiches, sage browned butter over gnocchi (recipe coming soon)… It feels like Christmas to me! I suppose it's the sudden population of frangrant greenery that brings me back. A lovely prelude to the holidays!
Peppermint loves his new digs in the Dining Room!
Rosemary thinks her new room-mate, Peppermint, is kinda cute!
Oregano and Sage are particularly fond of their daily spray bottle mistings.
One happy family! (L to R) Rosemary #2 in the breakfast room alongside roomies Spearmint, Sage & Oregano!
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-10-26 16:17:062025-12-06 15:03:49Time for Herbs to Head Indoors for the Winter!
There comes a point in life when one realizes the value of a having a repetoire of sorts to fall back on… A favorite inspirational book. Classic riding boots that last a lifetime and look chic anywhere fall, winter & spring. A perfectly tailored black, silk dress… a ballerina bun. And recipes that can be made in advance and taste better reheated.
Company's Coming! Frittata Muffins are a mainstay of my repetoire.
I've been making them for years. Anytime I know I'll have friends or family for breakfast I bake up a batch of these, along with these Blueberry-Coconut Macadamia Muffins, and pop them both in the freezer for easy, delicous breakfasts my friends and family love. In fact, both recipes improve with reheating because the process crisps the outside slightly, providing a perfect contrast to the soft, steamy middles. I love serving both sweet and savory breakfast options, aromatic and fresh out of the oven in a mere 15 minutes!
Company's Coming! Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins are a fun little package of egg, smoked cheese, pancetta and linguine. Satisfying, yet small enough to stay light. Add fresh fruit, yogurt and coffee alongside, and you've got a delicious, stress-free breakfast you and your guests will love!
Recipe for Company's Coming Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins
(Makes 12 Muffins)
8 ounces fresh (refrigerated) linguine
7 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
6 ounces diced pancetta
5 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese diced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh, italian, flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Using kitchen shears, cut the fresh pasta into smaller, 3 inch pieces. Cook pasta in salted water, just until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite (as it will be cooking in the muffins as well.) Drain the pasta into a colander.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a standard sized 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray
Add the eggs, milk, cream, and mascarpone to a blender and blend until well combined. Pour the mixture to a large bowl. Add the cut pasta, pancetta, smoked mozzarella, grated Parmigiano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, Stir the ingredients to combine.
Using a small ladle, divide the mixture evenly into each of the 12 muffin cups filling to the top with the pasta and liquid. It’s a little messy filling the cups, but don’t worry it’s worth it!
Bake until firm and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes and remove from tin.
Make ahead tip: To freeze, allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack then wrap individually in saran and place in a freezer baggie for up to 2 weeks. To serve, place frozen muffins on a cookie sheet and place in 350F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Giada de Laurentis
Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffin about to be devoured!
Funny, each time I sit down to write about food, I instantly think of my mom. She is my culinary inspiration after all! And her lentil soup is to die for… as are every single one of the other 15 to 20 cold weather delights she makes. Really, she's Queen of Soup! One of the best parts of a soup night growing up was the fresh bread she served alongside. Perfectly crusty, steaming fresh from the oven, a little towel over top. Smeared with butter that melted instantly under jam, it was the perfect accompaniment. Of course it didn't stop there, she'd always arrange a simple, refreshing cool bite- a medly of crunch to contrast with our steaming bowls of nourishment.
I know Mom will love this Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages. Your family will also! For an easy accompaniment, set out sliced pears or apples. Feeling more ambitious? A mixed green salad with apples or pears, blue cheese and walnuts would be lovely.
Sausages Sauteeing in Butter! Could anything smell better!?
Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients
10 ounces lentils
3 quarts ham, chicken or vegetable stock(I love "Better Than Bullion" added to water)
1 large leek (white part only) chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 onion quartered
1 whole clove (insert sharp end into an onion quarter for easy removal)
1 bay leaf
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
4 high quality sausages (I love kielbasa, or use any high quality sausage you love)
2 tablespoons organic butter (organic because it's CHOCK full of vitamins & minerals unlike non-organic & tastes AMAZING!)
2 tablespoons flour
a couple of handfuls of fresh baby spinach (optional, adds a lovely burst of green freshness- I normally use it!)
Method
Add the lentils and stock to a large dutch oven or stockpot and bring to a boil
Add all the vegetables and seasonings through the bay leaf. Add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(be careful with the salt if your stock isn't low sodium). Allow to simmer for 1 hour.
Near the end of the cooking time, saute the sausages in 1 tablespoon of butter until browned. Add the browned sausages to the lentils.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and mix with 2 tablepoons of flour until smooth. Add flour mixture to the soup, stirring over the heat until thickened slightly.
Toss in a couple of handfuls of fresh, baby spinach for a vibrant punch of color. Allow to wilt. Check seasonings.
Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with finishing salt if desired.
Enjoy!
Cozy Lentil Soup in the making…
Do you have a favorite cold weather dish?
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-10-16 16:19:432025-12-06 15:03:52Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages
Remove the yolks to a food processor, setting the egg-white halves aside. Add minced anchovy fillets, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, horseradish, and cayenne pepper to the food processor with the egg yolks. Pulse until mixture is smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Using a spatula, transfer the yolk mixture to a large freezer bag. Snip one corner of the bag to create a tiny opening, about 1/4" round, from which to pipe the yolk mixture. Gently pipe the egg yolk mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Garnish each egg half with a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
Enjoy!
What are some of your favorite Retro Dishes? Do tell!
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-10-08 13:27:272025-12-06 15:03:53Deviled Eggs ~ An Old School Throw Back!
Includes recipe variations to make Sugar-fee or Virgin Cocktails!
Frosted Sugar Rims on Limoncello Cocktail Glasses
Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!
A gorgeous, delicious cocktail. Oh so easy to prepare. (Yes, you can make them in advance!)You and you're guests will adore!
This is a great recipe. We had a great time. I know you'll enjoy them too!
Limoncello Cocktail Recipe (4 – 6 Servings)
1/3 cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar + 1 tsp. Sugar, separated (*Update- if you're sugar-free like I am now, sub coconut sugar)
1 750 ml bottle Prosecco (*Update- if you want to make this virgin, sub lemon kombucha)
4 tbsp. Limoncello (*Update- to make virgin, sub lemon kombucha as noted above)
8 oz. Fresh Blueberries (or substitute another berry or fruit currently in season)
3 or 4 slices of thinly sliced Lemon
Pour 1/3 cup water onto a small plate or saucer just larger in size than the circumference of your cocktail glasses. Pour 1/3 cup Sugar onto another plate of exactly the same size. Dip rims of each cocktail glass into water filled saucer, then into sugar filled saucer, coating rims evenly. Set aside. The sugar will harden, crystalizing beautifully onto the rims after about 15 minutes or so!(This makes refills work beautifully since the rims will remain sugar coated for that second pour!)
Meanwhile, pour the Prosecco into a glass pitcher, add 4 tbsp. of Limoncello and a 1 tsp. Sugar (use more or less to taste depending on tartness of your Limoncello). Mix well to disolve the sugar.
Regfrigerate for an hour or so. Just before serving add 3 or 4 thin slices of lemon to the pitcher.
Place 8 or 9 blueberries into each sugar rimmed glass. When your guests arrive, pour the Limoncello mixture into the glasses and enjoy!
Awaiting that sweet & sour Limoncello Mixture!
At last! The completed cocktail! Taken by my dear friend, Bick's, cell-phone, no less:) Party time!
https://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.png00Juliane Porterhttps://stylenectar.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/stylenectar.pngJuliane Porter2011-10-02 13:42:282025-12-06 15:03:55Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!
Time for Herbs to Head Indoors for the Winter!
Though the leaves on the tall oaks have thinned considerably, our window panes remain candy boxes of red, orange and gold. That time of year again. Halloween days away. When we shut off the outdoor spigots for fear of frost and burst pipes. And we've waited til the last possible minute to lug in the remains of the garden, the salvageable herbs that can be brought in for the winter and then taken back out again next spring!
What a thrill it is to invite these summer friends back inside! Fragrant, bountiful greenery at a time when the rest of nature is going into hibernation. We spray off mossy pots and turn them on end to lift our new housemates to sunny heights! Each morning they quiver with joy as I mist them all over. (Thanks for the suggestion Pamela!)
And I am beside myself… adding fresh mint to my honey tea, oregano to my egg salad sandwiches, sage browned butter over gnocchi (recipe coming soon)… It feels like Christmas to me! I suppose it's the sudden population of frangrant greenery that brings me back. A lovely prelude to the holidays!
Peppermint loves his new digs in the Dining Room!
Rosemary thinks her new room-mate, Peppermint, is kinda cute!
Oregano and Sage are particularly fond of their daily spray bottle mistings.
One happy family! (L to R) Rosemary #2 in the breakfast room alongside roomies Spearmint, Sage & Oregano!
Company’s Coming! Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins
Company's Coming! Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins
There comes a point in life when one realizes the value of a having a repetoire of sorts to fall back on… A favorite inspirational book. Classic riding boots that last a lifetime and look chic anywhere fall, winter & spring. A perfectly tailored black, silk dress… a ballerina bun. And recipes that can be made in advance and taste better reheated.
Company's Coming! Frittata Muffins are a mainstay of my repetoire.
I've been making them for years. Anytime I know I'll have friends or family for breakfast I bake up a batch of these, along with these Blueberry-Coconut Macadamia Muffins, and pop them both in the freezer for easy, delicous breakfasts my friends and family love. In fact, both recipes improve with reheating because the process crisps the outside slightly, providing a perfect contrast to the soft, steamy middles. I love serving both sweet and savory breakfast options, aromatic and fresh out of the oven in a mere 15 minutes!
Company's Coming! Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins are a fun little package of egg, smoked cheese, pancetta and linguine. Satisfying, yet small enough to stay light. Add fresh fruit, yogurt and coffee alongside, and you've got a delicious, stress-free breakfast you and your guests will love!
Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins share a platter with Blueberry-Coconut Macadamia Muffins
Recipe for Company's Coming Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffins
(Makes 12 Muffins)
Make ahead tip: To freeze, allow muffins to cool completely on a wire rack then wrap individually in saran and place in a freezer baggie for up to 2 weeks. To serve, place frozen muffins on a cookie sheet and place in 350F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Giada de Laurentis
Pancetta Linguine Frittata Muffin about to be devoured!
Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages
Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages
Funny, each time I sit down to write about food, I instantly think of my mom. She is my culinary inspiration after all! And her lentil soup is to die for… as are every single one of the other 15 to 20 cold weather delights she makes. Really, she's Queen of Soup! One of the best parts of a soup night growing up was the fresh bread she served alongside. Perfectly crusty, steaming fresh from the oven, a little towel over top. Smeared with butter that melted instantly under jam, it was the perfect accompaniment. Of course it didn't stop there, she'd always arrange a simple, refreshing cool bite- a medly of crunch to contrast with our steaming bowls of nourishment.
I know Mom will love this Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages. Your family will also! For an easy accompaniment, set out sliced pears or apples. Feeling more ambitious? A mixed green salad with apples or pears, blue cheese and walnuts would be lovely.
Sausages Sauteeing in Butter! Could anything smell better!?
Cozy Lentil Soup with Sauteed Sausages Recipe (Serves 4)
Ingredients
Method
Cozy Lentil Soup in the making…
Do you have a favorite cold weather dish?
Deviled Eggs ~ An Old School Throw Back!
Retro classics like my Not Your Everyday Deviled Eggs are guaranteed an enthusiastic greeting! Make extra as no one can stop at just one or two!
Pretty. Tasty. Simple.
Old School Perfection!
Not Your Everyday Deviled Eggs Recipe (For 1 Dozen Throwbacks)
Ingredients
Method
What are some of your favorite Retro Dishes? Do tell!
Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!
Includes recipe variations to make Sugar-fee or Virgin Cocktails!
Frosted Sugar Rims on Limoncello Cocktail Glasses
Limoncello Cocktails ~ Perfect Any Time of Year!
A gorgeous, delicious cocktail. Oh so easy to prepare. (Yes, you can make them in advance!) You and you're guests will adore!
This is a great recipe. We had a great time. I know you'll enjoy them too!
Limoncello Cocktail Recipe (4 – 6 Servings)
Awaiting that sweet & sour Limoncello Mixture!
At last! The completed cocktail! Taken by my dear friend, Bick's, cell-phone, no less:) Party time!