I love sandwiches, and my love for them is unabashed. The Earl of Sandwich and I are of one mind, because there’s nothing easier or yummier than tasty toppings between two pieces of bakery-fresh bread. But paninis—oh, paninis take my sandwich-love to the next level. Individually, these sandwiches are called paninos (how cute is that?), and they originated in Italy, although they’re now part of our international foodie vocabulary. Panini are traditionally made on ciabatta or rosetta bread, and Italians like them with a few salty slices of prosciutto and some cheese, but you should absolutely feel...

By Chef Judi Gallagher. Coconut desserts have always been a popular spring treat, and with its distinctive smell and taste, coconut—at least for me—always evokes thoughts of warm weather and fun outdoor gatherings with friends. I like coconut in many forms, both sweet and savory, but I have to admit that, in spring, my favorite way to enjoy coconut is in cake form, whether that be a dainty cupcake or (even better) a huge slice of coconut cream-filled layer cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top. Yum. Here’s a fun fact for...

By Judi Gallagher. Let’s be honest. When I think of comfort foods, I don’t think of whole-grain pasta. I think of lobster, macaroni and cheese, puffed-up doughnuts, matzoh ball soup, noodle pudding. But with a plethora of healthy restaurants popping up all over town (see: Veg in Sarasota), the resurgence of farmers’ markets all across the country, and the popularity of healthy cooking blogs like Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks, comfort food is taking on a new meaning. The down economy has, I think, forced people to turn their eyes inward—to their own kitchens. And while a heaping dish of Ina...

By Judi Gallagher. Ah, spring—you’re finally almost here! After a winter that included the Snowpocalypse in the Northeast and unseasonably cold weather for weeks at a time here in the Southeast (seriously, we Floridians don’t know what to do when we have to wear sweaters and closed-toe shoes for more than three days in a row), I am more than ready for some warm weather, lighter food, and more picnics on the beach. Lucky for me (and for you), a great variety of fruits and vegetable come into season this month—everything from apples, nectarines, peaches and pears to asparagus, eggplant, snow...

Grilled Jumbo Prawns with cucumber mint salad and yogurt dressing 1 yellow bell pepper 1 red bell pepper ½ red onion sliced very thin 1 large English cucumber, skin on 4 large fresh tomatoes, diced 1 yellow tomato diced 1 bunch scallions, chopped 2 Tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley 2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced plus 1 teaspoon 3 cloves garlic smashed 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Juice of 2 lemons Kosher salt Fresh ground white pepper 8 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined, tail on Olive oil 3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice or lemon juice Salt and pepper as...