Click here to learn Why Cara Cooks... or simply enjoy the delicious recipe below. Bon apetite!

Helena’s Shrimp Salonika*

(*From her recipe at The Poseidon)

First cook two cups of orzo in six cups of salted water until it is tender. (You can find Orzo in the pasta aisle.  It is an Italian pasts that looks a little like rice.) Drain it, put it back into the pot, add some butter and set aside.

1 large bunch fresh dill (snip leaves off stems)

½ bunch fresh basil (snip leaves off stem)

2 Tbsp. virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 lb. ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

1 lb. medium (31-35 count per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. fresh oregano or 2 teas. Dried oregano

9 oz. good feta cheese

1. Butter four 6 inch baking dishes.
2. Mince the dill and basil.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and sauté until garlic just turns translucent (3-5 minutes). Add tomatoes, dill and basil and cook until the tomatoes soften about 10 minutes). Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove from the heat and reserve.
4. While the tomato mixture is cooking chop the fresh oregano or rub the dried oregano between your fingers. Crumble feta into a bowl, add the oregano, and toss until blended.
5. Divide the orzo between the four dishes, spreading it out evenly. Top with the shrimp and tomato mixture. Crumble the feta over the top.  Bake just until the feta begins to melt (about 5 minutes). Serve immediately and enjoy.

Why Cara Cooks

You might be wondering why a romance novelist has a recipe page on her web site. The short answer is because I want to. The longer answer is because when I’m not writing or teaching, you’re most likely to find me in the kitchen trying out a new recipe. (I’m also a FoodTV junkie!)

I started cooking when I was eleven, and I learned from the best. My mom and dad were both excellent cooks, who had very different styles (Mom was Irish and raised on a farm. Dad’s parents immigrated to this country from Italy). My mom kept recipes and measured everything meticulously. My dad learned his “recipes” by watching his mother and father cook – so he operated by “looks” and “feels.” In addition, my dad loved to have an audience when he was making something. I suppose that’s why I spent so much time in the kitchen – and why eventually I wanted to get into the act.

I’ve always felt that cooking is an expression of love. It’s also good therapy – and a foolproof method for defeating writer’s block.

On this page, I’ll share with you my favorite recipes, as well as recipes that might appear in my books. So – if you like to cook as much as I do, check back here frequently.

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