Once, I owned a gourmet cookware shop and cooking school.

Now, I love to cut corners and figure out ways to prepare and eat healthy food — quickly.  Once, I cooked with heavy cream, butter and flour to make buerre blanc and sauce meuniere.  Now, salad and fresh fruit are the mainstays.  Once, I learned to make a chocolate hazelnut torte — a three-layer extravaganza with chocolate ganache, shaved chocolate curls adorning a chocolate whipped cream frosting, all perfectly turned out for the ooohs-and-aaaaahs.  So, as I give you these cut-the-corners recipes, know that I’m translating from the difficult to the simple for your dining pleasure.  Buen probecho!