Small Bites

Restaurants and recipes in Westchester, Rockland and the Lower Hudson Valley. From the staff and contributors to lohud.com and The Journal News.

Maria Reina

Seasonal Chef blogger Maria Reina comes to the world of food as a third career, spending a great portion of her adult life in the field of Human Resources. With her private company Bella Cucina Maria she is a personal chef, caterer and recreational cooking class teacher in Westchester. She's an avid food television watcher and cookbook collector, always looking for a new take on a traditional dish. In her free time she loves hanging out at local farmers, chatting it up with the farmers and doing cooking demos with their seasonal ingredients. In addition to her blog, which is loaded with easy recipes, you can follow her on Facebook (Bella Cucina Maria), Twitter (Bellacucinam) and Pinterest (Bellacucinam).

Recent Posts

Rainier Cherry Salsa: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Capturing Summer in the Rainier Cherry

Fried Okra and Eggplant: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Okra and Eggplants

Mizuna, Quinoa and Golden Raisin Salad: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: More Leafy Greens

Seasonal Chef: Exploring Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scape Pesto Pasta with Sautéed Summer Squash: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Farmer’s Market Leafy Greens Cornbread: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Beautiful Leafy Greens at the Farmer’s Market

Fresh Herb Swordfish with Market Greens and Strawberries: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Bright, Sweet Strawberries of June

Seasonal Chef: Making a Farmer’s Market-inspired Cuban Sandwich

Seasoned Pork for Sandwiches: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Sweet and Savory Slaw: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Farmer’s Market Cuban Sandwich: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Catching a Little Meatball Mania This Week!

Seasonal Chef: Cooking with Spice Blends

Haruki Turnip Soup with Turnip Greens Pesto: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Grilled Soft Shell Crabs with an Easy Spicy Slaw

Spicy Fennel Slaw: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Easy Spring Pasta Salad: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: More Good News About Spring: Fiddleheads Have Arrived!

White Bean Veggie Burgers

Seasonal Chef: Ramps, Spring’s First Local Gem

Sweet and Salty Granola: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Healthy Snacks

Mustard Greens, Spinach and Spring Vegetable Soup: Seasonal Chef Recipe

Seasonal Chef: Mustard Greens

Overnight Oatmeal with Fruit: Seasonal Chef Recipe

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