All posts filed under: Food

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chicken Soup, Not the Usual

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I asked my mother what she wanted me to make for dinner tonight and she said chicken soup – but not the boring one – which I get of course. I don’t like boring, but I had no idea she didn’t either. So chicken soup it is, even with our fluctuating very hot, to mild to weird cold and still hot weather. We’ll just have to wait for the sun to go down to thoroughly enjoy a cold-weather meal otherwise known as comfort food.  Just a note I won’t be using a slow cooker as suggested. I prefer hovering over a pot with a wooden spoon in hand, watching my creation taking shape. INGREDIENTS 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 1/2 cups dry wild rice blend 6 carrots, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped 2 medium shallots, chopped 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 cups fresh baby spinach or kale 2 …

Food: Sunday Fun Dessert – Apple Cider Pudding

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Love a lazy Sunday – where you roll out of bed whenever your heart desires, and simply stay in your cozy pajamas or sweats throughout the day, napping, reading, watching football, or not 🙂 and deciding what to make for dinner. Well, Salmon is in order in our household this Sunday evening paired with a bottle of Cabernet – yes red, since I am not a fan of white wine. But the special treat for this Sunday is that I am testing out this apple cider butterscotch pudding recipe for dessert. The only trouble is – do I indulge in one cup or two? Ingredients  6 cups apple cider 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 large egg yolks 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 1/2 cups half-and-half 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract  {more} What better way then to eat dessert than to watch Hallmark channel – and all of the back to back pre-holiday and holiday films 

Saturday Interesting Distractions From The Internet

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I always tell myself to take a break on the weekends from being on the computer – which I do for the most part. But sometimes I am too excited about sharing what I consider interesting distractions or good things to know about. So go grab that cup of coffee or tea and simply enjoy… {featured image source and inspiration}

Food: Saturdays Are For Baking

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I’ve been craving cinnamon swirled baked goods – mostly brioche with my mother’s recipe. But I decided to go with this one instead – a simple loaf, which can either be smothered in Marscapone and cherry Jam or eaten simply with a cup of coffee, I think the fact it is an easy recipe to follow, I will put my hair up, wear my cozy slippers and head to the kitchen to bake before anyone wakes up: Eh hum – don’t let the butter scare you – it’s a croissant style loaf. INGREDIENTS 1 3/4 cups warm whole milk 1 tablespoon instant yeast 2 tablespoons honey 4 1/2 – 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling 2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 tablespoons (1/2 cup) salted butter, at room temperature 2 sticks (1 cup) cold salted butter, sliced into thin pieces 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 egg, beaten, for brushing  {more} After breakfast, hopefully we can pull off a trip to Napa to see the colorful Autumn landscape and have some wine of course 🙂 – stay tuned! And oh, what are you doing this weekend?   

Food: Dinner Tonight – White Bean, Chicken, Squash Soup

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Walked out of the house this morning at 5:30, headed to my commuter train, and I actually shivered. It was breezy and cold. Did I mention just how much I love this time of year? Well, I do. So, while on the train, I normally go over my to-do list, which of course includes dinner for the family, and considering the cold, although it will hit up to the 70’s mid-day, I know by dinner time it will dip down–just in time for a bowl of soup and toasted second day old Italian bread. This recipe is the perfect combination of ingredients and so easy to make and can be made with a crockpot as suggested. INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons salted butter 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs (use bone-in for additional flavor) 2 shallots, thinly sliced 4-6 cloves garlic, minced or grated 4 ribs celery, chopped 3 sprigs fresh thyme + 2 tablespoons thyme leaves 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 6 cups low sodium chicken broth 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 1 cup grated parmesan, plus 1 parmesan rind 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes kosher salt and black pepper 1 can …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Cheddar Cheese, Bacon, Honey, Apple Panini

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I bought a first generation Panini press a decade ago from Williams-Sonoma (similar to this one) with the intend to press-grill a few of my favorite ingredients together into a delicious sandwich to pair with my homemade soups. But then ‘bread’ became a bad carb choice and I put away my Panini press. Fast forward to today, as we learn how best to eat, bread and other carbs or variations thereof, in moderation, my eyes lit up when I saw this recipe. So, Panini it is tonight for the fam! INGREDIENTS 8 slices sourdough bread 4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 4 tablespoons apple butter 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded havarti cheese 1 honey crisp apple, thinly sliced 8 slices cooked bacon honey, for drizzling 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves  {more} And of course with a great recipe  comes a wonderful film recommend – Lost and Found – a film made in Ireland – five stories intertwined and very greatly told.  Not too many stories have me at the edge of my seat, but this one did. 

Zucchini Muffins Kind of Day

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I watched a movie on the Hallmark channel last night – where the perfect single mother bakes zucchini muffins for a road trip to drive her perfect daughter from Los Angeles to Oregon, where she would be attending college. Cute movie, great chemistry among the characters Amy and Noah, and perhaps it is one of the only films from Hallmark where there is actual sexual tension portrayed between the characters. So, besides the chemistry, all I could focus on was the zucchini muffins. Funny how things work on the ‘interweb’, because all of a sudden this recipe popped up across my screen and naturally, since it’s all gluten-free, I decide to bake them over the weekend and…share with all of you right here: INGREDIENTS 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium/large) 2 eggs 1/3 cup olive oil (or avocado oil or coconut oil) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt 3/4 cup almond flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or superfine rice flour) 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Roasted Squash-ghetti

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I bought my first squash over the weekend for this season knowing exactly the meal to make. My version is simple – ground Italian chicken sausage, corn kernels, shredded Parmesan cheese, fresh cut cilantro, naturally the squash cut in half, and broiled…and voila the simplest and easiest dinner your family is guaranteed to love. But I am not one who follows a measurement – and if you have trouble imagining how to work with the ingredients I have listed, then please follow a similar recipe, where you can take away the ingredients you don’t want and still get the best of the simplest Squash-ghetti dish: INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 head garlic 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage or ground chicken 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 can (28 ounce) crushed San Marzano tomatoes 1 dried bay leaf 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 medium spaghetti squash, halved and seeds removed 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream 1/4 cup whole milk ricotta cheese 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped 1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese or mozzarella cheese 1 cup shredded provolone cheese kosher salt and black pepper …

Food: Dinner Tonight – White Bean Soup

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I do most of the cooking for my household and my mothers and last night while helping her with dinner, she expressed she was craving a certain white bean soup she made for us while growing up. So tonight, I’ll be making this recipe, adding diced potatoes to the mix. Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion chopped 2 garlic cloves minced 1 large carrot chopped 1 celery rib chopped 6 cups vegetable broth 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 3 15-ounces canned white beans drained and rinsed 2 cups baby spinach Fresh parsley for serving Grated parmesan cheese for serving  {more} On another note – have you seen the show Pennysworth? If you have a dark side or can stomach the concept of savagery, then take a peek, and let me know what you think?  Just to clarify I had no idea what to expect, and but now I am hooked and feel I should continue to watch the series. 

Looking Forward to October

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The first day of the month, and only 90 days to the end of the year. But no worries, October is a month I look forward to, especially after the sluggishness and the unmotivated I felt by the end of August, and all throughout September. To me, October is the month to shed all the negative and just enjoy the most brilliant of colors, the layering in fashion, the shift in decor,  comfort food in recipes, and the prelude to the holiday planning.  October is the coolest month of the year. What Film to see, what recipe book to buy, and where to vacation in October