Uncategorized 11:33 pm
Today I needed a sweet fix, so I baked white chocolate cookies. The creamy vanilla flavor of the chips makes for a yummy cookie. If you’d like the recipe, let me know in the comment section. I have say, they are a nice change from regular chocolate chip cookies.
Have a great day. Happy eating.
Uncategorized 11:28 pm
It’s been a crazy spring with lots of activities and not much time to write. Thank goodness summer’s here.
I hadn’t done any meal planning today so dinner was created by ingredients on hand. I always have pasta in the pantry so I knew that to be a good starting point. For salad one, I topped rigatoni noodles with one of my favorite summer mixes, grape tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil. Seasoned with a little kosher salt and fresh ground pepper this makes a really good and easy pasta salad.
I raided the fruit basket for salad two. I diced plums, apricots, nectarines, and a mango. Mixed together these flavors made a nice summer medley.
Of course no dinner’s complete without a nice table wine. Ok, maybe nice is an over statement. But I did have a chilled bottle of Columbia Crest Two Vine Vineyard 10 white wine. For about 6 bucks this is an easy on the wallet and an easy to drink fruit forward white table wine.
Glad to be back. I hope to share some wonderful food experiences this summer. Until next time, happy eating
Uncategorized 7:12 pm
I know the calendar says spring but the predicted freezing rain has me second guessing the calendar. To add a little “warmth” to my day, I made some pumpkin white chocolate cookies. The perfect snack for a chilly day that the entire family may enjoy. Here’s the recipe if you want to give it a try:
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups cane sugar
1 cup canned organic pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the really thing)
1 12 ounce bag white chocolate chips or chunks
Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350. Combine dry ingredients and spices in a bowl; set aside
2) In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a medium-larger bowl if using a hand mixer) cream together butter and sugar on medium speed. Add pumpkin, egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, beat until well mixed. Reduce speed and slowly add dry ingredients. Stir in white chocolate chips. Drop desired size cookie dough on a parchment sheet covered cookie sheet, flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
3) Bake for 15-17 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.
4) Serve with your favorite cookie beverage and enjoy!!!
Happy eating!
Uncategorized 2:17 pm
Thanks for all of the recipe request. I’m glad this dish struck a cord with so many of you because it’s really delicious.
Ingredients:
1 14.5 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 cups of chopped yellow or white onion
3 medium chopped cloves of garlic
1 stack of celery finely chopped
2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
1 tsp of kosher or sea salt
2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dried basil
a dash of cinnamon
a dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
1 bay leaf
3 cups of water
2 cups of fresh green beans (other green vegetables can be substituted)
1 15 ounce cans of garbonzo beans
Directions:
1) Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, and sweet potato-saute for about five minutes. Add seasonings (including bay leaf), water, and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
2) Add tomatoes, green beans and beans. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes more or until green beans are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve with a heart crusty bread or homemade croutons.
Until next time, happy eating.
Uncategorized 10:33 pm
Yesterday 70 degrees. Today cold and windy, no fair. To warm our winter weary bones I made Gypsy soup with sourdough-rye croutons for dinner. It’s one of my favorite hearty soups to make, it’s completely vegetarian and my kids will eat it. I made a pound cake yesterday, so dessert is covered.
If you’d like the recipe, give me a shout. Until next time, happy eating.
Uncategorized 3:38 pm
My family chowed down on burgers and roasted rosemary potatoes’ last night. Because I wasn’t in the mood for a vegi burger, I needed to get creative with my dinner. Let’s just say my creativity left me happy. I made taco’s with greens (collards, kale,and swiss chard), mushrooms and seared onions. I topped the tacos with fresh chopped parmesan cheese, and paired it with a lovely 2007 Villa Cafaggio Chianti Classico. The wine was very fruit forward with a long spicy finish.
After dinner, my husband and kids enjoyed chocolate shakes for dessert (a dairy free one for my son), and I had a nice piece of dark chocolate. What a wonderful way to end the evening.
If you’d like to give the taco’s a try, I’m happy to share the receipe. You won’t be sorry.
Until next time, happy eating.
Uncategorized 5:36 pm
My family and I are taking advantage of the snowy weather. Yesterday we cuddled together and watched a fun movie. I also baked some chocolate chip cookies, the perfect comfort food for a cold winters evening.
We started the morning with an easy english muffin breakfast. It was a nice energy boost for snow/ice shoveling and snow ball making.
If you would like any of the recipes, just send me a shout out. Stay warm and enjoy the snow day. Until next time, happy eating.
Uncategorized 7:31 pm
I began the new year in San Francisco with the husband. We had many lovely meals but breakfast was a fun stand out. We walked each morning to the Grove restaurant on Fillmore Street. The food was great and the atmosphere was a comfortable casual vibe. I ordered the breakfast burrito and green tea. I liked the burrito so much that I’m committed to duplicating it here at home. If you’d like to give it a try, here a list of ingredients:
grilled flour tortilla
scrambled eggs
diced hash brown potatoes
salsa
shredded Monterey jack cheese
avocado
Enjoy. Until next time, happy eating
Uncategorized 4:52 pm
Last night I found myself at a lost for what to cook for dinner. After searching the pantry and refrigerator, I found pasta and miscellaneous vegetables. I decided to slow roast the vege’s and toss them with pasta and top with parmesean cheese. I added an argula and pear salad on the side. The result was a Monday night dinner the whole family enjoyed. I made a apple cake the day before so dessert was covered.
Roasted Vegetables:
1 package of assorted small tomatoes sliced in half
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic peeled but left whole
-preheat oven to 325
-line a baking sheet with foil lightly sprayed with olive oil spray
-arrange vegetables on the baking sheet.
-drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
-season with kosher salt and pepper
-cook for 1 hour
-toss with pasta and parmesan cheese
Yummy!
The husband and I enjoyed a bottle of 2007 Cervio Sant’Antimo Rosso. This red table wine is a wonderful example of what I love about Italian wines. The earthy and chocolate palate pleasing taste hits you right away. This wine was a thank you gift for my in-laws. I have no idea about the price, but we enjoyed it so much we’re planning to buy more.
All the best for 2011. Happy eating.
Uncategorized 12:31 am
Today I was having fond memories of New Orleans and decided tonights dinner needed to reflect my mood. Tonight’s homage to New Orleans, an ancho-chili spiced shrimp po-boys. I dressed the sandwich with arugula and creole mustard. Lets just say, I’m a happy women. I purchased a bottle of Sonoma Cutrer Chardonney to go with dinner but I opted not to open it. After one bite, the sandwich screamed for a medium bodied pinot noir.
I enjoyed the shrimp so much that I think I’ll add it to my catering reportoire. If you’re interest in the recipe just send a comment my way.
Have a great evening, and happy eating.
