tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9653916668860783502012-02-16T02:30:10.401-05:00jennoreply@blogger.comBlogger1641100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-30915158645928376742011-10-25T12:21:00.000-04:002011-10-25T12:21:16.331-04:00

In an effort to consolidate my blogging efforts, I made the decision to absorb this recipe blog into my main blog. Any future recipes will be posted exclusively on From The Block. Please bookmark or subscribe: http://www.jenfromtheblock.blogspot.com Hope to see you there! jen

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-43733543309979966242011-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:002011-09-14T06:00:10.667-04:00

I originally got this recipe from my friend, Linnea. Then gave the recipe to my sister-in-law, Erin and promptly forgot about it. Then Erin made it and blogged about it last week and I was reminded again of what a fantastic recipe it is! The great thing is you can basically substitute any vegetable for what is called for and really make it your own. I prefer the crustless version of quiche so

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-8871047446135810862011-09-13T15:20:00.000-04:002011-09-13T15:20:14.723-04:00

I'm back in business! With the exception of some minor finishing touches, my new kitchen is up and running. The first thing I baked in my new oven? Blueberry muffins for breakfast! I wanted to take advantage of the fresh blueberries available at the market and I wanted to put them in something delicious that we could gobble up. Muffins fit all those requirements. I had actually never made

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-17439935716334221772011-07-28T09:04:00.001-04:002011-07-28T09:07:00.480-04:00

The current state of my new kitchen... So between my last post and today, we have sold our home and moved to the mountains. Our new home needs lots of updating and the first things to go were the (only) bathroom and the kitchen. We're eating LOTS of salads right now. I can't really complain though because I love salads and I've also lost 3 lbs in a week. :) Once the new kitchen goes in (I think

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-87793250541889682322011-06-25T10:56:00.000-04:002011-06-25T10:56:25.649-04:00

A simple and wholly satisfying summer salad.  Light flavors, slightly sweet, minimal effort. My kind of summer dinner! The flavors were even better when I ate leftovers at lunch the next day. I think this would be a lovely dish to bring to a potluck or as a side dish for a dinner party. CARROT, DILL and WHITE BEAN SALAD 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/4

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-78291397881707097012011-06-25T10:54:00.000-04:002011-06-25T10:54:53.618-04:00

I liked the shredded chicken - I don't really do beef much these days, but I found the flavor a little lacking (though that was probably because I didn't add any dried chili peppers). Thankfully the spicy spanish rice, the fresh salsa, the guacamole...all combined together to create something wonderful!  CHICKEN TACOS from Smitten Kitchen Serves 6 to 8 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs 1 large

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-32418093429763833872011-06-22T22:05:00.000-04:002011-06-22T22:05:11.340-04:00

This was so good, we've made it twice in two weeks. And I think I might need to make it again next week. And the next. Is this overselling? Probably. It's a really simple dish, but the cheese and the potatoes and the squash...just yum. I didn't have enough squash so I added zucchini to fill in the gaps and really love it that way. I also add a generous handful of shredded Parmesan on top. HERBED

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-16114060791319534952011-06-19T12:59:00.000-04:002011-06-19T12:59:55.033-04:00

I am seriously behind on blogging these recipes! I have four new recipes with photos that just need write-ups. Hopefully this week, I'll be a little more organized. Sunday - going out to dinner with my husband's Grandmother tonight means no cooking...but also means no leftovers for me to enjoy at lunch tomorrow. If I get my act together early enough, I might throw together another batch of the

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-79517863931456145902011-06-12T14:58:00.000-04:002011-06-12T14:58:53.500-04:00

I was chatting with my sister-in-law the other day about how with a little forethought, dinner time doesn't have to begin with standing in front of an open fridge trying to figure out how to combine a bottle of capers, some questionable produce and eggs into a meal. So I thought I would start sharing my meal plan for each week on Sunday and then blogging about any of the new ones as I try them.

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-64083207578102444512011-06-07T22:15:00.000-04:002011-06-07T22:15:50.468-04:00

I love summer, if only for the food options available. I don't care for the sweltering heat and humidity, but I can't get enough of the fresh fruit and vegetables so readily available. This was an easy, tasty and beautifully presented dish. For our own personal tastes, we would probably cut back on the cheese or use this dish as an appetizer for a dinner party - the goat cheese can be a little

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-62578176208158060172011-06-05T20:01:00.000-04:002011-06-05T20:01:26.411-04:00

I have discovered the official drink of summer, thanks to SmittenKitchen. Just enough sweetness, the perfect amount of tart and all together completely refreshing. I have a feeling I will be making double batches to drink with friends on the porch during the next few sweltering months. WATERMELON LEMONADE  (makes about 3-4 quarts) 1 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice 2 cups fresh watermelon puree (

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-69120396683467328512011-05-15T21:50:00.000-04:002011-05-15T21:50:10.199-04:00

A delicious and quick meal. I am loving anything with beans in it these days since I have nearly given up eating meat. The flavors are light and the red peppers add just a bit of sweet. Next time I will be adding the peas that I forgot initially. Also reheats well the next day! FRAGRANT FRIED RICE PILAF 1 cup jasmine rice 1/4 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs, beaten Salt and pepper 3 scallions, thinly

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-24916799260061342772011-05-03T21:12:00.000-04:002011-05-03T21:12:20.910-04:00

A few weeks ago Jon's clients gave us some large halibut filets from their recent trip to Alaska. They caught the halibut on a fishing trip, the company flash freezes it and ships it home. This stuff is fresh and wild! Along with the halibut, the client gave us a recipe she called "The BEST Halibut Recipe" - and when something claims to be the best, I need to try it for myself. You'll see I

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-86377006901176007612011-05-01T20:26:00.000-04:002011-05-01T20:26:41.535-04:00

Jon has been making these smoothies for me several times a week for breakfast (he's a great husband, huh?). They are so delicious and chock-full of healthy ingredients to start my day off right. Each serving contains 2 full servings of fruits and 2 full servings of leafy greens. SUPER-NUTRITIOUS-ESPECIALLY-DELICIOUS FRUIT SMOOTHIE (makes 2 generous main-course smoothies or 4 side-dish size

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-1669482540176788672011-04-05T12:05:00.001-04:002011-04-05T12:05:19.824-04:00

These caught my eye the other day when I contemplated throwing out some ripe bananas. I know I should save my ripe bananas, put them in the freezer and then make banana bread. But I'm just not motivated enough to do that. I end up with two dozen frozen black bananas in my freezer! Banana bread pancakes seemed like a good compromise. I have to eat breakfast, right? Why not make it more special

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-42133050056003145192011-03-28T19:59:00.000-04:002011-03-28T19:59:05.700-04:00

  Damn. This was GOOOOOOOD. So good that I don't think I'll ever need to make lasagna with meat again (in combination with my other lasagna recipe - Spinach & Mushroom). This foray into vegetarianism certainly is tasty. If you have any other suggestions, I welcome them in the comments! VEGETARIAN MEXICAN LASAGNA (serves 6) 1 c fresh cilantro leaves 4 scallions, coarsely chopped Coarse salt and

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-44811809618264828832011-03-20T22:45:00.000-04:002011-03-20T22:45:05.178-04:00

Yum Yum Yum Yum Yum. Does that say enough? Like ooey-gooey brownies sans the flour and with the addition of a chocolate graham cracker crust. So easy to make and sure to be a crowd pleaser wherever you go.  CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE (Serves 8) For the crust 1 sleeve chocolate graham crackers 1 stick butter, melted 1 T sugar For the filling 1 stick butter 1 (1 oz) square unsweetened chocolate (or 3

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-7192220201763875402011-03-19T19:37:00.000-04:002011-03-19T19:37:50.883-04:00

Another Saturday, another batch of bread. I love raisins so I really wanted to try this recipe. Oatmeal, raisins, wheat bran, whole wheat flour...a healthful and flavorful bread! Excellent warm with butter and a bit of cinnamon. I know what I'm having for breakfast this week... WHEAT and OAT BREAD (makes 2 medium loaves) 1 c oatmeal 2 t salt 2 T shortening, room temp 1 c raisins 1 c wheat bran

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-36770865032261657552011-03-13T20:07:00.000-04:002011-03-13T20:07:59.839-04:00

This is a great bread for dipping in olive oil or using to sop up soup or a marinara sauce. The bread is light and subtle with flavor. Quite delicious! Easy to make and fills the house with a wonderful aroma. SIX HERBS BREAD (makes 1 medium loaf, 3 mini loaves) 1 pkg dry yeast 3 1/2 c bread or all-purpose flour, approx. 1 T sugar 1 t salt 1/2 c nonfat dry milk 1 1/4 c hot water (120-130

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-43301978827683169052011-03-10T21:14:00.000-05:002011-03-10T21:14:29.624-05:00

A quiet Thursday evening with nothing to do but think about selling our house...chocolate chip cookie bars to the rescue! Why not use food as a coping mechanism? Plus I have the willpower to eat only one bar, though Jon is not as fortunate. The man burns a sick amount of calories in his sleep, he can afford it. CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS 2 firmly packed cups + 2 TB brown sugar 2/3 c

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-40895862037378439182011-03-07T15:24:00.000-05:002011-03-07T15:24:14.645-05:00

One nice thing about waiting around for something to happen (in this case, for our house to sell) is that I need something else to occupy my time. Cleaning & organizing used to fill that void quite nicely, but since there is not a single thing left to be cleaned or organized at our house these days, I'm turning to cooking & baking. I have always loved split pea soup. It's one of my favorite

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-26963519541192506392011-03-06T21:12:00.000-05:002011-03-06T21:12:57.302-05:00

I wanted to try another multi-grain bread that we could use for toast and sandwiches. I find the texture of this bread to be a little lighter than the War Bread I made a few weeks ago. If you're wondering? It was delicious with my fresh cream honey butter. SENNEBEC HILL BREAD taken from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads 2 pkgs dry yeast 1/4 c molasses 1 T salt 1/3 c cooking oil 1 c

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-16037334033967193312011-03-05T11:15:00.000-05:002011-03-06T11:29:32.422-05:00

I found a recipe a few weeks ago to make butter from cream. I knew you could do it, but I never knew how easy it was! I opted to make honey butter since I'm a bit obsessed with honey. Tomorrow I'm making fresh whole wheat bread and cannot wait to cut a thick slice right out of the oven and spread on some honey butter! The original recipe has great instructions with photos, so go there to try it

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-87167281834670890932011-03-04T08:52:00.000-05:002011-03-06T11:15:10.681-05:00

I know I've come a long way in my cooking when on a weeknight after work, searching for something to throw together - I decide on Spinach & Blue Cheese stuffed chicken breast. A few years ago, we would have been eating bowls of Chex for dinner. These were very easy to make and if you really love blue cheese, you'll like this. We found the blue cheese a little overpowering and didn't care for the

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-60454814202949733312011-02-20T09:57:00.000-05:002011-02-20T09:57:12.733-05:00

In an effort to eat more healthful foods (and to finally use some of the cookbooks collecting dust on my bookshelf), I am planning to test a new bread recipe a couple times a month. My first effort this weekend was called War Bread - a blended grain bread that was chosen simply because I had all the ingredients. :) From Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads, this recipe is a carryover

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-81397080221898268622011-02-16T07:54:00.000-05:002011-02-16T07:54:00.838-05:00

The ultimate comfort dish. My mom used to make this, along with baked ham, rolls, green beans, jello for a "fancy" Sunday dinner growing up. The cheesy and creamy potatoes were always my favorite part. They are still a crowd-pleaser today. Though, with the amount of butter, sour cream and other things that go into it - probably best served as an occasional casserole instead of a weekly staple.

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-14655453720854783282011-02-13T21:47:00.000-05:002011-02-13T21:47:52.975-05:00

Easy, healthy and satisfying. Perfect for the cooler days! MINESTRONE SOUP 1 T olive oil 1 T butter 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 small to medium onion, diced 4 carrots, cut into half moon shapes 2 zucchini, diced 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed 2 14 ounce cans diced tomatoes, not drained 4 cups water 1/2 c tiny pasta (orzo or similar) 1-2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste 1/2 tsp dried

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-73695858531372096492011-02-11T10:08:00.000-05:002011-02-14T21:06:21.025-05:00

I don't have a picture of this one, but trust me when I say that it's the best lasagna EVER. I don't like lasagna in general. The meat sauce, all the cheese, the heavy feeling you have after finishing your plate...no thank you. That's what makes this lasagna so great - yes, it's still rich and easy to overindulge, but the meatiness comes from mushrooms not ground beef. And the fresh spinach seems

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-57781002686054904242010-12-24T07:39:00.002-05:002010-12-26T13:55:29.377-05:00

(they may not look pretty...but they are incredibly tasty!) After I made my mom's recipe for cinnamon rolls a few years ago, I decided it was best if I only make them once a year from now on. Reasons being - they are way too delicious for me to stop eating and they also take a LOT of time to make. So my tradition is to make these for Christmas day breakfast. This year we decided to get

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-63556250930122528892010-12-08T07:48:00.000-05:002010-12-08T07:48:00.364-05:00

(not pictured: me, ten seconds after taking this picture with sugar and crumbs all over my face)I meant to make these to eat on Thanksgiving morning while we prepped our dishes. Then I talked myself out of having yet another thing on my to-do list and filed it away for future use. That future use was today! These are pretty easy to whip up if you have a spare 30 minutes. The dough is thick

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-44539444551393437202010-12-07T08:23:00.003-05:002010-12-07T08:33:24.163-05:00

This was my side dish contribution to Thanksgiving - something different than our usual dishes, but still providing a potato dish. I think it got a little more done than needed - but I don't have double ovens and it had to share oven space with the turkey which was being cooked at a higher temperature. In any case, it was quite tasty and easy to make. A nice warm dish that can easily take

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-68478598439139772242010-11-28T12:01:00.003-05:002010-11-28T12:27:55.727-05:00

Cut out the backbone of the turkeyOpen up the back of the turkey, flatten the breast bonesCook breast side up on a rimmed cookie sheet or a roasting panThe finished turkey - 16.5 lbs in only 90 minutes!Part of a well rounded Thanksgiving plate!This year for Thanksgiving, I decided to try roasting the bird of honor a little differently. I was reading an article in the NY Times that suggested

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-87822866506864414752010-11-05T13:36:00.004-04:002010-11-05T13:54:59.603-04:00

I love the changing of the seasons here in North Carolina. Fall is a strange one though- such a relief after our long and hot summers - but fades too quickly into the wet winters that start to creep on after Halloween. We're in that in between stage right now. Leaves are changing colors and blanketing our yard, mornings and evenings are crisp and cool and I'm getting in the mood for making

jennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-52463936487396392102010-10-25T21:06:00.000-04:002010-10-25T21:07:19.908-04:00

jon ordered a sandwich for lunch, i ordered this.crepes have eggs (protein!) in them and this had bananas (fruit!)add the whipped cream (dairy!) and it seems pretty well-balanced to me!the only sub-par meal i had our entire trippasta with an alfredo sauce, mushrooms & spinachnot bad, just bland. and lacking compared to what we were used tothese were sort of like pretzels. crunchy on the outside

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-35346566506004401852010-10-11T16:13:00.002-04:002010-10-11T16:48:53.817-04:00

One thing I don't like about traveling is that I end up eating all sorts of junk food in the airport. This time I thought a little planning could take care of that. I decided to pack some healthy foods and snacks to help us avoid caving and eating the junk for the convenience factor. On my list - raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, apples, a small container of raisins and homemade granola with dried

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-59314147668811117142010-10-10T11:04:00.003-04:002010-10-10T11:23:42.659-04:00

I took a picture of this meal, but it happened to be on a different camera and I realized I don't have a cord to download photos so...it's trapped on there. If you want to see a mouth-watering picture, go to the Ezra Pound Cake website. Her photos are better than mine anyway! :) I picked up a meat CSA bag yesterday and literally did not have the room in my freezer for another chicken. So when

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-87378231384934790762010-10-07T21:25:00.003-04:002010-10-07T21:39:43.630-04:00

This is another recipe taken from "The Kind Diet" a vegan soup-stew with great fall flavors. Be warned - this recipe makes a LOT. Next time I will halve the recipe and add brown rice for some more texture. But it was delicious and filling without making you feel heavy and full. I'm glad I liked it because I will be eating it for lunch tomorrow. And dinner. And lunch on Saturday...Sweet

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-42451731723843700852010-10-04T19:54:00.003-04:002010-10-04T20:30:11.377-04:00

I saw Alicia Silverstone on Oprah a while back and she looked fantastic. So great that I went to my local library and picked up a copy so I could test-drive some of her recipes. I'm not into being a vegan or macrobiotic because I think it's cruel to eat a chicken, but I cannot deny that the vegans & vegetarians I have met in my life are thin and pretty with clear skin. Coincidence? That

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-46247754652394024342010-09-29T19:41:00.004-04:002010-09-29T20:05:21.078-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of eggplant - the texture of it anyway. I made my husband fix this while I was on my way home so I wouldn't have to deal with it. We also used whole wheat pasta and I have to admit I don't really care for it. It always tastes a bit like cardboard to me. Now, with those things said - I actually liked this dish. Shocker! It's very simple and light with flavors that blend

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-27376035466416216542010-09-28T21:53:00.004-04:002010-09-28T22:37:55.664-04:00

You know, I've never met a tilapia recipe I didn't like. That little white fish doesn't have to try hard to be a people-pleaser. This dinner was cheap and super easy. Halve some potatoes, slice a lemon, toss with olive oil and that's pretty much all there is to it! The recipe is featured in the October issue of Real Simple and was one of the less complicated ones. I have to ease back into

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-80717497868068689982010-09-26T09:10:00.005-04:002010-09-26T09:47:39.807-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything, I know and I'm sorry! I feel like my life has been a blur since April and I haven't taken the time to really menu-plan and build up recipes on this site. Our summer dinners revolved around tacos, pasta salad, roasted vegetables, pan-fried tilapia and rice & beans. Nothing terribly exciting, especially considering that my freezer is stuffed FULL of

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-38444456401165154022010-08-25T14:57:00.000-04:002010-08-25T14:57:00.431-04:00

This was so incredibly delicious that I couldn't even manage a photo before several pieces were snatched up. It really was that good. The recipe is adapted from the very talented, Ezra Pound Cake. The original recipe calls for making it in a tart pan, but I found that the juices from the tomatoes prevented the crust from firming up and the tart pan just kept them all pooled together. A few

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-12828049734025127152010-08-23T14:01:00.003-04:002010-08-23T14:53:20.189-04:00

How could anyone not want to eat something so colorful and fresh? I got this recipe from my sister-in-law, Erin - always a great cook and somehow manages to make delicious meals and keep up with 3 kids. She's amazing. I can barely find the energy some nights to make a box of mac & cheese. That's why I love this recipe. If you can find time to make mac & cheese, you can make this. Infinitely

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-48124750582047106742010-07-11T21:38:00.000-04:002010-07-11T21:58:59.827-04:00

Every month we get a variety of meats from our local meat CSA. We normally use up the ground beef and the chicken pretty quickly while the pork languishes in the freezer, going unnoticed. If only I had known that grilled pork chops could be so delicious! We planned to have some family over for a casual Sunday dinner and found 6 lucky pork chops ready for their day in the spotlight. The recipe

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-89102848668831383752010-07-05T21:21:00.002-04:002010-07-11T16:12:57.152-04:00

Chop the following vegetables into one-inch pieces:zucchinionioncarrotsbaby red potatoesToss in olive oil, add salt & pepper, various spicesI used fresh sage, thyme, rosemaryPlace choice of meat patty/chicken breast on topSeason with salt & pepperWrap in either heavy-duty aluminum foilor double up on regular foilPlace on hot coals for 35 minutes(or until meat is done and vegetables are tender)Is

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-265561674958969942010-06-13T10:30:00.006-04:002010-06-13T16:40:21.262-04:00

(photo: Tupelo Honey Cafe)Appetizer - Homemade Pimento Cheese with Tortilla Chips, served hot: 5.50Drink: Jamie's Rosemary Peach Lemonade: 2.50Dinner Entree: for me - Tupelo Burger » Half pound of Hickory Nut Gap local, hormone free beef on an artisan bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and homemade pickles (medium to well-done only): 10.00for Jon: Charleston Chicken Sandwich » Grilled marinated

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-65136244902518720262010-05-11T23:44:00.003-04:002010-05-12T20:23:45.202-04:00

start with a nice bunch of fresh kaletear into potato-chip sized piecestoss with 2 TB olive oil & a dash of sea saltbake at 350 for 3 minutesturn over, bake for an additional 3 minutesenjoy a great alternative to fattening potato chips!

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-74755762756406611082010-05-03T23:19:00.002-04:002010-05-03T23:34:18.778-04:00

I have long been looking for a great chocolate chip cookie recipe. I prefer mine to be chewy and moist but I consistently get results that are thin and crunchy. Which are still fine - I mean, it's chocolate and cookies, who'll turn that down? - but not the results that I have been hoping for. This recipe is essentially just an adapted version of the Nestle Tollhouse cookie and the key to being

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-17721977044771684112010-04-28T22:42:00.004-04:002010-04-28T22:55:30.576-04:00

(Avis in all her glory)I named my first chicken Mortimer. He was chunky and hard to cut up. The biggest thigh bones ever! My next chicken I named Avis. A sweet thing really - pasture-raised and practically dainty compared to Morty's pumped up bod. (I name my chickens because I think raw whole chickens look like little babies. Maybe it's morbid to name something I plan to chop up? I don't

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-41387781201452001842010-04-23T14:12:00.003-04:002010-04-23T14:29:48.620-04:00

one of the perks of local food is that apparently not everything will be conforming!in my newest carton of farm-fresh eggs, i noticed three were noticeably larger than the restbut in my life, i had never cracked open an egg to find two yolksand yet, it happened three times in a row!6 eggs for the price of 3, what a bargain.According to very scientific (internet) research,a double-yolk has

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-90239258664947457982010-04-09T09:02:00.003-04:002010-04-09T09:24:08.471-04:00

I have been trying to not make as many baked goods/sweets lately. What with bikini season coming up and all that...best to stick to healthy, vegetable-based dinners. However, at certain times of the month (you know what I mean), I need chocolate. And these brownies are the perfect fix. White chocolate, semi-sweet, chopped pecans, fudge brownie, frosting...it's a toothache in bar form! BLACK

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-21777995264072500782010-04-07T15:24:00.001-04:002010-04-07T15:24:50.838-04:00

on the left - an organic egg, grain fed eggon the right - a pasture raised eggI'm sort of an egg snob. I have been for a while. I don't like to eat cheap eggs. I think they taste weird. And I don't like having to put tons of stuff in your eggs to make you want to eat them. Give me a great tasting egg that I can eat plain and I'm happy. So, for years we have been eating organic,

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-24997483152248296612010-04-04T12:20:00.007-04:002010-04-04T14:10:14.113-04:00

happy cows don't just come from Californiathey also come from Concord, NC(pasture-raised, antibiotic/hormone free)processed & made into hamburger pattiesthe bottom middle burger is from store-bought, factory-produced ground beefwe were planning a very scientific taste-testburger fresh off the grilltopped with a slice of Swiss, sauteed mushrooms, Boston lettucea side of roasted red potatoesand a

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-4356862011533782082010-03-21T12:28:00.001-04:002010-03-21T12:28:38.852-04:00

You are what you eat.Watch:Food, Inc.Future of FoodKing Corn (also available on Netflix streaming)The World According to Monsanto (All 10 parts on YouTube - HERE)Read:Animal, Vegetable, MiracleFast Food NationIn Defense of FoodJoin the Cause:Slow Food USACommunity Supported AgricultureOrganic Consumers Association

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-85423218672876317182010-03-09T09:09:00.001-05:002010-03-09T09:09:00.379-05:00

(sorry for the crappy photo. my camera is in Haiti!)Ready for an extremely easy dinner? Grab your favorite vegetables, chop them up (not too small), throw them on a rimmed sheet pan. Add a few generous glugs of olive oil, a couple pinches of kosher salt, a couple twists of the pepper grinder. Add some fresh herbs. Roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn off the oven, add sliced mushrooms,

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-24439834234145732592010-03-08T08:41:00.000-05:002010-03-08T08:41:00.295-05:00

This was lesson #2 with my friend (fondly referred to as "Professor Hilary"). I was skeptical about cream of mushroom soup. I adore mushrooms, could eat them everyday; however, the only cream of mushroom soup I'd ever seen was in a can. I honestly wasn't even aware that it was something people ate plain. I'd only used it as an ingredient in a casserole! Boy was I missing out!!I wanted to

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-67182156919375901212010-03-07T08:18:00.000-05:002010-03-07T08:18:00.126-05:00

I have always been curious about how to cook a London broil. I see it on sale at the grocery store - a typically inexpensive cut of meat. I bought it once for beef & broccoli stir fry and cut it the wrong way (with the grain) - it was nearly impossible to eat. This was a completely different story - tender, flavorful, so delicious you wanted to eat it straight off the cutting board (and I did)

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-43228005982959936722010-03-06T20:05:00.002-05:002010-03-06T20:17:53.232-05:00

I know, I've been such an absentee blogger. I haven't stopped cooking - I've just taken a break from trying LOTS of new recipes. I'm not sure where the month of February went - gone in a flash. I managed to make lemon bars (twice), cookies, cake, roast, chicken, shrimp...you name it. I spent several weeks helping my husband plan his trip to Haiti and blogging seemed like the last thing on my

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-89103105288313638762010-02-17T19:58:00.005-05:002010-02-17T20:10:08.344-05:00

I love to try something at a restaurant and then recreate it at home. If you're familiar with the restaurant PF Chang's - this is one of their most popular dishes. A waiter once clued me in that you can order any entree there with extra vegetables for free. As a result, my orders sometimes resemble a scene out of When Harry Met Sally ("...with the chocolate sauce on the side..."). I prefer

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-74716973493411465502010-02-14T16:41:00.003-05:002010-02-14T23:01:29.630-05:00

My wonderful friend Hilary agreed to give me cooking classes every week while my husband is taking classes at the local college. Hilary is a magnificent cook - professionally trained at the Culinary Art Institute - and a wonderful teacher. Our first lesson covered brining chicken, preparing a classic roast chicken, blanching vegetables, making a pan gravy, proper knife skills in chopping

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-14250296161178032642010-02-10T10:16:00.001-05:002010-02-10T10:16:00.132-05:00

I'll be hosting a dinner party on Sunday, February 28th at 6 pm. The menu is still to be determined but trust me - it will feature either chicken or shrimp since I seem to have a lot of both these days.If you're interested in attending, please let me know by emailing me - jenwoodward(at)gmail(dot)com. I plan on making it a dinner for 8, so only 6 replies will be invited for this month.I'll

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-24586497627596169552010-02-09T00:01:00.003-05:002010-02-09T00:15:18.876-05:00

I know I've been making a lot of shrimp recipes lately. Our grocery store had an amazing sale on frozen shrimp a few weeks ago (buy one bag, get two bags free) so we stocked up. Our tiny freezer is overflowing with shellfish. And after the Easy Paella last week, Jon claimed that he "didn't care for shrimp". Wrong! Guess what husband? We have more than 6 more pounds of shrimp to consume...so

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-69772385959176659762010-02-04T23:47:00.000-05:002010-02-09T00:01:09.875-05:00

Last weekend when we were stuck inside due to icy winter conditions, I found myself watching PBS at 3 pm on a Saturday. Everyday Food came on right after Julia & Jacques spent 30 minutes discussing peas. I spent part of the time lusting after the kitchen on the Everyday Food set and part of the time bookmarking recipes on my laptop. When I hosted craft night for some friends, I thought the

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-47014931944386794472010-02-03T19:43:00.000-05:002010-02-08T23:47:34.058-05:00

this was dinner.sometimes being an adult is fun.(but a slow adult metabolism...not so fun)off to go running.

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-51197090372829686232010-02-02T23:32:00.000-05:002010-02-08T23:43:46.900-05:00

This is a light easy dinner that we made when broccoli happened to be on sale. I didn't have fettuccine noodles in the pantry, but pasta is pasta, right? Please correct me if I'm wrong! And I don't think you can really call this an alfredo sauce. It's basically just butter and some cheese and pasta water...but nothing wrong with that! Want to know another reason I wanted to make this dish?

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-9251916154072385402010-02-01T12:25:00.004-05:002010-02-01T12:50:39.411-05:00

This was a great recipe to get in some lovely vegetables in the middle of a gray winter day. They stay nice and crisp and the sauce is very light. I have also made this with some variation - adding in some broccoli florets and about 3/4 lb of shrimp. Stir-fry recipes are the best because the possibilities are endless!VEGETABLE FRIED RICE1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice3/4 cup low-sodium soy

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-62363795118298691582010-01-27T19:44:00.004-05:002010-01-27T20:18:50.975-05:00

Isn't parsley just the loveliest green? I think in my next house perhaps I will paint my kitchen parsley green.Getting to the subject at hand, chicken cooked in a lovely white wine and olive oil. Joined with tomatoes, garlic, onions and olives - the sauce thickens up just enough to be perfect over rice. I have to confess, I still do not like green olives...but the rest was delightful.GOLDEN

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-6151056658687803402010-01-25T21:58:00.005-05:002010-01-27T19:44:32.700-05:00

I made that name up myself...do you like it? I'm sure I could name it "blueberry-grape-strawberry-banana-soy milk smoothie" but that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. This is actually a little concoction mentioned on Good Eats with Alton Brown. I thought I would give it a whirl and add it to my breakfast menu - plus anything I can get Jon to eat in the morning is a triumph (the man doesn't

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-47209092834388453362010-01-24T15:41:00.002-05:002010-01-24T15:54:30.243-05:00

something healthy...Zupas hit the spot when i was craving REAL food!this was the "Nuts About Berries" saladromaine lettuce with fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberriescinnamon almonds and poppyseed dressingi'm looking forward to recreating this when berries are back in season!and when i was craving something unhealthy?Settebello in Salt Lake City did the trickwood-fired

jennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-52051995421970977102010-01-21T03:12:00.004-05:002010-01-21T03:42:52.869-05:00

here's my dinner party tip for the month:don't make a new recipemaking something you've already made before will ease the pressureyou'll have a better idea on prep timeyou'll already know the what the finished dish tastes likeno surprises!my sweet niece watching me cookshe said she was "relaxing"my surrogate little sister, Ashlee (far left)hard to believe she's now a mom (the baby i'm holding)it

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-2086909241530170062010-01-15T08:22:00.000-05:002010-01-15T08:22:00.357-05:00

I'm going to UT to play in the snow.What does that have to do with bacon?Absolutely nothing. But what else do you want to look at for a week?Enjoy!

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-77462999265854361602010-01-14T20:14:00.002-05:002010-01-14T20:21:51.177-05:00

...freeze it! I hate opening an entire bottle of wine to use one cup for a recipe. We don't drink enough to finish it off before it goes bad, so I've been storing it in the fridge (where I inevitably forget about it) and then pouring it down the drain when I find it months later. No more! Freeze it into ice cubes and then store in plastic bags to use later in cooking. I'm pretty excited to

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-54317644608518381612010-01-10T21:02:00.004-05:002010-01-10T21:28:08.586-05:00

This recipe has two of my favorite things...lemon and butter! In my opinion, if you have those two together, things seldom go wrong in cooking and baking. Our local grocery store had some fantastic specials this week - buy 1 package of chicken, get two free; buy 1 bag of frozen shrimp, get two free; buy one package of london broil, get one free. You see where I'm going with this? I will be

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-7422528848274034472010-01-07T18:28:00.005-05:002010-01-07T20:04:57.938-05:00

I could have sworn I posted this recipe already since it's one of my easiest go-to recipes to make. Lucky for me (and you), it's nowhere to be found so I get to stick my resolutions the easy way this week!This is a modified recipe from one in Cooking Light magazine. The original recipe calls for snow peas instead of broccoli, but since I usually always have broccoli on hand, it works just as

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-41358955871202284332010-01-05T07:24:00.000-05:002011-02-14T21:07:02.635-05:00

We had quite a bit of chicken left over from lunch the other day and when thinking of what to make, I instantly thought of the chicken roll-up recipe my sister-in-law shared with me years ago. It's freezing here this week and this is definitely a comfort food recipe. I served it with sauteed vegetables that I needed to use up, but you could just as easily serve it with a soup or salad. And be

jennoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-90007798318336829652010-01-03T18:07:00.004-05:002010-01-04T11:28:57.983-05:00

So I took a little longer break than I anticipated. I feel like I've been going at warp speed (like that nerd reference?) since October and I needed a little break to focus on the holidays and family, family, family.I hosted our last get together of the holidays this afternoon to celebrate our grandmother's 82nd birthday before she went home to Brooklyn. When we first got married and she would

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-40011410845280478182009-12-14T12:27:00.000-05:002009-12-14T12:27:00.337-05:00

So I don't have the greatest photo of the finished product. We were making this while rushing around the house getting ready for a night out. And to be honest, I ate my portion right off the cutting board! It was really delicious. I rarely eat red meat and this cut was so flavorful and juicy, it felt like I was treating myself. We ended up pan searing our steak as well since our grill has

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-12435793582982532252009-12-13T15:59:00.004-05:002009-12-13T16:18:28.951-05:00

I love sugar cookies but I absolutely hate rolling them out, cutting them into shapes, frosting and decorating. If I am going to invest a lot of time into a baked good, I want it to be a lemon meringue pie or some decadent cake. Plus I'm married to someone that doesn't really like frosting - so I needed to find a cookie that could stand alone! These are perfect. Crispy, not-to-sweet, easy

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-80202420339596900852009-12-12T12:36:00.000-05:002009-12-13T16:53:28.570-05:00

My friend, Annie, called this Pork Piccata, which I suppose is fitting since it has all the essential ingredients of Chicken Piccata except with pork. I like to use Cooking Light recipes to even out some of the calorie-laden meals I prepare. This was a terrific weeknight dinner - easy to make with a ton of flavor. I wasn't able to find any boneless pork chops where I shop, but I figured it was

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-21799633070156271002009-12-09T21:57:00.005-05:002010-04-09T10:04:08.462-04:00

A lovely slow-cooker recipe for a cool winter's dinner. The last time I ate beets was decades ago...I honestly cannot remember eating them after becoming a teenager. When I was a kid, I ate them with my sister and we would rub the beets on our lips to turn them pink. I didn't do that tonight, though I thought about it. This was a delicious and easy meal. Mild flavors and tender juicy beef.

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-87515808660533946552009-12-06T10:04:00.004-05:002009-12-06T10:27:40.951-05:00

my disaster of a kitchen...contents of the treat boxesall lined up in a pretty little row I was in such a rush yesterday. In less than 4 hours, I made fudge, a batch of 48 rolo cookies and a batch of 48 sugar cookies (recipe to come). I was heading to a friend's annual Christmas party and I wanted to have my Christmas treat boxes prepped since most of the friends receiving

jennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-35185993686361047942009-12-04T00:10:00.002-05:002009-12-04T00:22:19.502-05:00

We were craving something sweet to eat tonight while we decorated the tree. My original plan was chocolate chip cookies, but somehow nearly the entire bag of chocolate chips was reduced down to a few morsels in a mostly empty bag. Serves me right for not hiding an emergency bag!Peanut Butter cookies were a runner up - and one of Jon's favorites. Let the December baking begin!PEANUT BUTTER

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-69114632028477873942009-11-29T13:27:00.004-05:002011-02-14T21:07:42.292-05:00

So maybe this doesn't look like much, but trust me when I say that you will literally eat this until you're nearly sick. It's addicting. A friend of mine brought this to a casual Christmas potluck last year and I have been wanting to make it ever since. I thought that Thanksgiving with family would be the perfect opportunity...especially because then I could leave it with them and escape it's

jennoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-41245925535489168012009-11-23T16:08:00.002-05:002009-11-23T17:01:01.751-05:00

We're visiting my husband's family for Thanksgiving...and with his birthday last week, Thanksgiving this week and traveling - there's little time to test out new recipes with any sort of regularity. But I'll be back in on December first with a new batch of recipes to run through the experimental kitchen!Have a wonderful holiday!

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-1373243257072568322009-11-18T17:47:00.000-05:002009-11-18T17:47:00.206-05:00

Because you can never have too many variations of roasted cauliflower! This was a big hit with the husband (who happens to like anything with lemon) and the shredded Parmesan is a nice touch on top. I have to admit that ever since discovering roasted cauliflower, I may have made it for lunch or dinner and eaten the entire head myself. What?! It's a vegetable!! I'd imagine that this would be

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-83489056849229831562009-11-17T22:31:00.004-05:002009-11-17T22:45:38.526-05:00

Does something count as vegetarian if it contains chicken stock? I'm thinking no...but perhaps this could be make with a vegetable stock instead? I have no idea since I'm not a real vegetarian.After my dismal results with the butternut squash soup, I was a little hesitant to try another fall vegetable. However, this had butter and cream and vegetables, so there was more to it. It was lovely!

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-35793913451198306572009-11-16T22:44:00.002-05:002009-11-16T23:16:46.898-05:00

This might have been one of the easiest meals I've made yet. Basically, you toss some vegetables into a pan, broil some toast, smear on some cheese and viola! dinner is done. It's surprisingly filling, though I did feel like I should have been eating this on the balcony of an apartment in Paris instead of my suburban ranch. Nevertheless, a great dish to make when you don't have a ton of time

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-7842131714363329312009-11-15T23:00:00.003-05:002009-11-15T23:11:00.531-05:00

This was a dish I wasn't looking forward to making, solely because of the presence of the dreaded TOFU! I had tried tofu several times in college and never cared for it. The texture of it - soft and almost rubbery - while tasting like chicken was too much for me. I have avoided it ever since until tonight. The use of tofu in this recipe was perfect - it took on the taste and consistency of a

jennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-68828875482102716872009-11-14T18:00:00.004-05:002009-11-14T22:27:36.260-05:00

So this is basically just a chocolate chip cookie recipe I added banana chips to. The cookies themselves were delicious (I'm pretty sure it was that extra stick of butter!) but the banana chips were lackluster. Jon actually thought they were walnuts because you make out the banana flavor. I wonder what chunks of fresh banana would do??If you want a good chocolate chip recipe, see below!(MOSTLY

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-20140425882735045022009-11-13T21:07:00.003-05:002009-11-13T21:30:17.688-05:00

Ever since I had chocolate chip banana chip cookies on vacation, I've been on the lookout for recipes that could replicate the taste. I found these and decided to test them out...to be honest, these tasted a little too healthy. Does that make sense? Not enough butter, too much wheat germ? Overall, they were good - just not the consistency I was looking for this particular cookie. Jon didn't

jennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-4643982757782107192009-11-10T20:26:00.004-05:002009-11-10T20:41:09.735-05:00

I took this recipe from the Food Network's website. It looked easy enough, but the results were very disappointing. I've never had Butternut Squash - in a restaurant or otherwise and I think my general lack of knowledge about how the final product should look and taste created some confusion. Here are the problems I ran into...How do you "peel" a squash? Not easily, let me assure you.Do you

jennoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-48925278703744976452009-11-09T22:16:00.004-05:002009-11-09T23:24:56.225-05:00

I found a great new website that has a lot of vegetarian recipes. This one looked especially interesting...even with the sun-dried tomatoes as the base. You already know I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes, but I suppose part of it being an experimental kitchen is trying things that I don't necessarily like. I've discovered that I'm starting to love the tomato. Honestly. Sun-dried tomatoes have a

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-18578105999773043752009-11-08T21:14:00.003-05:002011-02-14T21:07:42.293-05:00

Let's start off with me saying that every time I see or type the word "Chowder" I am saying it as "Chow-DAH" in my head. It must be my inner Kennedy. Let's proceed...I invited my brother and his fiancee over for a casual dinner and game night to celebrate his 31st birthday. At his request, I made Potato-Corn Chowder (Chowdah!) and cornbread muffins. My mom frequently made a recipe with the

jennoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-38755574951124681782009-11-07T20:57:00.000-05:002009-11-07T20:58:00.431-05:00

Finally got to use the vegetable stock I made on Sunday! Now I don't know if it was the homemade stock or just the recipe (or maybe the fact that I've only had onion soup three times in my life), but this was terrific. Be prepared that it does take at least an hour, probably closer to an hour and a half to make this right. Total cost for this meal is pretty cheap - buying 4 onions and then

jennoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-52657263988984244592009-11-06T16:11:00.000-05:002010-09-27T19:32:07.164-04:00

My mom claims that she made this dessert every Thanksgiving when we were growing up, but I have no memory of this. So when my boss decided that we were having a (mandatory) friendly dinner at her house, I thought I would try this recipe for the dessert. She wanted me to make some labor-intensive holiday cheesecake torte...but I have to be honest, I'm not going to that much effort for my

jennoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-52395504769345803452009-11-05T23:34:00.000-05:002009-11-06T11:42:30.310-05:00

I fooled you! You thought I was going to have some fantastic recipe to try, didn't you? However, this recipe is called "Jen was tired and lazy after what seems like a very long week and didn't feel like cooking". That's a long recipe name. You can see why I just titled it "Smothered Chicken & Rice", right? This is probably one of my favorite box mixes. I keep some Zatarain's in my pantry

jennoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-50477912300428463252009-11-04T22:08:00.000-05:002009-11-04T22:17:48.075-05:00

I was so excited for this recipe because I love eggs and spinach and potatoes and cheese. What could be better? I guess perhaps I was expecting more, but I've found that the Cooking Light recipes lack a little oomph. Maybe it's the lack of fat. :)My broiler is a little wacky, so I think this got a little overcooked, but it was still pretty delicious. Jon loved it, especially with the

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-61044115152041933042009-11-04T07:44:00.000-05:002009-11-04T07:44:00.502-05:00

According to Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" - the key to great vegetarian soups and other dishes is a good vegetable stock. I decided to make a double batch to use in recipes I make for my November challenge. I know that I can BUY vegetable stock pretty cheaply at the grocery store, but I wanted to at least try making my own before taking the easy way. Plus I like knowing

jennoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-89649893893622151442009-11-03T07:19:00.000-05:002009-11-03T07:19:00.261-05:00

Polenta is delicious! Extremely filling and super cheap to make. I think my 5 lb bag was only about $3 and I used 1 cup to make 4-6 servings. This was a really easy meal - chopping some veggies and then roasting while the polenta cooks. I think this will be better served the next day after the flavors have more time to soak in, but surprisingly delicious with interesting texture. Total cost

jennoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965391666886078350.post-75183168071369988792009-11-02T19:34:00.000-05:002009-11-02T19:35:31.161-05:00

No pictures with this one, but I find it hard to adequately capture soup anyway. This was delicious, easy to make and perfect for the beginning of November. Just enough hint of summer in the zucchini and squash, but hearty and warm for a cool night. Thanks, Emily for the recipe!GARDEN CHOWDER3 TB butter2 medium zucchini, diced2 “zucchini sized” yellow squash, diced1 medium onion, diced2 T

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