May 29th, 2013
This cookie was created by my brood primarily to carry a slew of chewy and sweet goodies.
The girls have been spending many Fridays home with their Daddy. They tool about town getting errands done and preparing for the weekend. A few weeks ago there was talk of cookie making. What to put in them? What kind to bake? One little mouth squealed for cranberries and white chocolate, the other preferred M&Ms.
When I came home Friday evening, a delectable aroma hit me at the door. I found these beauties cooling on the rack. Immediately, the bright colored confetti in the cookies made me smile from ear to ear. Why limit the mix ins? Everyone was thrilled with the outcome.
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May 7th, 2013
Keep reading to learn how you can win your own set of Nambe CookServ Saute pans.
Those who have been following this blog for awhile know that my husband grew up in the Netherlands and spent summers on his father’s native island of Corfu in Greece. When we first met, I visited the Netherlands and easily became acquainted with his friends and family since nearly all Dutch people speak fluent English. The introductions to his Greek world were not as seamless.
Though younger people in Greek speak English, it isn’t customary for older generations. I did a lot of smiling and nodding and my husband translated as much as he could. Meals in Greece are long affairs prolonged by conversation and drink. The food is always captivating but feigning interest for a few hours without understanding a word was sometimes taxing. Over and over in my head, I giggled to myself, “It’s all Greek to me” as I laughed along with a joke I didn’t understand.
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April 29th, 2013
Might you accept just one more soup recipe before spring weather hits us full time?
Sure, it was 70 degrees and gorgeous in Chicago today but just a few days ago I was tugging my down comforter up to my ears at night. Such is our Midwest spring.
My husband first made this soup years ago. We found it in cookbook called 1,001 More Low-Fat Recipes. It is one of those recipes that we keep forgetting about and then resurrect and wonder why we forgot about it. The spices are minimal and turkey is often bland but somehow the ingredients all come together to make a simple but flavorful soup.
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April 21st, 2013
A few bits of news from the Chicago food scene.
I love Chicago. Though I appreciate all that New York and other big cities have to offer, I am a hometown, Midwestern girl. It’s true that our fashion scene isn’t as savvy and I don’t expect us to keep up in that department. But, our food scene is pretty amazing and getting better all the time.
In the past decade that I have lived here, I have been eagerly watching from a front row seat as creative, entrepreneurial chefs and foodies surprise, engage and wow us. Through my work and this blog, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of them and I find myself further swelling with pride about how talented and passionate my fellow Chicagoan’s are.
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April 8th, 2013
Discovering new drinks through simple syrup experimentations.
Though my mixology skills are still somewhat limited, I am venturing into new territory through experimentation of flavored simple syrups. Ginger syrup led me to my cocktail “ah-ha!” last year. Since then, I have tried other infusions and sipped my way through various combinations.
Mixing homemade syrup with some sort of liquor and a some freshly squeezed syrup yields a wide variety of different drinks. My recipe creation is a bit like a slot machine. Start with 1 ounce of infused simple syrup. Let the wheel turn and land on any sort of liquor (2 ounces) and 1 ounce of any type of freshly squeezed citrus. Though certain combinations obviously turn out better than others, none have been losers.
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March 15th, 2013
Treating snack time with a little pomp and circumstance as I ease away from sugar habits.
It is so easy to get in the habit of rewarding kids with sugar. We find ourselves taking away treats as punishment, offering M&Ms as a reward to go pee pee on the potty, and celebrating big occasions with sweets and desserts. During that past few years, my own love of desserts and baking has been a challenge as I’ve tried to diet and lose my leftover baby weight. I’ve been working hard to break my emotional bond to baked goods but my rational brain turns to mush around donuts, croissants and cookies.
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February 26th, 2013
Putting banana pudding parfaits in jars make them easy to store and easier to bring with you.
Somewhere online, I saw this book about desserts in jars. I sort of giggled at the idea that such a specific concept of “desserts in jars” could fill an entire book. But, once I thought about it, I decided it wasn’t such a bad idea. I haven’t yet flipped through Shaina’s book but it did inspire me to build these banana pudding parfaits in jars. They kept well in the refrigerator and would be perfect for picnics or meals on-the-go.
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February 22nd, 2013
I rarely jog, I’m much more of a swimmer. A few weeks ago, I decided to take a few laps around the small track at my gym. As I jogged around the corner, the sun was streaming in the windows, warming a 15 yard stretch of the path. As the light hit my face, I had a flashback to a moment almost a year ago.
It’s funny how memories are triggered. For a few seconds, it was as if the linear stream of time folded like a ribbon and transported me back. Last February, I had stopped in the same place while jogging to take the above photo. The same afternoon sun was streaming through the gym window. When I got home, I started a blog post titled “The Light at the End of the Tunnel.”
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February 2nd, 2013
Let Red Velvet season begin!
Red Velvet is today’s culinary “it” girl. Dozens of dedicated Pinterest boards, devoted red velvet enthusiasts, concoctions of all forms. I think Red Velvet, the old southern favorite, is at top of its bell curve. If you aren’t a fan, you may be rolling your eyes at every pancake recipe or cake pop. But, if you are like me, you are relishing in the light of its fame. I’m no fair-weather fan – I pledged my love years ago and I will be faithful when Red Velvet tips over the top of this roller coaster and lands on the “out” lists.
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January 30th, 2013
Next Sunday, I will think of all of you as I watch the unfolding Downton Abbey saga. Thank you all for your interest in the book. Through random.org, I chose a winner of The Unofficial Downton Abbey cookbook and it is Pam C. who gave me a good giggle with her comment:
Pam C. Says: I am so glad that I don’t have to dress for dinner-sweatpants are much more comfortable than evening dresses.
Thanks again for your interest! Stay tuned for future book giveaways.
January 28th, 2013
If you are hooked on the rise and fall of Lord Grantham and his family, you may want to try your chances at winning this book.
The popular show, Downton Abbey, follows the saga of a well off English family, specifically focusing on their estate and the management of their household. The juxtaposition of the servants lives and those who they care for is not a new angle but it is always filled with juicy tensions and hierarchies that I enjoy watching unfold. Some gorgeous period piece costumes, the propriety of a bygone era, a passionate English romance (is “passionate English” an oxymoron?), and Maggie Smith – this is the recipe for the show’s success.
I barely have time to watch TV or read news and even I have not escaped the Downton Abbey hype. Last year, I was offered a copy of this cookbook and accepted because I was humored by the title. Everything at Downton Abbey is so terribly official that the idea of “unofficial” cookbook tickled me.
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January 21st, 2013
Try chewy, homemade granola bars for school snack day or keep some stashed in the freezer.
I feel like I am coming out of semi-retirement. For those who are still reading, thank you for your interest in my blog despite my rare “appearances.” I’m hoping that a few life changes I have recently put in place will free up some time and allow me to post more often. I miss cooking, using my camera, posting and hearing from you!
Every winter, I am reminded how hard it is to capture decent photos when the daylight has disappeared before I get home from work. A few worthy recipes have been withheld due to this winter photography handicap.
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