A Kitchen Full of Men

 This is Jacob aka Jake. He is many things, kind, quiet, thoughtful, a good sport, cute and a whole host of other adjectives. However, one thing he is not.....a chef. Recently Jake was given a new challenge/duty in our house. He is to purchase the food and cook one meal per week for the entire family. Not wanting to give to much instruction on the first meal I let him choose what he wanted to prepare. He chose pancakes, bacon and eggs to those who wanted them. This turned out to be a very positive experience, at least for me, and he is on his way to acquiring some much needed culinary skills!

 These weren't just plain pancakes, can you say chocolate chips!!! Good job Jake! I am looking forward to all the many meals prepared by you, Monday is my new favorite day!

Most girls might find themselves alone when it comes to time spent in the kitchen. If that's the case I'm sorry but I'm not willing to share. I didn't have one man in the kitchen I HAD TWO!!! Dennis and Lance gave a little hand when I prepared savory bread pudding and salmon cakes.

Dennis made an impressive presentation with the chipotle dipping sauce. Sadly, they looked better than they tasted. Fortunately, things were made better by Guinness cake!! Always a hit! Happy cooking!

When it's cold outside it's hot in here

Holiday greetings!!! Well, after holiday greetings I suppose.  We had the traditional meal for Thanksgiving and on the same note, the traditional leftovers. I'm sure everyone is tired of dressing and cranberry sauce so this is the perfect time for a little variety. It is the spice of life you know.

JALAPENO CHEDDAR CORNBREAD MUFFINS! Amanda Hesser hasn't disappointed me one time! Her cookbook has been a hit every time I've used it! From the challah recipe to complex pastries, this novel of mouth watering recipes is a must have for every kitchen. Might I suggest adding it to your Christmas list.~ Happy cooking!

Yum

 

I really dislike the time change we use in the fall. I really dilike the nakedness of the trees as they shed their leaves. I really dislike how the dry air affects my skin when it's cold. But I LOVE comfort foods! Cheese ravioli, crisp salad with Kalmato tomatoes and last but not least, fresh made tomato basil bread with cheddar cheese baked into the bread. Go ahead mother nature, I'm ready!

 

Comfort

So it seems fall has descended upon us, as the east coast braces for hurricane Sandy we are in the midst of a cold front with the promise of a snow flake or two.  As the rain drizzles and the wind blows through the trees we have resolved ourselves to enjoying a day indoors with soup and cinema. Hearty vegetable soup was just the perfect treat for a cool October afternoon.  I hope each of you are safe and warm

P.retty M.agnificent S.tuff

Like some gals, I too want to rip someone's face off for no apparent reason once a month. It's that feeling that comes over you when you think if you have to hear someone, anyone, take one more breath it will surely be their last. Well I found a temporary cure!!!! It's effects only last during and and a short time after consumption. Yep, you guessed it, chocolate. Well, maybe I can't state I found the cure but I decided baking tasty treats was a great way to convert the potential for violence into sweet goodies. 

I found this recipe the other night around 8:30 and they sounded so good I couldn't resist making them right then. These brownies have a special ingredient.......no! Not that special! They have a bit of Irish in them! Guinness beer brownies are now my favorite brownies. These are so wonderful! They're not greasy like box recipes and they have just the right mixture of bittersweet, white and semisweet chocolate to give Midol a run for their money! So the next time you find yourself in the predicament where serious bodily harm to another is surely imminent I suggest you head to the cupboard and bake!!!! Happy cooking!

Salsa..exciting dance....boring dish

 So the summer garden has yielded it's bounty and we have been able to can and freeze some of our harvest. Last year we made a version of black bean salsa, it was tasty but like most things, we felt we could improve the recipe. First, I just want to say how time consuming canning ANYTHING is. You might as well write an entire day off of your life. It's a boring process of waiting and when you are finally finished (which will be 10 hours later) you can't eat anything you've made.

 Of all the things we have canned and preserved I like this best. Not really because I'm so fond of salsa but because IT'S SO PRETTY! What a lovely display of color! It's virtually a palette of vegetables.

 Once the black beans are cooked you can combine the ingredients. Our recipe has beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, corn, garlic, cilantro, fresh squeezed lime juice, red pepper flakes and cumin. Believe me this is a lot of chopping and dicing.

Sadly, it looks like sewage when it's canned but it tastes so good I have to make up a word to describe it.....fantabulous!

Back in Black

Wow! It has been a long time since my last post. Time really gets away from me sometimes. In my defense we went on a vacation, school started, soccer practice started and life in general has been happening. I will try to do better from here on out. One of the great things about being out of town is the opportunity to eat in a different restaurant and try new foods. We ate at McGuire's Irish Pub and it was so tasty! I liked it so much I bought the cookbook and that's where this little dish was from. It's called Black Beer Chili and it's quiet a bit different from the chili I'm familiar with but a nice change.

I typically use dark beer when I make chili because I feel it gives a richer taste but I don't normally use 4 1/2cups of the stuff. Another distinct difference is the type of meat, I use ground beef (grass fed of course) but this called for sirloin. I was afraid the meat was going to be tough but I guess all the beer and a dash of balsamic vinegar really aids in tenderizing. It was a big hit with Lance and Dennis! I think the best part is the corn and black beans are fresh from our garden. It's always nice when you can enjoy the fruits of your (in this case Lance's) labors. Happy cooking!!