Tag: Vegetarian

What’s for Dinner? Sloppy Joes, Quinoa Enchilada Bake, & Chicken Parmesan Soup

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

valentines dayI hope you had a great Valentine’s Day!  Here in Greensboro we had a crazy snow of , wait for it…around 7 or 8 inches!  I know, all you mid westerners are laughing at us, but the whole city screeched to a stop and it was beautiful.  You would think this would mean I cooked more, but no.  I planned my meals as usual (5 of them) and then it snowed!  By Valentine’s Day we were all ready to get out a little and as a result I made three of the meals I had planned and then we ate out and had frozen pizza.  Even though things didn’t go as I planned it was still a successful week.  Remember the point isn’t just getting everyone fed, it is to enjoy each other’ company, to talk, to listen and just be!

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake – Twopeasandtheirpod.comquinoa enchilada

Meatless Monday

Time: About 45 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: Try this, try this, try this.  Maybe you are not so sure about this quinoa stuff, maybe it seems to exotic-not to worry.  It easy to cook with and wonderful.  We loved this dish, it was full of flavor, easy to make, and felt fresh and clean!  I think it will become one of your family favorites.  It would be a great dish to make for a covered dish or for company.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup – Nature Box
chicken soup

Time:  4 hours in crockpot or 45 minutes on the stovetop

Ease: Simple

Review: Sometimes I look at a recipe and think “really? There isn’t much to this, is it going to work?” and sometimes I’m right, but I’m glad to say that this recipe proved me wrong.  It is very basic and really very good.  The next day everyone wanted the leftovers to take to work, I thought we’d have a brawl in the kitchen.  Worse, there weren’t any leftovers! Everyone just thought there were. (I am not a member of Nature Box, but found the recipe online)

This isn’t spaghetti like or even tomato soup like, it has it’s own flavors.  It is filling and simple.  You could make this on the stove top if you don’t have a slow cooker.

Sloppy Joes – Ellie Krieger, the Food Network
sloppy joe

Time: 30 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: I am a firm believer in making things from scratch!  It is a great way to cut down on the sodium and preservatives that are in pre-packeged meals and once you start you will realize that it really doesn’t take much more, if any more time and you get the added bonus of knowing that you have made a meal that is better for your family or friends and maybe they will even think you are amazing in the kitchen.  Plus, you can’t beat the taste.

I have review this recipe by Ellie Krieger before, it is a staple in our home.  That said it is worth bringing back around.  Don’t be afraid, it is almost as easy as opening a can, but the flavor is so much better.  Note: our family prefers it without the beans.  You can try it both ways and see what everyone thinks.

Table 16, Downtown Greensboro NC

Valentine’s Day my wonderful man took me to Table 16 in Greensboro, NC.  It is wonderful.  I am most impressed by the complexity of the dishes,  yet nothing seems to get lost or is over worked.  You can taste each spice and they complement each other well.  We’ve been twice and are still impressed.  The service was great and they have a nice wine list.  If in Greensboro I suggest you give it a try.  Table 16 is located downtown, so allow extra time to walk around and take in the sites!

 

Photos by lwburbach. Feel free to use photos, but please link back to this blog.- Thank you.

Looking like food truck food this week: Sandwiches, Dumplings, Noodles & Soup

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

abroccolirabeSo, here is the deal…I thought this week’s blog would be about Bringing Back Dinner going healthy, umm well maybe not so much, we ended up looking like we ate off a food truck all week.  Next week?  There are just so many yummy things to make! In reality the meals this week could be much worse and the Picture of the broccoli Rabe is to show that we at least ate something green this week.  That is a start, yea?  Maybe?  I tried, but at least I get another chance each week!

Don’t let someone like Anthony Bourdain know this (he is pretty vocal about wanting meat & fat, though if you let him know it wouldn’t matter since we’ve never met and he couldn’t care less what I say), but I really like the challenge of making fatty, rich foods healthier and have no one realize the difference when they eat it, that said I’m all for a little sausage, cream, butter, and bacon too.  Balance and moderation are key!

I encourage you to make any adaptations you would like to recipes to try to find a way to have the best flavorful mouthful of food while meeting your dietary needs.  It can be done, so if you think you have to watch your fat, sugar, salt etc. and therefore will never have a decent meal again, never fear your taste buds are safe.  In the next few weeks I will add a note to reviews where I’ve at least made an attempt to secretly make it healthier, I’ll let you know if it worked in regards to flavor and texture and if it made it more difficult.  I will even let you know if anyone said “hey! is this heaaallthy??”  So, set the table and play with your food! Enjoy.

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals: Note, this week there are many adaptations.  Read the reviews for ingredient lists and changes.

Empanadas – Adapted from Patrick and Gina Neely

aempanadas

Time: 40 Minutes to 1 Hour

Ease: Simple

Review: I would like to try this recipe “as is”, but admit I didn’t.  I like the general idea of this recipe and used ground beef instead.  I used Creme Fraiche in place of cream cheese just because I had it on hand and I have an interesting item called Tomato Powder, it is dehydrated tomatoes and you can use it to make tomato paste or sauce, but i like to just sprinkle it in or on dishes for a little tomatoey zest.  I added about a heaping teaspoon to the mixture.  The results were very nice.

Gyoza  – Adapted from Yo Sushi Cookbook

aeggrolls2

Time:  30 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review:  When we were in London we discovered this fun restaurant called Yo Sushi.  It has conveyor belts that bring colored bowls around for you to choose from.  Each bowl is a different price.  It was fun and we truly enjoyed the food.  The one item we liked the most was the gyoza (dumplings).  I tried to find an online recipe, but no luck.  In the end I found a cookbook from Yo Sushi and bought the book and I highly recommend it.  It asks you to use authentic Japanese ingredients and is really worth it to find them and think of the entertainment you may provide to the shopkeeper  as you try to locate the ingredients-we sure did!  Keeping it fun!

 I couldn’t locate an online recipe here are the ingredients I used: 2 dried shitake mushrooms soaked in warm water for 10 minutes (reserve liquid to moisten wrappers with), 7 oz of minced chicken, 1/2 leek trimmed and finely chopped, 1 clove garlic crushed, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger root, 1 tsp sesame oil, and 1 tbsp cornflour.  Mix the ingredients together in a bowl.  For instructions on cooking the gyoza visit this link for a recipe from Sandra Lee, it was similar in method.

Note: this is actually a pretty healthy dish the main thing is to watch the salt if adding dipping sauces.  I like to use 2 Tbsp rice vinegar mixed with 3 Tbsp soy sauce and 2-3 drops sesame oil.  Mix well and serve with gyoza.

Meatball Subs

amballsub

Time: 45 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review:  This dish is a great dish when you are looking for something easy and filling.  For an extra easy meal I’m not above using pre-made spaghetti sauce and there are some really good ones out there, but I am comptlely against frozen meatballs.  They are awful and take as long to bake as the real thing-so make the meatballs.  As for the meatballs I used 1/2 pound of sweet Italian sausage and 1/2 pound of ground beef combined with 1/2 cup bread crumbs, an egg, a dash of milk, 1 tbsp oregano, 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes, and salt and pepper.  Mix well and roll in to balls that will comfortably fit the bun you will use.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  Heat the spaghetti sauce in a medium sized pot and add the finished meatballs, mix well.  Fill sub with 3-4 meatballs, top with a little additional sauce.  Top with provolone or your favorite cheese and broil until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately to avoid soggy bread.

Broccoli Rabe, garlic & Pasta

abroccolirabepasta

Meatless Monday

Time: 20 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: Well, speaking of Anthony Bourdain, he made something like this on the ABC show “The Taste”.  I looked for a recipe online, but didn’t find exactly what I wanted.  He made it look like a simple dish you through just throw together and many of the recipes made it a lot more complex.  In the end I just did what he said to do.  I sauteed garlic in oil (about 5 cloves), added in about a scant tsp of red pepper flakes and sauteed until colorful and fragrant, then add the chopped broccoli rabe, they usually come in bunches, one bunch served 4.  Remove any leaves if still attached when you purchase it.   Cook until just tender, but still has a little bite to it – about 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile cook pasta.   Once the the Broccoli Rabe and pasta are done toss together and add salt and pepper to taste and top with a nice cheese.  I chose grana padano.

I will say everyone in my family was surprised by this dish.  They looked at it and said “is that it?” took a bite and said “mmmm, hey this is good!”  So to redeem myself in my earlier omissions of fatty food I admit I served this with sweet Italian sausage that I crumbled and browned.  I put in a bowl on the side to let people choose to go whole hog or not! Pun intended.

Mushroom Soup (Chanterelle Soup)

amushroomsoup

Time: 20 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: I made this soup a few weeks ago, but didn’t feature it strongly.  I love this soup and could eat it every day!  It is quick, easy and tasty.  Do try it!

A few weeks ago when I made this I shopped for exotic mushrooms since we were having company.  For us-nah, good ole button mushrooms on sale 2 for $4.00 and they worked great!  Either way the soups is good.  My husband said he thought he liked it better!  This is great sitting on the couch or at the table with a nice salad and glass of wine.

Tip: try adding a splash of brandy before serving  you could cut back on the fat by trying milk instead of cream.  Good vegetarian dish.

 

Photos by lwburbach. Feel free to use photos, but please link back to this blog.- Thank you.

Reviews from the Food Network, Rachel Ray, The French Laundry, & Olive Garden

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

blini

This week has been a good week for me to remember to practice what I preach.  I have taken the time this week to set the table, add special touches, invite friends over and try to make each meal a special even, if it was simple.  I don’t always succeed, but there is so much joy in the trying!  I hope you will continue or start to give it a try.

We really enjoyed this week’ meals and had enough leftover to have friends over to help us finish them off.  My friend it calls it the microwave buffet!  Everyone picked what they wanted and then we sat around and laughed and talked for hours.  That is what it is all about!

One note about meals this week: BUY A SCALE  I used my scale repeatedly this week, it helps be more precise as well as making it easier to use recipes from other countries.  Buy a good scale that can go between ounces and grams, you won’t regret it.

This week’s Reviews:

The Food Network: Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin with Sweet Potato Puree and Molasses gastrique

The French Laundry: Yukon Gold Potato Blini;  Food from Finland: Chanterelle soup

Rachel Ray: Sesame-Lime Shrimp Salad served with Cheese Pie

Olive Garden: Campellini Pomodoro w/a Twist

Cooking Light: Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

The Food Network: Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin with Sweet Potato Puree and Molasses gastrique

pork and sweet potato

Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes (less if you butterfly the loin instead)

Ease: Intermediate

Review: Sometimes it is worth it to put a little extra effort into the meal.  Aside from the  amount of time this recipe takes it looks a little daunting to the average home cook, but once you get in there it was really pretty easy and the results, lets just say WOW!  We served this for company one night and couldn’t say enough about how wonderful they thought it was.  If you want to impress someone this is the dish!

Tips/Adjustments: This recipe, as written, yields 20 portions so I halved the recipe an it worked well to serve 4 with leftovers.  I also chose to butterfly the pork loin and stuff it down the middle and tie with cooking twine, then seared the meat before cooking in the oven for about 30 minutes (until internal temp is 145).

The French Laundry: Yukon Gold Potato Blini & Food from Finland: Chanterelle soupblini

Time: 1 Hour

Ease: Simple (surprisingly) to Moderate

Review:  Whaaaatt???  A Thomas Keller recipe that is easy? It can’t be so you say.  It is, it is!  The Yukon Gold Potato Blini’s were incredible easy to make and even easier to eat.  We topped them with crème fraîche and smoked salmon. oh wow, they were so good.  I feel like I will make this often.  The hardest part was being patient while I waited for the potatoes to become tender.

The soup: The Chanterelle Soup is also very easy and may possibly be my new favorite soup. Note: 50ml of onions is about 1/4 cup and Changerelles can be hard to find and expensive.  I found a mushroom packet with a mixture of 4 different types of mushrooms and added cremini to total 400 grams.

Rachel Ray: Sesame-Lime Shrimp Salad served with Cheese Pie

shrimp salad

Time: 30 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: I’ll be honest, I don’t like watching Rachel Ray.  There I said it.  It is something about the presentation and speed of things on the show that I don’t care for, but I do enjoy the food.  The Sesame-Lime Shrimp Salad was awesome and easy.  It felt like a nice light dish, one that would be great to pull back out in the summertime.

My husband asked for cheese pie, a dish his mother made when he was growing up.  I agreed to do it if we had something a little lighter on the side.  Everyone was happy.

Cheese Pie – not a quiche

cheese pie

My husband’s Cheese Pie:

4 oz shredded Muenster, 4 oz shredded cheddar, 1 beaten egg, 3/4 cup flour, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup milk, 1/8 tsp Italian seasoning, 1/4 tsp Lowery’s Seasoned Peppers, 1/2 cup chopped salami pepperoni, or other sausage, 1/2 tsp oregano

Cook sausage if necessary.  Mix all ingredients together Pour into well greae 9-inch pie pan.  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 2 minutes more.

There is no review, this recipe just is.  As I’ve said before, my husband loves cheese.  I mean we are talking Wallace and Gromit level love of cheese.  Combine a love of cheese with a fellas love of his mother and well there is nothing left to do but make it for him!

Olive Garden: Campellini Pomodoro w/a Twist

twists pomodoro 2

Time:  10-15 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: Olive Garden’s Campellini Pomodoro is delicious in the restaurant, but is just as delicious at home.  It takes 15 minutes tops and looks elegant, tastes great, and can’t be any more simple.  Add a glass a wine, turn the lights down low and enjoy!

So what’s with the twist you ask?  Simple, I traded Campellini pasta for twists, ok I know that was kinda cheesy.  You can use any pasta that your heart desires with this recipe.

Cooking Light: Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

enchilada black bean

Time:  1 Hour and 10 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: Cooking Light’s Black Bean and Cheese Enchilada with Ranchero sauce was easy to make.  The flavors were nice and you can adjust the heat per your family’s tastes.  I used dried chipotle peppers instead of ancho and it added that nice smoky flavor.  To compensate for the loss in heat I added red pepper flakes.  Even though this dish is simple it has layers of flavor and would be a great dish to take to a covered dish or serve to company.

Venison Stir Fry

My son made a yummy stir fry this week using venison.  He did a great job and I just want to give a shout out to him!  Awesome job!  Thanks for a great dinner.

venison stir fry 2

It was a great week filled with delicious smells and flavors and friends and family.  It just doesn’t get much better.

Reviews: Peruvian Beef, Chili, Tilapia with Brandied Garlic Sauce & More…

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

cornbreadI love cornbread, truly I could live on cornbread and sweet tea and be completely happy.  Not healthy, but I’ve been told we can’t have everything!  This week’s meals could have had cornbread as a side dish for every meal, yummmm.  There are many great recipes out there, but I usually follow the directions on the corn meal and I like corn meal from the Guilford Mill or Mabry Mill when possible.  They are so full of flavor! So, please feel free to add cornbread to any meal below and use the best corn meal you can find.

I also rarely add flour to my cornmeal, but this is a preference thing.  It is often more crumbly with just cornmeal, but so good.  Another must and I mean must is a cast iron frying pan.  You must heat the pan with oil in it (we use crisco down here, if not lard) and then pour the mixture in and when you hear it sizzle you will know you you’ve done it right.

This week’s Reviews:

Peruvian Beef Saltado – Ingrid Hoffman

Tilipia with Roasted Potatoes and Brandied Garlic Sauce – Todd Porter and Diane Cu (Food and Wine Magazine)

Hearty Lentil Soup – America’s Test Kitchen (to view recipe a membership is required)  also try sophistimom.com

Pork Satay with Sweet Coconut-Milk Glaze – Kris Yenbamroong (Food and Wine magazine

Chili Con Carne – Nell Newman (venison)

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

Peruvian Beef Saltado – Ingrid Hoffman

peruvian beef

Time: 30 minutes.

Ease: simple

Review: This was an easy and hearty dish.  The flavors are mild and understated, but nice.  Use the leftovers in soft taco shells and jazz it up a little with some hot sauce.

Tilipia with Roasted Potatoes and Brandied Garlic Sauce – Todd Porter and Diane Cu (Food and Wine Magazine)talapia brandy sauce

Time: 1 Hour

Ease: Simple

Review: I am trying to add more fish into our diet and have found it a little harder than I expected to find new flavors.  This was a nice dish with great flavor.  The brandy flavor didn’t come through, but I feel it still added to the total feel and flavor of the dish.

Hearty Lentil Soup – America’s Test Kitchen (to view recipe a membership is required)  also try sophistimom.com

hearty lentil soup

You may also check the recipe out at sophistimom.com

Time: 45 Minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: Note: I used the recipe from the Cook’s Illustrated cookbook.  The recipe is online, but does require a membership to view.  Another option is the link above where sophistimom.com gives the recipe as she has adapted it.

That said, it was an easy soup to make and an all around good, basic soup to keep in your repertoire of soups.  There were options to change the spices which I found nice for the leftovers.  Make it plain to start with and serve the leftovers with things like cardamom, cinnamon, curry etc.  It becomes a whole new dish.

Hint: For the balsamic vinegar try using different types.  I used Honey, ginger, lemon balsamic.  It was a nice touch.

Chili Con Carne – Nell Newman (venison)

venison chili

Time:  1 1/2 hours

Ease: Simple

Review: This is my go to chili recipe, you have seen it before and will probably see it again, but we just love it.  We almost always omit the celery (hubby doesn’t like) and peppers (wifey doesn’t like in chili) and corn (kiddies don’t like in chili) – I know aren’t they difficult! geesh.   This time we used venison.  I often let it cook longer for the flavors or toss it in the crockpot, but found the venison didn’t hold up well with that method so if using ground venison, stick to shorter cooking times.  Make sure to taste it and adjust spices as needed, venison adds a subtle and different flavor-but good.

Reviews: Jamie Oliver-Fajitas, Pioneer Woman-Potato Soup & Food.com-Fish

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 5 Comments

fruiterNow that the holidays are over and our schedules are getting back to normal I want to remind you to bring back dinner.  Slow down and settle in over dinner.  Maybe you could invite some friends over and spend the whole evening just enjoying each other, learning about each other and having great food.  Or try being intentional with your family, set the table and call them to dinner and talk.  It will be a great way to decompress and get back in touch with each other. This week’s dishes are simple and quick which should allow you plenty of time to connect. Enjoy!

This week’s Reviews:

Pecan Crusted Flounder- Food.com

Perfect Potato Soup – Pioneer Woman

Fajitas – Jamie Oliver

Spaghetti – When Honey makes Dinner

Anniversary Dinner Out – Green Valley Grill

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

Pecan Crusted Flounder- Food.com

flounder

Time: 30-45 minutes.

Ease: simple

Review: We used flounder for this recipe and found it to be easy, but be careful!  It is easy to overwhelm the taste of the fish with the taste of the pecans.  The idea is to complement the fish, not overpower it.  Otherwise, the fish cooked well in about 15 minutes.

Perfect Potato Soup – Pioneer Woman

potato soup

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: I am in love with Ree Drummand a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, I have yet to try any dish that wasn’t superb and this dish was no different.  It was simple to make, hearty, warm, and yummy.  We didn’t have bacon on hand and the soup was still great.  I have one eater who likes chunks in the soup and one that insists on smooth soup, this soup was a great compromise.

Tip:  Add the bacon, I mean really it is BACON!  To make this vegetarian use vegetable broth and sadly, omit the bacon.

Fajitas – Jamie Oliver

fajitas e

Time: About 30 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: I really like Jamie Oliver’s recipes, but we all found this to be a little bland.  We punched up the flavor with a little tequila and a few extra seasonings.  In the end my husband was making yummy noises, which as you know I do live for.

Spaghetti – When Honey makes Dinner

spaghetti

Time: 30-45 minutes

Ease: Simple (all I had to do was sit on the couch)

I was not feeling well this week and one night my wonderful husband made spaghetti!  Yumm.  He cooked ground sweet Italian sausage with ground beef, added a jar of spaghetti sauce and cooked two kinds of noodles and it was great!  Just because you open a jar doesn’t mean it can’t be a great dinner.  Look for brands with lower sugar and all natural ingredients.  We still gathered around the dinner table and talked about the week and upcoming changes.  It was a nice night!  So sometimes, let someone else do the cooking.

Green Valley Grill Review

This week was our second anniversary!  It is the second marriage for both of us and we have learned to appreciate every tiny little moment and treasure it and to let the little things go-It is great!.

We had dinner at the Green Valley Grill in Greensboro, NC and it is one of my favorite restaurants.  GVG is one of three restaurants owned by Quaintance-Weaver, each with it’s own unique style and all using local foods.  GVG is in the style of Old World European, with bold flavors and a seasonal menu.

Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful, the atmosphere is always pleasurable fine dining.  My husband had  the Porcini Filled Pasta Purses with Giacomo’s Italian sausage & sautéed mushrooms.  He completely enjoyed this dish.  Some of the pasta was a little too soft, but overall the entire dish had great flavors.  I had the Pan Seared Scallops over a butternut squash-Vintage Gouda gratin and sautéed spinach, topped with blood orange-sage beurre blanc.  The scallops were perfectly seared and tender and the bits of blood orange added a nice sweet & zesty zap to the rich sauce.  Very good.  Many of the recipes may be found online the the link above.

Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones I Have created.  Thank you.

Reviews: Momofuku, America’s Test Kitchen, Pressure Cooking for Dummies

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Photo 2This week my Aunt Shirley, better known as Sher Sher, passed away.  It was a sad time, but at the same time she was not well and we were glad to not see future suffering.  She will be missed and our time of sadness will continue a while, but her time of joy has come.

One of the ways we comfort each other in times of sadness, sickness, and new birth is food, lots of food.  Being from the south means you are guaranteed fried chicken, biscuits, sweet tea, and usually deviled eggs. Not to mention lots of pie. This week was no different.  Lots of “down home” goodness, cooked and brought with love.  Thank you to everyone who took such good care of our family!

This week’s Reviews:

Momofuku’s (David Chang) Ginger Scallion Noodles

Pressure Cooker Braised Chicken in Marinara

Pressure Cooking for Dummies Minestrone

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

Momofuku’s (David Chang) Ginger Scallion Noodles
noodles in 3

Time: 30-45 minutes.  Time varies based on what you choose to add to these awesome noodles.

Ease: simple

Review: For Christmas I got a gift card to a book store and bought the Momofuku book. I have wanted that book for so long! This is the first thing I tried and I love this recipe.  I will keep the ginger scallion sauce on hand.  It was easy to make and very tasty. I used Udon noodles because it is what I had on hand and we also topped ours with cauliflower, cabbage and mushrooms.  

Tips: Don’t let Asian food intimidate you.  This is a great starter recipe. Remember to have fun and be flexible.  You start with the sauce add noodles and from there it is up to you.  David Chang gives some suggestions for toppings, but this is truly up to you.  Customizable.  PS-read the book, it is very interesting.

Pressure Cooker Braised Chicken in Marinaramarinera chicken e

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple, once I overcame my fear over using the pressure cooker!

Review: For Christmas I received an electric pressure cooker!  It was a little scary at first, but I found a great book by America’s Test Kitchen that I highly recommend.  The charts and tips are worth the cost alone.  One thing they do is tell you why it works, I find this to be very helpful and allows me to feel more confident in my attempt.

The link is to a blog by America’s Test Kitchen, but it is basically a jar of marinara over chicken.  This could be done in the oven as well, but I found the sauce to be richer after cooking in the pressure cooker.  If you have one you should definitely pull it out and give it a try.

Pressure Cooking for Dummies Minestrone

minestrone for dummies

Time: 20 minutes in pressure cooker, allow more time if on stovetop.

Ease: Simple

Review: mehh.  This is the first review I’ve done where I just thought it was “ok”.   I felt from reading the recipe that it might not develop enough flavor, but since I’m new to pressure cooking I decided to give it a try.  I was right.  I thought that the soup was a little bland.  That said, it wasn’t unpleasant and the vegetables cooked nicely.  I will probably play around with the leftovers though.  If you make this try adding some tomato paste, extra seasonings etc. to your own personal tastes.

BBQ Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Photo 6

Time: 6-8 Hours in slowcooker or cook in oven until chicken reaches temp.

Ease: Simple

This can’t get any simpler if you are in a hurry.  You have a couple options: 1. a bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce, hey no one is judging or 2. your own favorite homemade BBQ recipe.  I like Emeril’s if I’m going to make it.   So, just toss in chicken breasts, BBQ sauce and turn on the crockpot and forgot about it.  You may need to add water if you BBQ sauce is too thick.  When you get home, just chop it all up and serve on a rolls-easy peasy!

I hope you have a wonderful week and remember to enjoy time at the dinner table.  It can be easy to fall into a pattern of just slapping something down and filling the bellies.  I encourage you to remember to connect with each other and don’t forget to set the table!

Enjoy!

Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones I Have created.  Thank you.

Reviews: The Weenie Stand, Sushi, Springrolls & Praline French Toast

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

weenie standThis is the Weenie Stand, in Lynchburg Va.  Yep, I said Weenie Stand.  It opened in 1970 and has been declared the “World’s Best Hotdog”, I’m not sure by whom.  But, in my opinion it is pretty darn close.  My mother and I have visited the Weenie Stand all my life and when I had kids we took them, somehow they were less impressed.  Ahh, Youth!  BUT, This week we took my husband for breakfast and they have a new fan!  The breakfast is great.  Good ole’ southern style biscuits, eggs, and hash browns. mmm, mmm. See:

Photo 3That is hash browns, with mushrooms, onions & cheese with a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit. My arteries are chugging, but surely just a few times a year is ok.

The holidays bring all sorts of changes, busyness and foods into our lives I hope you remember to enjoy each one from the things like the Weenie Stand to a full hot Christmas meal.  This week’s blog only features a few reviews because of our busyness, but we enjoyed every moment!

Have a Happy New Year!

This week’s Reviews:

Sushi

Spring Rolls

Praline French Toast

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here, that’s what this is here for.  I’ll pick so you don’t have to)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip (My British friends will need to make several trips)

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy.  Remember that there is such an opportunity to build friendships and family when gathered around a meal.  Even if you mess it all up.  So, just relax, experiment, and have fun.  Don’t forget to include your friends.

The Meals:

Sushi
sushi prep

spring rolls sushi

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple.  Scary at first, but really easy once you get the hang of it.  First watch this video before making:

Review: I found this to be easy to follow and fun.  Remember to relax and be able to laugh.  It is easy enough, but can be messy at first so just laugh and enjoy.  Try this with a group.

Tips: Keep a bowl of water nearby to keep hands moist so that rice doesn’t stick to you hands.  For the Rice, follow the directions on the package and buy sushi rice.

Spring Rollsspring roll

Time: Time varies depending on the number you make.  Allow a good 30 minutes to make a plate of spring rolls.

Ease: Simple-moderate.  It is easy once you learn to wrap, but in the meantime, once again remember to just relax and have fun.  You may need to tell your perfectionist side to “shut-up”, just for a little bit and then you can let it back out have perfect spring rolls. Here is a video to help: (see review before watching)

Review: This is a very good video, instruction wise, from Hilahcooking.com.  I feel Hilah is very informative, but may not be everyone’s style.  She is a little cheesy, but gets the job done and pretty well.  I recommend this video, but suggest an open mind.

Praline French ToastP1100282

P1100291

Time: Prep: Refrigerate overnight & 30-45 minutes cooking time.

Ease: Simple

Review: This recipe is adapted from the “Let the Serving Begin” cookbook from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, in Lynchburg VA.  If they still have copies available I recommend you snag one. Allow me to step into the shoes of Garrison Keillor, from Prairie Home Companion for just a bit as I sing the praises of the Lutherans. I believe I would convert to Lutheran solely for the food and wine.  These people know how to eat, cook, drink, and have fun and do it with decorum. This recipe is decadent, but with humility!

“The Meal“

the meal

My family simply calls this “The Meal”.  For 50 years it hasn’t changed: Recipe– this recipe is pretty close.

Corn Pudding: This is a southern dish that I’m afraid is slowly disappearing.

Butter Beans with pot liqueur.  Which is to say, you cook it wit fatback or butter and lots of water until very soft, as they soften squish some against the pot.  What you have in the end is butter beans (lima beans) in a yummy sauce thickened from the squished beans.

Macaroni & Cheese – Our recipe has changed over the years, but there are so many great ones out there.  Try lots of them until you find the perfect one.

Ham

Candied Yams – In my family we don’t mash them, coat them marshmallows or nuts.  We use them right out of the can with lots of butter and sugar.

Potato Salad – Every family has a favorite, in my family we like the mustard based kind, unless we are talking about my dad’s side of the family and then we like the mayonnaise based kind- a la Hellman’s.

Rolls

Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones I Have created.  Thank you.

Reviews: Giada, Pampered Chef, Ellie Krieger & Fresh Market

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , 21 Comments

merry christmas

I hope you have been enjoying this new blog, I’d love to have your feedback.  What would you like to see?  What would make it easier for you to use? Ideas?  I may not take every suggestion, but will take them all into consideration.

This has been an adventure for me, one I am completely loving!  I thought, “hmmm, I’ll just write a little blog” and found there is a lot more to it than that.  I wrote about it in another blog I have called Never Thought I’d Blog: Cultivating Thoughts; Yielding Action, feel free to check it out.

This week’s Reviews:

Giada:Grilled Lamb Chops with Grilled Tuna Steaks by Ina Garten

Pampered Chef: Family Burrito Bake

Ellie Krieger: Oven Fried Chicken

Fresh Market: Curried Sweet Potato and Pear Soup

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan 4-5 meals (or pick some meals from here)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy

The Meals:

Giada: Grilled Lamb Chops with Grilled Tuna Steaks by Ina Garten
lamb & fish

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: We visited Wales in April and I discovered that my family really likes lamb.  I had no idea.  This dish was very good and simple.  I added Tuna steaks because the meat was small and it seemed like a good combo.  Both were very good.

Tip: Look for the meat and fish on sale.  I found the lamb on sale, but in small pieces which made it a nice combo dish.

Pampered Chef: Family Burrito Bakeburrito bake

Time: 30 minutes in the microwave  1 hour in the oven

Ease: Simple

Review: I am a huge fan of Pampered Chef products and I enjoy the recipes because they are quick and often look like you put much more time into them than you actually did.  My family liked this meal and it was ready in minutes.

Tip: You can make this in any casserole dish and do not need the Deep Dish Baker by Pampered Chef.  Although it is a nice thing to have.  just make sure you have room to layer.

Ellie Krieger: Oven Fried Chickenchicken tenders

Time: 30-45 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review:  This is a family favorite.  We will never buy store bought chicken nuggets or tenders again.  It is fresh and healthy and just plain good.

Tip: I alter this to make it in to nuggets or tenders rather than use the bone in chicken thighs.  The basic recipe works with any type of chicken I’ve tried.

Fresh Market: Curried Sweet Potato and Pear Soup
sweet potato pear soup

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review:  Wow, this was so simple and so good.  Everyone enjoyed it even though it has neither cheese nor cream in it! But you would never know.  We served it with Goat cheese on toasted bread instead of Roquefort Cheese as suggested. Ok-there still must be cheese somewhere!

Tip: You can use chicken broth in place of wine if you prefer

With the holiday season in full swing life is pretty crazy and I caved, don’t feel bad if you have to sometimes too.  I bought frozen lasagna one night, but when you have been eating nice fresh, homemade meals frozen just can’t compare and they are loaded with extra sodium and preservatives.  But sometimes….

Restaurant Review: Josephine’s Bistro Greensboro, NC

We had a lovely date night this week and visited one of our favorite restaurants, Josephine’s Bistro.  If you get the chance to go here you should!  The food has been consistently good.  I find most places are too heavy on the salt, but Josephine s has a delicate hand with seasoning allowing you to experience the most from the flavors.  The wait staff is helpful and courteous and they have a great wine selection.

Have a wonderful Christmas week!

Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones I Have created.  Thank you.

Relax, Just Enjoy Each Other and let the Holiday Season Begin.

Posted in Dinner, meal time, Recipes, Reviews, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , 11 Comments

What my House looks like! Titled: When Elves vomit (ok Vomit isn’t a great word for a food blog, but really…look at that mess!  But we are having fun!Photo 6It is easy to become frantic at the holidays.  I know I go crazy trying to organize everything, keep the house clean, and have food on hand for the unexpected holiday guest. Then I have to stop myself and remember it is all about the people.  Relax, Just enjoy each other.  Stop in the madness and let the holiday season begin. While you’re at it take some advice from Robert Frost:

A Time to Talk: taken from Bartleby.com

When a friend calls to me from the road
And slows his horse to a meaning walk,
I don’t stand still and look around
On all the hills I haven’t hoed,
And shout from where I am, What is it?
No, not as there is a time to talk.
I thrust my hoe in the mellow ground,
Blade-end up and five feet tall,
And plod: I go up to the stone wall
For a friendly visit.

The Process: For a full explanation visit this page

1. Sit down, relax and plan (or pick some meals from here)

2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money

3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip

4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy

The Meals:

Bacon, Pineapple & Spinach Pizza

Photo 2(1)

Time: 30 -45 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: We had birthday number three this week and the request was simply “As long as it has lots of bacon and cheese…”.  So, my husband and I bounced around some ideas, I asked for help from friends and FoodieChats, via twitter, and received some great ideas.  There is one foodiechat recommendation that my husband is begging for me to make, so expect to see Poblano stuffed peppers with cheese and wrapped in bacon from @jeffriessunni at some point.  He is so excited.

I said, offhandedly, what about bacon pizza with something like pineapple and didn’t think about it again until my husband calls me from work and says “oh, I told him you were going to make pizza with bacon and pineapple and he thought it was awesome”. Ok, uhhh well. I didn’t actually know what I was going to do, but the results were great and the birthday boy was happy.

Pizza crust (I used pre-made crust from my grocery in the deli section)

Alfredo sauce

Mozzarella and Gouda cheeses

bacon, cooked and crumbled

caramelized onions (if you caramelize the onions on this day it will bump you time up to allow for good caramelization of the onions)

spinach (fresh or frozen)

pineapple bits

I made three pizzas, you will adjust the amounts based on what looks good and works for your table.  I find it is easier to just put things on the pizza until it looks right and I rarely measure.  Top your crust with a few spoonfuls of Alfredo sauce; just enough to cover, not make it saucy.  Then layer the rest of the pizza with chopped caramelized onions, crumble the bacon and cover pizza, add fresh or frozen spinach on top-amounts to taste, then add bits of pineapple across the spinach.  Top with a blend of mozzarella and Gouda and bake per the instructions of your crust.  Approximately 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Tip: Many grocery stores sell the dough they use to make in-house pizzas and it is a quick, but tasty option.

Grape Leaf Wrapped Salmon : Green Valley Grill, Greensboro NC
fish gvg

Fish, quick

Time: 30 minutes

Ease: Simple to moderate

Review:  First I’d like to say that the Green Valley Grill is one of my favorite restaurants.  It has wonderful food and you feel like you have escaped just for a while.  If you are ever in Greensboro, go!

I made this without the grape leaves this time, which does take away a bit from the dish, but still yummy.  It is easy and quick, but elegant.  I served it with creamy polenta and steamed green beans.

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Corn Hashbeans and corn

Vegetarian, quick, Healthy

Time: 35 minutes

Ease: Simple

Review: There are a few meals I pull out when I want something quick and tasty and know everyone will like it and this is one of them.  It is hearty and healthy!  This week I was out of black beans, but didn’t know it until I started cooking-someone didn’t follow her grocery list, so I used pinto beans instead and served it with rice.  It was still tasty, but if you have it, I recommend using the black beans.

Just for Fun: Grapefruit BruleePhoto 5

This time of year it is especially fun to play with your food!  If I could recommend a useful, but totally fun kitchen tool it would be a torch! And yes, I was tempted to say “Mwahh haa haa”.  A torch can be used for so many things, like browning the top of a casserole, or crystalizing sugar on a brulee, or flambes!  It is just a great tool.  This week we used our torch to brulee the sugar on top of grapefruit.  So yummy!

I know I only put three meals out for review this week, but this week we were invited to holiday gatherings at other peoples homes where we enjoyed great food and great company.  It is what it is all about: Relax, just enjoy each other and let the the holiday season begin!

Feel free to suggest a recipe you would like to see reviewed.  Just use the contact me above and send me the link and I will see what I can do.

Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones I Have created.  Thank you.