Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Greek Pasta Salad


Bring on the warm weather, bring on the pasta salad. The two go hand in hand, don't you think? If there is one food item that epitomizes summer, it would be cold pasta.

And ice cream.

And seviche.

And gazpacho.

Ok, ok, scratch that. The correct terminology is probably more like "If there is one of many food items that epitomize summer, it would be cold pasta". But that doesn't sound as cool, does it?

Monday, April 6, 2015

Home Decor: Window Box Centerpiece


I thought I would take a quick break from food blogging today to share my new spring-y centerpiece. I mentioned (more than a month ago, BTW) that I'd purchased a new runner and I was planning on over-hauling my dining room table centerpiece. It's now complete, so I wanted to share it with everyone!

Friday, April 3, 2015

Recipe Redux: S'mores Cookies


Happy Friday!

Time for this month's Recipe Redux. I wasn't even planning on redoing this recipe anytime soon, however my little brother asked for S'mores Cookies for his birthday. Let's jump right in, shall we?

Here's what the cookies previously looked like:

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad

- with poached egg


Last week, the hubby and I were picking up a few items at our big box warehouse. Just our usual fare- coffee creamer, huge jars of dill pickles (if the hubby eats any more dill pickles, I swear, he will become a dill pickle), tortillas, cheese, etc. The normal stuff. Anyways, we were smack in the middle of mundane, moving our way through the seafood, when I saw smoked salmon on a sale for a reasonable price. I consider $10 a reasonable price for a filet of smoked salmon, whereas it's normally around $20. I've only got 10 gazillion recipes stuffed in my back pocket for smoked salmon, so I grabbed up that fishy fare as fast as I could. And now, I'm wishing I'd picked up more!

Monday, March 30, 2015

Shrimp and Broccoli Lo Mein


Oh, hello Monday

I can't believe we are at the start of another week. I can't believe it's the end of March already. 2015 is, in my opinion, flying by. I'm behind on my reading, my running, you name it, I'm behind on it. Between the avalanches of snow we've received in our area, the inexplicable customer service nightmare that was getting a new transmission for my car, and this unpleasant tweak to my back, I've never gotten back to my routine post-holidays. And by routine, I mean normal, consistent exercise. For the mind, as well as the body. Now that I know the vacuum is at least a trigger for my back injury, I'll be avoiding that this month. I'm hoping April will be all about getting back to normal. 

Friday, March 27, 2015

25 Easy Chicken Recipes


Happy Friday! Happy March Madness! 

The NCAA tournament has been going as planned for the hubby, with Kentucky chugging right along. My bracket is looking awfully precarious, though I do have Kentucky winning it all. As long as Kentucky can keep on winning, I'm still in it. But barely, and by the skin of my teeth. I'm in 4th place in the family pool. Out of 5. I guess you can't win em' all.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Blueberry Cream Cupcakes


Well everybody, I thought since I posted the recipe for Fresh Blueberry Curd on Tuesday that today I'd post a follow-up recipe. My favorite vanilla cupcakes, bursting at the seams with fresh blueberry curd, all topped with whipped cream-like frosting and a few tart berries.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Fresh Blueberry Curd

-plus a dessert recipe!



It's officially Spring here in Kentucky! The air is warming up, gardening supplies are being stocked on the shelves at the big box store again, and blueberries are back in grocery stores. I love the start of Spring. There's just something magical about breaking out of that long rut of winter weather and gray skies into the first warm day that merely hints at what's to come. It really feels like everything is coming back to life. My heart leaps with joy, and I want nothing more than to be outside with my hands in the dirt. Of course, we haven't had our last frost yet so I can't plant anything just yet. 

Friday, March 20, 2015

Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole


Time for a revamp on a classic recipe!

I'm pretty sure it's a requirement as a cook/chef to have your very own recipe for Chicken, Broccoli, and Rice Casserole. It's a classic for a reason. Those flavors that always seem to gel perfectly together. Crunchy, crisp broccoli. Creamy rice. Savory chicken. All married together with cheesy, savory sauce. Ooh child, it doesn't get much better than this.