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Baking Tip

Cookies still cook on the cookie sheet once taken out of the oven.

Be sure to consult the recipe to see if it indicates how long to leave cookies on the sheet to cool.

For example, chocolate chip cookies should rest on the cookie sheet for about 2-3 minutes before removing.
This means that your cookies may look under-done when you take them out of the oven, but will finish cooking on the cookie sheet outside of the oven.

Happy Cooking!

Baking Tip

All flour is NOT created equal.

One flour cannot be used as an equal substitute for another flour in a recipe.

Whole wheat flour is not a substitute for all purpose flour.

Gluten-free flours are not substitutes for all purpose flour.

Recipes are designed using science and methodology. Changing the type flour used will drastically change the outcome of the final product.

Happy Cooking!

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Baking Tip:
Baking is a science.

Be sure to follow the directions for best results

It's baking season!
Follow along for baking tips and tricks!

Do you ever find yourself with extra citrus? And you aren't sure what to do with it before it goes bad?

You can slice it and freeze it to use in cocktails, or, my favorite, citrus water.

I love to have a pitcher of citrus water ready for guests. It's so simple, yet feels so luxurious.

Happy Cooking!

It's that time of year again! Time to replace your herbs and spices, as well as your baking soda and baking powder.

Why this time of year?
1) It's traditionally the time of year where the majority of baking takes place, so we want the best quality of ingredients.
2) Herbs and spices are often on sale this time of the year, so take advantage of the savings.

Q: Why do we replace herbs and spices even if we haven't used up the jar?
A: Once you open the container, the potency and strength of the flavor of herbs and spices begins to break down. Your dishes, whether sweat or savory will taste better, and as the recipe intended, with ingredients that are at their best.

Q:Why replace your baking soda and baking powder?
A:Baking soda and baking powder begin to lose their power once opened. After 6 months, they have no power left. Start with a fresh can/ box and be sure to put a date on it.

Happy Cooking!

Chicken Bourgogne Recipe

Chicken on the bone, skin removed:
4 breasts on the bone, OR 8 thighs on the bone, OR a whole chicken cut up.
2 cups of carrots sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
2 cups of onion chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 cups of mushrooms (baby bellas cut into quarters work well, but if you can mix in other varieties, it will add great flavor)
12 pearl onions (optional)
12 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme chopped
2 dried bay leaves
12 (approximately) baby potatoes (I use a small bag of baby potatoes)
1 bottle of red wine, preferably burgundy. (No need for a pricey wine, but one you will like to drink with the meal will work)
3-4 cups of chicken broth/stock (use bouillon of that's what you have)
1 cup of white flour
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Bacon (optional)*
1 8 quart Dutch oven

•Prep all of your ingredients.
•Preheat your oven to 325°F.
•Place your Dutch oven on the stove on medium heat. Add 3-4 tablespoons of butter. (You can use bacon grease or oil here if you prefer).
•While the butter is melting, place the flour in a bowl large enough to hold all of your chicken pieces. Add salt and better. Add chicken and coat in the flour. Once the butter is melted add the pieces of chicken. Brown them in both sides.
•Remove chicken to a bowl and set aside.
•Add more butter and add the onions. Coat the onions in the butter and the fond from the pot until soft and lightly golden.
•Then, add the mushrooms and a couple of pinches of salt. Cook the mushrooms until they release their water and get soft.
•Next, add the garlic. Stir and heat through until the garlic becomes fragrant.
•Add 1/2 the bottle of wine to the pot and reduce to about half.
•Add the fresh herbs, the bay leaves, and the broth, and stir.
•Add the carrots and the potatoes and stir to make sure everything is combined. Taste for salt and pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste.
•Add the chicken (plus all of the juices from the bowl) back into the pot. •Try to nestle it in the liquid.
•Cover the pot, place it in the oven for 3 hours.
Check at 2 hours to make is coming along. This is a good time to taste again for salt and pepper. Add more of you think it needs it.
•After 3 hours, the chicken should be falling off of the bone.
•Remove from the oven, place the pot on the stove top to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
•Serve over mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, or egg noodles.
•Serve with a plate of cut, raw veggies (carrots, radishes, fennel, celery)
drizzled with good olive oil.
•Sliced apples and/or pears (with cheese, optional), would make a nice side, or after, dish.

*if you are using bacon, cook the bacon in the pot first, remove and then brown the chicken.

Happy Cooking!

Chicken Bourgogne is made with red wine, just like beef Bourgogne. Yes, you can use red wine with chicken and it's delicious 😋
We cooked this for 3.5 hours at 325° in our oven, using a Dutch oven. You let it cook low and slow. The chicken will melt off of the bone, and your house will smell very good.

Happy Cooking

Chicken Bourgogne 😋

Happy Cooking!

Hello Everyone!
Happy fall!

I apologize for being absent, but we spent a few months living out of the US, and without a kitchen. I'll share some of those stories in the future.

While I was not able to cook, I still thought about food, and, I wrote about food and my thoughts on food.

The topic that had my attention most of the summer was 'comfort food'. It's a very large topic, and it plays a large role in my home. I couldn't help but wonder, what does that phrase mean. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that it not only has a different meaning in each culture, but it has a different meaning in each home.

So then I asked, what made certain dishes, certain foods, comfort foods to someone? How did that dish or food become a comfort food? What was the catalyst that lead to the change from food to comfort food?
Any thoughts? I'd love for you to share them in the comments.

My husband and I have been married over 20 years. A few years ago he commented that pasta Alfredo (the Roman version, not the American version) was a comfort food of mine. I had never given it much thought. He said I usually make it when I'm feeling sad or sick, which makes it a comfort food for me. So I say and thought about it. He was right. I can't remember what the catalyst was though. If I come up with something, I will let you know.

Happy Cooking!

I have reached 100 followers! Thank you for your continued support. I could not have done it without each of you. 🙏🤗🎉

If you've been following me, you know I'm always talking about how food evokes memories and emotions. In my opinion, that's one of the things I love about food.
When I read The Joy Luck by Amy Tan, when I was in high school, I realized that others felt the same way.

Yesterday, I made Greek style baklava for Easter and shared a photo of it. I received numerous comments relating to memories and traditions - memories of childhood, memories of parents, memories of making other Easter treats. These comments made me feel so incredibly happy. I loved that my photo gave people access to their happy memories. I love that people wanted to share their memories with me and the others reading the post. I love that people wanted to share their traditions.

In a world that seems so dark, we have to find the happy bits wherever we can. Those happy bits keep us going.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Happy Cooking!

I've mentioned that I buy whole spices and then grind them fresh when I need them. As I use both ground and whole spices, I find it 1) takes up less space as I only need to store one version 2) is cheaper than buying two versions 3) means I will always have freshly ground spices that are much more flavourful and robust than pre-ground spices.

Today, I'm making baklava and need ground gloves. I used my inexpensive (under $20) coffee grinder that I have designated only for spices. I've had this grinder for about 8 years. (It was a Christmas gift from my husband 😊)
Et voila, I have ground cloves that smell so good and flavourful.

Happy Cooking!

Setting up to go live with a spice cabinet tour in about 5 minutes. See you soon!

After being away for a year, my spice cabinet needing a complete restock.

Join me tomorrow as I give you a tour, and share with you what I have and how I organize it.

Happy Cooking!

Tip:

Using stale bread🍞, whether hard like a crouton or just too chewy for a sandwich, is a great way to thicken a soup.

Not only is this a great non-dairy way to thicken a soup, it's also a way to use up bread that night otherwise be wasted.

If you cook the bread 🍞in broth, water with bouillon, or tomatoes, and then puree once it's nice and soft, you will have a velvety base for a soup.

Fun fact:
Bread 🍞, in all of its forms, has been used by different cultures in soups for centuries.

Trader Joe's Fish Tacos
Makes 4 tacos

1 bag of coleslaw mix
1 container of Trader Joe's Green Goddess Avocado dressing
1 tablespoon of finely chopped Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet Jalapeños (reduce to 1 teaspoon if you don't want it mild)
1 package of soft tortilla shells
1 package of frozen breaded fish

Directions:
Mix the coleslaw with 1/2 the bottle of Green Goddess dressing. Mix in 1 tablespoon of finely chopped Hot & Sweet Jalapeños. Mix until well coated.
Cook the fish according to the directions on the box.

To Serve:
Place some slaw on the center of the tortilla. If you would like some extra dressing you can spread some on the tortilla before placing the coleslaw. On top of the slaw place the fish. Fold, and your ready to eat.