Sunday, September 2, 2012
Think you don't like cauliflower? Think again, after trying this easy and tasty recipe.
"Green Eggs and Ham was the story of my life. I wouldn't eat a thing when I was a kid, but Dr. Seuss inspired me to try cauliflower!" ~Jim Carrey During our vacation last week there was a lot of talk about food. I suppose that is to be expected when you put four people who love to cook in a house with a gourmet kitchen. The house had an AGA stove. Have you heard of an AGA stove? No? Neither had we. This stove is always running and has four separate ovens that vary in temperature along with two hot plates on top that are also always heated. Though there was a bit of a learning curve for us when we first arrived, by mid week we were in all madly in love with AGA and wanted one of our own. (Though at the cost of 10 grand I don't see her in …
Sunday, August 26, 2012
You can use zucchini in place of summer squash, depending on what you have on hand.
"A good marriage is like a casserole, only those responsible for it really know what goes in it." ~Anonymous We are still overloaded with summer squash over here in Duggan Valley. Looking for new ways to cook it, I decided to alter a Thanksgiving favorite of mine, the broccoli casserole. I have to say that the broccoli version is better than the squash one, but both are really good. Since it's been so hot I waited to cook this until the sun went down and then reheated it for dinner the next night. I think giving the flavors time to meld makes it even better. Summer Squash Casserole Ingredients: Directions: Enjoy!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
This soup tastes great and by using low fat dairy and low sodium soup you'll have the taste without all the calories.
“When trying to find the words to tell her how much I loved her, I stumbled across the ingredients for grilled cheese sandwiches. That’s when I realized she was the melted cheese to my toast. And the guy she’s currently seeing, the guy she left me for, well, I guess he is the tomato soup.
” ~Jarod Kintz There is nothing like a toasty grilled cheese sandwich accompanied by a hot bowl of tomato soup. My Gram used to make her tomato soup with elbow macaroni in it and every now and then I find myself craving it. Last week I was having one of those cravings and happened upon a recipe for tomato soup on Pinterest. Don't even get me started on Pinterest. Ah Pinterest...how many hours I have lost to your addictive site. The original Pinterest …
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Here is a recipe that tastes great and is both easy to make and easy on your wallet.
"Laughter is the valve on the pressure cooker of life. Either you laugh and suffer, or you got your beans or brains on the ceiling." ~Wavy Gravy "How much do you usually spend at the grocery store?" is a question I have been asking friends and collegues a lot lately. Week after week I leave the market having shelled out (on average) between $175-$200. After talking with countless people I realize that I am not alone...the majority I spoke with were in the same financial ballpark. This knowledge didn't made me feel any better though, and I have become determined to cut our weekly bill. (I've read blogs from women who are able to feed a family of four on fifty dollars a week but that just seems like an impossible dream) I have been diligent …
Sunday, August 5, 2012
After a long hot summer day at the beach, pool or working in the yard, cool off with this refreshing peach mojito.
"Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." ~Mark Twain During a hot and humid weekend like this one, it is important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Once evening falls, however, I like to stay hydrated by sipping a cold refreshing adult beverage. Though wine is generally my (adult) beverage of choice, it's always fun to try something new. I found a recipe for Peach Mojitos in an old issue of Cooking Light and decided to give it a try. The verdict? Yum! This is a great summer drink. It does take a bit of work to manipulate the peaches, so if you are short on time (or energy) you can use frozen ones. Peach Mojitos Ingredients: Directions: Enjoy and …
Sunday, July 29, 2012
If you're like me and have an abundance of zucchini in the garden, here is a simple recipe that you're sure to enjoy.
"The things we did last summer, I'll remember all winter long." ~Sammy Cahn Is your summer garden overflowing with zucchini? Yep, mine is too. Every afternoon there is another veggie present for me on the counter. Don't get me wrong, zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables and I love that I get to eat it so often. However, how many nights can you make sauteed, grilled and fried zucchini before you begin to crave something new? Oh I know I could make loaves of bread too, but it's still a little hot to use the oven. That can wait until next month. I'm sure they'll still be enough zucchini. I was reading an article in a cooking magazine that advised cooks to "keep it simple.`" The author felt that many people tend to overcomplicate their …
Sunday, July 8, 2012
This great side dish tastes amazingly like an old New England favorite-Corn Chowder.
"Corn chowder. That's an interesting choice. You do know that cellulite is one of the main ingredients in corn chowder." ~Nigel (The Devil Wears Prada) I love soup. Hot or cold, for lunch or dinner, vegetarian or protein based...give me soup and I'm a happy girl. One of my favorite things about soup is how versatile it is. You can take most any leftover vegetables or meats in your fridge, throw them into a pot, simmer them in broth and have yourself a great little meal. Soup is comfort; soup is that wonderful feeling of "home." Ok, you get my point. I love soup. Moving on... You can imagine how excited I was when I stumbled upon a recipe that turned one of my favorite soups, corn chowder, into a salad. This dish combines the wonderful …
Sunday, June 24, 2012
This easy to make seven layer dip is great for parties since it is best served at room temperature and won't take up valued space in the host's fridge.
"Don't double dip! It's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip! From now on, when you take a chip – just take one dip and end it!" ~Timmy to George (Seinfeld) As a kid I wouldn't touch Mexican food. This was mainly because my Auntie Bev called refried beans "rechewed beans." As in, "Let's go out for Mexican and get that dip with the rechewed beans in it." In my young mind that meant that all Mexican food was...well, you get the picture. Flash forward a few years and I'm at a party, looking down at a lovely dip surrounded by tortilla chips. I turn to my friend's mom and ask what it is. She tells me that it is a Mexican Seven Layer Dip. I then ask, very seriously, "Does it have rechewed beans in it?" After she stops laughing, wipes …
Sunday, June 17, 2012
You would think a recipe called "Strawberry Lemon Icebox Pie" would require no baking. But...alas, it does. Which is why I changed the name. This dessert takes some time but it's worth it.
“We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.” ~David Mamet For this week's column I wanted to make something with strawberries. Strawberries are so bright, juicy and sweet this time of year that they just scream "Summertime!" After poring over my cookbooks and magazines I found a recipe that combined the tartness of lemon with the sweetness of strawberries, together in one of my husband's very favorite things in the world: pie. Since it's Father's Day, I thought a pie was definitely in order. Especially an "icebox pie" that I wouldn't have to bake. (A talent for baking I do not posess, as I have spoken of in columns past-but this was less about baking and more about me being short on time.) So I gathered my …
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Skip the drive thru and try making your own delicious iced coffee at home.
"Man does not live by coffee alone. Have a danish." ~Anonymous I am definitely not a coffee connoisseur. My husband makes a pot in the morning and I drink a cup or two, more out of habit than anything else. Of course things change for me when the warm weather kicks in. That's when I really want a coffee. An iced one. I've tried making my own by pouring the hot coffee over ice but it just doesn't taste right (too bitter). Once in awhile I will treat myself and buy one but in general stopping for coffee every morning doesn't fit into my schedule or my budget. So what's a girl to do? Find a recipe and make it at home, of course! I found a great recipe for homemade iced coffee that is so easy it is ridiculous. Two ingredients: ground coffee …
Sheila Duggan Chabot
10:15 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Thanks, Judy! more ›