Soccer is the name of the game for the next couple of months. I'm so not complaining because it's so much fun to watch 16 and 17 year old girls play the game that they love. I've been practicing with my new camera and it's taken some time to get used to taking action shots with it. I took lots and lots of pictures of Courtney's game yesterday morning and I managed to capture a few good shots of my favorite soccer player. Perhaps the tights and underarmor tipped you off but YES, it was VERY cold for yesterday's game. (Like 40 degrees cold.) Fortunately, the sun was shining so we managed to stay warm even while we were sitting on the bench. I don't know about you but it's hard for me to warm up once I get chilled. The only thing that seems to help is to warm myself from the inside out. A steaming bowl of white chili is the perfect internal temperature warmer. I've already started to stock up my freezer with containers of this yummy chili for the winter. It's so good and it's perfect for busy nights when I need a quick dinner. White Chili 1 Anaheim chili 1 onion, peeled and halved 4 cups chicken broth 2 Tablespoons flour 2 cans cannelini beans, drained and rinsed 1 Tablespoon olive oil 8 garlic cloves, minces 1 Tablespoon cumin 3/4 teaspoon coriander 1 teaspoon oregano 3/4 pound pork 2 pounds chicken breasts, cooked, cut into bite sized pieces 3 cups corn 1 can garbanzo beans 1 cup half and half (or 1 cup cashew milk) 1/3 cup lime juice 2 teaspoons salt 1 medium avocado, sliced Arrange pepper and onion on a foil lined baking sheet. Place pan under broiler and broil until pepper is charred on all sides. Wrap peppers in foil for 15 minutes. Peel and place in blender with onion, flour, 1/2 cup broth and 1 can cannelini beans. Process until smooth.
Stir in half and half (or milk), salt and lime juice. Serve. Serve with avocado and sour cream (if desired). White Chili - perfect for nights when the temperatures drop into the 30s. (or below) Enjoy.
Ciao!
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Until recently, I was always shopping for the cheapest salmon that I could find. I recently discovered however, that not all salmon is created equal. I really don't mind frozen salmon but I definitely prefer wild caught salmon to their farm raised counterparts. Both types of salmon are very nutritionally similar but I can taste the difference between farm raised and the wild caught. Just in case you're curious about the nutritional value of salmon - I thought I would give you some facts. Nutrition Facts Salmon, Atlantic, raw Amount Per 0.5 fillet (198 g) Calories 412 Monounsaturated fat 7 g Total Fat 27 g (41%) Cholesterol 109 mg (36%) Saturated fat 6 g (30%) Sodium 117 mg (4%) Polyunsaturated fat 8 g Potassium 719 mg (20%) Total Carbohydrate 0 g(0%) Dietary fiber 0 g (0%) Protein 40 g (80%) Vitamin A (1%) Vitamin C (12%) Calcium (1%) Iron (3%) Vitamin B-6 (65%) Vitamin B-12 (106%) Magnesium(13%) Wild caught salmon can be expensive so I take advantage when I find it on sale and stock up. I have several ways that I like to prepare my salmon and usually the simpler the better. I make an herb smoked salmon recently and it was surprisingly simple and delicious. Herb Smoked Salmon 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 clove garlic 3 Tablespoons fresh parsley 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 2 salmon filets
I served my Herb Smoked Salmon with Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad and a whole wheat roll.
Ciao! As promised - today, I'm sharing my pictures from last week's Homecoming events. (Consider yourself warned - there are LOTS of pictures. I just couldn't help myself.) BUT - before the pictures - I'll share my awesome recipe for M&M Bars. These are REALLY good and super popular with kids AND adults. My family enjoyed these treats all weekend. M&M Bars 1 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup mini m&m's 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Spread into a greased 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with additional M&M's and chocolate chips. Bake 25 minutes at 350. Let cool and slice. I take a whole lot of food pictures every week and normally that is what fills up my camera card. Last weekend though, I got to take a whole lot of non-food pictures. I documented the events of Homecoming from beginning to end. (From coronation to dance.) It was a wonderful whirlwind of a weekend and I've got pictures of all of it. Homecoming pictures deserve a slideshow. Don't you think? Enjoy! (Make sure that you turn on your sound.) So many great memories made in one weekend. Thank you to everyone who helped us hold everything together last weekend. I am so grateful that so many of Courtney's family and friends were able to be a part of the festivities.
Ciao! We had a house full of family and friends last weekend who were all here for Courtney's Homecoming festivities. What are Homecoming festivities, you ask? Well, let me tell you what I've learned in the last couple of weeks. Homecoming is not just a dance that you attend - it's a coronation ceremony, it's a parade with floats and convertibles, it's a plethora of photo sessions, it's a football game halftime presentation, it's nail and hair appointments AND it's a dance. It's definitely a week long celebration. Courtney was chosen to be on the Homecoming court this year and we could not have been more proud. This girl is the complete package: she's smart, she's funny, she's creative, she's athletic, she's a God follower, she's honest and she's beautiful. (Ok, so I am her mom but I am definitely not the only person who feels this way.) While the demands of last weeks Homecoming events were consuming, I wouldn't have traded it for anything. There were times when I had to leave a house full of family and friends and accompany Courtney. So what do I do when I need to feed dinner to 14 when I can't even be home? I leave them warm pots full of chili on the stove and cookie bars for dessert. (It's a good thing my family doesn't mind serving themselves dinner when they come to my house.) Want to know my absentee menu? So here is the recipe for those yummy looking Snickerdoodle bars. Snickerdoodle Bars 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 1 large egg 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoon salt For Sprinkling 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Bake 25 minutes at 350. Slice. Nothing makes me quite as happy as when my house is filled to capacity with people that I love. Of course, I documented all of the events of Homecoming week with my camera but you'll have to wait until tomorrow for those pictures. Trust me though - you will want to check in tomorrow to see the pictures. Ciao! One of the perks (or drawbacks, depending on how you look at it) of my job as a chef is that on any given day, there is a LOT of sugar in my house. And I do mean a LOT, of sugar. Seriously, I buy it in bulk and I use pounds and pounds of it every single week. I think I've grown numb to the sugary haze that permeates my kitchen - it's just become the norm for my counters to be completely covered with sweet confections. It sounds like a sugary heaven but actually, most of the sugar filled sweets are not for my family's consumption. They've become so accustomed to the seeing hundreds of cupcakes on the counter that my family doesn't even give them a second look. As a general rule, if something looks too pretty or professional - it's intended for someone else. Every once in a while, I like to surprise my family with special treats - just for them. I think they deserve it - don't you? I whipped up a batch of lactose free chocolate chip bars for my sweet family last week. They disappeared in under an hour - I guess they liked them. Chocolate Chip Bars
Bake 25 minutes at 350. Cut into squares. Serve. Ciao!
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