Classic New England Clam Chowder

I was really in the mood for clam chowder this week, and Friday seemed like the perfect day to have it.  I'd broil some haddock on the side and yum!  We have a great meal plan.
I have never made clam chowder before, but it didn't seem like it would be that tough.  The only thing I was worried about is that we don't really like potatoes.  Any of us.  Unless of course, they are in the form of french fries..lol.  So, I did put about a half of a potato in (chopped up real fine), but I substituted carrots for the rest of the potatoes.  I also put in an extra can of chopped clams because I like a lot of clams.  I'd assume you could use fresh clams in this recipe if you'd like, but it's not really the season and I don't have that kind of time and/or patience.  The recipe I followed also called for some "hot pepper sauce",  and I used sriracha, but I was at the end of the bottle, so I just dumped the rest in.  I think it was a little much.   A little goes a long way with that stuff.   Marcus wouldn't eat it...which was fine, at least he ate the haddock.

Although I loved it, I do have to say if I had to rate all the recipes for the week, I'd say this came in dead last.  I only say that because when I asked Josh if he wanted me to pack him a little for lunch today his response was "No!"   :-(    Looks like I'll have to try clam chowder again another time, but not for awhile.
Enjoy the weekend.  If you'd like the recipe, just message me.   Thanks!  D

Bell pepper, tomato and cheese omelets

What is the difference between adding ingredients to omelets vs. scrambled eggs?  I don't know, but omelets have always tsted more delicious to me.  So, as usual, I grabbed some extra stuff from the fridge and went to work.
What I came up with?   A fantastic omelet I will for sure be making again.  I don't normally like hot or warm tomatoes, but in this recipe they worked (and I seeded them).  I also threw in a few spices, where as I usually just use s&p.  The cheese though made the whole thing!  It was a cheese I had almost forgotten about, but thank goodness I didn't!
Have a great day.  Message me if you'd like the recipe...

Danielle

Pasta with grilled shrimp and basil vinaigrette

Pasta is always a great hit.  But with my guys...it's the plain old boring kind...thin spaghetti with red sauce.  Josh likes meatballs, Marcus likes no meat, extra cheese. 
Mom...she likes to spice things up a bit!  What shall I add to the pasta today?  The rest of the shrimp I had from yesterdays recipe?  Some zucchini?  A new sauce?  Why not. 
They liked it.  OMG.  They liked it. 
Well, you never can go wrong when you have fresh Italian bread on hand...
For this recipe the grilled zucchini added flavor and texture to a very light dish.  It still wasn't so great out today, so I chose to broil the veggies and shrimp under the broiler.  I also used a different shaped pasta that I have never used before. 
I am just so amazed that I haven't had a recipe yet that my dear family has complained about.  I will not hold my breath though...
Tomorrows recipe is a breakfast recipe...so we'll see how my early morning skills are.
This is a great spring dish...if you'd like the recipe...follow the blog and just msg me.  I'll be more than happy to send it.  Good night!
Danielle

Shrimp Rice-Paper Rolls with Vietnamese dipping sauce

So, my sister took me to her "3 favorite" asian stores yesterday and I may have gone a little nuts.  Have you ever been to these stores???  If not, let me just tell you, you really don't need to go looking for a "specialty asian" item.  They have a lot of things one might use in everyday American cooking....FOR MUCH LESS!!!  For example...spices.  Really??  $1.69 for any spice they had?  OMG...I am in heaven!  (I have quite the spice collection, since I try so many different recipes, but I cringe buying them at $4.59 a piece)  I HAVE been to an asian supermarket before, but I didn't have a particular recipe in mind, so a lot of my purchases didn't make a whole lot of sense.  This time I had a menu planned...
Oh, and you can find things you would never think to buy...avocado oil?  Well, it was $10...so I passed, but I'm sure I will be back to get that at one point, it just sounds too good.
With my delicious spring roll recipe in mind, I got far more ingredients than I actually needed, but I'll be better off in the long run when I try that silly "spending vacation" thing I talked about in my last post.  LOL.
It was a little tedious, this recipe...but I did it...with A+ results.  Since I was promised a night out with my "hubby" tonight...I had to make something for lunch.  I didn't have it ready in time for Josh to leave this morning, so I said I'd bring it to work in time for them to eat.  Knowing he eats with the same people everyday, I brought enough for everyone to taste!  YAY.  It was a success!  John even told me I'd have to make them again for the Memorial Day party this year.   
If only he knew the work they took to prepare....
Looking for the recipe?  Follow the blog...and just msg me you'd like the recipe.  I'm more than willing to share. 
Have a great night.  See you tomorrow with another great recipe!
Danielle

Chicken with Lemon, Caper Artichoke Sauce over Wild Rice and Chickpea with parsley, lemon and sundried tomato salad

So, as usual I am a day behind!!!  Just figures.  So much to do and so little time.  Well, I have actually caught myself up because today I made a lunch recipe, so it is already finished...I guess I will just have two posts today. 
Mmm, chicken.  You can do anything with chicken. That's why we love it right?
Well, this recipe was a total experiment.  And it is not totally from scratch, but delicious just the same.  Josh loved it...and that is hard to do, unless of course it is tacos. 
Anyways, in yesterdays paper I read about this family who go on a "spending vacation".  Not like they go and spend, spend, spend...but that they vacation from that exactly.  They don't spend money for a whole month.  I, myself, think this is impossible...but much good luck wished to them!  They fill up their gas tanks...car pool when they can..make any gifts that they have to give...etc. etc.  Oh yeah, and try to use up everything in their pantry without going shopping.  Although I have a pretty stocked pantry, as I've mentioned before...I'm not sure I could go a month without going to the store.  My family might divorce me.
Yesterday, I had grilled chicken on the menu.  The chicken was all defrosted and ready to go, but it was 20degrees out and who want to grill?  I had a side salad made, which was my original "recipe of the day", but change of plans! Check the pantry lady!  Well, well, well...look what we can create...  Pan seared chicken, jared lemon caper sauce, some frozen artichokes, boxed wild rice and WHA-LA.  Something my family ate without having to hear the "ugh" sound underneath their breath.  (Thank G-d!) 
Looking for this quick easy recipe???  Because I always do leave out a special little something unless you follow the blog and request the recipe...
Have a great day!

Also the Chickpea salad with parsley, lemon and sundried tomato came out amazing... and I am for sure not one who loves sundried tomatoes.  Just sayin'!

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Who knows what I was thinking a few weeks ago when I bought a Corned Beef brisket???!?  I thought I was in the mood.  My family will not eat this!  For sure. 
Well, anyways it is Sunday left over day, so I took out the corned beef.  I left it out to defrost and Josh says, "Uh, Corned Beef huh?  Is that for dinner?"  Yes, yes it is.  I also have the cabbage and the carrotts...put it in the pot and forget about it right?  Who knows.  I never made it before.
So, a few hours into cooking I started to see if the corned beef was getting tender, and I gave Josh a little taste.
He responded, not with "EEEW!  That's terrible!" but with "How about making that into Reuben's?" 
Sounded perfect, only I didn't have sauerkraut (only the cabbage cooking with the corned beef), or swiss cheese, or bread.  Uh-oh.
With a quick trip to the............basement fridge, I came up with some rye bread.  And we ended up having the best reuben's I've ever tasted!  To find out how else we improvised, just follow the blog and as usual...leave me a quick note and I'll send you the recipe.
Have a nice night.
Danielle

"Elegant" Scrambled Eggs

I have heard that scrambled eggs can be "as elegant as the additions you dress them up with."  My view on that?  UMMM..No. 
 Scrambled eggs are an easy meal for kids (who aren't allergic, as mine are) and also an even easier thing to cook for Josh when he complains there is nothing to eat for breakfast.  I've never been a really big fan, I usually go for poached or over-easy.
Today however, with the boys gone and Cakes already taking a nap, I got hungry and decided what could be easier than some scrambled eggs?  Well...then I opened the drawer in the fridge for some cheese and saw the smoked salmon, so I started thinking...oooo, I think I still have some chives.  No, I don't.  Well fresh parsley could work!  And some chopped up red onion???  Yes! 
Well, I have to tell you...scrambled eggs might be my new thing.   Adding, of course, anything that might be available in the fridge.

Have a great weekend!

Mushroom Swiss Burgers

OK!  I promise not all of my recipes will have mushrooms in it, but tonight I actually made two different kind of burgers and this one seems to be the winner.  Also, something I have made before...but, I had the extra mushrooms from the soup and thought since I have to work tomorrrow, if I made an extra burger or two...the boys can eat them then.
It's actually a different turn from the original Mushroom Swiss burger that you are used to.  I chop up the mushrooms really fine and sautee them and then add them to the burger meat before cooking.  Since my "picky" family always likes their meat well done, it gives them a well done burger while still staying juicy.  We call burger night "Condiment Night" over here because the table is filled with a million different dipping sauces!  We actually have seperate plates where we put the "dips" or mix them or however you choose.
The second  burger that I made tonight had some sour cream and different herbs added to it.  The idea was to keep these burgers moist and tender as well, but I've got to tell you...the mushrooms work WAY better!!!   I also made sure that I used a higher fat meat than normal with these burgers and also DID NOT press the burgers down on the grill as to not squeeze out all the juice.
Unfortunately, I have no picture to add to this entry, because all the burgers disappeared prior to me taking a picture.  Sorry!
Have a great weekend!  And again, if you want either of these recipes, just leave me a comment and "follow" my blog.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

I write my grocery lists on Sundays.  I get with the troops and ask them what they'd like to eat for the week.  Usually, if you know my family at all, it has a lot to do with taco's and taco's and UMMMMM...let's just spice it up and have "Fine, Mom...chicken fajitas."  Normally, I tell them they each get two dinners to decide,  I get two dinners and the day left is either 'left over' or 'order out' day.  Last week, after grocery shopping on Monday, when I bought all the food I needed for the week, I was all set!  That is until I couldn't move off the couch.  Sick as a dog.  With a full week and weekend of things planned, I never left the house.  I did however, leave the couch.  Feeling rather under the weather, I had gotten up and made this soup, because I planned my week with this in it.  I had purchased all the ingredients, and I felt like if I didn't make this soup, they'd be wasted.  So...I think it was Saturday, but I finally made it.  And it was DEEEE-LICIOUS!!! 

My guys, not real huge fans of mushrooms, even loved it!  Unbelievable!  I guess they have become fans since I LOVE mushrooms.  It is a rich tasting soup, without all the rich ingredients.  Josh was really surprised. It contains only a half cup of whipping cream.  The "creaminess" actually comes from rice which is cooked in broth and then pureed.  It uses two pounds of mushrooms and has an intense mushroom flavor.  I used a mix of regular mushrooms and baby bellas. 

Needless to say, now the boys are sick and what do they want to eat for dinner??  "More mushroom soup mom!"  I love these people.  Back to the stove I go! 

Have a great day.  If you'd like the recipe, just "follow" my blog, and I'll send it.

OH Geez...Really? It was that easy to start a blog?

Ok, so here we go.  I had a dream last night about that movie Julie and Julia.  So now I have to start a blog?  Making recipes?  YES!  Obviously.
I am, by no means, a chef or a cook, but I do know my way around the kitchen and I certainly have a "stocked pantry".  Years of trying things leads to this. 
My family, who consists of Josh (not quite yet my husband, but sure as heck should be), 38 years old...Marcus (my son, who is 6, from a previous marriage)...and Eva ("Cakes" as we like to call her, 14 months), are all SUPER DUPER picky eaters!  Ah hahahaha!  This makes me laugh, because I, I AM THE ONE WHO COOKS.  So basically you have no options.  You eat or you are hungry.  They will not like this project at all!  But, I am fine with that.
So, for the next...oh as far as I feel like going with it, I will make one new recipe a day.  Be it breakfast, lunch, dinner or heh...maybe a snack or dessert.  I'm going to write about it.  If you want the recipe, let me know...I am more than happy to share.
Nice to be blogging.
DBLFM