When it comes to green beans, I’m a -plain Jane kind of girl. I usually saute them in a little bit of oil, season them with salt and pepper, and top them off with a small pat of butter. But last Sunday for our Easter dinner, I changed it up a little bit. I decided on making a greens beans tossed in a maple syrup-Dijon dressing with crumbled bacon and candied pecans. Oh my word, this was the perfect side dish to serve along side gratin potatoes, mac and cheese, fruit salad, and spiral ham. I loved the the sweetness from the maple syrup with the tang of the mustard. Adding the bacon and pecans pulled everything together for one fantastic side dish. [click to continue…]
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[donotprint] I’m smitten with Chef Michael Symon. Not because he is an Iron Chef, Food Network host, or owner of acclaimed restaurants – Lola and Lolita. I actually don’t subscribe to cable so I’ve never watched him on TV. Come to think of it, maybe I’m not actually smitten with him, but I am in love with his bacon mac & cheese. You should know, I’m not a huge mac & cheese fan, so this is saying a lot.
I’ve tried all sorts of mac & cheese recipes and I’ve never tried one this good. It instantly becomes memorable, from the first to the last bite. This recipe by Chef Michael Symon is heavenly, and it even called for rosemary, which I found odd to pair with a bacon mac & cheese. By the way – I’m not a huge rosemary fan either. I don’t mind adding the herb to soups but would never consider adding it to pasta…not ever. And then there were the four cups of heavy cream this recipe called for. I thought this surely was a typo. Four cups of heavy cream for one pound of dry elbow pasta – what the heck??!! But I learned through this recipe that heavy cream can be reduced with prolonged simmering into a very thick sauce without any added thickener. [click to continue…]
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[donotprint] I’ve been light on posting recipes here the last couple weeks – sorry. Last week my children had the whole week off from school and every night we’ve been staying up far too late watching the Winter Olympics in Vancouver BC. I usually work on posting recipes after they go to bed but instead have been caught up in Olympic mania. Can you blame me? Each night we’ve been watching our favorite athletes compete and its been thrilling! As a parent of 2 young daughters who play sports all-year round, the Olympics get our full attention in our house.
But today I have a really simple and wonderful pasta recipe for you. It is made with penne pasta, spinach, bacon, and a few other ingredients. The flavor of the pasta is very light and seasoned just enough allowing the bacon and spinach to shine. This would be the perfect recipe for a weeknight meal or as a side dish. [click to continue…]
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[donotprint] One of my favorite appetizers is bacon wrapped water chestnuts. There is something about bacon and the crunchiness of water chestnuts – that when they come together is like a “party in your mouth”. Some may call this popular appetizer “trashy”, but who cares? It may not be the most gourmet appetizer on the table but I can guarantee you it will be one of the first appetizers to disappear. Trashy - Smashy – It’s all good.
This recipe would be great for New Year’s Eve or for Superbowl Sunday. [click to continue…]
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Thanksgiving Day is just a few days away and I thought I would squeeze in one more Thanksgiving Day related recipe.
A couple of nights ago I prepared this dish for my family and it was too wonderful not to share with you. If you’ve never had brussels sprouts or you have and they weren’t very good, this is the recipe for you! It is so delicious and simple, it would make a perfect side dish for your Thanksgiving feast or for any meal. [click to continue…]
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