food

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto and Garlic Rosemary Lamb Chops

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

Creamy Cauliflower Rissoto and Lamb Chops

Last Sunday, I was in the mood to be creative in the kitchen, so I decided to tackle the rack of lamp chops I recently purchased and do something interesting with a head of cauliflower I had.

For the lamb chops, I rubbed them with a simple mixture of fresh rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper and marinated them for 4 hours in the fridge.  When we were ready to eat, I simply pan seared them about 2 minutes on each side in a hot skillet with olive oil.  They turned out amazing!

lamb chops and creamy cauliflower risotto

Here is the recipe for the Creamy Cauliflower Risotto.  I have to say… I absolutely LOVED it!  A little more work than simply roasting cauliflower or mashing russet potatoes, but if you have the time and the inclination, it is SOOOO worth it!

Add some fresh greens, and you have a meal fit for royalty!

Hope you will give this a creative cauliflower recipe a try!  You won’t be sorry.

Creamy Cauliflower Risotto

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red, yellow, and/or orange peppers
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Finely chop cauliflower florets until it reaches approximate size and texture of rice.  (You can use a food processor if you like, but I did not.)  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Saute onions, peppers and garlic until caramelized.

Add white wine, and cook for 1 minute.  Add cauliflower “rice” and chicken stock.  Cover and cook on medium for about 10 minutes.

Add butter, and continue to cook for another 5 minutes without lid, allowing some of the liquid to evaporate.  Stir occasionally.

Once the cauliflower “rice” has thickened, stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.  (There really is no substitute for this BEST Parmesan cheese!)  Remove from heat and add Greek yogurt or sour cream and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend with immersion blender to desired creamy consistency.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Recipe slightly adapted from GlutenFreeFix

Friday Night is Pizza Night

/ Jodi / 49 Comments

pizza 2

Friday night is often pizza night at our house, and although we often order in, sometimes we make our own homemade pizza.  It really is a fun way to get the whole gang engaged in the kitchen, and allows everyone to make their pizza just they way they like it.

pizza 1

This is a great, quick and easy fool-proof recipe for dough that you can top with any toppings you like.  It can be made ahead or right when you are ready to eat.

pizza3

One of my favorites is to spread roasted garlic on the dough, top with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and fresh tomatoes.  Sometimes simple is the best.

Other times, we spread with tomato sauce and top with pepperoni, crispy crumbled bacon, sauteed onions and peppers, mushrooms, banana pepper rings, and/or black olives.

The only rule is the cheese MUST be fresh sliced mozzarella – no pre-packaged, shredded cheese allowed.  There simply is no comparison.

What is your favorite pizza topping?

Homemade Quick & Easy Pizza Crust

Ingredients:pizza 1

  • 1 (.25 oz) pkg active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1 cup warm water (approx. 110 degrees F)
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp corn meal

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Let stand 10 min.

Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and oil.  Combine well by kneading until smooth.  Let set for at least 5 min., or up to several hours.

If you have let the dough rise, punch down.  Stretch and toss or roll dough out onto baking stone or pizza dish sprinkled with corn meal.

Spread with desired toppings and bake in preheated 450 degree F oven over for 15 -20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Easy Homemade Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

/ Jodi / 25 Comments

chicken and vegetable lo mein 3

I love chicken and all the versatile ways you can prepare it.  I try a new chicken recipe almost every week.  I also love Asian-inspired dishes, so I really enjoyed trying a take on Chicken and Vegetable Lo-Mein.

chicken and vegetable lo mein 2

Like most recipes I make, almost everything can be substituted with any ingredients of your choice.  And though I provide measurements, I rarely measure anything exact myself.  In this recipe, you could use shrimp or pork or even beef if you prefer  instead of chicken.  You could also substitute any vegetables you prefer.  And if you don’t have lo mein noodles on hand, thin spaghetti will work too!

chicken and vegetable lo mein

I really believe the ingredient that seals the deal with this recipe is the addition of a lot of fresh spinach in the end that you cook only long enough to wilt.  It adds such great texture, color, taste, and nutritional value.  I also very highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.  I am a salt lover, and it has taken me a long time to realize this, but most soy sauce is way too salty.  The low-sodium version gives you just enough saltiness, but the full soy sauce flavor.  And the sesame oil is a must.  This cannot be substituted with corn or vegetable or canola or olive oil.  To get that great Asian lo mein flavor, the sesame oil is key.

Hope you will give this yet another winner winner of a chicken dinner a try.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken & Vegetable Lo Mein

Ingredients:chicken and vegetable lo mein 3

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
  • 10 ounces lo mein egg noodles*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup red, yellow, orange bell pepper, julienned
  • 1 large carrot, julienned or 1/2 cup matchstick carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery stalks
  • ½ cup green onions, sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach

Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or more, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain well.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add chicken, and cook thorough for several minutes.  Add garlic, bell pepper, celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately.

*If lo mein egg noodles cannot be found, spaghetti can be substituted.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Recipe slightly adapted from DamnDelicious

Blueberry Shortbread Tart

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

blueberry shortbread tart 2

I thought it would be nice to make a sweet treat this past weekend for the guys since I had been away for awhile.  I didn’t have enough blueberries to make a pie, but I had a nice amount to make this yummy blueberry shortbread tart.

blueberry shortbread tart 1

What could be bad about a shortbread crust, some jam and blueberries, fresh lemon juice and zest, and a crumbly topping?!?!

blueberry shortbread tart 3

It went together easily, only took 30 minutes to make, and was a hit!  (Hubby said it reminded him of a toasted blueberry Pop-Tart (and that was meant as a compliment – lol!)

I can’t recall the last time I bought Pop-Tarts, but this is a tart, and it is filled with fruit, and it is baked, so I guess that pretty well qualifies it to taste a bit like it.  I can imagine this would also be great with many other fruit fillings (aka Pop-Tart flavors) –  Cherry, Raspberry, Blackberry, Peach, Apple & Cinnamon, Strawberry, or Peach – to name a few.

My guys topped theirs with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, because, well…. just because!

It was a great dessert to end a hot summer day and meal of grilled sausage sandwiches with onions and peppers on hard rolls, fresh sweet corn on the cob rolled in butter and sprinkled with Old Bay Seasoning, and a cucumber and tomato salad fresh from the garden drizzled with tangy red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Hungry yet?!

Blueberry Shortbread Tart

Ingredients:blueberry shortbread tart 2
  • 2 sticks butter,  room temperature
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup blueberry preserves or jam
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease 9-inch tart pan.

Beat butter, sugars, lemon juice and zest with electric mixer approx. 3 mins until well incorporated.  Add flour and salt, and mix until well blended and forming clumps.

Press 2/3 of the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and going up sides.

Spread with the blueberry preserves or jam evenly over the dough, leaving a ¼-inch border.  Sprinkle with blueberries.

Crumble the remaining dough into large crumbs and  sprinkle evenly over filling.

Bake 30 – 40 mins. until lightly browned.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*recipe slightly adapted from Erren’s Kitchen

If you Carrot All…

/ Jodi / 46 Comments
watercolor carrots

Watercolor Carrots 5×7 Arches 140lb Arches Rough

Today’s painting for #WorldWatercolorMonth is a quick and simple one celebrating the glorious carrot.

It was fun to create the leafy greens by gently rubbing the side of a rigger brush across the rough watercolor paper in random strokes.

Carrots are a beautiful, healthy vegetable that is equally delicious raw and cooked.

For a yummy version of roasted carrots, check out my recipe for Roasted Caramelized Garlic Carrots here.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Spinach Blueberry Salad & a Blueberry Botanical

/ Jodi / 52 Comments
blueberry watercolor 5x7 arches 140lb rough prussian blue panes gray green gold

Blueberry watercolor 5×7 arches 140lb rough prussian blue panes gray green gold

For today’s #WorldWatercolorMonth Painting, I present:   Blueberries in Prussian Blue.  This is a “botanical” painting of sorts and possibly one of my more “realistic” paintings.  A bit of a diversion for me.

And while we are on the subject of blueberries – the yummy, nutrient-packed fruit of the gods,  here is a recipe for a spinach salad I made last week with blueberries in it.  DIVINE!

Spinach blueberry salad

I tossed some fresh spinach with blueberries and blue cheese (but you could use feta or goat or any other cheese you like), toasted walnuts, and green onions, and then drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette for a really fresh, yummy salad.

Spinach blueberry salad 2

Some other favorite blueberry recipes I’ve shared in the past you might want to check out are my “almost famous” to-die-for Blueberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies and melt-in-your-mouth  Fresh Peach and Blueberry Streusel Muffins.  Maybe not quite as healthy, but very delish!

ENJOY!

Spinach & Blueberry Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Spinach
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • 1 cup toasted and sugared walnuts*
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
  • 1/3 cup Balsaimic Vinaigrette

Combine fresh, clean spinach, blueberries, green onions and walnuts and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette.  Top with crumbled blue cheese and serve immediately.

*Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add walnuts, and sprinkle with sugar.  Saute over medium heat for approximately five minutes until sugar has melted and walnuts have browned.  Cool completely.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

 

Tomato Bruschetta Chicken

/ Jodi / 54 Comments
Tomato watercolor 5x7 arches 140lb rough DS Pyrrol Scarlett Hanssa Yello Green Gold Sap Green

Tomato watercolor 5×7 arches 140lb rough DS Pyrrol Scarlett Hanssa Yello Green Gold Sap Green

Oh fresh, sweet, vine-ripened ruby red tomato…
How I love you from my head to-ma-toes!

It is tomato time of year around here, and there is nothing finer than a fresh-picked tomato right from the vine to the dinner table.

For today’s #WorldWatercolorMonth painting, I give you …. the Tomato…. in Daniel Smith Pyrrol Scarlett, Hansa Yellow, Green Gold, and Sap Green.

And to celebrate, here is a recipe for what we had for dinner the other evening – Brushetta Chicken.  A plump grilled chicken breast smothered with fresh mozzarella cheese and topped with sweet, juicy tomatoes, basil, and garlic.

Oh the yumminess!

And even better – oh the easiness!

Hope you’ll give this winner winner chicken dinner a try.  We had it with some brown rice and quinoa and a fresh spinach salad.  How will you serve yours?

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts seasoned with garlic herb seasoning and salt
  • 1 large ripe red tomato
  • 1 large ripe yellow tomato or 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 large garlic clove minced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4 slices fresh mozarella cheese, optional

Directions:

Prepare Bruschetta by chopping tomatoes and combining with chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, olive oil and vinegar.  Let sit and flavors mingle while you grill chicken breasts.

Top grilled chicken breasts with slices of mozzarella cheese, if desired, for last few minutes on grill and let melt.

To serve, top grilled chicken breast with large spoonful of fresh bruschetta and enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Cinnamon Chip Scones

/ Jodi / 71 Comments
cinnamon chip scones watercolor 5x7 arches 140lb cold press, raw sienna, cad orange, burnt sienna, burnt umber

cinnamon chip scones watercolor 5×7 arches 140lb cold press, raw sienna, cad orange, burnt sienna, burnt umber

I first shared this recipe I am “almost famous” for about two years ago here.

I made them twice this week for two different occasions, so when time came for me to decide on a watercolor painting for #WorldWatercolorMonth today – Cinnamon Chip Scones it was.

My painting does not do these amazingly yummy scones justice, but trust me, you and anyone you serve these to will LOVE them.

Here is what they really look like.

cinnamon chip scones

Cinnamon Chip Scones

Ingredients:cinnamon chip scones

2 3/4  Cups Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Sticks Cold Butter
3/4 – 1 Cup Buttermilk (easy substitute is 1Tbsp white vinegar added to 1 cup milk)
1 10 oz. bag Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips
Coarse Raw Sugar for Sprinkling

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Cut butter into small cubes and cut into dry ingredients with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs are formed.  Pour in vanilla and buttermilk, and mix with pastry blender just until incorporated.  Pour in bag of cinnamon chips.  Dump dough onto counter and gently shape into a 15″ x 3″ rectangle.  Cut dough in half, then each half in half, then each quarter in half, so that you have 8 rectangles.  Cut each rectangle on the diagonal to form 16 triangular shaped scones.

Place on backing stone or cookie sheet, brush with some milk or water, and sprinkle with coarse raw sugar.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes on stone or cookie sheet, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.  Best served immediately.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Feeling Grape!

/ Jodi / 62 Comments
Watercolor Grapes

Watercolor Grapes – 5×7 140lb Arches Cold Press

Happy Friday!

Are you feeling Grape?!

For my #WorldWatercolorMonth painting today, I’ve painted a loose, juicy bunch of grapes.

I love painting wet-in-wet and watching the colors flow.  It was fun to paint circles of water, drop paint in, and let the paint do its thing.  I toyed with adding some definition with a Micron pen or another wash of watercolor to the grapes, but then decided to just let them be loose and simple and be their own grape selves!

Hope you have a Grape Friday!  (maybe with a few fermented ones involved in your evening hours!)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

P.S.   I had this post scheduled before hearing the horrific news last evening of yet another horrific, deadly terrorist attack in France.  Though my heart is heavy with grief for this kind of ugliness in our world, I also hope we can focus on the goodness… the beauty… the kindness… and the love that outweighs this ugliness a trillion-fold.

Cherish the moments friends.  Cherish the moments.

A Watercolor Ice Cream Cone

/ Jodi / 52 Comments
Watercolor Ice Cream Cone 5 x 7 140 lb Arches Cold Press - Raw Sienna & Permanent Rose

Watercolor Ice Cream Cone 5 x 7 140 lb Arches Cold Press – Raw Sienna & Permanent Rose

It has been HOT HOT HOT here this week!
Sweet, steamy summer time.

What better way to celebrate…
to embrace…
to bask in the gloriousness…

than with a sweet, cool, summertime treat –
an ice cream cone!

Strawberry no less!

And this Sunday, July 17 is #NationalIceCreamDay!  National Ice Cream Day is celebrated each year on the 3rd Sunday in July and is a part of National Ice Cream Month.  This day is a fun celebration enjoyed with a bowl, cup or cone filled with your favorite flavor of ice cream.

I really enjoyed painting this strawberry ice cream cone for #WorldWatercolorMonth in just two colors – raw sienna for the cone using a wet in dry technique, and wet in wet permanent rose for the sweet, creamy, juicy, ice cream.

May your hot summer days be filled with sweet, cool treats!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi