I bake bread!
Tag: food
Ok, I’m Obsessed With Discovery+
Have you heard of it? No! Well then…
Discovery+ is a streaming platform that has past and current television shows and specials from a variety of Discovery-owned networks. These include the Food Network, HGTV, Animal Planet, and more! It also has a preview of what will be available on Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network, which will be launching soon!
One of the reasons I love Discovery+ is its large library of content. I have really only poked around the Food Network options (are we surprised by that?), but there is so much there alone. Lately I’ve been watching the original Barefoot Contessa episodes. This was before the Back to Basics sub heading was added. These episodes are from the early 2000s (2003 and on). They also have a much different artistic style than the later Barefoot Contessa episodes.
I have also been watching old classics from my younger days. Sandra Lee’s and 30 Minute Meals starring Rachel Ray. There is also the entire back library of Pioneer Woman and the streaming even includes some episodes from the latest season of the show!
But there is so much besides Food Network content. Like Animal Planet’s The Zoo and Mega Zoo. Also you can find episodes of Dr. Pimple Popper if you’re into that sort of thing.
If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend getting it. You won’t be sorry!
P.S. This is NOT a sponsored post, I just really LOVE this platform!
“The belly rules the mind.”
— Spanish Proverb
Shopping List for Friday January 22 2021
Well Friday is here again! And what a week it was, for sure.
I took on the task of making dinner tonight and I decided to share my shopping list for the two dishes I’ll be making this evening. One is a main dish and the other is a vegetable dish. I will not be making a side dish or a dessert this week.
At the request of my father, I took the time to try to find a “healthier recipe.” This was somewhat challenging. Most of Ina’s recipes, while delicious, are quite rich. Or, if not rich with ingredients, many recipes such as beef or pork meals are just not as heart-friendly. But, I eventually stumbled upon a great, light, and flavorful chicken recipe that I can’t wait to try!
My Shopping List
- White wine
- 5 lemons (wow, can we see a theme here??)
- fresh thyme
- 4 boneless chicken breasts (with skin, if able)
- 2 large bunches of fresh broccoli
- panko
- pine nuts
Of course, this list does not include any ingredients that I know I already have in the pantry.
I’m getting hungry just looking at the recipes. I can’t wait for dinner time!
My First Pioneer Woman Recipe
In September of 2019, I created a different blog that I have since made private. However, I did want to share this recipe with you all since I will most likely not be doing any other cooking this week. This recipe was made in February 2020, before COVID hit the United States. This post appears as it did when it was originally published.
In a future post, I will talk about my love of all things Ree, but for now, here’s the recipe review. Enjoy!
Continue reading “My First Pioneer Woman Recipe”Recipe #23 Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
This recipe appears in Modern Comfort Food, page 114.
The first recipe back from my short Ina Garten hiatus was a total hit! Which, to be honest, surprised me since my parents do not typically have the taste buds for Mexican food. However, I think it went over so well because these enchiladas are loaded with cheesy goodness and I left out practically all of the heat.
Making these enchiladas was a challenge! Well, parts of it was challenging anyway. For the most part the recipe was straight forward and enjoyable. The problems arose when it became time to actually stuff the enchiladas and roll them. That part was tricky and turned messy — both my kitchen counter and the attractiveness of the dish. The good news is since they bake in the oven and are covered in sauce and cheese, no really noticed how sloppy they looked.
Seeing that this recipe appears in Ina’s latest book, Modern Comfort Food, it lives up to being a classic comfort food recipe. It is also one that I plan to make again in the future, but with some modifications. Instead of chicken I may use tofu or a meat replacement. I may even use vegetables entirely instead. Anything with cheddar and goat cheese has to be good, right?
Even the photo above couldn’t save the dish from looking messy. Well, it probably could have, but these enchiladas were so yummy that I almost forgot to snap a photo for the blog!
What Am I Making This Week?
Good question!
A few posts ago, I mentioned that I will be taking the week off from making dinner for my family. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to cook anything.
This decision is both good and bad for me. I have the freedom to make whatever I want: an appetizer, a side dish, a lunch recipe, or even something from the Breakfast category. The downside to this is just that: there are still sooo many choices!
After some deep thought, soul searching, snacking, and examining recipes. I settled on a recipe: Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake.
Why?
Cuz why not! It sounds amazing, doesn’t it? I think it does. And I can’t wait to share the final product with you all.
This recipe comes from the Breakfast section of Make it Ahead. The recipe photo in the book looks divine and Ina’s headnotes for the recipe consist of but two sentences. Which is very unlike Ina. I guess she wanted the recipe to speak for itself!
Practically, this recipe will be a rather cheap make. Looking over the ingredients, I see I will only need a small handful of items. I am considering omitting the sliced almonds to help keep the cost down (unless I can steal since from my Grandma). After all, I don’t need very many (3 tablespoons).
I’m not sure yet when I will make this recipe. It will be sometime this weekend (so between today and Sunday afternoon). But since this recipe calls for ripe bananas, I need to do some prep work first: I bought the bananas Thursday evening and I’ll have them sit in a bag overnight or longer so that they get to the proper ripeness, if needed.
But other than that, I’m ready to go!
Also, this is my 50th post on the blog! If you’ve been with me since the beginning: Thank you! Your support and “Likes” mean a lot. Don’t forget that I do welcome comments. So don’t be afraid!
Review of “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics”
This is part of a 12-part series where I review each one of Ina Garten’s twelve cookbooks. The previous reviews can be found earlier in the feed of posts. They come out on Thursdays, usually for 1:30 PM. This is the sixth review in the series.
Who doesn’t love green as the main color on a book? It’s so vibrant and pairs nicely for a cookbook.
Ina Garten’s sixth cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is another one of quintessential “TV Ina.” But that’s not a bad thing! This is another book that makes Ina related to the home cook, whether they are seasoned or just starting out.
Continue reading “Review of “Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics””Recipes #15 and #16 Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots and Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Both of these recipes can be found in At Home
In addition to the Parmesan Chicken I made last Saturday, I made two side dishes. Both of which complemented the main course nicely.
The buttermilk mashed potatoes are amazing! As someone who doesn’t get to have mashed potatoes very often, these were a welcome addition the meal. The potatoes were so creamy and flavorful. The salt Ina calls for is a lot, but the potatoes do not taste overly salty. The addition of pepper merges all the flavors and makes for a very tasty side dish.
The Orange-Honey Glazed Carrots are hands down, the BEST carrot recipe I’ve come across!
Using ginger, honey, and orange juice to turn up the volume on these carrots was a great choice for the meal I made. But, it’s also a great recipe crafted by the great IG! In fact, my family loved these carrots so much that we will be making them for our small family gathering at Thanksgiving. I can see them making a regular appearance at the Thanksgiving table year after year.
They are also going to be the first side dish recipe added to my list of Favorites!
As I may have mentioned earlier, I will be taking this week off from cooking dinner. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to make an IG recipe! I plan to bake this weekend, but not dessert! Probably muffins or scones. Both of those are types of food I haven’t attempted yet. Plus it’ll be a good excuse to tackle one of the Breakfast recipes!
Come back to the blog tomorrow to check out my review of Back to Basics!
Until next time…
Recipe #14 Parmesan Chicken
This recipe can be found in Family Style.
One of the recipes I made for Saturday dinner was parmesan chicken. But, I have a confession to make. I bought the wrong cheese! Instead, I bought a combination of grated Pecorino Romano NOT Parmesan. So, since I kind of messed up the title ingredient, by review won’t be too long.
This recipe is very simple to make since it is essentially fried chicken cutlets. However, the addition of cheese to the bread crumbs is what really sets it apart. And if I’m being honest, I think the Pecorino Romano cheese added even better flavor than the parmesan would have.
I also decided not to serve this recipe with the recommended salads greens and lemon vinaigrette. But, it is still worth trying. It’s a simple meal than can be any night of the week and can easily accommodate and please a large group of friends.
Did I make sides for this? Yes, yes I did! I made two basic recipes: mashed potatoes and a separate carrot dish. Those reviews are coming tomorrow!
Happy November, by the way!
