melted smoosh

there was a point of no return, sometime around the era that our summer CSA produce baskets began, when we became mildly obsessed with cooking shows. Iron Chef America, Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen, MasterChef, Chopped, Food Network Star, etc. etc. etc. and one fateful evening, we were watching the show most guaranteed to make you feel like an inept loser ( MasterChef Junior , where the ten-year-olds make better sushi than I can), when the bar was set for our next culinary challenge.  the kids made Beef Wellington.  photo credit Fox.com/masterchef-junior since that time, we've honed our cooking chops, and essentially everyone except me has been slowly transforming into homesteaders with homemade mozzarella and ricotta cheese, ginger bug, beer, bourbon vanilla, kefir, hot sauce, and various pickled vegetables. (i've been a little more focused on babies.) and finally, a few weeks ago, we decided it was time to attempt the holy grail. armed with an amalgam of recipes from Al...

with the scorching temps Pittsburgh has been rocking this week, it just seems appropriate to kick up the heat on our palates as well. this recipe is a great clean-out-the-fridge supper, since you can toss all manner of veggies into it and they all absorb the sassy Cajun spice. the original recipe came from Cooking Light, and while i do recommend andouille sausage for an authentic bayou flavor, i happened to have a pound of ground beef leftover from a previous recipe and substituted it with very satisfactory results. the original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken, but i much prefer to slice 3 chicken breasts in half and cook in about 1 cup of chicken broth over medium heat for about 15 minutes, then dice.  chicken and sausage jambalaya adapted from cooking light Yield: 8 servings (about 1 1/4 c. per serving) Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Ingredients 1 TBSP canola oil 12 oz smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced (can substitute 1 lb groun...

now that we've covered some of our family's favourite recipes in one fell swoop , i'd like to focus on one stellar recipe from the menu plan each week. i suspect most of the featured recipes will be tried-and-true dishes that deserve their spots in the regular dinner rotation, but if i come across any fantastic new recipes i'll be sure to share!  last night's supper was one of our faves. it requires very little active prep work, and the flavors are unbeatable. it's definitely going on my list of freezer meals to make before our little one arrives!  creamy chicken enchiladas recipe adapted from Lori at RecipeGirl photo credit from Lori at RecipeGirl Yield:   6 servings   Prep Time:   20 min  Cook Time:   40 min Ingredients 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can Healthy Request Cream of Chicken soup 8 ounces light sour cream 1 cup Pace picante sauce 2 teaspoons chili powder 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 10...

we're taking a hiatus from the crockpot meals this week to focus on some meat-tastic dinners that satisfy nick's tastebuds and appeal to my cravings for protein, protein, protein! they're not diet friendly, but balanced with lighter meals throughout the week, i think they're worth the splurge. as always, remember that  these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came. i'm also linking up to  Taste and Tell 's weekly  round up !  meatball sub casserole from taste of home image credit from taste of home i've made several different meatball sub casseroles, some of which called for frozen meatballs. just, NO. these meatballs are so simple to make and so delicious. i confess to eating one right out of the oven before the rest get incorporated into the casserole. this dish is even better the next day when the sauce and cheese has had a change to soak into the crusty bread. (sadly, just looking at that marinara sauce gives me ...

there are just too many fantastic crock pot meals to squeeze into one week, so here's another round up of our favourites. whoever invented the crockpot should seriously get a prize. my Hamilton 6-quart is perfect for dinner, but at some point i'd love to add a mini-crockpot to my collection (the better to serve hot dips in, my dear!). as always, remember that  these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came. i'm also linking up to  Taste and Tell 's weekly  round up !  without further ado: cream cheese chicken from  food.com image credit from food.com this is super easy and super delicious. not the healthiest recipe in my repertoire by far, but it is the very definition of comfort food. i like to serve this over rice or buttered noodles. white chicken chili from taste of home image credit from taste of home this is a regular in our rotation -- i especially like the sweet crunch the corn adds to the rest of th...

this week we'll focus on some of my slow-cooker staples. there's nothing more wonderful than walking in the front door after a long day at work and immediately inhaling the savory aroma of dinner, ready , and scrumptiously flavorful from cooking all day. my disclaimer about food photography still stands --  these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came! i'm also linking up to  Taste and Tell 's weekly  round up !  here are some of our favourites: crockpot chicken tikka masala from table for two blog image credit from  w ikipedia when it strikes, the craving for Indian food (much like my unfortunate cravings for sour cream & onion chips) can't be assuaged by anything but the real thing. and this recipe certainly fits the bill. it couldn't be easier to put together in the morning, and unlike some crockpot chicken recipes, the meat stays tender even if it cooks for a full 9 hours. about half an hour before serving, i t...

and we're back with another round-up of culinary delights - this time all appetizers that are sure to get your mouths watering. my disclaimer about food photography still stands --  these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came! i'm also linking up to  Taste and Tell 's weekly   round up !  here are some of our favourites: s picy buffalo chicken beer dip from  plain chicken image credit from  Plain Chicken i've probably made this recipe ten times, between choir parties and football games. it's so quick and easy, and absolutely delicious! if i have leftover cooked or rotisserie chicken, i prefer to use that over the canned version. highly recommend!  s even layer salad from  allrecipes.com image credit from  a llrecipes.com so if you can get over the fact that it's 2013 and not 1982, this salad will knock your socks off. there's something about the crunch of the lettuce, the sweetness of the peas and t...

oh, how i love to cook. it's a labor of love and creativity with delicious rewards! every Thursday, i'll link up to some of our very favorite, tried-and-true recipes. thank goodness Nick and i have equally adventurous palates, with a penchant for bacon and buffalo chicken! i'm constantly on the lookout for 30-minute weeknight meals that make enough for leftover lunches, as well as more elaborate weekend feasts that make the whole house smell like a Williams & Sonoma store.  while i do consider myself decently handy in the kitchen, i am not a food photographer by any means, so these photos are linked directly back to the blogs from whence they came! i'm also linking up to Taste and Tell 's weekly round up !  here are some of our favourites: grilled chicken ranch cajun pasta from plain chicken image credit from Plain Chicken this recipe calls for marinating the chicken at least two hours. i often make the marinade in the morning and let it soak into th...