Some Things I Just Love....

I keep an inspiration folder in my kitchen. If I'm ever flipping through a mag & think, "wow, I want that!" Or, "man, I wish my bathroom looked like that", I just rip it out & save it.
I do something along those lines while I am surfing around the internets. My bookmark folder for those sorts of things is getting unmanageably huge. So, I thought maybe I could start sharing some here. That way, maybe I could turn someone on to some cool stuff & selfishly have items I covet archived for my convenience. Above are a few things from those lists.

a. a Pendleton throw blanket. I really need one of these for all the ice cold hockey bleachers I sit on.

b. La Natura Shea Butter Lip Balms....in way too many to choose just one flavors. I was turned on to these by my SIL & I am thoroughly addicted.

c. Square Bento Box Containers by Vivo. These are on my wish list. I love them! Way out of my, what I consider appropriate lunch box budget, however.

d. Divine Twine. This is some super high quality & fun bakers twine. I already nabbed some of this for next years Christmas cookies! A girl has to plan ahead.

e. Nikki McClure's "Remember" seasonal journal. A good friend got me one of her amazing calendars a few years back. Her art is so inspiring. I love this journal for it's looks & the fact that it is divided by seasons. I want it to be my 2010 gardening journal.

f. Brooke Sheeting by Pottery Barn. If only I had a little girl, this would be mine! Unfortunately, I think I am a bit too old for them. I also love the whole collection.

Chicken & Dumplings

Oh, how I love chicken n' dumplings....let me count the ways.
This is by far my favorite comfort food. When Dh & I lived in Brooklyn, we used to go to this southern restaurant, called "Mama's". I would always order the chicken & dumplings and he would order the chicken fried steak. Sometimes, I find myself dreaming of those days & that delicious food. I had one of those days recently & decided it was time to make some.
I have used several different recipes in the past. But, this was the first time trying this one. The dumplings are probably the best damn dumplings I've ever had. The key to their yummy goodness is the addition of cornmeal. Something I have never even thought to do. It's fantastic!
I think he may have been exaggerating, but DH declared it the best dinner I've ever made.

Begin by cutting a 3 pound chicken into 8 pieces. I do this myself, but you can easily ask a butcher to do it for you. I also find it is easier & easier to find packages of cut up chicken in the meat case nowadays. I like to remove the wings & save them for another use, like stock, etc. No one here eats them anyway. Then I cut each breast in half. So, I end up with 2 thighs, 4 breast pieces & 2 drumsticks.
Alternatively, you can buy bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts & just use those...for the white meat people out there. I would cut them in half, since the cooking time for this dish is short.
In a shallow dish, or plate, pour out enough flour to dredge your chicken in & season it generously with kosher salt & freshly ground pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour & add to the pot, skin side down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until evenly browned. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do this in batches. Remove the chicken & set aside.

Add in one onion {quartered} & saute for 2 minutes. Then add in 2 carrots {peeled & cut into large chunks}, 2 stalks of celery {cut into large chunks}, one bay leaf, one sprig of fresh thyme, a 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric, & salt & pepper {to taste}. Cook for 1 minute more.
{You can cut your onion smaller, if desired. I left it big, so it would be easy to fish out later for finicky eaters}

Stir in 6 cups of low-sodium chicken broth & return the chicken to the pot.

Bring the soup up to a boil, cover & reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
Optional: After the 15 minutes, you can remove the chicken from the soup, let it cool slightly & remove the meat from the bones. This makes it a bit more family friendly & easier to eat. I did this.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, a 1/2 cup ground cornmeal, 1 tablespoon of sugar & 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add 1 3/4 cups of heavy cream,

and stir until just combined.

Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering soup, by the heaping tablespoonful. Cover the pot & simmer for 12 minutes.
Ladle the chicken & dumplings into serving bowls & garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Chicken & Dumplings

Adpated from Cookie magazine: November 2007
Serves one hungry family of 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
flour for dredging, seasoned with kosher salt & pepper
1 medium onion, cut into large chunks
2 carrots, peeled & cut into large chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup ground cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
minced fresh parsley, as garnish

In a large, heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, heat the olive oil. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour & add to the pot, skin side down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until evenly browned. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to do this in batches. Remove the chicken & set aside.
Add in the chopped onion & saute for 2 minutes. Add in the carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, turmeric, salt & pepper & cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the chicken broth & return the chicken to the pot. Bring the soup up to a boil, cover & reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Add the flour, baking powder, cornmeal, sugar & salt to a mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream & stir until just combined.
At this point {before adding the dumplings}, you can remove the chicken from the soup, let it cool slightly & remove the chicken from the bones. I did this, as it makes it much easier for kids to eat! Add the chicken back to the pot & return to a gentle simmer.
Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering soup, by the heaping tablespoonful. Cover the pot & simmer for 12 minutes.
Ladle the chicken & dumplings into serving bowls & garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Click here for the printable recipe.

Kitchen Tool of the Week...{Plus a GIVEAWAY!!!}

A Food Mill.

For me, a food mill, is an essential kitchen tool. I learned how to use one from my grandmother, who called hers a "Mouli". It's perfect for making smooth sauces, especially marinara. It's also great for making homemade baby food, applesauce, or pureed soups.
The difference between using a food mill to puree foods vs. a food processor, or blender, is that it removes all the skin & seeds. So, you can skip the peeling, or seeding when using it. Such as I did in my post about making homemade applesauce. You can also control how pureed you want your foods to be with the interchangeable discs...one for coarse, medium, or fine.

This week, I will be giving away the food mill pictured above to one of my lucky readers!!
{WooHoo...My first GIVEAWAY!!}
Simply leave a comment to enter! I will be announcing the winner on Friday, Jan. 29th.
As an extra special bonus, you can enter this giveaway multiple times by sharing it with the public, through twitter, facebook, or your own blog. For each shout out, you can enter your name again...just provide a link, showing how you shared it.

A special Thanks to CSN Stores for sponsoring this giveaway! An amazing retailer with over 200+ online stores...where you can purchase anything from a garden shed to a stool. And, of course, my favorite... cookware!

Update: Congratulations to the winner, Annalene!

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

After my detox attempt ended, I will admit I went a little nuts with the food. Right back to my pre-New Year's resolution ways. But, I realize now that more than anything, I need balance. Soup is a great healthy lunch, or dinner. Especially when it's cold outside & I have no desire for a salad.
I picked up a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living & this recipe was inside. It makes a big pot of soup, so you can halve the recipe for a smaller crowd, or freeze the leftovers.

Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot, or dutch oven, over medium high heat. Add 4 leeks {trimmed & sliced into 1" pieces}, 3 stalks of celery {sliced}, 3 carrots {diced} & 2 cloves of garlic {minced}.

Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes & 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks are softened.

Add 5 1/4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth & 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.

Add 2 Yukon Gold potatoes {peeled & chopped} & 1 small butternut squash {peeled & chopped}.

Return to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir in 1 small head of escarole {chopped} & 1 {15 ounce} can of chickpeas {drained & rinsed}. Return to a boil & cook until the greens are wilted, about 3 minutes.

Stir in 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint & 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill.

Season with some additional kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, if needed & serve.

Hearty Winter Vegetable Soup

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, January 2010
Serves 8

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 leeks, halved lengthwise & cut into 1" slices
3 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2" pieces
3 carrots, peeled & diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
5 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 small butternut squash, peeled & diced
2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & diced
1 bunch escarole, chopped
1 {15 ounce} can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil in a large stockpot, or dutch oven, over medium high heat. Add the leeks, celery, carrots, garlic, red pepper flakes & salt. Saute for about 5 minutes, or until the leeks are softened. Add the chicken broth & water. Bring to a boil.
Add in the potatoes & squash & return to a boil. Reduce the heat & simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the escarole & chickpeas. Return to a boil & cook until the greens are wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, mint & dill. Season with some additional kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, if needed & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.

The Stamford Nature Center

My sister, Lauren was in town this past weekend. She celebrated her birthday on MLK day & since the Bozos were off of school, we had a little outing. As it was her birthday, she picked the spot. She had lots of great memories of visiting the Stamford Nature Center as a kid & wanted to bring her daughter, Penny there. So, that's where we went!
It was a perfect day to go. Warm enough to play outside & lots of sunshine, for some great pictures. Here's a bunch...

R.I.P. Chico

a.k.a. cheeky-cheeky, chico the man & the cheekster. We will miss you & your always loving & affectionate spirit.

Kitchen Tool of the Week...

Knowledge.

Wonder if it's really necessary to buy organic? Is it really worth the extra cost? Well, with some things it seems it is. According to the Environmental Working Group {EWG}, some of the conventional produce you could be purchasing can contain up to nine different kinds of pesticides per serving. And, that is after being washed & peeled. Scary.
I certainly don't want to serve these to my family. So, I find having the knowledge about what's best for them, helps me avoid the things that are not. The EWG has released two lists...one for the cleanest fruit & veggie options out there {or the ones with no pesticide residues} & one for the worst.
They even have an iPhone app for the list...an easy way to keep it handy while out shopping.

The Dirty Dozen: buy organic whenever possible
apples
bell peppers
celery
cherries
nectarines
strawberries
kale
lettuce
imported grapes
carrots
pears

The Clean 15: safe to buy conventional
onion
avocado
sweet corn
pineapple
mango
asparagus
sweet peas
kiwi
cabbage
eggplant
papaya
watermelon
broccoli
tomato
sweet potato

(photos from martha stewart living magazine)

Ribollita

Translated, Ribollita means "reboiled". It is a Tuscan peasant soup, usually made from leftover stale bread & a reheated vegetable soup, like minestrone.
This version is a quick & hearty winter time lunch, or dinner. You can use any vegetables you'd like in this...zucchini, spinach, potatoes. I stuck with tomatoes & kale, as I had loads of kale in the fridge...leftover from the detox. Plus, I love kale.

Begin by heating a 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add in 1 onion {small diced}, 1 carrot {small diced}, 1 clove of garlic {minced} & 4 ounces of finely chopped pancetta {I like the pre-diced variety from Trader Joe's...quick & easy!}.

Saute until the pancetta is crisp {about 10 minutes}.

Add in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste,

and stir until it is evenly incorporated.

Add in 1 {15 ounce} can of diced tomatoes,

& stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Next, add in 1 tablespoon of Herbes de Provence, 1 bay leaf, a 3" piece of rind from a block of Parmesan cheese,

3 cups of low-sodium chicken stock & 1 {15 ounce} can of cannellini beans {drained & rinsed}.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat,

& add in 1/2 a bunch of fresh kale {coarsely chopped}.

Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, taste for seasoning & add some kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, if needed {I found it didn't need a thing}.

When serving, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut a ciabatta roll in half & drizzle with olive oil.

Toast until crisp & beginning to brown.

Place the toast in a serving bowl & ladle the soup over the toast. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano {if desired} & serve.

Ribollita

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, via The Food Network
Makes 4 main course servings

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus a drizzle for bread
1 onion, small diced
1 carrot, small diced
4 ounces finely diced pancetta
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 {15 ounce} can diced tomatoes
1/2 large bunch fresh kale, stems removed & coarsely chopped
1 {15 ounce} can cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 {3 inch} piece of Parmesan rind
2 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving {optional}

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta & garlic. Saute until the pancetta is crisp, or about 10 minutes. Add in the tomato paste & stir until it is evenly incorporated. Add the diced tomatoes & stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the beans, Herbes de Provence, chicken stock, bay leaf & Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat & add in the chopped kale. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, taste for seasoning & add some kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, if needed.
When serving, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the ciabatta roll halves with olive oil & toast until crisp & beginning to brown. Place the toast in a serving bowl & ladle the soup over the toast. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano {if desired} & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.