Autumn & Jerry » Food

Let the Holiday Blur Begin..!

Autumn — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 17:03:43 +0000

Personally, the holidays seem to fly by in a magic flash starting back at Halloween, but especially between Thanksgiving & Christmas! Before we know it, 2010 will be celebrating its finale and 2011 will be here. Every single year I say I’m going to slow down and try to enjoy every moment more than the year before, but every year seems busier than the last and again, flies by. Even still, I do enjoy every minute.

Some things to look forward to as December arrives:

12 Days of Cookies from The Food Network! I love the recipes, and each one is emailed daily. Of course, there are plenty of extra options on the website too, but there’s something special about the daily cookie selection <3

25 Days of Christmas on ABC! Gotta love all those movies & cartoon classics. Our newest tradition is saving up a selection to watch on Christmas Eve after dinner and before opening gifts with my family : – )

As tempting as it is to absolutely throw all common sense, health, and nutrition out the window during this time of year, it is still important to make good choices to balance out the less-good ones : – ) It isn’t fair to deprive yourself of all the goodies that come once a year, but make time for some exercise and healthy meals in between the parties and splurges. Here are a few tips to help make that balance happen.

P.S. Here’s another casserole I want to try making for the holidays! Looks yummy and reminds me of the amazing dish my Granny used to make. Disclaimer: while what I said before about making healthy decisions is true, this recipe doesn’t quite meet that criteria due to its butter content, so file this one under splurges ; – )

Comfort Food

Autumn — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:38:33 +0000

Waking up to a cloudy, quiet morning after sleeping in is a good recipe for comfort. Checking my email and seeing an entire list of comfort food casseroles from MyRecipes.com waiting for me was a nice touch to an already lovely morning. With a few minor modifications, such as substituting veggie broth for the chicken broth, these already-reduced fat casseroles will surely be making appearances in my kitchen over the next six weeks as we celebrate the holidays, 2010-style! A few I look forward to trying:

Squash-Rice Casserole

Mediterranean Spinach Strata

Broccoli & Three-Cheese Casserole

Garden-Style Lasagna

….and last but not least, a new twist on make-ahead breakfast:

Marmalade French Toast Casserole

YUM-O, right?! I also want to try making this easy dessert sometime soon, likely next week for Thanksgiving. Pear-Ginger Crisps, anyone? I love this time of year! : – )

First Weekly Find

Autumn — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:32:22 +0000

I am often finding little things here and there, whether it be a new food item (like this week), a new store, a new concept, or a new TV show. I always like to share cool new finds, because that’s how I’ve come across lots of can’t-live-withouts from others making the effort to share a score, such as these awesome cucumber facial wipes that are now part of my daily routine, thanks to MsSingleMama‘s recommendation (thanks again!) : – )

Or Etsy, thanks to a too-cool-for-school Flickr contact who happens to have her very own store there. Since I was introduced to the world of Etsy, I haven’t stopped shopping and pining after one-of-a-kind items for myself and everyone I know! : – )

So, this week I made my own little discovery while shopping for pizza toppings at our local Fresh Market, when I noticed a display of newly stocked bags of chips. On closer inspection, they were lentil chips made by The Mediterranean Snack Food Company, and not only were they yummy looking, but also low in fat – I knew we had to try them! I chose the cracked pepper & sea salt blend, and they have just the right amount of salt & spice to them, with a light crunch, and overall great flavor. J and I have enjoyed them over the past few days, and so far have managed to restrain ourselves from scarfing down the entire bag in one couch sitting. But, it would be an easy thing to do. Trust us.

Pizza Party

Autumn — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:59:34 +0000

On Saturday night we hosted a dinner party featuring homemade pizza, accompanied by caesar salad, and a tasty pecan pie trifle flanked by fresh chocolate covered strawberries. It was YUM-O! We enjoyed our company & conversation. Thanks to all who joined us! : – )

Vegan Love Day

Autumn — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 05:03:09 +0000

A week ago today, my honey & I celebrated Vegan Love Day. We made up our own holiday. We prepared a vegan feast of made-from-scratch split pea soup, fresh sourdough bread, and coffee-chocolate cupcakes. We lit candles and actually sat down to eat at the table. We cooked, we laughed, we took pictures, we talked, and we ate. It was beautiful. And it was special. But it wasn’t incredibly different from any other day of our lives. Because we are in love. Always. Not just on Valentine’s Day.

And that is why Hallmark didn’t get any pennies from us. We used our own words. And I think that is…LOVE.

Pressure Cookers & Julia Child

Autumn — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:11:29 +0000

A few days ago Jerry sent me a link to an article in the New York Times that raved about the wonders of pressure cookers. I read the sample recipe, and had to admit that it did sound like a valuable kitchen gadget. We looked at a few reviews online, and last night we dashed out to Macy’s (despite the oncoming heavy rains!) & bought ourselves the top-rated one. It was on sale & I got a further discount with my card…cool! It’s by Fagor, and after using it only once, we’re already sold!

We stopped by the grocery store on the way home last night, and I washed up our new gadget while Jerry prepped ingredients for our first PC (pressure cooker) meal – risotto. Yummy. It was super easy – basically just tossing things into a pot with a little liquid, sealing the lid, and letting it work its magic. We blended 2 recipes – one detailed, one not so much – and were a bit creative with what veggies we had on hand. In only 7 minutes time, dinner was ready. In the end, our risotto was a little closer to soup consistency, so we learned about liquid portions, but for a first try, it was delicious! We both had seconds, and even that short time later, it was already thickening up into something even yummier. WIN!

While we dined, we watched Julie & Julia – great movie! Perfect sidekick to our own kitchen adventure, and a very good story to get lost in, too. This was kind of like Julia Child 101 for me – I knew the name, but my knowledge pretty much ended there. Now, I am amazed and touched! Such a unique persona. I even have a favorite new YouTube clip, hehe. So, if you haven’t seen the movie, you should. And if you’ve never used a PC, you should consider it. Apparently you can make anything from chicken to cheesecake in it, and I am sure I will be documenting more of our attempts as we go.

Bon Appetit!

Back to Basics

Autumn — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:18:31 +0000

Jerry & I have renewed our commitment to eating well, and are currently 4 days into being 100% vegan and cooking healthy meals at home. We’re McDougall-ing, and I think it’s safe to say we are both already feeling a spring in our step. I sleep better at night, and we’re both jazzed about getting our eating back on track. So far we’ve made a garlic lentil stew, a delicious 15-Bean soup, a sweet & spicy curried chickpea concoction, and on tonight’s menu, bean enchiladas. Yum!

At some point we realized that as much as we love cheese and chocolate, it isn’t fun anymore when you don’t feel good about yourself and the way you look. Plus, all our toiling away at the gym, on tracks & treadmills, yoga mats & pavement, just didn’t add up when we were throwing all the hard work out the window by sitting down in front of huge unhealthy meals on an all-too-regular basis. So, we are upholding a resolution already. And helping each other through the temptations along the way. Having a partner in crime always helps – especially when you are trying to avoid crimes in the kitchen or grocery store aisles.

Ringing in 2010

Autumn — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:24:04 +0000

Poor Jerry was out of town for a short & unplanned trip, so we couldn’t bring in the new year together. Still, I managed to have fun & ring it in with style! My brother & I went Downtown for dinner at a local pizzeria (not good.), coffee & dessert at Dolce Vita (awesome!!!), champagne with friends at a house party, and then back to the heart of Downtown to watch the Cherry Blossom Ball Drop at midnight. It was lots of fun, and in the end Jerry & I did welcome the new year together, even if it was only over the phone. Good times!

Hope 2010 is off to a good start for everyone!

Aeropress Love

Autumn — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:48:54 +0000

Jerry found out about this nifty little gadget a few months ago thanks to Wired magazine, and it was perfect for us. Not only was it affordable, garnering excellent reviews from tough critics, and appealing to my coffee connoisseur hubby, but our beloved french press had been broken by someone sweet who shall remain nameless. (Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm…who me?! It was an accident, I swear!) For realz. So, with a few winter weeks left we ordered one on Amazon and put it to good use when it arrived on our doorstep. Interestingly enough, I was not even much of a coffee drinker, preferring hot tea, but this machine changed that. I look forward to this delightfully fresh-ground stuff, hand-pressed and perfect every time. At first, we were both drinking more than one cup a day, but now we’re back to our usual levels. We can just rest easy in knowing that each cup will be awesome. And, shortly after falling in love with the Aeropress itself, I added an AeroLatte to the mix and haven’t looked back since. Who knew I would be such a huge fan of homemade lattes topped with cinnamon & cocoa, laced with skim or soy milk? Yum-o. I am almost looking forward to cold months so I can embrace this daily cold-weather induced indulgence again…but for now, I shall prance about in my sandals and sundresses, drinking my hot tea and an occasional spot of coffee. Life is good.

P.S. I have so many more wonderful pictures to share since moments spent with a hand-whipped latte or a good cup of coffee at home seem to make the best photo-ops, but I’ll just share a couple for now.

Anniversary Trip, Part 2

Autumn — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:32:16 +0000

We got up early and braved the rain to grab some coffee & do some shopping in Savannah before making our way to our second destination, the lovely city of Charleston. The weather was far from perfect, but in truth it didn’t slow us down much at all. With Starbucks in hand (piping hot Awake tea for me, dark roast brew with raw sugar for J), we hit the road and made our way to South Carolina.

Once there, the weather improved & the clouds magically parted – a good sign for fun to come, and an even better beginning to day 2 of our trip! After checking in at our hotel, we ventured to downtown Charleston to check out Fleet Landing for lunch, as recommended by our hotel concierge. Excellent recommendation – we LOVED our meal! Very cool location, too. The restuarant was situated right on the harbor, and was converted from an old Navy building into a very cute eatery after sitting dormant for 30+ years. Try the flounder sandwich if you go! Trust us.

After eating, we wondered around downtown taking photos, window shopping, browsing through the huge open air market, enjoying a small treat from Ben & Jerry’s (ok, that last part was all me), and relaxing in a swing on the pier that overlooked the water. After a short break back at the hotel, with ample admiration of the views from the glass-walled restuarant on the top floor, we made our way back downtown for dinner – another amazing meal, this time a seafood feast at world-famous Hyman’s Seafood. We were impressed by the recommendations of my friend Christy, of Southern Living’s high ratings, and of the multiple awards emblazoned all over the front of the restuarant, and we can now join in the hype – they earned it! So, so yummy…awesome atmosphere, great food, and great menu selections with daily specials. Are you hungry yet? After dinner, we had drinks before relaxing in the room, watching goofy stuff on TV, and chatting until we fell asleep after a day of adventures.

The next day we spent more time taking in the view from the tippy-top of our hotel – especially the marina & the panoramic expanse of the Ashley River – before gathering our bags and getting back on the road. On our way out of town we stopped in at a local coffee shop called Alchemy, and I am so glad we did! Not only was the coffee excellent – mexican mocha for me, dark roast for J – but they also had so many tasty-looking homemade treats to choose from! Homemade oatmeal cream pies, granola bars, muffins, you name it. We settled for everything bagels, and took our time at a table by the window in the cute little coffeeshop. Our drive home was a safe one, but a very long one due to more rainy weather and a detour due to damage on the interstate. However, we came home with heads full of happy memories and hearts that continue to beat together after 3 great years of marriage.