Over medium heat, add butter, sliced onions, & a pinch of salt. Allow to cook for 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until golden brown.
For the meatballs, mix together ground beef, egg, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, S&P, and 1/2 of the caramelized onions. Form into meatballs, making approximately 16-18.
Transfer remaining onions to another bowl & in the same pan, cook the meatballs for 3 minutes, flip, cook for another 3 minutes, and remove from pan. Add the remaining onions back into the pan, add in the white wine, broth, & cornstarch slurry to thicken, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the meatballs back in & simmer for 20 minutes.
While meatballs are simmering, cook Orzo according to package directions. Add in butter, cream, Parmesan, garlic powder, & S & P.
*This would also be good with mashed potatoes in lieu of the Orzo.
Fall is peaking around the corner and the weather is flirting with cooler temps amidst warmer days. Mmm, soup season is upon us!
Ingredients:
1 yellow or white onion, diced
2 tbsps Olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 lb chicken (breast, thighs, rotisserie, etc)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 15oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 32oz containers of chicken broth
2 cups corn flour
4 cups water
2 15 oz cans of pinto beans, drained
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese
Pico de gallo
Tortilla chips
Preparation:
In a large stock pot, add olive oil to coat the bottom. Heat to medium high heat and add the onions. Cook until translucent & stir in garlic for another minute. Add chicken coat with all the seasonings. Cook for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add in tomatoes, brown sugar, and both containers of chicken broth. Bring to a low boil for 15-20 minutes.
In a separate bowl, create a slurry by whisking together the corn flour & water (2 cups of water for every cup of flour) until smooth; set aside.
If using chicken breasts/ thighs, remove from soup & cut into bite sized chunks. Return to soup. Add in pinto beans.
Add corn flour slurry to soup mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Taste & add additional seasonings, if needed.
Serve in bowls & top with pico de gallo & chips.
Enjoy!
*Note: this recipe can easily be halved. Also, change up protein with steak, pork, or ground beef and use black beans instead of pinto.
Source: adapted slightly from YouTube: The Girl on Bloor
Trying a new recipe & loving the result is satisfying. It can be so disappointing spending time in the kitchen, hopes high, taste buds anticipating something delicious only to have it fall short. I’ve been there & done that, more times than I’d like to admit. But last night? Last night was a win!
Ingredients:
4 boneless/ skinless chicken breasts
1 white onion
8 cloves of garlic
5 large Roma tomatoes, halved
1 small can chipotle adobo
Tomato bouillon
Chicken bouillon
2 cups long grain rice
Oil
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Queso Fresco
Cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges
Tortillas
Preparation:
In a large pot, bring 6-8 cups water, 4 garlic cloves, a quarter of a sliced onion, 1-2 tbsps chicken bouillon, 1-2 tbsps tomato bouillon & 4 chicken breasts to a boil for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through.
In a blender, add 1/2 an onion, 4 cloves of garlic, 5 halved Roma tomatoes & purée until smooth; set aside.
In a large skillet, add a few tbsps of oil, over medium high heat. Add 1/4 of a diced onion & sauté for a minute before adding 2 cups of water. Stir together & toast until golden brown. Stir in 1/2 of the tomato mixture & 1-2 cups of the cooking broth, cover & reduce to low heat for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir occasionally to ensure rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
With the remaining tomato mixture, blend in the can of chipotle adobo until smooth.
Once the chicken is done cooking, remove from pot (including onions & garlic) & shred. Transfer broth to a different pot/ bowl. Once chicken is shredded, return to the pot & stir in the adobo/ tomato sauce, adding 1/2 – 1 cup of chicken broth. Allow to meld together for a few minutes.
When rice is finished, add a serving into a bowl, top with chicken mixture, add queso fresco, lettuce, & cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime over the top. Serve with beans. Or assemble into a taco with tortillas of your choosing.
Enjoy!
Source: TikTok – adapted slightly from Cassie Yeung
Sometimes when there’s a tray of store bought cookies, I tend to reach for the cookie I never make at home: white chocolate macadamia nut. I like these cookies so why, oh why have I never made them at home? So I remedied that and like the book is usually better than the movie, the homemade cookie is usually better than the store bought.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract/ vanilla bean paste
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup macadamia nuts
2 cups white chocolate
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream together butter & sugar for a few minutes, until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs & vanilla. Whisk together the dry ingredients & then add into the cream mixture until half mixed, then add in the nuts & chocolate & fold to combine.
TikTok has yet to fail me on the various recipes I’ve tried & this is one that once I saw, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I tried it out. I mean, garlic! I love me some garlic!
Ingredients:
2 bulbs of garlic, peeled
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 lb package of spaghetti noodles
1 tbsp tomato paste
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
S&P
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, (1 tbsp reserved)
1 tbsp chili crisp
Reserve 1 cup pasta water
Preparation:
Add the garlic cloves of two bulbs to a small pan & cover with a 1/2 cup olive oil. Add more oil, if needed, to cover the garlic cloves. Cook on low for 20 minutes until golden brown.
When the garlic is done, remove from oil & transfer garlic to a blender, add butter, season with S&P, add tomato paste, fresh basil leaves, 3 tbsps of Parmesan cheese & purée until smooth. Once combined, cover & return to refrigerator to firm.
In a pot of salted water, cook the spaghetti al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
Transfer cooked pasta to a large skillet. Stir in 4 heaping tablespoons of garlic butter, mix, add in pasta water & stir until well combined. Top with additional tablespoon of Parmesan cheese & drizzle with 1 tablespoon chili crisp.
I topped mine with some chicken tenders & drizzled a bit more chili crisp to the top.
I wanted to try something different for Easter this year. I like recipes that you can make as is or double without anything being adversely affected. I made the original version in an 8×8 pan.
This dessert is subtlety sweet; not at all like carrot cake, in my opinion. I have a carrot cake recipe on here that is stellar & quite sweet. This recipe, while good, is much more subdued than traditional carrot cake – good for breakfast (not to imply I haven’t also had traditional carrot cake for breakfast. If you know, you know!) If you want it sweeter, just increase the sugar in the cream cheese; if so, I’d opt for powdered sugar.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp clove
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, just barely melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded carrots
For the cheesecake swirl:
250 grams/ 1 block cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp flour
1 egg
pinch of salt
Preparation:
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper & spray with nonstick spray; set aside.
Sift together the dry ingredients; set aside.
In another bowl, microwave butter until just barely melted. Add in the brown sugar & vanilla; whisk in the egg, add carrots & incorporate dry ingredients until it just comes together.
For the cheesecake swirl:
Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, & vanilla extract. Add the flour, egg, & salt until just mixed.
Place half of the cake batter in the bottom of the pan & then spread half the cream cheese mixture over the top. Dollop the rest of the cake batter & fill in the gaps with the remaining cream cheese mixture. Using a knife, swirl the cream cheese around.
I’ve found the more times I try my hand at making something new, like bagels, it’s just as easy, if not easier, than going to the store & buying a bag only to have some of it go bad because I didn’t finish it in time. Also, with your own recipe, you can modify the size & curtail it to what you want.
Ingredients:
1 cup bread flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Use a nonstick mat and/ or spray nonstick spray on a baking sheet. Set a medium size pot with water to boil on the stove.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, & salt. Add in the Greek yogurt & stir until combined. Transfer dough to a lightly dusted counter & knead for a minute. Form into a ball & portion out into 4 equal sections. With each piece, create a bagel.
Take each bagel & place in boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer to a cooling rack.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of each bagel & then add seasoning. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 27 – 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Eat as is or slice & toast & add desired toppings.
I’m more of a coffee person than I am hot chocolate person. But, the other day upon waking, and the outside temperature read -3°, my husband said, “You know, hot chocolate sounds good this morning.” I had to agree.
Our oldest discovered, & has been using this recipe for the last year or two, & it’s a keeper.
The cast of characters:
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp sugar (granulated or powdered)
1 tbsp semisweet chocolate (or chocolate chips)
1/2 tbsp white chocolate chips
A few drops of vanilla
Optional: cinnamon & a bit of cayenne pepper
Preparation:
Add the ingredients to a saucepan & heat over medium heat, whisking to incorporate.
*For the two large cups shown above, I tripled the recipe.
Despite this being a savory & flavorful dish, it’s also all cooked in one skillet so you’re not spending a bunch of time cooking & cleaning. That’s a win in my book. This is also a flexible recipe as you can add or omit ingredients you want, don’t want, or don’t have on hand. Win-win!
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 – 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
6 gloves of garlic, minced
S & P, to taste
1 onion, chopped
1 10oz can of Rotel (not drained)
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups of beef broth
1 cup of long grain rice uncooked
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
Optional ingredients:
Cilantro
Sour cream
Pico de gallo
Guacamole
Preparation:
In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add the ground beef, all seasonings, including the onion, and cook until meat is done.
Drain grease from skillet.
Add Rotel, tomato sauce, minced garlic, beef broth, corn, beans, & uncooked rice to the skillet. Stir well, cover with a lid, and cook on medium-low heat for 15 – 20 minutes, or until rice is done. Stir once or twice throughout cooking process.
Once cooking is complete, top with shredded cheese & pop in the oven on broil until melted.
Garnish to your liking. Serve with tortillas or tortilla chips.
Enjoy!
Adapted slightly from: TikTok Cooking in the Midwest
This year, I managed to successfully cross off some of the books on my TBR list, but in all fairness, it grows exponentially & I doubt I’ll ever truly complete it!
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Cadavers, Mary Roach
Mortal Fear, Greg Iles
The Midnight Library, Matt Haig
The Turner House, Angela Flournoy
In Five Years: A Novel, Rebecca Serle
Wellness: A Novel Nathan Hill
Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt
The Guest List, Lucy Foley
ADHD Explained, Edward Hallowel
As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow, Zoulfa Katouh
Denali: A Man, A Dog, And Theresa Friendship Of A Lifetime, Ben Moon
Tom Lake, Ann Patchett
Tangled Beginning, Sophie Andre
How Beautiful We Were, Imbolo Mbue
The Firekeeper’s Daughter, Angeline Boulley
The Vibrant Years, Sonali Dev
Leaving Time, Jodi Picoult
Atomic Habits, James Clear
Attached. The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find – And Keep – Love, Amir Levine, M.D., & Rachel S. F. Heller, M.A.
Do Hard Things, Steve Magness
Never Lie, Freida McFadden
A Fever In The Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan’s Plot To Take Over America, And The Woman Who Stopped Them, Timothy Egan
The Body Keeps The Score, Bessel Van Der Kolk, M. D.
Here One Moment, Liane Moriarty
All The Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy
Remember Me Tomorrow, Farah Heron
One True Loves, Taylor Jenkins Reid
When We Were Widows, Annette Chavez Macias
Slow Dance, Rainbow Rowell
The Answer Is No: A Short Story, Fredrik Backman
Some Everyday Thoughts, C. S. Lewis
The Most, Jessica Anthony
And How Does That Make You Feel: Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Therapy, Joshua Fletcher
The Perfect Wife, Blake Pierce
Intermezzo, Sally Rooney
My Favorite 5 (in order I read them)
* One of the aspects I appreciated about this book, in addition to the impeccable way the author weaves together this couple, their thoughts, ideas, & intricacies, is how he highlights various studies conducted proving a point to the not later be debunked. I recall some off these studies while pursuing my Bachelor’s degree in psychology years ago.
“If you cling too hard to what you want to see, you miss what’s really there.”
*If you’re considering this book, I highly recommend listening to the audio version. The voice, tone, & personality off the octopus is portrayed perfectly. IYKYK!
“It seems to be a hallmark of the human species: abysmal communication skills. Not that any other species are much better, mind you, but even a herring can tell which way the school it belongs to is turning and follow accordingly. Why can humans not use their millions of words to simply tell one another what they desire?”
* Such a feel good book about making peace with the past. I smiled & laughed many times while reading.
“Life. You blink & it’s gone. The passion. The boredom. The moment lived. The moment lost. In the end, they’re just crumbs stuck in the creases of memory. Remnants of tastes left on your tongue.”
* The quintessential book on trauma.
“Sophisticated imaging techniques have identified the origins of PTSD in the brain so that we now understand why traumatized people become disengaged, why they are bothered by sounds & lights, & why they may blow up or withdraw in response to the slightest provocation. We have learned how, throughout life, experiences change the structure & function of the brain, & even affect the genes we pass onto our children. Understanding many of the fundamental processes that underlie traumatic stress opens the door to an array of interventions that can bring the brain areas related to self regulation, self-perception, & attention back on line. We know not only how to treat trauma, but also increasingly, how to prevent it. And yet, after attending another wake for a teenager who was killed in a drive by shooting in the blue hill avenue section of Boston, or after reading about the latest school budget cuts in impoverished cities & towns, I find myself close to despair. In many ways we seem to be regressing with measures like the callous congressional elimination of food stamps for kids whose parents are unemployed or in jail, with the stubborn opposition to universal healthcare in some quarters. With psychiatry’s obtuse refusal to make connection between psychic suffering & social conditions. With the refusal to prohibit the sale or possession of weapons, whose only purpose is to kill large numbers of human beings. And with our tolerance for incarcerating a huge segment of our population, wasting their lives as well as our resources.
Discussions of PTSD still tend to focus on recently returned soldiers, victims of terrorist bombings, or survivors of terrible accidents, but trauma remains a much larger public health issue; arguably, the greatest threat to our national well-being. Since 2001 far more Americans have died at the hands of their partners, or other family members, than in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. American women are twice as likely to suffer domestic violence as breast cancer. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that firearms kill twice as many children as cancer does. All around Boston, I see signs advertising the Jimmy fund, which fights children’s cancer and for marches to fund research on breast cancer & leukemia. But we seem too embarrassed, or discouraged, to mount a massive effort to help children & adults learn to deal with the fear, rage, & collapse the predictable consequences of having been traumatized.”
I’ve never read a Liane Moriarty book I didn’t like. Several years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a book reading of hers. Many smiles spread across my face while reading this one. A unique storyline!
“And then I thought, alright let’s get this grief thing done. You’ve done it before, do it again. But experience makes no difference. You cannot project manage grief.”
TheCompanySheKeeps 