Plus, a review of Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David” Cookbook As we get into these shorter winter days, I think we are all looking for meals that will comfort and warm everyone up when they come to the table. I know that is how we feel about dinner time around here - cozy comfy meals that take the chill off the long evenings. So, when QVC asked me to review their own David Venable's cookbook, Back Around the Table: An “In the Kitchen with David” Cookbook, I was happy to see ... Read More about Five-Cheese, Fifteen-Minute Stovetop Mac n Cheese
Casseroles
Chipotle Chicken, Black Beans and Rice
Family meals have always been important to us. When the girls were younger, it was a satisfying feeling to all gather at the table to share some great food and lay the rest of the world aside for a bit. Even when they got a little older, and might have been inclined to be off doing their own thing, attendance at the dinner table was a must. I'm happy to say that they learned to cook at home as well - mostly from scratch, using great ingredients and recipes that have stood the test of time in our ... Read More about Chipotle Chicken, Black Beans and Rice
Cheesy Quinoa Veggie Bake
Comfort food. What that means to us is probably dictated by where we grew up, what our families enjoyed and what we have come to love over the years. It's different for every person. I think that for those of us here in the States, and likely in other countries as well, macaroni and cheese is pretty universally considered to fall into the comfort food category. I know it does for me, anyway. But mac & cheese is carby and as we get older, carbs have an annoying habit of wanting to stick ... Read More about Cheesy Quinoa Veggie Bake
Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust
Ah, January! Cold, windy, snowy, bitter. You make me want to hunker down and pull a pile of warm blankets over my head for a few weeks. Unfortunately such behavior is frowned upon in our modern world - even if you do claim to be a hermit. That is where meals like Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust come in - it makes even the coldest person want to climb out of their blankets and come to the table and enjoy a warming meal. You can, of course, top a pot pie with a normal pastry type ... Read More about Chicken Pot Pie with Buttermilk Biscuit Crust
Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese
This time of year, I starting shifting how I cook. Cocktail hour on the porch requires a jacket and shoes, and something delectable baking in the oven is nice when we finally wander back into the house. We go from grilling and salads to something along the lines of comforting cheesy casseroles with combos of pasta, veggies and whatever protein is close to hand. This past weekend, the protein was chorizo. Chorizo is sausage, Spanish, Portuguese and Mexican in origin. There are different ... Read More about Chorizo Macaroni and Cheese