leeks

Lemon Chicken Stew

A one-pot dinner is a must-make meal for any new mom and dad. And with a lemony twist on the classic chicken and rice soup—this time with orzo pasta that helps thicken this flavor-filled cooking bonanza—my Lemon Chicken Stew, is a spunked up contribution to a virtual baby shower for my fellow food blogger Liz at The Lemon Bowl.

Every mom needs to catch a break, especially in the kitchen. While I’m a lover of the cookin’, I’m not much of a fan of the washin’.

That’s why this lemon chicken stew is the perfect one-pot dinner—with leftovers for the next day—for any new mom and dad ready to pucker up and kiss those newborn baby toes.

One pot, that’s all. Dinner is served.

I met Liz of The Lemon Bowl when we were visiting the farmers who put Dole Salads onto dinner tables across America, and I was immediately drawn to her wit and punchy personality. This girl has charisma to spare.

So when a group of food bloggers invited me to join in her virtual baby shower party I was more than happy to join the party.

In my opinion, baby butt wipe warmers and all of the other needless baby junk can easily be bypassed at the typical baby registry. What really counts as a present is keeping mom and dad out of the kitchen so they can grab some zzz’s and spend their time where they should and shouldn’t be: away from the dish soap, and instead, snuggling with their baby love.

Liz already has a toddler to keep her busy, so with a new babe on the way, I had a feeling a dish that is a minimizer in the kitchen but is full of comfort is a sure winner in these new parentals’ cookbook.

Did I mention it’s her birthday this week too? This is a serious double header.continue to the recipe… about Lemon Chicken Stew

Market Street Clam Chowder Recipe

This recipe is a favorite I published in the early days of FoodieCrush. This past weekend I ran into a friend at the grocery store who said she’d been searching for the famous clam chowder recipe from Salt Lake City’s Market Street Grill, which reminded me to re-share the recipe with some updated photos for you. So, without further adieu, here is a re-post of the best clam chowder recipe, in my opinion, EVER.

“Hey, Chowda-head!”

It was a greeting that one of my fellow waiters at my post-college/pre-real-life-seafood-restaurant-job has been teased about for lo’ these many years. And he has NEVER been happy about hearing it again, and again, and again.

See, that job at Salt Lake City’s Market Street Grill was all about presentation and customer service. That meant every dish, every cup and even every spoon was served by the waiter from a tray.

So when you had a 6-top—that’s waiter-speak for a table of six—who all ordered the house specialty, famous clam chowder, we would load up a HUGE tray, hoist it high over our heads with the straightest arm we could possible muster, and charge forth through the sea of waiting to be seated customers to serve our eagerly awaiting diners bowls of creamy, white chowder in heavy china bowls with plated liners.

One especially busy night—it must have been a big rush before a Utah Jazz basketball game—my friend had a big table and of course they all ordered chowder. He loaded up the tray, even stacking the bowls two high!

It was a feat to behold for mere waiter mortals.continue to the recipe… about Market Street Clam Chowder Recipe

30-Minute Creamy Mushroom and Leek Chicken Breasts

One pan is all you need for this savory, and super easy, chicken breast dinner that’s on the table in 30 minutes or less.

“Oh, man. This is going to be epic for breakfast.”

When I hear my husband make this comment as he’s eating this 30-minute, one-pan, winner winner chicken dinner, it’s like he’s whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Yes. My love language is food.

And this is the literal translation of my husband’s love language: “This is so good I want to eat it for every meal and holy sh*t, it would be so good with an over easy egg on top.” Don’t forget the hot sauce. As if.

Why thank you, babe. Chicken for breakfast? Sure! Why not use up those leftovers any which way the cravings blow?

He’s a smart man, my guy, with good taste. If I do say so myself.

continue to the recipe… about 30-Minute Creamy Mushroom and Leek Chicken Breasts

One-Pot Skinny Pasta Primavera

Almond milk replaces cream and butter in this easy and healthy, spring-inspired version of the Italian classic, that’s loaded with fresh veggies and herbs.

This year I’m partnering with Almond Breeze to create and share recipes using almond milk. The previous recipe I created using almond milk was breakfast-centric. This month, we’re heading to the dinner hour for a savory way to end the day.

I was in my Weight Watchers meeting this week where the theme was rediscovering your kitchen. We were asked to bring in some of our favorite healthier recipes to share.

As is par for the course, I couldn’t choose just one. Hello, I’m a food blogger.

So instead, I took this cookbook and this list of 5 food bloggers weight loss success stories to share. Because inspiration breeds determination. Am I right? *btw, did I just make that up or is it a real saying?*

continue to the recipe… about One-Pot Skinny Pasta Primavera

Deep-Dish Spinach, Leek and Bacon Quiche

This deep dish quiche recipe has a tender cream cheese crust that bakes up light and fluffy. Greek yogurt adds a tang and creaminess to the fluffy egg center baked with spinach, sautéed leeks, and crunchy bacon bits.

Are we our own worst critics? Or is it the other guy? Do we expect more from ourselves because we’re always in search of measuring up? Or is it truly because others expect us to rise to the occasion?

I’m betting it’s all of the above.

Yesterday I received a comment from Caryn who said, “Made these tacos tonight. They were AMAZING! Will definitely make again soon! Thanks for sharing! “

Shortly afterward, I received a comment from Amy, a reader reporting that a recipe she made of mine, was in her words, “…one of the worst recipes I’ve ever tried. I’ve followed the recipe directions to the letter, but after 30 minutes, these bars are still not cooked. In fact, the top is crispy, but just underneath it’s still completely liquid. What a mess!!!!”

Because I’ve deemed it my job to deliver recipes that others want to make successfully, I truly appreciate both of their feedback. And oh how I can relate to Amy, and man, I wish the recipe had measured up to her expectations like it did for me and others who have made it.

I can totally relate to Amy because I’ve had the same exact experience: to be inspired to make a recipe, follow it to a T, and be left disheartened because it didn’t turn out as I expected.

What did I do differently—aka wrong—making it so that her version didn’t turn out? Are my recipes good, like Caryn said? Or are they prone to failure, like Amy said?

And thus, the second guessing and self critiquing begins.

It’s ironic that I had both of these comments in a span of 15 minutes, while writing this post, because nothing exemplified Amy’s feelings more than when I was developing this quiche recipe. It nearly did me in but I kept at it because I craved this deep dish quiche pie.

Baking can turn into the evil step-mother in the blink of an eye.continue to the recipe… about Deep-Dish Spinach, Leek and Bacon Quiche

Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic

Even if you don’t readily know the name, you’ve certainly taken notice of their brightly colored hues of their noticeably durable, obviously quality cookware.

And if you’re like me, you’ve coveted the day you could add a piece to your growing kitchen collection. What cook doesn’t covet owning a quality, enameled baking vessel that performs each and every duty it’s assigned at the stove or oven and is equally presentable at the table.

If only Le Creuset® also created boyfriends worthy to take home to the parents for presentation, we’d really be in business.

While they may not be in the match making business, Le Creuset® definitely knows cookery. And now, they’ve added yet another baking beauty to their storied line of distinctly cool kitchen cooking accessories and I’m giving you the chance to win not just one, but TWO Cocottes, for yourself.

continue to the recipe… about Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic

Spring Vegetable Gnocchi

Before I talk about today’s recipe, I want to send my heartfelt thoughts to those that were affected by the bombing yesterday at the Boston Marathon finish line. Thankfully my friend, and many of yours, Dara of Cookin’ Canuck and her family—in Boston to cheer on her husband Steve who crossed the finish line just 3 minutes before the bombing—have let us all know via Twitter that they are fine even with the blast happening just one block and three minutes away from them.

Timing. It’s a tenuous thing.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families and participants, volunteers and emergency care workers who were affected, especially those that could not walk away. Special prayers to the family of the 8 year old who was killed in this manic event. That hits way too close to home. I cannot imagine.

Why did this happen? Why do any of these deranged plots happen? What are people thinking? I just can’t wrap my head around why anyone, ANYONE, thinks this is a good way to prove a point, gain notoriety or to simply create chaos through terror.

The only way I know how to address this is to love my loves and look for beauty and unselfishness in this unstable world. I hope you can too.

I’m very much a creature of habit. Or more likely a creature of cravings. When it comes to going out to eat I can rarely motivate myself to deviate from my standard favorites, especially when it comes to any sort of ethnic food. Mexican food: I always gravitate to the Chile Rellenos. Sushi: I must have Spicy Tuna anything.

When it comes to Italian, its rarely a question of what to order once the waiter rolls around: Gnocchi please. The sad thing is, at most Italian eateries gnocchi isn’t always standard fare. That’s why Sea Salt in Salt Lake City is one of my favorite spots to eat, since they have at least 5 different gnocchi recipes on the menu.

While Gnocchi alla Norma is my favorite and will make the blog sometime in the future, I’m working on spreading my wings and rallying through the rest of the menu at Sea Salt. Yep, I’m going wild around here. At least in the gnocchi department.

How it has taken me this long to get these potato pillows on the blog is beyond me.continue to the recipe… about Spring Vegetable Gnocchi

Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

I’m not Jewish. But I am definitely a matzo ball lover.

It all started with late night jaunts to the classic Canters Deli where I became an obsessive fan of matzo ball soup with all the fixins’: noodle, matzo ball, kreplach, chicken and carrots. What the crap is a kerplach you ask? It’s sort of a jewish tortellini and pretty darned good.

But oh, THE BROTH. That delicious broth that brought me back to my senses in those wee late night hours. If only I could replicate it—the broth, not the late hours. But I’m no Jewish mother—although my husband will say I do have the stereotypical tendencies. Sadly, those secret, Old World ways of chicken broth making may never make it to my stove.

But I do have a delicious recipe that hits home and curbs my matzo ball craving every time. And what better time to share with you than in celebration of Passover and Easter weekend. Yum. You’ll soon be a believer.

continue to the recipe… about Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

Lemon Chicken Stew

Market Street Clam Chowder Recipe

30-Minute Creamy Mushroom and Leek Chicken Breasts

One-Pot Skinny Pasta Primavera

Deep-Dish Spinach, Leek and Bacon Quiche

Baked Balsamic Vegetables and Roasted Garlic

Spring Vegetable Gnocchi

Matzo Ball Soup with Chicken Meatballs and Homemade Chicken Broth Recipe

How to Make the Best Potato Salad

How to Make Classic Macaroni Salad

How to Make the Best Grilled Salmon

The Best Greek Chicken Marinade

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