Potato Skins

November 29, 2009 By 3 Comments

Has anyone noticed that the eighties seem to be back.  From the hair to the leggings I see my college days  everywhere I look.  I’m not sure that is an era I want to revisit. Every time I contemplate leggings again I just think about Flashdance and walk on by. Though I did buy jeans with holes and my little nephew couldn’t figure out why anyone would do that.  But that is a story for another day. A few weeks ago I took a look at the New York Times and there was potato skins headlining the Food Section.  Now [...]

Filed Under: Appetizer

Pumpkin Apple Soup with Cran Apple Relish, Plus A Winner

November 26, 2009 By 2 Comments

Today is Thanksgiving and is always a time to reflect on what we are most grateful for.  I remember as a little girl being so excited and the anticipation leading up to going to my grandparents.  Both my great grandmothers or Nana’s as I called them and my Papa Wells were around through my junior high years. Up until I was 7 years old I was an only child and only grandchild so let’s just assume I was well doted on.  I loved the big meal and sitting around the table talking. The pretty china that would have been laid [...]

Filed Under: Fall, Soups, Thanksgiving Tagged With: ,

Sweet Corn Pudding

November 24, 2009 By 1 Comment
corn pudding

One of my favorite sides is the corn pudding dish.  Usually I go right for Ina Garten’s but thought I’d try something new this year.  I saw this one from Alton and was intrigued. Don’t forget to enter the Cookbook Giveaway by entering a comment on your favorite side dish here. I used the Parmesan cheese but think I would substitute cheddar next time.  I would also add a cup of fresh corn.

Filed Under: Fall, Holiday, Recipes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,

Hazelnut Popovers and a Thanksgiving Giveaway

November 22, 2009 By 10 Comments
hazelnut popovers

I have a Thanksgiving giveaway to celebrate Thanksgiving week here at Adventures in the Kitchen.  I received a copy of Diane Morgan’s new cookbook The New Thanksgiving Table by Chronicle Books. I loved it so much I asked the kind people at Chronicle if they would share a copy with one lucky reader and they said yes.  Just leave a comment sharing your favorite side dish.  If you twitter you get a second entry by leaving another comment,  If you subscribe you get a third. I tried the Spinach Salad with Bosc Pears, Cranberries, Red Onion, and Toasted Hazelnuts and [...]

Filed Under: Breads, Cookbook, Thanksgiving

Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Brown Sugar Pecan Toppings

November 21, 2009 By 2 Comments

It is Thanksgiving Week and I have many recipes to share with you.  I love Thanksgiving, don’t you?  It is probably my favorite holiday.  I love hanging with my family and this year Max, my new Yorki Poo.  Later in the day we go to see a movie together as a family.  When I was little we would go to Los Angeles for a musical.  I remember seeing Annie at the Pantages when I was younger. We still gather as a family and everyone brings a dish.  This year I am bringing dessert.  I am thinking about this. But I [...]

Filed Under: Fall, Side Dish, Thanksgiving

Tortilla Soup and a Food Styling Workshop

November 15, 2009 By 5 Comments
chicken tortilla soup recipe

Adolescent Medicine Rockwall This weekend I went to the Food Styling and Photography Class put on by Food Fanatics. Denise Vivaldo and Cindie Flannigan taught the food styling portion and Matt Armendariz of MattBites.com taught the food photography. I had a blast.  Denise, Cindy and Matt were so cool.  If I didn’t have to make a living I’d be following them around.  They all love what they do and it shines through. The first day we had several demonstrations on preparing food for the camera.  So many tools and secrets to making the food photograph well.  I am going to [...]

Filed Under: Fall, Soups Tagged With: , , , ,

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

November 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment

We had our annual fundraiser a week ago which explains my lack of posting for a few weeks.   Leading up to it I had volunteers coming in every day to help on special projects.  I had goodies on hand each day for them.  One of the days I served these cookies from Back to the Table cookbook author, Art Smith. These cookies are buttery and nutty from the toasted pecans.  I was thinking they would be even better dipped in chocolate.

Filed Under: Cookies Tagged With: , ,

Chocolate Chip Carmelitas

November 1, 2009 By 2 Comments

I had clipped out this recipe a year or so ago and recently rediscovered it.  The recipe is by Louis Lambert, a chef in Texas.  He first made these Carmelitos for Lady Bird Johnson.  Since then many presidents including Clinton and both George and George W. Bush have tasted these decadent bars.  They are full of chocolate hips, pecans and dulce de leche. It made so many that I took a sampling everywhere I went it.  The great thing is it looked really sweet but wasn’t.  I used canned Dulce de Leche but next time will make it from scratch.  [...]

Filed Under: Dessert Tagged With: , , ,