Tag: thyme


Dec
2012

Christmas 2012

categories: Recipes

I wanted to do a big Christmas dinner, but I didn’t want to be in the kitchen all Christmas Day. I also wanted to try something different than the usual rib roast and Yorkshire pudding. So I decided to do dinner on Christmas Eve and to do some easy, low-prep dishes for Brunch on Christmas Day.

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I ordered a half fresh ham through Whole Foods to try cooking a Christmas ham for the first time, but I made a few mistakes.  I wanted to cook it in the slow cooker with brown sugar and cider to make a glaze, but I didn’t realize that “fresh ham” is not really what we consider ham – without the curing or smoke, it is more like a pork roast – so I didn’t really get the flavor that I wanted.  I also couldn’t get the whole thing to fit in my (very large) slow cooker insert, so I had to chop a chunk off – which actually ended up being a good thing because I roasted that piece and it came out better. (more…)


Oct
2012

Halibut en Papillote – 2 Ways

categories: Recipes

Now that Hurricane Sandy has passed us without incident, I can catch up on posting!  Thanks to everyone for praying and thinking about us out here on the East Coast.

I have been trying to expand my repertoire of fish dishes beyond just salmon and discovered a really easy way to cook halibut.  Wrapping it in parchment paper with with various other ingredients and baking it leaves it moist, flaky, and flavorful.  Plus the presentation is really cool!

One combination that I really liked was lemon, cherry tomatoes, artichokes, olive oil, and basil.  I made this right at the end of summer with super sweet cherry tomatoes – look at those colors! (more…)


Mar
2012

Braised Pork with Apricots

categories: Recipes

I bought a huge 10 lb pork shoulder at the store a while back when I was making pulled pork – it was the only pork shoulder available in the whole store!  So I took it home, butchered it and cut it into three sections and froze two of them.  I used one of the sections to make yummy carnitas, but I wanted to do something new with the last piece.  That is where my Essentials of Slow Cooking cookbook came in handy, and I found this recipe for pork that is slow simmered in broth and orange juice with apricots, thyme, and mustard for a sweet and savory treat. (more…)


Jan
2012

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

categories: Recipes


When my friend Melissa and I get together it is usually to bake, or cook, or go out to eat – which is fitting for two food bloggers. We wanted to get together recently and cook up something satisfying and healthy. Melissa, who is a vegetarian, came up with a wonderful recipe for Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash – and you can read all about her take on her blog, Smells like Brownies.

This recipe is full of delicious veggies, packed with flavor and texture, and super healthy! Quinoa is not quite in the popular lingo yet, so for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, here is a brief rundown. Quinoa is a grain, similar in use to rice or couscous, but it is better than either of those because it is both a whole grain and a protein! It’s basically a super food. (more…)


Oct
2011

Homemade Ricotta – Summer’s Last Hurrah

categories: Recipes

I was browsing through blogs and found a series of recipes on Alexandra’s Kitchen involving homemade ricotta cheese that looked perfect for the end of summer. The recipes all looked really great but I questioned whether or not making ricotta versus buying it would make that much of a difference. I decided to go ahead and try it since it didn’t look all that difficult.


All you have to do is boil milk and cream, and add vinegar to curdle the milk.

(more…)