Breadsmith

I'm not quite sure that there is much more I need in life besides bread.  I don't discriminate...white bread, wheat bread, cinnamon raisin bread, especially garlic bread...they're all fine by me.  I'm sure that you probably feel the same.  If you don't, then either your diet is extremely unfortunate, or you haven't been to Breadsmith in Lakewood yet.  This awesome locally-owned bakery makes some of the best loafs I've ever had!

Garlic Rosemary Beef Stew

Even though it's finally March, which is spring in my books, I spent the weekend sick as dog!  I was lucky to have my awesome boyfriend Howie by my side from Friday after work to Sunday night.  We tried to make the best of my soft foods diet with homemade Tortellini Soup on Friday night (and Saturday for leftovers, of course!), and and an ahhhmazing Garlic Rosemary Beef Stew on Sunday night.  It was super easy to make and let us be lazy on the couch watching Maleficent and the Cavs Game all afternoon without lifting a finger...except little test tastes to get the seasoning just right!  We started prepping the stew at 1:30, and everything was perfectly tender by 7:00 for dinner.  YUM!

Mortar and "Pesto"

I don't know about you, but I have a mild obsession with pesto!  Seriously though...on bread, on pasta, as a marinade...the list could go on and on.  Because I crave it almost on a weekly basis, I usually end up buying those jars at the grocery store that "claim" to be pesto for a quick fix.  Sure the labels says it is, but after you've made this recipe, you will forever be a pesto snob!  I've made this recipe in a blender before, but if you have a mortar and pestle, please use it!  The process of making it definitely requires a little extra elbow grease with the mortar and pestle, but I promise it's worth it.  Did you know that the stainless steel blade in the blender actually neutralizes the flavor of the garlic?  Who wants that?!  Not this girl.  Do it the old fashioned way, and it will forever change your view of pesto!

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, it's a pretty cool gift to ask for on your birthday or Christmas because it's a splurge item that you might not necessarily buy for yourself.  In addition to pesto, its great for mashing guacamole or muddling mint and lime for mojitos.  Hmmm, I spy I a Mexican dinner night blog post in the works...

Greek Mac & Cheese

A couple of summers ago, Howie's mom made the most delicious cheesy pasta bake I've ever had.  It was hearty, but not overly rich, filled with cherry tomatoes, olives, baby spinach and noodles that baked together in the oven with a cheesy feta and gouda garlic sauce.  All of this creamy goodness was topped off with Italian croutons that softened in the sauce and infused some of their seasonings into the dish.  Needless to say, it's an absolutely delicious dinner that can feed about 10 people.  I never asked for the recipe, and actually almost forgot about it until New Years Day 2015, when his mom told me she was making Greek Mac & Cheese for dinner.  I definitely didn't forget to ask for the recipe this time around!  It totally hit the spot, you have to try it!  Best of all, it's very versatile.  You can easily double the recipe for a large crowd, or make it for a couple of people and have leftovers throughout the week.  YUM!

Lemon, White Wine and Garlic Roasted Chicken Breasts

If I could cook with any Food Network Star, it would be Ina Garten hands down!  Not only do her recipes include ingredients that most of us have on hand at any given time, but they're approachable twists on classics that we make all the time.  Take chicken breasts, for example.  My usual routine is to take boneless, skinless chicken breasts, season them generously with herbs and spices, and bake them in the oven until they're golden brown.  I wanted to try something new, so I made her marinade for the Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts, and man oh man did she knock this recipe out of the park.  Well, anything that includes lemon, white wine, thyme and garlic is a home run in my books!  I added my own twist on her recipe by using bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts to give a fancy flair to a Saturday date night meal.  Add my Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes for the side, and you'll have one of the best dinners you've ever made!

Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Bread

Focaccia bread has always been near and dear to my heart because it was my favorite food when i studied in Italy almost 4 years ago.  It wasn't just an "oh, I l always had a side of focaccia bread with my pasta" type of love.  I'm talking I ate more focaccia bread than I did spaghetti, croissants and gelato combined.  At this point, I like to consider myself a connoisseur, so it's hard to find a truly authentic recipe in America.  Lucky for you guys, I've been researching different recipes on Italian websites, and this is as close to the real thing as I can get.  It's surprisingly easy to make yourself, but just make sure you clear out your afternoon because the process is a little lengthy with the time needed for the dough to rise.  It worked perfectly with my massive baking day last Sunday!  I made the bread dough before I started my butternut squash soup and apple crisp, and whipped up the other recipes while this was rising!  It was a heavenly trio to say the least!

Summer Tomato Favorites

In addition to leaving Buffalo with some great memories from the weekend, Howie's mom sent me home with almost 5 lb.s of beautiful tomatoes fresh-off-the-vine from her garden.  I gladly accepted her offer, but quickly realized that this pile of tomatoes was more than I could ever need for sandwiches or salads in the week or so that they would stay fresh.  What did I do to solve the problem?  It was a no brainer!  I made a huge batch of homemade tomato sauce with fresh basil, garlic, onions, herbs - all of the Italian classics.  I even reserved some and used it for homemade bruschetta!  You gotta try my recipes while they're still in season...the end of summer couldn't taste better!

If you made the homemade tomato sauce...skip the whole first half of the bruschetta recipe before the French bread is involved.  The sauce does double duty!

Mediterranean Night!

I'll have to admit, sometimes I might have a minor tendency to stick too close to my comfort zone with cooking.  This comfort zone includes but is not limited to: chicken, potatoes, rice, squash, peppers, garlic, oregano and basil.  I can't help it if I know what I like!  I decided it was about time I break my usual routine and try to make something I've never attempted before...Mediterranean.  After scouring the internet researching traditional Greek and Mediterranean spices, I dove right in and came up with my own chicken souvlaki recipe with couscous, toasted pita bread and spinach salad.  After seeing how good it tasted (on the first try nonetheless), I'm definitely stepping out of my comfort zone more often!