Retro Chicken Stew

Retro Chicken Stew

When the temperatures dip well below zero your home becomes a warm and cozy sanctuary from the elements. Nippy weather has me dreaming of comfort foods from my childhood. Nostalgic recipes resurface that remind me of growing up in Southern Ontario. As a child we used to take a Sunday drive to the historical town of St. Jacobs and have lunch at The Stone Crock. There was always a wait but the fact that there was something for every member of the family made it worthwhile. I remember the Chunky Cheddar Cheese Bread that I could also find next door at the bakery or on Thursdays and Saturdays baked by the loving hands of the local Mennonite ladies. This recipe is a little sweeter than I like personally but with a little tweaking it will be "the one". Will it ever be delicious toasted or made into an enviable grilled cheese sandwich. The chicken stew is a riff on what came in a can in my childhood home but it also brought back fond memories. It was livened up by dried herbs crumbled in from the rooftop garden of my friend Dina. A reminder of warmer days to come.

**Retro Chicken Stew**

4 chicken breasts, approximately 1-1/2 lbs, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

1 small onion, diced

2 celery stalk, diced

5 tablespoons flour, divided

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/3 teaspoon sage

salt and pepper to taste 

1-1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup white wine

4 cups good quality chicken stock or broth

1 cup green beans 

1/2 cup heavy cream

A Taste of Yellow in Your Memory with Lemon Chicken, Garlic Creamed Corn and Baby Potatoes with Parsley and Lemon Butter

Lemon Chicken, Garlic Creamed Corn and Baby Potatoes 

with Parsley and Lemon Butter

There are many of us who have been writing for a while, long before Julie and Julia, long before Pinterest... gasp...even before Facebook. Some bloggers start with an enthusiasm that quickly wains, some blog for their friends and family, some blog for the sheer enjoyment, and some have achieved varying degrees of success. But how do you as a blogger measure success? Is it finally securing that cookbook deal? Is it those articles in high profile magazines? Is it thousands of followers? These are all perks of the food blogging community but not what we are about. I measure the success of a blogger by the number of lives they have touched, the awareness they have raised for pertinent issues, their ability to grab my attention with little effort.  I by no means put myself in these categories but we have all been touched by someone out there in the blogosphere that we have connected with. Yes we are food bloggers but we are not only passionate about food. One of the biggest perks is the connection that we have with each other in more ways than one.

Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Pesto Sauce

Proscuitto Wrapped Chicken Breast with Asparagus and Pesto Sauce

Like many I am a "sometimes" addicted follower of Pinterest. I salivate over many photographs of tempting desserts calorie free and am invited into so many talented sites to discover amazing photography and recipe blogs. Like a kid in a candy store I pin happily from their original sites cataloguing recipes to try in the future when time allows. The recipe below really stuck with me. With asparagus at the tail end of its season I felt the urge to head to the kitchen. Never mind that the recipe was in Polish or Russian ...Google translator to the rescue!!!... I had all of the ingredients in my well stocked stores. The recipe comes from this site  where I spy so many seasonal recipes waiting to be translated. I tip my hat to Kwestia Smaku.

Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club Memories of the Mediterranean Brings Us Chicken with Olives and Lemons and Fresh Mediterranean Salad

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  Chicken with Olives and Lemon with Fresh Mediterranean Salad
  

  
  

We are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where a group of ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries get together on the first Wednesday of every month to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. This is our third year of the Virtual Supper Club where we continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine with an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!!This month the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club takes us on a sojourn to the Mediterranean. So easy to find delicious recipes!Would you like to join us as a guest at our virtual table? We are looking for bloggers who would like to join in our monthly themes. One of our members chooses the theme for the month and as a team we create a menu from recipes from the pages of Cooking Light magazine from appetizers to dessert following that supper theme. If so please leave a comment with your e-mail and I will include you in one of our following months themes over the next year. Or contact me through my sidebar.

Harumi Game Changer Deep Fried Chicken with a Leek Sauce and Green Pea Rice

Deep Fried Chicken with Leek Sauce and Green Pea Rice

I often think of Japanese cooking as complex and difficult but Japans most famous housewife Harumi Kurihara, has sought to change that perception. She is all at once a cookbook author, restauranteur, TV chef and personality, and a business woman with a line of products to rival her famous American counterpart Martha Stewart. She has become one of the best known style gurus in Japan over the last 20 years! We can learn more about this amazing woman on her site where it is easy to see why she deserves her rightful place on "the list" of Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers.  

A Tribute to Elena Arzak With Basque Chicken and Roasted Fingerlings with Red and Yellow Pipérade

Basque Chicken with Roasted Fingerlings with Red and Yellow Piperade

In Europe, the Basques are known for their creativity in the kitchen and their long-enduring culinary heritage. In the Spanish Basque country itself, food and eating are the center of everyday life and the focus of endless conversation. Basque women lovingly pass on their cooking techniques to daughters and granddaughters, and Basque men, who belong to traditional cooking clubs called "txokos", themselves enjoy lingering over the stove and table. Basque people have been tremendously successful in passing down their traditions and lore and maintaining a link to their culture through both cooking and storytelling.

Game Changing Lemon Chicken Breasts and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Lemon Chicken and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

Of all of the celebrity cooks my favourite is the Barefoot Contessa. I am always inspired to prepare her homey dishes in my kitchen and I have never had a recipe that is lack lustre or even comes close to heading for the garbage bin. I cannot say the same for every dish I have experimented with in my own kitchen.

Parmesan Chicken Burgers with Balsamic Tomatoes, Garlic Mayonnaise and Lemon and Thyme Sweet Potato Wedges

Parmesan Chicken Burgers with Balsamic Tomatoes,
Garlic Mayonnaise and Lemon Thyme Sweet Potato Wedges

When we are in-between seasons with one foot lightly in heart-warming soul-satisfying dishes and one foot skipping into Spring it is hard to determine when one season begins and one season ends in the kitchen. We are dreaming of markets overflowing with fresh produce but this is still a pipe dream in early March in the "Great White North."

Enter todays dish with crispy breadcrumb encrusted chicken, lightly sautéed tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and a dollop of garlic mayonnaise to tantalize the taste buds. Serve it with a side of heart-healthy roasted sweet potatoes and the stage is set.

Game Changing Scallion Meatballs With Soy-Ginger Glaze on Jasmine Rice

Scallion Meatballs with Soy Ginger Sauce

Several years ago two women—Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer (yes she is a she) issued the first volume of Canal House Cooking, a series of seasonal cookbooks “by home cooks for home cooks” that they self-publish three times a year. These cookbooks have received acclaim not only from the national food media, but also from powerhouses such as Oprah and retailer Williams-Sonoma. When I first heard of these woman on the list I immediately thought they had taken over the Canal House an iconic restaurant in Seattle. I had plenty to learn!! 


This "Lennon and McCartney" team decided in 2007 to establish their own studio along the canal in Lambertville to publish and produce their own cookbooks. They had all the skills between them to publish their own cookbooks since between them the pair had more than 30 years experience working with magazines such as Metropolitan Home, Food and Wine, Cook’s Illustrated, and Martha Stewart Living and on cookbooks by Julia Child, Alice Waters, Mario Batali, Jacques Pepin, Lidia Bastianich, and other notables. They met and worked together at Saveur magazine.

Dreaming of Summer with Chicken Carne Asado Tacos with Pickled Onions

Chicken Carne Asado Tacos with Pickled Onions

Are you tired of shovelling snow, driving along ice-patched roads or wearing suits designed for igloos? It is time to take a break here in the Northern hemisphere! We are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where a group of ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. With the entrance of 2012 we begin our third year of the Virtual Supper Club where we continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine with an emphasis on healthy eating and living. This is the perfect way to keep those New Year resolutions by recreating light recipes from these pages.This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! If you would like to join in with your "light" Mexican-inspired dishes join the Linky below.

Three Star Michelin Le Pain Perdu with Cranberry Maple Syrup

Le Pain Perdu with Cranberry Maple Syrup

One of our simple pleasures in life is navigating the blogging community and participating where we can. Our group has now passed the halfway point on the list of Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers. The past six months have flown by as we experiment with dishes from each of the 50 influential women on "the list." Whether you agree or disagree with the authors chosen fifty and their order it has been an enjoyable and creative outlet to cook from the masters and those we admire. There have even a few bloggers on the list. We have checked out books from the library, borrowed cookbooks from friends, surfed the Internet and browsed our own cookbook collections seeking that one recipe that will highlight that weeks outstanding woman. This group is spearheaded by my favourite well-travelled blogger Mary of One Perfect Bite who back in June invited bloggers to travel along on a culinary journey throughout the year. It is still not too late to join in in 2012, so if you would like to learn new techniques and be creative in the kitchen please contact Mary.

With My New KitchenAid® Food Processor Holiday Meals are Meant to be Shared

Stuffed Turkey Breast with Sweet and Sticky Glaze and Holiday Slaw

Life is a gift. Remember how great you feel when your life is filled with love and joy and health and creativity? This is what the holiday season is about. Not necessarily about the dozens of cookies baking in the oven or the presents under the tree but about sharing all of life's gifts with these special people in your life. Then again those same wonderful people need nourishment and what better way to show how much you care by making something special and reconnecting over a carefully crafted meal. For me this is definitely a highlight of the season.

Paula Wolferts Chicken Smothered with Tomato Jam Served with Maquoudas

Paula Wolferts Chicken Smothered with Tomato Jam Served with Maquoudas

 Like most of us I am a savvy media user although I must admit to not spending nearly as much time with these accounts as my colleagues. It was on Facebook that I discovered Paula Wolferts Moroccan Cooking Group which at last count has over 2,500 members. She posts to it half a dozen times a day, making it one of the liveliest food discussions on Facebook.

A few months ago Paula mentioned she had a new recipe for her chicken with tomato jam that would be in her latest cookbook The Food of Morocco. I was intrigued, e-mailed her and asked her for the recipe which she graciously sent to me. It is for this reason that wonderfully warm, spicy aromas are wafting from my kitchen and I am dreaming of Morocco, mosaic tiles, tajines, couscous and drinking mint tea.

What Do You Do With Those Turkey Leftovers?

 

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake...

To all of our friends from the States...Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! After the day, and you have time to relax after a belly-groaning meal and entertaining family and friends it is time to move on to the next culinary adventure. Do you have the energy to make what you see above after the big day........sigh.... I know that I wouldn't since that would be too Martha Stewart of me, but I had to show you this "cake" I found on the web.. The bird has been carved and served, you’ve indulged in Aunt Maggie’s famous pumpkin pie, waistbands have been loosened or perhaps you just wore expandable pants for the occasion.  The kids are already starting to talk about Christmas, but, before you bring out the decorations you need to do something with the leftovers from the Thanksgiving meal.

Nancy Silverton's Thanksgiving Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Thanksgiving Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

I don't need to tell you how times flies. One moment we will be starting a new work week and then all of a sudden here it is Friday again. We turned our clocks back earlier in the week so reality has set in about the inevitability of winter. Could it be that it a few short days it will be the American Thanksgiving, and then of course the real celebration begins for Canadians with the C-Word not long after. Shhhh, I do not mention the word _____________ before December 1st for fear of being struck down in my prime. What I can and will mention is that today is Remembrance Day. It is not just a day off ,but a time to remember our fallen soldiers through the generations and all those who lived their lives for us. "Lest we Forget"

11/11/11

Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzel with Sweet Potato Wedges and an Autumn Coleslaw that Steals the Show

Oven Baked Chicken Schnitzel

with Sweet Potato Wedges and an Autumn Coleslaw

For anyone who reads these pages occasionally you will know that I recently indulged in a shopping weekend in Washington State. Shopping has its place in the world but there comes a time, usually after a mornings splurge, when my thoughts move over to my next foodie adventure! If the truth be told it is not simply about nourishing the body but about the experience. Kindred spirits will agree it is undeniably true that our travel experiences are usually centred around all things food related. This trip was no different.

On a Sunday drive through the Cascade Mountains I found myself in a fairy tale village perched on top of the misty Cascade Mountains with an elevation of about 1,100 feet! Leavenworth is fashioned after a Bavarian Village in one of the most beautiful settings you could imagine. The drive to the village alone is exhilarating, although on this day it was a misty, rainy morning! If you can look beyond the "kitsch," where there is a Bavarian motif around ever corner, you will find a very resourceful town that is worth a visit. There is always something happening!!!! Oktoberfest had just ended and I haven't attended a festival since growing up in the Kitchener/Waterloo area, but I was in the mood for some premium German ales and some classic schnitzel!!!

Hoagies and Grinders, Hoagies and Grinders for Eat to the Beat (Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere)

Turkey Roast Dip with Melted Gruyere

When I first began blogging over 5 years ago I participated in many events throughout the blogosphere. I still participate in some of the events out there when time allows, and my old friend Elly of  Elly Says Opa has resurrected her event Eat to The Beat, an event she created back in 2008, when blogging events were all the rage. I was feeling nostalgic with this cooler weather so happily decided to participate once again on this trip down memory lane to celebrate her 5 years of blogging. Congratulations Elly!!

Christian Delouvrier Roasted Chicken by Game Changer "Chez Pim"

Christian Delouvrier Roasted Chicken

Here it is Friday again and our group has now reached #19 on the list of Gourmet Live's 50 Women Game Changers. For the past few months we have been experimenting with dishes from each of the 50 influential women on "the list" so far. Whether you agree or disagree with the authors chosen fifty and their order it has been an enjoyable and creative outlet to cook from the masters. We have checked out books from the library, borrowed cookbooks from friends, surfed the Internet and browsed our own cookbook collections seeking that one recipe that will highlight that weeks outstanding woman.

Chicken Saltimbocca with Garlic and Olive Oil Mash and Roasted Vine Tomatoes

Chicken Saltimbocca with Garlic and Olive Oil Mash

 and Roasted Vine Tomatoes

The days are shorter, the nights cooler, there is a nip in the air and the trees are showing their first signs of burnished gold. Although barbecue weather is still here my mind has already flipped over to comfort food, crackling fires and cozy blankets.  I am one Canadian that hopes the warm spell continues for a while and that an Indian Summer will carry on into November.

 With the shorter days comes the longing for comfort foods. When sick, or tired, or far from home, everyone seems to yearn for the gastronomic equivalent of a warm sweater, a kiss on the forehead, or a favourite blanket. Comfort foods nourish the soul as well as our bodies and tend to be familiar foods that remind us of simpler times or of a contented childhood. The best medicine when the weather turns is undeniably some delicious comfort food. Just like the pending season your senses can be awakened with anything from a caramelized squash soup to a large bowl of comfortable macaroni and cheese. It is not uncommon for my home to be filled with warm, fragrant and earthy aromas of a slow cooked roast or bubbling crock pot.

A Women Game Changer Creates Spanakopita Burgers

Turkey Spanakopita Burger and Fries with Yogurt Dip

She's here!!! Born in Glen Falls, New York, Rachael Domenica Ray, grew up with restaurant-owning parents, who helped nurture her interest not only in everything related to food but also the business side. She must have sprung out of the womb with a gleaming smile and a positive attitude. Rachel worked as a manager at many different food companies, including the fresh foods department at Macy’s, and Mister Brown’s Pub at a popular hotel, The Sagamore, in upstate New York. You can find out everything you ever wanted to know about her life here on her website. Whether you love her or are a "hater" all of Rachel’s achievements have amounted to her not only becoming a household name, but acquiring an estimated net worth of millions in the double digits. Even if you have one foot heavily in the "hater" camp we all know who she is! For a small town girl, with no formal culinary training, this is quite an achievement! I wish I were Rachel Ray and had even a small amount of her ambition, or her lifestyle. It seems that if you fall under Oprah's radar, success is never far behind.