Foodie Wannabe

Herb-Roasted Chicken

Another day, another yummy Food Network Magazine recipe. I happen to like roast chicken because they are really quite easy. If you have a little extra cooking time (not time you'll actually be doing anything), I think a whole chicken is an excellent option. You do have to tuck the wings behind its head, but I believe that you can do it - just ignore that cracking sound. I served this beauty on top of a polenta square and with a little salad on the side.

Cantonese Chicken and Mushrooms

Husband and I have been having some really good luck with our dinners from Food Network Magazine. There's a section of quick dinners that generally have a reasonable number of ingredients and aren't bad mood-inducing when you have to come home and cook after a long day at the office. We also found that cooking does take less time when we do it together (especially if Husband chops the veggies).

Afternoon Tea at Lockwood

As I was reviewing photos from the lovely afternoon tea at Lockwood in the Palmer House Hilton, I giggled when I saw that I took zero photos of the tea. I took no photos of tea at a tea. What is wrong with me? Nothing. Because the best part of a tea is the scones, sandwiches, and pastries, not the tea, of course!

Ragu and Stuffed Peppers

This recipe gives you a double dose of dinner. First, make the ground turkey-based ragu and use it as a pasta topping. Then take the leftovers and make these de-licious stuffed peppers the next night. And no one will complain about leftovers.

Seared Salmon with Roasted Shallots and Garlic

I was one of the many folks who bought the $10 for $20 at Whole Foods last month because it was like $10 of free groceries! Well, free, organic, and pretty expensive groceries. There isn't a Whole Foods close to work or home (in the city, we think a mile is pretty far), so I made a special trip to get ingredients for a special salmon dinner for me and Husband. I made friendly with the fishmonger who skinned my salmon. I got some asparagus to roast, a sweet potato and a pack of arugula to make a little salad. After hemming and hawing, I decided not to get a bottle of wine because I had clearly gone way over the $20 coupon. I chatted with the super nice cashier and bagger and smiled as I walked out the door with my bag of organic and pretty expensive groceries. As I turned the key of the ignition I realized that the cashier kept me so entertained that I had mindlessly swiped my credit card instead of giving her my coupon, the impetus for actually going to the store in the first place. But it wasn't until I got home and saw that the bagger had accidentally forgotten to bag my salmon that I really let out a Homer-esque, "D'oh!" We ate chicken that night, but a week later I righted all my wrongs, and we had the lovely meal that I had been planning.

Seared Scallops with Cauliflower, Capers and Raisins

One of Husband's anniversary gifts was a meal that we cooked together after picking out the recipes and shopping for the ingredients (now that I write it down, it's a little less cool than when I thought through it). Our main course was scallops, which despite all our cooking, we've never made at home, just eaten at every restaurant in town. I was a little nervous after making an investment in the "good" ones at the quality seafood shop, but it was really easy and really fast. If you aren't allergic to shellfish or are a vegetarian, I highly encourage you to make the leap!

The Chopping Block Grilling Class

When Husband's parents were in town, we packed our days with lots of stuff, but since we're sort of known as the foodies in the family, there's a lot of pressure to go to cool places to eat. Our best idea was to not just eat but also cook our own food at The Chopping Block.