Lunch and Dinner Archives | Page 2 of 16

Lentils with Curry Turkey Meatballs and Lemon Spinach

July 8, 2015

In this recipe, slow cooker lentils are topped with turkey meatballs and then brightened with a sprinkle of fresh spinach for an easy one-bowl meal!

I tend to eat in earth tones. It’s something I didn’t realize until I began photographing my food.

Think about it. The occasional leafy green aside, many healthy foods are pretty much a big bunch of off white, beige and brown.

Lentils, beans, chickpeas, cauliflower, oats, onions, garlic, meats, mushrooms — all pretty much the same boring color. It’s unfair, too, because they can be pretty darn delicious.

Grilled Fava Beans with Charred Lemon and Smoked Sea Salt

June 1, 2015

I’ve spent a fair amount of time staring at fresh fava beans at the farmers market. They always get my attention, but I’m never quite sure what to do with them.

Then, when we attended the shims and shrubs workshop that I mentioned last week, it all clicked for me. One of the bites served there was grilled baby fava beans. A little lightbulb went off in my head — oooh, you can grill them!

Spicy Noodle Bowl with Sausage and Greens Paired with Cultivar Rose Wine

March 24, 2015

This spicy noodle bowl is topped with turkey sausage, mustard greens and garlic. It’s vibrant flavors pair well with the 2014 Cultivar Rose that I received as part of the Cultivar Wine Bloggers!

Growing up, like most people who come from the middle portion of the U.S., comfort food was defined by things like mashed potatoes, pot pies and biscuits and gravy. Heavy, nap-inducing and delicious.

Fortunately, travel has introduced me to a few more things that define comfort food for others around the world. Feijoada in Brazil, fish and chips and pastries in Europe, but nothing can compare to noodle dishes in Southeast Asia. They have redefined comfort food for me.

Grain Free Pizza Crust from Everyday Grain-Free Baking

February 20, 2015

I found this grain free pizza crust in my review copy of Everyday Grain-Free Baking by Kelly Smith. I quickly became a huge fan. It’s a variation that everyone will love regardless of your personal eating style.

Everyone has an opinion about grains these days. Some people limit them because they think it helps them lose weight, or because they follow a specific eating style. Others stay away from the gluten in grains out of necessity due to a diagnosed medical condition, or because it makes them feel better. Grains are in the spotlight right now for better or worse, no doubt.

I don’t speak much about the topic because opinions are so strong on every side of the argument. What I am happy about is that all this grain talk has given those with medically diagnosed gluten allergies many, many more food options and I think this is a great thing.

I can only speak to my own experiences. I am not gluten free or grain free. Neither make me feel bad as others claim they do, and yes, I have experimented with cutting them out. I completely respect that your story might be that your life changed after cutting them out, but that story isn’t mine.

Baby Yellow Potatoes with Smoky Sauce, Pickled Shallots and Bacon

January 29, 2015

These baby yellow potatoes are a recreation of an appetizer we had while dining out. They are served with a smoky sauce and topped with tangy pickled shallots and crisp crumbled bacon! The Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes I recently received from Melissa’s Produce are the perfect size for this party snack or side dish.

I’m not really a bar person. Brewery tasting room person, yes, but bar person, not so much. I’m talking about the kind where all the cool kids go. The places where you have to scream to speak with someone and get bumped so many times that you aren’t sure if you actually drank your cocktail or splashed it out of the glass.

Truth be told, though, these places are usually pretty cool, with intriguing interiors and inventive drinks. I don’t like to miss out completely, so if I do go, I prefer to be there about 5:00 pm.

Yes, I know. Old lady. But this is also when happy hour specials are available so I call it me being frugal.

Don’t worry. I see it, too. Happy hour specials could easily merge into the early bird discounts at the local restaurant and eating dinner at 4:00 pm. I may be on a downward spiral.

Beef Medallions with Spinach and Arugula Paired with Cultivar Wine

January 26, 2015

Special meals don’t have to be complicated. These beef medallions are quick and easy. They pair so well with the excellent 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon I received from Cultivar Wine.

Fancy is not a word that I would use to describe my cooking. Most often from scratch, sometimes simple, other times complicated, but not exactly fancy.

But every now and then I get the opportunity to make something a little special. Like when you receive an elegant, yet approachable bottle of fine wine.

Ground Turkey and Ale Cabbage Rolls and My 3 Words

January 7, 2015

I’m sharing My 3 Words for the New Year along with a spiced up and spiked version of cabbage rolls!

It’s a new year. I keep repeating that to myself, but it doesn’t want to stick.

Most years, I feel this big sense of transition as we close one out and enter another. I’m big on the goals and resolutions, so I have those all lined up and I’m ready to jump right in the minute the ball drops.

This year feels different.

We spent the last two weeks of 2014 traveling. We visited Copenhagen, went to Berlin and explored the markets over the Christmas holiday, enjoyed a day in Malmo and returned to Copenhagen for New Years Eve. It was a blissful break filled with new experiences, people and foods.

Roasted Garlic Dinner Rolls

December 19, 2014

Give your holiday meals a creative twist this year with these garlic dinner rolls! Tucked inside the layers is a spread of slow roasted garlic, shredded Parmesan cheese and rich butter.

When I stand in front a table of holiday foods with an empty plate, I start negotiating with myself. I can’t possibly eat it all, so what is it that I can cut out to reduce volume that I also won’t miss much?

Rolls. It’s always the rolls.

Turkey Red Lettuce Wraps with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberries

November 18, 2014

These lettuce wraps make a quick and easy seasonal dinner. They are filled with my favorite fall ingredients and served in beautiful red leaf lettuce that is full of nutrients. This post was sponsored by Coastline Family Farms.

Don’t mind my deer-in-the-headlights look. That is just my reaction to how quickly the end of October and most of November have flown by. I’ve been finding myself staring blankly from time to time trying to get my brain to catch up to the date.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing. There’s been a reason for it – events. Lots of awesome, new experiences, meet new people, have fun while learning, eating and drinking, events.

Bosc Pear, Walnut and Gorgonzola Holiday Stuffing

October 27, 2014

Add a twist to your holiday stuffing! This recipe takes my favorite combo of pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola and turns them into a delicious version of one of my favorite holiday sides.

Friends of ours hosted a Thanksgiving potluck and I was put on the stuffing list. Since mine was stuffing number 2 at the dinner and stuffing number 1 was straight up traditional, I was given free reign to get creative. So I volunteered to bring this.

I made this recipe before…in 2009! 2009?! To be honest with you, I can’t believe I’ve been blogging that long. But there that post sits, with some pretty ugly photos and in need of some revision.