What makes weekend meals so special? Usually we take a little extra time to prepare the food, and we tend to linger around the table. In a perfect world, that would be every meal!
healthy
Beef & Vegetable Soup
I have to laugh at the soup commercials with a customer calling the soup kitchen via a can on a string. How many played “walkie talkie” that way as children? I know I did!
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bolognese Sauce
It is so much fun to see how Kristina has surpassed me – by light years – when it comes to cooking. She is creative and instinctive, and possesses the natural ability to invent adventurous (and wonderful!) culinary combinations.
Apple Blueberry Cabbage Salad
My mother was an elementary school teacher – back in the days when the ABC’s were more important than teaching political correctness. Her mother was also a teacher – before college degrees were required for educators.
Golden Borscht
While in Ukraine, we ate soup every day. Temperature over 90 degrees: soup for lunch. Humidity at the tropical level: soup for supper. Long days of teaching, playing, and chasing kids: soup for lunch AND supper. In fact, my Ukrainian interpreter (and friend) was stunned to learn that our family doesn’t eat soup for 4 or 5 months out of the year. But now I am converted to being a Summer Soup Supporter.
Sage and Lemon Chicken Thighs
This was NOT the summer to garden — from a hot and dry beginning, to insane amounts of rain, to traveling out of the country for nearly 3 weeks. But I have to say, my sage plants are happy, happy, HAPPY!
To The Power of Seven Sangria
Late summer. Dog days. August doldrums. State Fair time. Sangrias! While in Trader Joe’s this past week, one of the employees told me about this fruity, tasty blend. I had never tried “to the power of seven” juice, but this gave me a good reason to purchase a bottle.
Lazy Day Cabbage Rolls – Kåldolmar
So, I’m totally NOT into labour-intensive food these days. Summertime is for playing, spending time outdoors, hanging out with friends, and traveling.
Spicy Chicken and Zucchini Stir Fry
I have a difficult time completing tasks: Laundry gets folded, but not put away. Mail is looked at but not filed or thrown away. Bathrooms get cleaned except for the floor. Am I just too busy? Do I have ADD? Do I need help??? (don’t answer that one out loud, please!)
Chicken with Butternut Squash and Bok Choy
A line by Shakespeare in The Tempest, and distorted with time, comes to mind with this dish: “misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows”. While he meant the phrase quite literally, modern English has changed it to a phrase tossed out when things just don’t logically seem to fit together. It is the more recent usage of Shakespeare’s phrase that describes this dish.