Category: Scenes from My Pantry

Scenes from My Pantry: Turkey Lentil Sloppy Joes

Loved "sloppy Joes" as a kid.  Messy by design and delicious.  These days the aim is still delicious but, lighter more healthy choices.Using lean ground turkey and the hearty lentil beans, is a great alternative to preparing this traditional meat-centric meal that still feels substantial and comforting without sacrificing the flavor.This recipe makes enough for … Continue reading Scenes from My Pantry: Turkey Lentil Sloppy Joes →

Scenes from My Pantry: Coconut Chicken Corn Chowder

Soup is on! One of my favorite ingredients in soup is coconut milk. Coconut milk provides a smooth and creamy base without the heaviness of cream.  This recipe not only delivers coconut milk as a layer of flavor but the base of the broth is simmered with fresh corn cobs to release the milky sweet … Continue reading Scenes from My Pantry: Coconut Chicken Corn Chowder →

Scenes from My Pantry: Tabbouleh Summer Salad

Tabbouleh is a Middle Eastern salad traditionally made with parsley, mint, tomatoes, bulgur (cracked wheat) lemon juice and olive oil.   Like the spelling of Tabbouleh or  Taboule, or Tabouli, the variations are endless.  Traditional Lebanese and Israeli versions are focused squarely on the herbs, and the bulgur is meant only to be a garnish. My … Continue reading Scenes from My Pantry: Tabbouleh Summer Salad →

Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies

Wine and chocolate can be an incredible pairing, together competing for immediate attention.  Eating these cookies is like eating "fudge, a brownie, and a cookie at the same time" and paired with a cabernet or zinfandel is cause for swooning, and an intense in your face experience.Saturday evening was reserved for Wine Club and Cabernet … Continue reading Ultimate Double Chocolate Cookies →

Dirt to Table Experiences: Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

A walk through my winter garden beds reveal damaged leaves from late evenings of below freezing temperatures, soggy root systems caused by the deluge of rain that quickly followed.  A bed of stunning bok choy was given up as a sacrifice to save my large head cabbages from pesky garden pests.  Mother Nature was not … Continue reading Dirt to Table Experiences: Old-Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup →

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Reflections on Turning Fifty

They tell me that 50 is the new fabulous…..Do I believe them?  Maybe.   I know that I am closer to death than I am to birth.  A reminder that life has a finite span.  This thought both sobers me and liberates me.  Makes me stop and think often of what's important, what's not.I used … Continue reading Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins and Reflections on Turning Fifty →

Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

I would have probably raised my eyebrow had it been mentioned that black beans would be a healthy alternative ingredient to flour in brownies. It would have been difficult to imagine.  Obviously I am behind in the baking times…Not anymore. I am a believer. With the rise in sensitivity to gluten it has become known … Continue reading Dark Chocolate Black Bean Brownies →

Easy Lemon Cookies

One bowl,  five ingredients,  a roll in confectioners sugar, what is not to love. Easy Lemon CookiesMakes 15-18 Recipe from allrecipes.com Ingredients:1 box (16-18 ounces) package lemon cake mix2 eggs1/3 cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon lemon extract1/3 cup confectioners sugarDirections:1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).2.  Pour cake mix into a large bowl.  Add eggs, oil, and … Continue reading Easy Lemon Cookies →

Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

In case you are in the mood for chocolate chip cookies……And you don't have a personal recipe to call your own.Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip CookiesMakes about 18 cookiesRecipe from All RecipesIngredients2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt3/4 cup insalted butter, melted1 cup packed brown sugar1/2 cup white sugar1 tablespoon vanilla extract1 egg1 … Continue reading Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies →