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A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

80 to 15.

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wintery sausage stew

When going from 80 degrees to 15 degrees, it’s important to keep things applicable so you aren’t jolted into a state of shock.

Thick sweater? Cozy socks? A fire? Glass of Pinot?

Check, check, check, check.

All that’s missing is this wintery sausage stew complete with garlic, wilted spinach, and cannelloni beans to thicken it up perfectly for pita bread dunking.

Smoked paprika sprinkled over it all sends it over the top and for just a brief moment, an oh so brief moment, you’ll be blissfully happy amongst the 15 degrees.

Who am I kidding? Get me back to fish tacos and Sauvignon blanc!

Wintery Sausage Stew
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Ingredients
  1. Italian sausage with evoo.
  2. Sliced onion
  3. 4 cloves minced garlic
  4. 2 cans drained cannelloni beans
  5. 2 cups chicken stock
  6. Splash of white wine
  7. Salt & pepper
  8. Fresh spinach
  9. Smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. Cook up some Italian sausage with evoo.
  2. Sauté one sliced onion in 1 TBS evoo and 1 TBS butter.
  3. Add in 4 cloves minced garlic after 8 min.
  4. Pour in 2 cans drained cannelloni beans, 2 cups chicken stock, splash of white wine, simply bc you are drinking some.
  5. Smash up some beans to thicken the sauce. Season generously with salt & pepper.
  6. Add in a few handfuls of fresh spinach and your sausage.
  7. Serve in deep bowls sprinkled with evoo and smoked paprika.
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

3 minute dinner.

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3 minute dinner rotisserie chicken pesto fresh pasta

First it was the ever so famous 30 minute meal. Then it went to 15 minutes, then 10. But now? Meet the 3 minute dinner. Seriously. 

As a part of my Dinner: Impossible rotisserie chicken post, I had my eye on this recipe. It totally played off of this concept, which I’m a huge fan of, and adding warm rotisserie chicken on top? Genius.

Not to mention once I got my water boiling, the (fresh) pasta cooked for 90 seconds. I drained it, swirled in the pesto, plopped it in a bowl, and topped with sliced chicken, parm, and freshly cracked pepper in under 3 minutes. 

Ok – does it get any easier? (Or more delicious?)

No. It doesn’t.
C

Dinner: impossible – 10 things to do with a rotisserie chicken.

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dinnerimpossible3

It’s time for another Dinner: Impossible post, yippee! In case you are behind, so far we’ve talked about taking some time to plan and working on a Sunday or Monday recipe that can stretch. This week? Well, it’s all about the rotisserie chicken.

Look, now that the lazy days of summer cooking are behind us (sob), I thought it would be great to generate a list of generally quick and healthy ways to use up that go-to oh so easy pick up item from the store. Working gals (aren’t we all!)especially, I hope these short cuts can help you! Check out my 10 things to do with a rotisserie chicken.

1. These chicken and avocado stuffed pitas look pretty darn good. Healthy and quick, love it.

2. Dinner is done in one dish in this easy chicken enchilada skillet. Ole!

3. I can’t stress how easy this one is. Cibatta + chicken + pesto + parm. All toasted up to a warm perfection.

4. Chicken tostadas. The ultimate quick dinner.

5. Cheesy chicken pot pie comes together in 3 easy layers: frozen vegetables, chicken, and quick biscuits. We love this one.

6. My magic combo, ahem: a rotisserie chicken shredded up then mixed with olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Where you go from there is up to you: tacos, salad, simply in a bowl with chopped tomato and avocado. Delicious.

7.What a great idea, totally plays off my pesto pasta. I’d skip the hassle of homemade pesto, but love their idea of sliced rotisserie chicken on top!

8. Garlic parmesan chicken noodles. Oh yeah.

9. These baked chicken taquitos comes together so easily during the week.

10. Torn bread, chicken, cheese, spinach. Totally making this one soon.

So, what do you think…what are your favorites? I hope this is helpful for you.
C

Easy (!!!) enchiladas.

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homemade enchiladas
You know, sometimes it’s not about the prettiest of foods or the fanciest of dishes.

Sometimes it’s just about getting something cheesy, warm, and filling bubbling away in your oven. And then into your stomach.

This recipe came from one of my favorite books, Bread & Wine. I love Shauna Neiquest’s writing. Take for instance her comment on this recipe and I quote, “… adapted from a recipe that I got from Annette, and that she got from her sister Tina, and that Tina got from someone in Mexico. I think.”

Perfect.

The recipe is ridiculously easy to throw together. Honestly, I did it pre-nap (which says a lot around here) and it was not more than 15 minutes. Music to my ears, er, eyes? Anyway, into the fridge it went to hang out until Grandad and Grandma Ginger joined us for dinner.

I served queso fundido to start, which set the whole meal over the top. Along side of the homemade enchiladas was a light mixed greens salad tossed with red onion, tomatoes, avocado and this cilantro lime dressing (thank you Jenny!). Oh and margaritas. Obviously.

Just when we were all satisfied to the max, Ginger pulled out a killer peach crisp. 

Happy night, for sure.

Annette's Enchiladas
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Ingredients
  1. corn tortillas - one package
  2. cup or so of chicken stock
  3. 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (just use a rotisserie!)
  4. 1 cup sour cream
  5. 1 28 ounce can green enchilada sauce (Las Palmas is best)
  6. 2 4 ounce can diced green chilies
  7. 2 cups shredded cheese, I used Monterey Jack
  8. Fresh cilantro, for topping
Instructions
  1. Mix green sauce with chilies and sour cream (3-4 parts sauce to 1 part sour cream, sauce should be green)
  2. Pass corn tortillas through a skillet of simmering chicken broth, then layer in a 9×13 pan.
  3. After tortillas, add a layer of chicken, a layer of sauce, and a layer of cheese.
  4. Repeat, so that there are two full layers. Finish with a layer of tortillas and a layer of cheese.
  5. Cook at 350 degrees until warmed though and the cheese is melted, about 30-35 minutes.
  6. Let sit at least 15 minutes before cutting. Top with chopped cilantro.
Adapted from Bread & Wine
Adapted from Bread & Wine
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Rain rain go away.

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yellow & green pasta

It was a gray summer day – the kind that just doesn’t seem fair and had me singing ‘rain rain go away’ over and over again to B as we splashed in the puddles and hunted for frogs.

I knew dinner needed to be a bit of comfort, but we’re still talking super hot muggy temps, so something light(er) had to be on the agenda. I had spied a pasta recipe in my mom’s new cookbook, A Modern Way To Eat, and knew I had my answer.

Whole wheat pasta, fresh green summer herbs, diced avocado – all brightened up with lemon zest and of course, parmesan.

This was right up my alley. Add in a bit of grilled chicken for M, and we have a winner all around.

We ate this in deep bowls in our screened in porch while the rain pelted down. It was one of those rare moments where each and everyone of us was happy, full, content… and for a brief moment, quiet.

……laughing – who am I kidding? M and I were inhaling this in the few brief minutes that B was content with a popsicle melting all over the couch while watching Full House. L was up in his room for pushing B off the couch, hard, and his yelling of “Not fair! I never want to see you again!’ serenaded us through our dinner.

Cheers!

Here’s hoping the sun cracks through for the weekend – happy Friday friends!
C

Yellow & Green Pasta, Round II
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Ingredients
  1. 1 box whole wheat spaghetti
  2. olive oil
  3. 1 shallot, minced
  4. 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  5. zest of 1 lemon, plus juice for topping
  6. large handful fresh basil, chopped
  7. large handful fresh parsley, chopped
  8. 2 ripe avocados, diced
  9. freshly grated parmesan
  10. salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta in salted water according to package directions.
  2. In a large skillet, saute the shallot in a little olive oil for a few minutes over medium heat. Add in the garlic until it just starts to brown. Remove from the pan and stir in the zest and fresh herbs.
  3. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid from the pasta. Drain pasta and toss in the skillet with the reserved cooking liquid. I added in extra olive oil and this point. Season with salt & pepper.
  4. Top with avocado, parmesan, and additional lemon juice should you prefer. (I went heavy on this, as well as the parm).
A Life From Scratch. http://a-life-from-scratch.com/
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