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A Life From Scratch.

A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

C’s picks.

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photo-37

I don’t know about you, but I think 2014 has kind of been a rough start. It’s been all about germs (some undiagnosed) and painful temps. Nothing seems to be able to shake the karma so I’m hoping a quick jaunt to Florida will do the trick. This picture is the essence of happiness in my life and I can’t wait to (hopefully) replicate it!

So – food wise. Our menu planning is all about keeping things light and easy this week. Light because in less than one week I’m back in a swimsuit in FL (yikes!) and easy because, well, there is nothing easy about prepping for a flight with a toddler, ha! Major deep breath. Ok, here we go: 

Sunday I’m going to try and be sneaky and serve this delicious looking recipe to M. I’m hoping quinoa piled high with cheese and homemade guacamole will take away the fact that he is in fact eating quinoa. Sorry M, you’re going to be in a swimsuit too.

Monday let’s go with this quick dinner: italian sausages and peppers over arugula. Did you see that post? It’s killer good, easy, and so customizable. I’ll be eating chicken sausages while the boys go with the super manly traditional ones.

We need a soup this week! I’ve fallen in love with this lemony chicken and orzo from Bon Appetit. Love the zest of lemon and pop of fresh herbs.

Wednesday M flies off to the Big Apple so I’m on my own. I’ve been dying to try these honey chipotle chicken bowls and it just wouldn’t go over with M, so time to cook whatever I want. Perfect for lunch leftovers.

Thursday we will reunite with M at his dad’s for dinner. Yeah for visiting Grandma Ginger and Grandad and YIPPEE for picking up the keys for the Florida house! We are. out. of. here.

Friday I’m quite certain we will be down to no food in the house and I will be doing last minute packing and prep for our trip. Lou’s take out it is.

The blog will continue to roll along when we’re gone. Be sure to follow us on Facebook  for fun updates! Also my darling sister Allie will be guest posting. I hope to also have a few more fun surprises lined up for you.

That’s our week – what’s going on with yours?
C

Easiest dinner, ever.

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sauteed peppers and onions over arugula

Let’s keep things easy in January, shall we?

I came up with this dinner about a month or so ago – it seemed too easy to be true. Kind of like, why haven’t I been doing this my whole life? It turned out delicious and quite healthy, if healthy to you is defined by no carbs. That rule doesn’t fly in our home so of course bread was served on the side. Either way though, this sauteed peppers and onions over arugula is another quick, easy, and healthy go to for your 2014 kitchen repertoire.

Sauteed Peppers & Onions over Arugula
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 TBS olive oil
  2. 2 mild peppers - your choice of color, sliced
  3. 1 red onion, sliced
  4. pinch of red pepper flakes
  5. Italian sausage - as much as you want to make
  6. Arugula
  7. Fresh parmesan, for serving
Instructions
  1. Cook your sausage - you can grill, or, if it's too cold (like now) we roast in a 425 oven for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large skillet. Saute the peppers and onions together until they soften and have a nice color on them. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
  3. Spread the arugula on a large serving tray. Spoon the warm peppers & onions over. Slice up the sausage and add to the plate. Top with freshly shaved parmesan.
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Eat up!

C

A winter hug.

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chicken corn chowder

If you’re near me in Chicago you know for over a week now it’s just been rough.

The snow is relentless. The temps are painful. I’m all about cozy pajamas days inside with the kids, but after awhile you start to go just a little crazy. Let me rephrase that. The option of slamming your head into a wall doesn’t sound all that bad. 

It was day 5 (or 6 – who knows, I’ve lost count) of being stuck again inside with either a sick kiddo and/or bad weather. It was time to bring out the big guns. When your big outing of the day is walking running to the mail box while being slapped with icy cold wind, sometimes you just need a hug. I texted my girl friend the other day that the idea to leave my home and fill up my tank with gas was exciting to me. My goodness. Let this chicken corn chowder recipe fix all that.

It doesn’t cure the flu – or chicken pox (???)  – or magically bring on 40, heck I’ll even take 30 degree temps, but what it does do is (briefly) warm you from the inside out. It doesn’t get better than chicken corn chowder in a bread bowl on a chilly night, does it? Bonus that this one comes together beautifully and tastes almost good enough to make you forgot that tomorrow’s high is -17. Almost.

Chicken Corn Chowder
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Ingredients
  1. 6 ears of fresh corn, husked and silks removed (or 1-30 ounce can corn and 1-15 ounce can cream corn)
  2. 6 slices bacon, chopped
  3. 8 scallions
  4. 3 Idaho potatoes
  5. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  6. 3 cups whole milk
  7. 2 cups chicken stock
  8. 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
  9. 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  10. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  11. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  12. 1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
  13. 2 cups roasted chicken, shredded (a Rotisserie chicken from the deli works great for this!)
  14. Salt and pepper, to taste
  15. handful of grated cheddar, for garnish
Instructions
  1. In a large stock pot, fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Remove from the pan, leaving the drippings, and set aside.
  2. Peel and chop the potatoes into bite sized chunks. Slice the scallions very thin and separate the greens from the whites.
  3. Place the potatoes and white scallion pieces into the stock pot and cook over medium heat until the scallions have softened, 2 or 3 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.
  5. Pour in the milk, chicken stock, Old Bay, thyme, parsley, cayenne, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  6. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add corn (If using fresh corn, cut from the cob with a sharp knife.
  7. Use the back of your knife to release the pulp from the cob.), chicken, and green chiles. Cook over low heat until heated through, about 5 minutes.
  8. Garnish with scallion greens, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
Adapted from Buns In My Oven
Adapted from Buns In My Oven
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Eat up!

C

C’s picks.

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photo-767Oh. my. goodness. 

Is it just horrible where you live? Our area has been dumped on with snow and frigid temperatures. Like you kind of want to die if you leave your house cold. We are all going a bit stir crazy and the only answer seemed to book some tickets to Florida for in a few weeks. Until then though it’s going to be all about comfort here. Nothing else will do.

Sunday night my parents are coming by. Company sauce will be roasting away all day and will be tossed with fresh pasta. Good Italian sausage will also be served for my dad, the carnivore. A spinach salad will round out the meal.

Apparently Monday is going to be ‘life threatening cold’ – oh yippee! I can’t wait! Another day of being stuck inside with the kids. We’ll be baking homemade chocolate chip cookies to take the edge off. Winter vegetable soup is a recipe my mom recently told me I ‘had to blog about’ so seems like the perfect day to do just that.

Tuesday will be another night of bitter cold so let’s go with leftover soup and crusty french bread.

Wednesday the home will smell insane from the asian pork shoulder that will be simmering away in the crockpot all day. Brown rice and sugar snap peas on the side.

Thursday let’s go with a dinner from my quick ‘go to’ list for 2014. T-ball tacos are quick, easy, and delicious.

And let’s round out the week’s meal planning with our pizza.

What’s cooking in your kitchen this week? I’d  love to hear!
C

The greatest of sins.

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homemade beef broth

It was Christmas Eve Eve, and everything was going according to script. The champagne was flowing, the gifts were being opened – everyone was merry & bright.

I headed into the kitchen to check on Grandad, who has been given the prestigious job of carving the roast. The rosy pink slices curved ever so perfectly onto the cutting board, which was getting quite full. I quickly grabbed a rib bone to make more room and headed to the trash when I was hastily stopped by Grandad, who was giving me a look like I had just sprouted a second head. Throwing out a prime rib bone? A sin to some apparently, and once my champagne haze wore off, I couldn’t agree more. Prime rib bones must yield the best. beef. stock. ever.

The homemade beef stock recipe comes from my mom and is a starting point to her beef vegetable soup, although you could use this stock and make whatever soup you’d like. It’s the perfect recipe to make when you are snowed in, in pajamas, and wanting to give your kitchen repetoire just a bit of edge. Like honestly, who makes homemade beef stock?

You so do.

Homemade Beef Stock
Yields 2
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 quarts water, or enough to cover
  2. 3 lbs beef short ribs with bones, or a mix of prime rib bones & short rib bones
  3. 1 large onion, quartered
  4. 2 medium carrots, quartered
  5. 2 celery ribs, quartered
  6. 8 whole allspice
  7. 2 bay leaves
  8. 1 TBS salt
  9. 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
  1. Bring broth to a boil in a soup kettle or dutch over. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
  2. Remove and cool ribs. Skim fat and strain broth - discarding all veggies and seasonings.
  3. Remove meat from the bones - it's golden!
  4. Use for your choice of soup. Beef vegetable is perfect.
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
Eat up!
C

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