ReFeatured!!

Remember once upon a time when I was featured on Incredible Crunchy Flavor for my homemade week?  I did it again {sort of}!  Enjoy Anna, her lovely blog and my nonbeef nonsour cream stroganoff!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Hmmm, I said to myself after dropping off my husband at the airport.  What now?

SOUP!  I responded loudly.

Then I realized there was no reason to shout when you’re the only person home.

Mmmmk, shall we?

Merry Holidays 09: Part 5 of Sixty

We {and by we I mean me} woke up early on Christmas morning to start making breakfast.  I did all of the cooking that weekend to help out.  My mom really kills herself in the kitchen when are all together, especially for holidays.  So I volunteered.  As you know I made the calzones, and the baked french toast that I popped in the oven to get cooking.  In addition to the french toast on Christmas morning, we also had some of the Pioneer Woman’s breakfast bowls!

Merry Holidays 09: Part 4 of 67majillion

Ok.  So, we decorated, we have found the pickle, we made a gingerbread house, and had some Christmas Eve dinner, ala the Pioneer Woman.  Then, we saw Eric off to church.

And I had to get started prepping for Christmas morning breakfast!

Very Simple Garlic Shrimp

To spoon over his gnocchi, I made MB a very easy shrimp dish.

Garlic Shrimp

• 1lb pre cook, deveined no tail shrimp
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ~2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 baby carrots,  cut with the potato peeler

Homemade Gnocchi

I know right.  So VERY Barefoot Contessa of me {I don’t know who that is.  I can only assume she’s some sort of food maven who shows her tatas a lot and makes ‘tasty’ treats via the Food Network.}

I decided I wanted to make some gnocchi because we had nothing to feed MB for lunch and it reminds of cold nights and warm dinners.  Which is what we’ve been having a lot of.  I digress.  I consulted my two kitchen heroes:  Anna and Martha.  The result was perfect.

Whole Wheat Potato Gnocchi {adapted from Martha’s recipe above}

• 4 large (about 2 pounds) Idaho potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Let’s get started shall we.

Merry Holidays 09 — Part 3 of 6100

After the pickle was found the Gbread house decorated Christmas eve came with a start!  Big Paul and I did our traditional last minute shopping for Janny and then we were home for me to make a very tasty calzone for Christmas Eve Dinner.  Behold, the variation of the Pioneer Woman’s Cowboy Calzone.

Baked Brownies

When I first read about “baked” brownies I thought these brownies were going to be kind of eh.  I mean, honestly, what brownies aren’t baked?  Well turns out it isn’t the simple act of baking the brownies that names these tasty little treats.  ”Baked” is actually  the name of cook book.  And brownies actually belong in my belly.  OK I’m horrible.  Here are the brownies.  From scratch.  Make them and then give yourself a huge hug.  And a brownie.

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Hot Artichoke Dip

Christmas is a time for giving, yes? A time for being selfless and helpful and cheery. Well, the truth of the matter is I’ve not been ANY of those things for the last 18 days. Actually I think I’ve been exactly the opposite of all of those things. Sorry.

So, to that end I thought I’d let you in on one of my newest and best secrets. The Pioneer Woman’s Hot Artichoke Dip.  Run, do not walk, to your nearest grocer and buy these ingredients.  This dip will keep you warm during the “snow storm” and happy that you are alive.

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Freaking amazing.  Shall we?

Peppermint Bark

I love William Sonoma.  Probably more than I love long runs, pink Gatorade, blogging and my iMAC.  Seriously that much.  I think the love is spawned MOSTLY from their silicone spatulas and scrapers changing the landscape of my kitchens for all time.  That and they have the cow creamer I never got as a wedding gift.

While shopping for MB’s xmas gift, I stumbled upon my most favorite but least indulged holiday treat, the peppermint bark.

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