As the cooler weather approaches, what better time to have a "soup and stew" themed recipe swap? I submitted my very favorite soup, Cream of Pumpkin. In return, I received a recipe from JBean Cuisine for chicken pot pie. I love chicken pot pie, but have never made one from scratch. Be warned: this is …
Main Course
Polenta is medium- to coarse-ground cornmeal, cooked in hot liquid. Some view it as an essential comfort food. It can be cooked on the stovetop, similarly to rice. It can also be baked, or fried. When cooked like rice, it "sets up" (congeals) quickly, so cook it just before you serve the meal. Start the tomato …
I received an email late last week from a representative at DinnerTool.com, asking if I'd be interested in a link exchange. They would list my blog on their site, if I would place a link to theirs on my blog. Having never heard of the site, I went over to check it out. I really …
In honor of the beginning of football season, this recipe swap's theme was appetizers/tailgate food. I'm not a fan of football — give me hockey! — but I am a fan of tailgate food. I received a recipe for BBQ chicken dip from Hezzi D's Books and Cooks. I made very few changes to Hezzi's …
In preparation for the arrival of the newest member of the DNCWWO household in early December, I'm compiling a list of recipes to freeze, as I'm sure I won't have much time for cooking once the baby arrives. I have a few favorites, but I wanted to test out some new recipes, too. I also …
Before I moved to a different neighborhood in Philadelphia, I lived just up the street from the New Wave Cafe. Though many items on their menu sounded delicious, I always ordered the same thing: their Philly Cheesesteak Spring Roll appetizer. Being a Philly girl, born and raised, I love cheesesteaks. But they only come in …
I was excited to see a seafood recipe swap on the cooking message board on which I post. I've only relatively recently (about six years ago) begun to eat seafood, and I tend to stick to what I know I like (shrimp scampi, lemon dill salmon). So I was hoping this swap would expose me …
At the age of 10, my family visited the New Jersey shore for vacation. One night, we went to a seafood restaurant for dinner. I felt sick to my stomach the moment we entered the restaurant. I felt better the moment we left. All I remember was a sickening "fishy" smell. I refused to touch …
I thought I had blogged about this already, but apparently I haven't. I linked to the original recipe in my first Thanksgiving menu post back in '09, but I have since made some additions to the soup which make it even better! With the heavy cream, it's not exactly healthy, but one reviewer of the …
Can I tell you how much I LOVE having a farmer's market two blocks from my apartment? I get fresh, locally grown produce for much cheaper than the grocery stores. As well as meat, spices, flowers, etc. I got an ounce of ground cardamom today for less than a quarter of what it would cost …
Now that I'm in my new neighborhood, I'm within walking distance of Philadelphia's Italian Market. In the mid- to late-1800s, several Italian immigrants opened stores on 9th Street, selling ethnic foods. Now, there are also Chinese, Vietnamese and Mexican stores as well. You can buy things like fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, cheese, and spices. …
I must be on a burger kick or something. Totally did not intend to do two burger blogs in a row. But I guess that's what happens when you only blog every week (or every other week!). I was going through old Bon Appetit magazines last night, writing down recipes that sounded good, going to …
I wanted something quick and easy for dinner tonight. Ground meat was on sale at the grocery store, and on a whim, I picked up a package of ground beef, pork and veal (yes, all in one package -- it's marketed as "fresh meatloaf"). These burgers are very flavorful and juicy. Basil BurgersAdapted from AllRecipes.comServes …
Yikes! I've been really bad at keeping this updated! OK, please accept my offering of a REALLY easy, REALLY yummy appetizer as my apology. Cheesy Bruschetta AppetizerSource: My friend, Sherri Ingredients 1 loaf of ciabatta bread, sliced in half lenghtwise 1 jar of store-bought pesto 1 jar of store-bought bruschetta 1 pkg (about 7 oz) …
I was invited to a neighbor's house to watch the Superbowl on Sunday. I don't enjoy football, but I went anyway, just to socialize and eat. And, oh, was there food! Everyone brought a dish to share, so we ended up with 3 different kinds of wings, veggies with dip, pulled pork sandwiches, chili, and …
There is a chain of sandwich/coffee shops along the East Coast (and spreading!) that I absolutely love. Warm atmosphere, cool music, comfy chairs — I could hang out there for hours! The food and the coffee are awesome, too. My favorite dessert is the s'mores you make at your table! My favorite sandwich is their TBM …