Tag Archives: avocado

Ideas for St. Patrick’s Day Leftovers

St. Patrick’s Day is over, though you might have a hard time telling by looking in my refrigerator: No beer and lots of corned beef and cabbage leftovers. Blame it on the leprechauns or the fact that I overdid it on the corned beef. Regardless, I have my work cut out for me to try to breathe new life into all this leftover brine-cured beef. Fortunately, I have a few recipes that are perfect for leftover corned beef and cabbage. If you gorged on the traditional St. Patrick’s Day fare last night, and still have a hankering for the pickled … Continue reading →

A Garbage Disposal Salad?

Some headlines you just have to click. I was browsing some health headlines this morning and saw an interview with Kristen Bell — star of the new movie When in Rome. The headline I couldn’t resist clicking was this: “Kristen Bell’s diet secret? Garbage disposal salads.” You can read the full interview at Health.com if you’re curious… I certainly was! Turns out a “garbage disposal salad” is one where you put everything you can find into a salad. Fruits, veggies, nuts, cheeses, what have you. Bell commented that with so many flavors, you didn’t need the salad dressing. That’s a … Continue reading →

Chickenlicious Comfort Food

In our home chicken is king. You can’t beat the bird’s price, flavor, and its versatility. What’s more, my kid loves it, which means I am spared a night’s worth of cajoling, bribing and threatening, when chicken is on the menu. Chicken is also an excellent addition to popular comfort foods, such as soups and casseroles. This winter has been especially harsh in the Upper Midwest, so we’ve relied on comfort foods to help warm up. The following Chickenlicious dishes are among our favorites: PARMESAN CHICKEN SOUP Ingredients: 4 tablespoons olive oil 4 boneless chicken breasts, diced in to bite … Continue reading →

Comfort Food for Cold Days

With all due respect to the residents of Florida, 39 degrees as a high temperature in January is a heat wave compared to the daytime high of 9 degrees that we suffered through today. I was born and raised in Hawaii, but now live in Wisconsin, so I understand that all things are relative in the weather department. I also know the power of a warm meal on a cold day… regardless of how you define “cold.” The following recipes are among my favorite “comfort foods.” They can take the biting sting out of an icy day with minimal prep … Continue reading →

Tis the Season for Soup

Tis the season for frigid temperatures and family gatherings. If you’ve hosted meals for friends and family during the holiday season, then you know nothing feeds the masses like homemade soup. Not only is soup affordable, nutritious and tasty, it’s also very simple to make. What’s more, nearly all soup recipes can be prepared in advance, so you aren’t left chained to the stove in the kitchen while the rest of family is partying in the living room. The following are some of my family’s favorite winter soups: SIMPLE RAVIOLI SOUP Ingredients: 1 pound Italian sausage 1/2 cup diced onion … Continue reading →

Simple Seasonal Soups

Busy cooks appreciate the simplicity of soup, and with fall in full swing, this versatile dish is a welcome sight at mealtime. Not only is it warm and inviting, but soup can also be tailored to fit a variety of palates from meat lovers to vegetarians. The following autumnal soup recipes are designed especially for soup lovers looking to incorporate fresh fall vegetables into their diet: EASY BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Ingredients: 6 cups vegetable broth One 2-pound butternut squash (quartered, seeded, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces) 5 thyme sprigs 2 garlic cloves, halved 2 medium leeks, white and pale … Continue reading →

Simple Soup Recipes

Soup’s versatility makes it one of my all-time favorite dishes. It doesn’t take a ton of skill or time to whip up a big pot of hearty homemade soup. What’s more, a single pot can yield dinner plus leftovers for a quick and nutritious lunch the next day. The following recipes are among my very favorites. The Corned Beef Soup is ideal for using up leftover St. Patrick’s Day Corned Beef. Meanwhile, the Bratwurst Soup is a crock pot classic that cooks on its own while you tend to more important tasks. CORNED BEEF SOUP Ingredients: 1 tablespoon chicken paste … Continue reading →

Comfort Foods: Soup and Sandwiches

I grew up in Hawaii where the mercury rarely dips below 60 degrees. Needless to say, growing up, I didn’t crave soup as much as I do now that I live in the Upper Midwest where the average winter last about 8 months. These days soup and sandwiches are the ideal comfort food on a bitterly cold day. I’ve warmed up with the following recipes for the last decade. Hopefully, you will find them as warm and comforting as I do, regardless of where you reside. PATTY MELT Ingredients: 3 tablespoons butter 2 large onions, peeled and thinly sliced 8 … Continue reading →

Comfort Food Recipes

What’s your favorite comfort food? When I think of comfort food, dishes like pot roast, macaroni and cheese, soup and casseroles come to mind. We may have sprung ahead an hour this past weekend, but Old Man Winter still has our city firmly in his grasp. Consequently, I find myself digging out from under 7 inches of new snow, and digging around for some of my favorite comfort food recipes. Here are a couple of my top picks: CLASSIC CHICKEN CASSEROLE Ingredients: 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and pepper 1 jar dried beef (try Armour or Hormel) 6 strips … Continue reading →

International Soup Recipes

Despite the fact that temperatures were in the 80s during our recent trip to Hawaii, I couldn’t help but indulge in some of my favorite soup recipes. I am very fortunate to have an extended family of wonderful cooks, who love to feed visiting foodies. The Chicken Jook and Sausage and Bean Soup can be made in slow cookers, making preparation and clean up a breeze. Meanwhile, the Roast Pork Kim Chee Soup is bursting with flavor and is just as fast and easy to make as the Chicken Jook and Sausage and Bean Soup. All three are ideal for … Continue reading →