Chicken Cordon Bleu with two sauces!

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 It’s time to take things a little retro. Chicken cordon bleu (which translates to “blue ribbon”) may not have actually originated at the famed French cooking school, but it was  nonetheless a winning dish for many American families in the 1960s and ’70s. The key components—breaded chicken breast, cheese, and ham. I love classic chicken cordon bleu in all its gloriousness. I really do! But, sometimes I want it done in a more elegant way....... here we go, just in time for Easter!

Zucchini Meat Loaf Provence

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When Fall and Winter come marching in with a chill in the air....I think .....meatloaf.  It was one dish I had a lot growing up.  I didn't even think about putting zucchini in my Mom's recipe, until I tasted this in one of my cooking classes, years ago.  It keeps the meatloaf very moist, and the best part is that the kids don't even notice the vegetables! My kids loved this growing up and Wee Bear goes a little crazy every time I make it.

Paccheri pistachios, dried tomatoes & ricotta ... Cibo Squisito!

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Paccheri are very large tubes. In fact, they are so large that they collapse when cooked, trapping inside them whatever they have been sauced with. The name means "slaps", because they supposedly make a noise like slaps, when lifted by a fork. You'll hear the "slap"  in the following recipe!

Crispy pork cutlets with lemon caper aoli!

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Wee Bear loves schnitzel, and over the years I have tweeked the recipe, changed the sauce and accompaniments, just to keep it interesting! When I spotted this recipe, I knew we were only a meal away from a new taste treat.

Rosemary Chicken Chowder

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I have a delicious recipe for you all today! This is officially my new favorite soup. So, so delicious. And so easy to make!

Roasted Tomato thyme butter bruschetta!

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Roasted Tomato Butter with Fresh Thyme

My neighbor and I both, have lot's of tomatoes on the bush that are calling to us, "pick me, pick me!" 

Chicken pot pie! For Autumn!

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The arrival of Fall and the cooler weather always prompts me to fire up the oven and make these delicious 'Chicken Pot Pies". I wouldn't think of baking these during the Summer 90 degree weather, but, as soon as the weather starts to turn, I am thinking mmmmm I want to re-visit and taste this delicious sauce inside a yummy crunchy crust. I can hardly wait to cut out the little chicken that I lay on top the crust....I am smiling.

Million Dollar Chicken!

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Next time you want to impress your friends and family with your cooking prowess, make this!! Next time you want to make juicy flavorful chicken, make this!! Next time you want to have a mouth party, make this!! Do you get what I am saying?

Hatch Pepper aoli and stuffed hatch peppers!! Oooh lala!

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 Delicious hamburger's with "Hatch chile spiked aoli", "Chorizo stuffed Hatch peppers" and Billy's favorite potato salad.....our Monday night dinner! Yummy? YES!!!!

Delores Broken Hearted Chicken

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Far be it for me to revel in someone else’s misery. I get no pleasure out of other people’s heartbreak…....well, until now!

I came across this recipe and honestly, it was the picture that grabbed me. I’m not even sure I noticed the name of the dish until later. I decided to make it and, as suspected, it was delicious, what's not to like? Garlic, bacon, sherry and chicken. This chicken is some of the most succulent I have ever had. 

KFC Chicken (mock)

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♥ Baked KFC Chicken ♥

  Did the secret get discovered?  KFC's secret recipe? It is very close and it is also baked...not fried! Wee Bear and I enjoyed this delicious baked chicken, that I found on my Facebook feed.

JJ's Manilla clams

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One of my favorite things about the cuisine in the Pacific Northwest is Manilla clams.....everyone who knows me, knows I love Manilla clams! Did you know you don’t have to go to Manila to get manila clams? We have them right here!!

Veal Scallops with Mushroom Brandy Cream Sauce!

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Wee Bear is already whining! He had just discovered his new favorite dish at Gianfrancos  in North Scottsdale, and now he has his frowny face here in Seattle. So, last night I surprised him with my rendition of his favorite dish at Gianfrancos. Every time he ordered it, he would say, "this is a JJ sauce, you can make this!" I just smile, he is such a great supporter of my endeavors.

Two new appetizers- Pancetta wrapped mango & veggie shooters!

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 Memorial Day holiday weekend is here! Have you decided who you will be celebrating with? Have you decided what you'll be eating? Whether you are hosting a barbeque or would like to place flowers on a loved ones headstone, we are hoping you enjoy your Holiday and have very pleasant memories. 

We decided we wanted to get one last pizza party in with our outdoor pizza oven, before we fly back to Seattle for the "Summer of babies"! What about you? If you're still figuring out what to make, here's 12 delicious ideas to consider that will be a great addition to the holiday table...

Tink's Chicken Enchilada's

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My daughter Holly has mentioned these delicious chicken enchilada's to me many times. It is one of her after work go to recipes and now I know why! They are the perfect blend of creaminess with just the right amount of "KICK", they take about 30 minutes of preparation time and 30 minutes of conventional baking time or 15 minutes of Convection bake time. I paired with herbed rice and my Cabo Quinoa salad .......delish!

Veal Scallops in Wild Mushroom Tarragon sauce

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Veal in a mustard cream sauce is a classic. This  recipe is perfect for a quick dinner like we had a few nights ago or a dinner party for six.  If you get all your prep work done ahead of time, everything comes together in less than 10 minutes. If you are not too picky, you could even make it late in the afternoon and give it a quick reheat just before serving.  Accompany, with orzo or white rice, it is delicious!  At this time of the year, a rhubarb strawberry cobbler or a fruit crostata would be a perfect dessert. I pound the veal a bit and dry the scallops in paper towels. Use fresh tarragon, it's milder; or use half the amount if you are using dried.  Try cooking with the same wine you are serving for dinner.  And use all of the cream, it needs it, but if you are watching your waistline, you can use half and half, however the sauce will be thinner. The recipe calls for coarse grained Dijon.  I used regular and felt it tasted great!

Short Rib Ravioli with Mushroom sauce!

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There are a lot of foods that can be considered decadent, I think, but slow braised beef short ribs have to be near the top of the list, for me. Beefy, hearty and oh so scrumptious, these unassuming looking slabs of meat cannot be overstated. I don’t know why I don’t make them more often, but 2 or 3 times a year they find their way into my repertoire with a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and a few other ingredients. About 6 hours later, I’ve got fall of the bone juicy pieces of steaming beef ready to be paired with almost anything and the residual jus from the pot is like liquid gold. As perfect as they are simply accompanied by my creamy mashed potatoes, as in my December 3rd post.  I recently was inspired to step it up!

SRS~Homemade Hamburger Helper

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I am super extra excited today. I just love the Surprise Recipe Swap because I like finding new recipes and trying them out, for not only Wee Bear and I, but YOU!  This is our third month and third swap! If you want in, the details are at the end of the post, just click the SRS button! We always post on the 20th of the month, hence, why I didn't post yesterday. In the meantime, let’s talk about who I am blogging about this month! Her name is Michelle and she has this sweet blog called Michelle's Tasty Creations!

Cornish game hens with herbed Quinoa stuffing!

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This recipe isn't as much trouble as it looks and most of it can be made the day before.  It is a wonderful main course for a dinner party, one in which you will surely impress your dinner guests.  I would suggest though that you make it for a group of close friends.  This is definitely not for elegant entertaining...you want to be able to get at those little morsels next to the bone and the picture won't be dainty, but definitely worth the effort. Wee Bear does not like to deal with bones, so, this time I de-boned for him. I did not ballantine/gallantine this time, which would be tedious with a cornish game hen, but, do-able. I cut the meat off the bones after roasting and this time, he made sure he got every bite and then some!  The stuffing is to die for and can definitely be served  with something else such as turkey, quail or duck. 

Speghetti Dog's for KIDS!!

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How would you like to make something that your kids/grand kids will love? Better yet, how would you like to get the kids into the kitchen to make their own lunch/dinner and have fun doing it? My long time friend Jane, did just that with her grand children. They had a great time!