Gourmet Tater Tot Casserole

We are now officially out of the mid west and I can stop pretending that calling something hot dish is socially acceptable. I don't think that in our 10 years living there I ever willingly called something I made a hot dish. Now I don't even have to silently nod as I inwardly cringe at the word.

No matter what it's called, I've been craving a tater tot covered meat dish for weeks now. As I checked out various recipes online I was prepared to make the standard ground beef and cheese casserole but then I came across this amped up version of tater tot casserole and I was inspired!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Sausage Filling



 

How quickly the time goes. I feel like we were just enjoying the last days of Summer and now here we are prepping for another Thanksgiving. We haven't had snow here yet so at least I can be Thankful for that. And good food. I've been surrounded by some amazing food the last week or so, from restaurants and friends to trying some new recipes in my own kitchen. It's so amazing to see what people with so much more talent than I have can do with some simple ingredients.

Salsa, Beef and Cheese Chiles Rellenos

 

Happy Cinco de Mayo! When you hear of Sabra, most of you probably think of their amazing hummus, but did you know they also have an amazing assortment of salsas and dips? I absolutely love their salsa and I am always amazed at how fresh they taste. They have 8 varieties that are perfect for any party or event you have coming up and are always made with vine-ripened tomatoes and perfectly selected vegetables .

Apple and Rosemary Stuffed Pork Chops

I was walking through Costco yesterday trying to decide what I wanted to make for our Sunday dinner this week when I came across these beautiful pork chops. We haven't had pork chops in a long time and I'm not usually a big fan because all I can typically find are the thin little pork chops in the grocery store. These ones were about two inches thick and even though they were boneless, which is usually another strike, they looked perfect.

Roast Beef, Blue Cheese and Onion Jam Panini

 

 

There's something so satisfying about a well made sandwich. Not a sandwich where you just throw on some deli meat and condiments and call it good, but one where you layer the flavors and combine ingredients and textures to create something that's more than its individual parts.  

Dinner in the Garden 2014

For the last couple years, each summer we have hosted a dinner in the garden where we set up a formal dinner outside and celebrate the wonderful foods that we are growing in our own and local farmers gardens. We missed last year with all of our remodeling so we were excited to get back on our normal routine.  I love creating the menu and cooking some fun new foods and sharing them with our friends.

Pork Loin Braised in Milk

I honestly feel like it's been so long since I've made something worth blogging about. I'm still cooking but just haven't had the time to think of anything very creative and then the week just flies by.

I was in Wyoming last week for my Grandpa's funeral. It was one of those times where it's a horrible reason to be together but it's also a great thing to have almost everyone together in one place. I brought our youngest with me since she still flies for free and then we got to spend some time at our cabin in Star Valley with cousins and my brothers. Of course we also had to make some donuts for everyone so I did even get some cooking in out there.

Hummus and Edamame Pasta with Caramelized Tomatoes

This dish was the last meal that we made in our kitchen before we tore it out. On Saturday morning our old kitchen looked like this:

Now it looks like this:

We've got a lot of work to do but I can't wait to share the progress with you and hoping it turns out as great as it is in my head!

Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon and Butternut Squash

It's Pi day and what better way to celebrate than with a whole assortment of pies!

I remember every year in high school there was always a Pi day celebration and one of the events was to see who could memorize Pi the farthest. I never participated but I was always amazed at how far some people got.

Are you surprised that I'm posting a savory pie today? I kind of am. I was trying to figure out what I wanted to make and I just couldn't think of a sweet pie that I was really craving. Which is also odd. I have been craving chicken pot pie for awhile now though so it kept coming back to me. I had a recipe that I loved that I made a whole bunch a year or so ago but I haven't been able to find it lately. I gave up on finding it so I went exploring the internet for something new. I found this one on Bon Appetit and I thought it would serve as a good base and I liked how it was a bit different than usual.

Borscht

What's the most powerful memory that you have that's tied to a specific smell? I think many of my memories are tied to remembering a specific smell, whether it be the wet streets as it starts to rain in Seattle or the blast of aroma of freshly baked bread as you walk in the door.

One of my favorite parts of cooking is the smells. You start out using a spice like freshly ground nutmeg or crushed garlic. Wonderful smells individually start to come together with other ingredients as you cook or mix them together. Then as something simmers away on the stove top or starts to bake, the aromas fill your home, tempting you with what's to come. I love the anticipation of it, the not being able to fully experience the food yet, but with some smells that are powerful enough, you almost can.