Hummus Stuffed Sweet Peppers

Renovation is still in full swing around here so we're doing many quick and easy meals, things in the crock pot and definitely grilling. Grilling means no mess in the kitchen and no stepping over wires and holes in the floor for the duration of the meal.

I love the creativity that the grill opens you up to as well. You don't have to just grill burgers on it. Throw on fruit, veggies or any number of other things and you're sure to come up with a fun meal. Last year I recreated these jalapeno peppers that we had experienced at the state fair. As I was thinking of new ways to use my Sabra hummus and the sweet peppers I had in the fridge, those state fair treats came right back to me.

Music and Movies in the Park with Duff Goldman

It couldn't have been a much better evening than last Thursday night. They had warned of thunderstorms for the evening but they never came about and it ended up being the perfect temperature to spend an evening in the park enjoying some great food and a movie with the family.

We don't get out much to any formal activities lately with all the construction going on, so it was nice to put this on the calendar and force ourselves to take an evening off and just enjoy some time together. I was invited by American Express to attend the recent cardmember event featuring Celebrity Chef Duff Goldman and sponsored by the Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express. There was going to be food trucks, desserts and book signing from Duff and then a movie in the park afterwards. How could we say no to that? This was part of the summer Music and Movies in the park series, which is a great opportunity to get out and see some great movies in some of the amazing parks throughout the city.

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!

Wild Rice Bread

 

Even when I don't seem to have time to really cook anything amazing, there always seems to be enough time to bake. Baking is therapeutic to me and I can do it without even thinking about it anymore. It just seems to fit in to your schedule if you allow it to.

For example, I really needed to get this bread made today but had a million other things to do as well. So I get the dough going and then I clean up the kitchen and clean the house during the first rise. Form it in to loaves and then mow the front lawn while it raises. Run inside, throw it in the oven and then finish the back lawn. Take it out of the oven, place it on the racks and let it cool while we run out to the store to finish our kitchen remodel plans.

German Pancakes

This is one of the first recipes that I ever made consistently as a kid. I remember I had the recipe written on a small note card and I would even take it with me when I stayed over at a friends house so that I could make it there. I'd be the star of the show even at 8 or 9 years old.

The ingredients are so simple but combine them and bake and an amazing transformation takes place. The batter rises up out of the pan at each corner creating gigantic crusty crests and then tender dense bread in the center of the pan. It's impressive as you pull it out of the oven but you've got to act fast, it quickly deflates in just a few minutes.

Danish Yeast Rolls

I think out of any type of bread other than your typical loaf of bread, I'm sure I've made cinnamon rolls the most. There's just nothing quite like a fresh from the oven cinnamon roll covered in sticky frosting. I've tried tons of different recipes and never really been disappointed with any. I certainly have my favorites and I love trying different variations of fillings and flavors.

I'm not quite sure what makes this specific recipe "Danish" but it's essentially a cinnamon roll but the filling is only sugar and coconut. I really like coconut and so I was surprised I had never tried this combination before. When I came across it at Red Star Yeast, I knew it was one I wanted to try.

Rosemary-Pine Nut Cookies

I had the opportunity to attend the latest Macy's Culinary Council demonstration here in Minneapolis last week with Chef Nancy Silverton. I love attending these events and getting a chance to see some of these great Chefs up close and personal.