Month: November 2017

Holiday Gifts for Book Lovers

On November 29, 2017

Gifts For Book lovers

I wanted to share a few of my favorite books from this year. Do you have a book lover on your holiday shopping list? Or, maybe you are looking for books for yourself to read over the holidays. Here is a list of books that touched me in some way during 2017. What could be better than sitting near the Christmas tree, curled up with a cup of tea, and a terrific book? If you said very little then we’d be in agreement!

The Hate U Give

Racial tensions, police not being held accountable, privilege, and when to stay and fight and when to go. The story is told from the viewpoint of an adolescent girl who faces these realities on a daily basis as she moves back and forth from her neighborhood and the private school she attends.

Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

The only thing I knew about Trevor Noah was that he replaced Jon Stewart as host of the Daily Show. I never watched the Daily Show once Stewart left. I didn’t know that Trevor Noah was from South Africa. This book was hysterically funny, poignant, and heart-breaking in parts.

Rabbit Cake

I loved this book and the main character, Elvis, she will steal your heart. It is a beautifully written coming-of-age story about a family dealing with a tragedy and what they do to cope.

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane got great reviews when it was published earlier this year. I was so engrossed in the story which moved back and forth between the tea-growing mountains in China and suburban life in California. Everyone who I recommended this book to also loved it.

Obama: An Intimate Portrait

Pete Souza has been the designated White House photographer for both Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. His photos are incredibly beautiful and capture the mood and character of his subjects. His Instagram account @petesouza is well worth a follow whether you are a photographer, a political junkie, or just enjoy the subtlest throwing of shade you’ve seen in a long time.

Moonglow

Michael Chabon’s writing is so good! This novel tells the story of the author’s grandfather as told to him the weeks before his grandfather’s death. It is poignant and funny and you can’t help but fall in love with both the grandson and the grandfather. I loved it.

Kindle Paperwhite E-reader

I was sooooooo resistant to moving over to an eReader. All the usual sentiments such as ‘I like holding a book….I love the smell of a book.’ I told myself and anyone who recommended a Kindle all those things. The main reason that I held out was that I was (am) an avid library user.

Initially, there was no way to borrow eBooks from the library. But, that issue has been resolved and you can now borrow eBooks from the library. But, the added benefits that I didn’t expect were how nice it is to have some back-lighting on the page and the ability to increase the font size of the text. Both are super helpful to aging eyes. I enthusiastically encourage you to try a Kindle. It’s a game-changer.

Amazon.com $25 Gift Card

Amazon gift cards are a welcome gift for any book-lover especially if you aren’t sure what they may have already read.

I would love to hear what books you read and loved this year. Drop a comment below. Also, do you use an eReader or do you prefer books?

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

Crispy Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Aioli

Artichokes have always been part of my family’s holiday traditions. As long as I can remember, my Grandparents would fly into town for Thanksgiving and my Grandmother would always make stuffed artichokes. Whole artichokes were ‘stuffed’ with breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and seasoning then steamed for 45 minutes. So, these crispy artichoke hearts with lemon aioli are a nod to her and my family’s Italian ancestry. Equally as delicious but much quicker to prepare and cost effective because you use frozen artichoke hearts instead of fresh whole artichokes.

Don’t get me wrong, I love whole artichokes and still cook them from time to time but I have fallen for this preparation of crispy artichoke hearts with lemon aioli as one of my go to appetizers. Another thing that I love about this recipe is that you can keep all the ingredients on hand fairly easily so no running to the store at the last minute because your friends are doing a pop in this evening for a drink. Doesn’t that sound good?

But first, I want to talk for a minute about growing artichokes in your garden. Have you grown them? Have you seen them growing in someone else’s garden? One of my friends had a neighbor who had them in her garden and they were rather magnificent. Check out the video below to see what they look like in the wild. Well, not the wild but not in the grocery store or Costco.

Okay, back to crispy artichoke hearts with lemon aioli. I keep a bag or two of artichoke hearts in my freezer all the time. With a simple egg wash, a dunk into bread crumbs, a quick bake in the oven, you can have an elegant appetizer ready in less than thirty minutes. Be sure to check out my recipe for Asparagus and Artichoke Frittata if you want more artichoke recipes.

You will also want a dipping sauce for these crispy bites. There are two sauces that I love to serve with crispy artichoke hearts. One is a lemon aioli which is luscious and a great companion for the artichokes. You can also serve them with marinara sauce which is a little bit lighter than aioli.

How to Make Crispy Artichoke Hearts with Lemon Aioli

Whether you decide to dip in aioli or marinara sauce or both, let me know if you try these crispy artichoke hearts. You can be sure that I will be serving these up this holiday season.

Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for Cooks

By Diane Hartford

On November 24, 2017

In Lifestyle

Happy holidays! I don’t know about you but I am most definitely not a get up early, fight the crowds, Black Friday kind of shopper. For me, I prefer to sit on my comfy couch, with a cup of coffee and my laptop to make a dent in my holiday shopping list. For more on how I keep track of my shopping list, check out this post.

You know who these people are on your list. They always know the best places to eat, they subscribe to multiple food magazines, and would rather be in the kitchen than pretty much anywhere. Food is love for these folks. Food is love, people.

Here are few gift ideas than any foodie would love to find under the tree. Or, maybe you are like me (not much of a shopper) and you tend to buy things for yourself during the holidays when you are shopping for others. Whether you are buying for someone on your list or yourself, here are few of my favorite kitchen essentials.

Instant Pot

The gift that is on everyone’s wish list. If you have one you know how fanatical devotees are, if you don’t have one, take it from me, the Instant Pot is a game-changer.

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

OXO Good Grips Mandoline

The tool that makes slicing pretty much anything a breeze. I love to slice veggies paper thin. You can take credit for your incredible knife work, no one will be the wiser.

OXO Good Grips V-Blade Mandoline Slicer

Enameled Dutch Oven

If the fancy French brand is out of your budget, this enameled cast iron Dutch oven by Lodge is a great alternative. I have one of these and use it several times a week.

Lodge EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, Island Spice Red

Cast Iron Skillet

I was SO hesitant about investing in a cast iron pan, I held out for years because I was intimidated by the care and upkeep. But, once I got one and started using it, there was no looking back. I love my cast iron pan and with a little bit of tender loving care it keeps getting better with age.

Lodge L8SK3 10-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet

Immersion blender

The ultimate soup-maker! I use this immersion blender every single weekend while making a pot of soup. It does a great job blending and it so much easier to clean than a blender.

Cuisinart CSB-75BC Smart Stick 200 Watt 2 Speed Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome

Baking Sheets

Every cook needs at least a few of these baking sheets. These heavy-duty baking sheets help ensure even cooking whether you are roasting veggies or baking cookies.

Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Half Sheet

Are there any kitchen tools that you are hoping to find under the tree this holiday season? If so, let me know in the comments below.

Note: This post contains affiliate links

Maple Walnut Crostini

Note: This post contains affiliate links*

Crostini are always on my appetizer short-list when I am planning a party. For those that aren’t sure, crostini are an Italian appetizer consisting of toasted bread with toppings. Crostini are great appetizers because you can toast the bread and make the toppings ahead of time. As the holiday season is upon us, I wanted to incorporate some seasonal flavors into the topping. Thus, the Goat Cheese and Maple Walnut Crostini was born!

Let me lay down the process of making these crostini for you. First, you are going to make a batch of maple walnuts. You can do this step a few days in advance of when you want to serve the crostini. To make the maple walnuts, you will combine butter and maple syrup with spices. After adding the walnuts you will stir to coat and the sauce is reduced. You will want to cool the walnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be careful transferring the walnuts from the pan to the baking sheet. They are hot! I speak from experience.

The second step is to slice the Chiogga beets very thinly. Chioggas are sometimes called candy cane beets, not because of their flavor but because of their beautiful red and white striped interior. You can peel and slice the beets the day before you plan to serve the crostini. If Chiogga beets are your thing (as they are mine) you may want to check out my Smoked Salmon Beet Bites too.

If you have a mandoline, slicing the beets very thinly is a snap. I love, love, love my mandoline (to be clear, I am talking about a Japanese-style slicing tool not the musical instrument). I use it all the time when I need food sliced very thinly or very evenly or both! The XOX Brand Mandolin is my favorite. It is super affordable, dishwasher-safe, and easy to store. A word of caution: the V-shaped blade in mandolins are very sharp and you should always use the included food holder to protect your fingers from the blade. Again, I learned this the hard way. Twice.

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The last do-ahead tip I want to share is to make the crostini up to three days before you want to serve them. I typically buy a baguette for crostini. I like the small size of the bread. It is the perfect bite. Slice your baguette into about 1/2’’ slices. Drizzle the slices of baguette with olive oil and a sprinkle or salt and pepper.

You can either make your crostini on the grill or under the broiler. Whichever way you decide to make your crostini, be sure to keep your eye on them. They can go from just about there to burnt mess in no time at all.

How to Make Goat Cheese and Maple Walnut Crostini

Once you have all your components ready, you just need to assemble the crostini shortly before you want to serve. Place crostini on a platter, place one slice of Chiogga beet on the crostini, top with a dollop or slice of goat and top with a maple walnut. I recommend taking the goat cheese out of the refrigerator an hour before you want to prepare the crostini.

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Cranberry Nut Bread

Why do we only eat cranberries between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Why? They are delicious and nutritious! Dried cranberries broke through years ago to enjoy year-round glory but fresh cranberries still haven’t been able to escape the holiday niche. Enter Cranberry Nut Bread which is delightful in the morning with a cup of coffee or equally delicious in the afternoon with a cup of tea.

In recent years I have gotten a little bit better about stocking up at the grocery store on fresh cranberries in November and December but I have to admit that last weekend while doing a freezer inventory I found one unused bag of cranberries from last year. Sigh. Why? I love them. How did I let them linger in the freezer for nearly a year?

I don’t know. I have no excuse, only the promise to myself to do better and to ask you to join me. Let’s liberate the cranberry to a year-round fruit. We love cranberries, right? Tangent: I want to make this Cranberry Lime Ginger Sauce for Thanksgiving this year! Doesn’t it sound amazing?

Did you know that cranberries are only harvested for 6-8 weeks per year? I learned that watching the video below. It’s fascinating to watch.

Okay, let me tell you about this cranberry nut bread. I have lightened it up using apple sauce instead of oil in the recipe. The result is a light, moist loaf. There is also a swirl of cinnamon, sugar, and pecans in the middle of the loaf which adds a nice crunch and sweet balance to the tart cranberries.

I would love to hear if you serve cranberries at Thanksgiving and how you serve them. Does your family like cranberries? Do they prefer homemade cranberry sauce or the canned stuff? Do you have a favorite recipe? If you do, drop it in the comments section below.

How to Make Cranberry Nut Bread

Wild Rice Salad

How much time do you spend thinking about rice? I mean, where does it come from? Do you know how it grows and is harvested? I must admit that I hadn’t given it much thought until I read Amy Thielen’s Give a Girl a Knife and she talked about her husband harvesting wild rice near their home in Minnesota. Be sure to check out the video below that shows two guys in a canoe harvesting wild rice. You will never look at wild rice the same again.

Inspired by the harvesting process, I picked up a bag of wild rice at Trader Joe’s. Wild rice is low-carb and gluten-free, so this wild rice salad might be a welcome addition to your Thanksgiving table. Which brings up a topic that I am endlessly curious about, Thanksgiving menus. Are you a traditionalist or do you like to mix it up with new recipes?

I have always been a new recipe kind of girl and didn’t realize how contentious that could be for people. Who knew that replacing the traditional green bean casserole with haricots vert with a lemon almond gremolata could have ruined Thanksgiving for some of my family members a few years back? Oops!

Wild rice has a chewy texture and nutty taste and makes a hearty base for this salad. Truth be told, when I created this recipe recently it was because I needed a dish to bring to a potluck gathering. My goal was to make a dish using only ingredients that I had on hand so I wouldn’t have to go to the grocery store. The good news is that most of these ingredients are pantry items that you might have in your kitchen.

I will cut to the chase, this wild rice salad got great reviews! The dried fruit adds a little bit of sweetness to the salad while the green onions and parsley add freshness. The almonds lend some crunch. Whether you make this for a potluck or for Thanksgiving, the good news is that you can make it a day ahead of time. I think it tastes better after sitting for a day. If you make it ahead of time, I would reserve a little bit of fresh parsley to garnish the salad just before serving.

How to Make Wild Rice Salad

If you are looking for other holiday recipes, check out:

Salmon Salad with Avocado

There is nothing like a plate of salmon and greens that just makes you feel healthier for eating it. I sometimes feel as if I deserve a medal when I make this Salmon Salad with Avocado. We all know how important it is to increase the amount vegetables in our diets but did you know that salmon has its own set of health benefits? Just enter the search terms ‘salmon’ or ‘omega-3’ into Google Scholar to see how salmon can reduce inflammation, has anti-oxidants, improve the vascular system, among other benefits.

But we aren’t here to talk about nutrition and health benefits. We are here to talk about deliciousness and this salmon salad with avocado does not disappoint. I like to cook the salmon in a cast iron skillet. Check out my recipe for Pan-seared Salmon for details on the technique. Or, you can also cook the salmon outside on a BBQ. When I prepare salmon, I typically just season the fillet with salt and pepper to let the flavor of the fish shine through.

For the greens, I love the flavor and texture of a spring or mesclun mix. When I make a salad, I like to think about incorporating various flavors and textures. The avocado adds a rich creaminess to the dish. The cucumber and sprouts bring freshness to the recipe. The red onion provides a bite and almonds give the salad some crunch.

While salmon is the star of this dish, green goddess dressing is the leading lady. It is super easy to make and tastes so incredibly fresh when you make it at home. Use a mixture of herbs to maximize the taste of the green goddess dressing if you make it yourself. I love chives, parsley, and basil but use what you have. I typically use this recipe for green goddess dressing when I make salmon salad with avocado but you can use whatever dressing you favor.

I would love to hear about what ingredients you like in your salmon salad. Let me know in the comments below. I am always on the hunt for inspiration.

How to Make Salmon Salad with Avocado

Check out these other salmon recipes: