Dinner at Grandma's

I'm sure when most of us think of dinner at Grandma's house we think of a specific meal, delicious home cooking that only Grandma can reproduce and the company of our family. It has always amazed me how nothing quite tastes the same as Grandma's no matter how many times we try to reproduce the out come it is never the same. Maybe it's the over 50 years my Grandmother has been cooking delicious meals, maybe it's the company of those we love, or maybe (what i believe to be the most likely) it is a secret Grandma spice that is only available to grandmothers around the world. Which ever it is I know one thing, there is only one place I can find a delicious blend of heart, soul, and food.

I know most of us can think of our favorite "Grandma made" food and mine has to be my Grandmother's home made Chinese food. While my Grandma is full breed, 100% american through and through, she has a recipe for 3 simple chinese dishes that she started making for her family get togethers 40 years ago. While the family has grown older and changed going from her own sisters and cousins to now her children their sisters and children and now my grandmother's great grandchildren the recipes have remained the same.

My Grandmother's chinese food consists of delicious chop suey, sweet and sour chicken, and a baked pork dish that I dream about. Usually we get together once a year for this feast of sorts and we all eat until there is no more room and we feel as though we will never be able to eat agian. It never fails we end up bringing up old stories of Christmas' past and we all end up laughing so hard we are crying. We end up telling new news, sharing details of our day to day lives and we always enjoy sitting around an old wooden table and seeing those we haven't seen sometimes since months past.
The old wooden table has been around well since before I was born and I remember as a small child it used to fit us all if we pulled up an extra chair. Now that 1 table has grown into 2 tables that we sit at arm to arm talking and laughing and remembering old times.


In the days following these meals remember the wonderful smells, tastes, and company, one thought always comes to my mind. It amazes me what food can do. Food can bring families together and for even just an hour we can all sit around a table (or 2) together and laugh and remember and enjoy. Food has a power that few other forces have to unite us, to bring peace to our busy lives, and to give us if only for a moment a glimpse into the past to remember those who are still with us and those who have gone. So I suppose this post has turned into an ode to food and the joy it brings me.

Happy cooking

A Meal to Make You Say MMMmmmm!!

Ok I admit it, my husband and I are obsessed with pasta. We definately have a weekness for almost any combination of pasta and sauce. Last night was such a night that we both had a craving for pasta-y goodness. So we went to the store and picked up some heavy cream, parmesean cheese, roma tomatos, shallots, garlic, chicken, italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, fresh basil, green olives, capers, and bowtie pasta. What we didn't know was the combination of these simple ingrediants would leave our mouths watering and our stomachs craving more.

It has been less than 24 hours and I am already craving more of this pastas creamy goodness. Its a light sauce that suprises you here and there with a bite of salty green olive, and deliciously robust tomato. Not to mention the yummy bites of chicken and the deliciously al dente bowties. The basil gives this pasta a rich depth of flavor and color and is the bow on the top of the present.

Start by cutting 1 chicken breast into long thin pieces season with salt, pepper, and a healthy amount of italian seasoning. Heat a saute pan over medium high heat with a small amount of olive oil and place chicken in, don't move the chicken once its in the pan, allow it to get golden on the first side before you turn it over. You should only be turning it once, if you move the chicken it wont turn golden. Cook until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

You will need to chop up 2 shallot and 4 cloves of garlic warm olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat to start the sauce. Once the oil is warm saute garlic and shallots for about a minuet. You don't want to have your heat so high that you burn the garlic, this will cause a bitter taste and its not what your looking for. Once the garlic and shallots have sauted add 2 diced roma tomatoes, a pinch of red pepper flakes, 6 large olives chopped, and 5 chopped capers. Saute this for another minuet or so until you have infused the oil with the flavors. Add about 1 cup of heavy cream, and bring to a gentle simmer. Once it has reached a gentle simmer add 1/2 cup of Parmesean cheesse and continue to simmer until it slightly thickens. Add the chicken pieces at the end to warm through then toss the sauce with bowtie pasta that has been cooked to al dente.

Did I mention It's Hot?

I believe this picture should describe the way my summer has been going.

I picked up these beauty's at the farmers market for my husband who has been excited all week about making some habanero white chocolate ice cream. I hope to have some pictures soon to come. Well I know that I am keeping this post rather short and I do hope to have more next time but my work load has been increased tremendously and I have not found the time to do much else. I am praying for some rain to cool off the sticky icky weather and to give us some relief from the heat and from the electric bill. Oh how I long for the winter. Well good night to all and as always,

Happy cooking

Jennie

Simple Summer Meal

Tonight my husband and I enjoyed one of our favorite simple summer meals, if you ever want a quick and delicioius home made dinner this one is a must. It's a simple meal but with a little extra effort it can take it from ordinary to extrodinary.

I start out by boiling some water and gathering together a few large cloves of garlic.

Dice up the garlic and prepare the green beans chopping off the ends. During the summer we are never in a shortage of fresh green beans and using fresh beans makes a world of difference. They have a fresh crunch that you simply cant achive by using frozen or canned. If you have never tried fresh green beans I highly recommend it, even if you don't like canned or frozen green beans give this recipe a try it really is completely different. The fresh green beans when cooked al dente have a wonderful fresh and clean taste and adding garlic makes their robust flavor pop in your mouth.

Boil the beans until they are al dente. They should still have a crunch when they are finished. In the mean time I begin slicing onions for the chicken. Cut a small onion in half and then cut it into thin long stips. I read a book once on Asian cooking and a big part of their cuisine is the way they choose to cut their items. I never realised the signifigance a simple cut of an item could put on a meal. This is hands down my favorite way to cut onions. I love the thin long strips it creates. It is a delicious addition to many meals and can add a special touch to your dishes.

Once the beans have boiled for 5 min or so drain them and toss them into a pot that has been coated with extra virgin olive oil that has been heated, when you toss in the beans they should start sizzling right away. If they do not your oil is not warm enough a medium high heat should do the trick. Toss in the garlic and flavor with salt to your personal taste, you want to keep a close eye on the beans I prefer my beans to be slightly darkened in the frying but it's up to you how long you cook them.

In the mean time toss a tablespoon of butter into a pan along with a tablespoon and a half of balsalmic vinagar. Sweat the onions and add chicken breasts. Cook through until chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Once your chicken is cooked sit down with the ones you love and enjoy! Although it seems like a simple meal some little tricks such as frying the fresh green beans with garlic and adding onion and balsamic vinagar to your chicken can add a very special touch to this super simple meal.

I hope you will all have fun preparing and eating this meal. After a long stressfull day it's no fun to slave over a hot stove but at the same time who wants to eat take out all the time? Meals like this make life so easy for me and I hope they will bring ease to your life as well.

Happy Eating,

Jennie

Summer Joys

Summer is finally here and while I know I complain about the heat and humidty, my heart is secretly thrilled that it is once agian summer. At the begining of each season I get excited for the changes it will bring and cetainly one of my favorite things is the wonderful tasty and delicious foods the summer brings. I can practicly taste the season in the sights and smells all around me. I enjoy the farmers markets, the thrill of the cheap and wonderful crisp fresh produce to be found.



So far this summer we have been overjoyed with yummy cantalope, delicously sweet, ice cold watermelon. Yummy crisp, clean cucumber that is so fresh it crunches with every bite. Ooooh me I do love the summer something fierce. To once agian feel the heat of the sun shining down on me and once agian see the beauty of the birds as the sing there summer song. Ooh how i do love the summer time.

As usual I have not forgotten to make time to w.ork on my latest project




I have been working on my blanket as quickly as my fingers can stand but goodness me I am begining to think that I may have made this blanket far too large, the picture above the blanket is all folded up but I have wished I would have made it just a tad smaller. My husband says he likes how large it is but then agian he is very tall and constantly complains that no blanket is made for people of his height. So maybe it is a good thing after all. It's hard to work on a project of such large proportions as I catch my eyes wondering, finding other exciting new patterns I am dying to try. As of now they are going on a waiting list because I am simply insisting with myself that I will finish this blanket! I have seen many versions of the finished result and the work is well worth the pay out. So on I continue with my project. I hope to have new pictures soon with my progress being much farther along. I will soon have some new projects on here that will include the patterns. I am so bad about writing down patterns but I promise to all of you out there I will soon have a new project that we can all work on together!

Well little man is demanding my attention. He is quite destressed that he is just a wee too short to reach the couch.

Happy Hooking,
Jennie

This is my current project. If you haven't checked out attic24.typad.com you really don't know what your missing. Lucy's choice of vibrant colors and luscious designs make my mouth water. I can almost feel happiness radiating through her creations. This is one of hers and i have enjoyed every minuet of watching my very own blanket come together. Its quite eye catching don't you think? It really makes my eyes dance this way and that across the lines and up and down the rows. This blanket is going to look excellent tossed gently over the back of my couch i can almost already imagine its rippling lazy waves on a rainy fall day. My son loves this blanket too. He squeals with delight when I'm at the end of a row because before i fasten it off into the next color I let him roll around in its squishy brilliance. I love the smile he gets on his face as he uses his tiny pointer finger to touch each row as if he is counting them one by one. He will no doubt have many fun years building forts and tents with this larger than life blanket. For now he is content with the occasional roll and I must say each time his face lights up while looking at it the urgency in me grows quick to complete its dazzling design.

Can you tell I'm only mildly in love with it? For know I am staying content with its ease and relaxing rhythm

As this being my first post I should probably stop blabbing on about my latest creations and get to the point of thanking everyone for stopping in and paying me a visit. It has been unbearably hot here this week and I am enjoying the cool breeze from the air conditioning as I write this and think about each one of you that may be paying me a visit today. I have many blogs that I check almost daily with shear excitement hoping no praying that a new saga is about to unfold in the world of crochet and I can tell you that is what drove me to begin my own. I find all too often that I am left thirsty for more new and exciting creations and too all of you bloggers out there that I enjoy so much thank you for your time and constant dedication with your vibrant words and beautiful pictures. This blog no doubt will be slow getting off the ground so I beg any of you that enjoy crochet please give me the opportunity to touch your lives as so many of these delicious blogs have touched mine!

Happy thoughts and lots of love to you all

Until next time, Happy Hooking

Jennie