When it comes to making something I’ve never made before, I’m pretty fearless. I figure the worst case scenario is it’s inedible, and I have to serve something else. However, this week I’ve been toying around with the idea of adding truffle salt to the mashed potatoes. I love using it on buttered popcorn, but I just couldn’t wrap my head around whether or not it would be tasty in my potatoes. Since mashed potatoes are pretty easy to whip up, I made a quick batch Friday night to see how they tasted. (more…)

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Comfort food, Dinner, Gluten free, Side Dish, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian by Courtney

When the word “vegetarian” pops up in the context of someone coming to dinner, it can sometimes make this Southern girl’s heart skip a beat.

“Whatever will I cook?” I think to myself.

Add that to Thanksgiving dinner, and the heart goes pitter-patter for more than a beat. I mean, I’m the person who puts giblets in the dressing and cooks brussels sprouts with bacon fat. Mashed potatoes are one of the few things meat isn’t added to.

Then I stop, and I realize there are so many meals that I make without the addition of animal fat. I cook with copious amounts of olive oil these days, instead of butter. Hell-o, I even make gravies that don’t start with meat, so making a Thanksgiving dinner that works for both the omnivores and herbivores in my life should be a breeze. But I don’t want it to just work, I want it to be an extra-special meal for everyone coming to dinner. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetarian by Courtney

It’s funny how winter weather just creeps up on you. Here the weather has been staggering between cool, autumn days and sunny, early-summer-like days. Then all of the sudden, yesterday morning, with no warning, I wake up and the house is 63 degrees inside. Brrr! Needless to say, I quickly turned on the heater and downed a cup of cappuccino, attempting to warm myself up.

I’d picked up plenty of food to cook for the weekend, but suddenly spaghetti squash with sea scallops and angel hair pasta with passata didn’t sound so appetizing. I wanted some stick-to-your-ribs, warm-you-to-the-bone fare. I wanted chili. (more…)

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Chili, Comfort food, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Soups by Courtney

It’s been a while since we’ve had a rabbit recipe on here, hasn’t it? While many of my rabbit recipes have been heavier meals, this one is versatile. You can make it a bit heavier, or a bit on the lighter side. This evening I made it lighter, on accident, but decided it was the preferred way to serve this dish during the summer months.

I was first attracted to this recipe because of its use of the liver in the sauce. It’s not that I’m gaga for livers, I just like the idea of using all the bits that might otherwise find their way to the trash. The other reason I was attracted to this recipe was the pasta; it looked super simple to make. When doughs are involved, even pasta dough, it’s really 50/50 as to whether or not it will turn out right for me. So let’s take a look at this super-simple recipe. (more…)

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Dinner, Gourmet, Italian by Courtney

It seems to be something many families across America do – taco night. A fairly simple meal, customizable for each person with toppings, that the whole family loves. While my family has never been one to have days of the week dedicated to a food, such as Taco Tuesday or Stir-Friday, homemade pizzas, tacos & enchiladas, and stir-fry have often made the dinner list.

These tacos in particular are inspired by tacos my grandfather’s wife makes. I remember the first time I had her tacos I was thrown by the addition of potatoes to the beef, but I quickly got on board with the addition because they were so yummy. Many years later I learned the secrets to making her tacos, but as I’m wont to do, I added a few spices to add a bit of complexity to the flavors. (more…)

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Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Mexican, Quick and Easy by Courtney