You may remember this post that talks about why I now make sure I have appetizers on hand at Thanksgiving dinner. Long story short, if you don’t get the turkey to the table at the appointed time, people can still have something to nosh on instead of having grumbling tummies.

Crudite is one of the easiest things to toss out as a pre-dinner nibble. All you need to do is stop by any grocery store, and you’re bound to find a tray with hard-as-rock baby carrots, chunks of celery, and yummy broccoli, all well-organized around a dish of ranch. There’s nothing wrong with this. It’s easy, everyone has their favorite veg (mine was always potato chips dipped in the ranch, though these days obviously I like the broccoli). Last year I stumbled upon a wonderful idea that I decided to try – roasting crudite. (more…)

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Appetizers, Dairy free, Gluten free, Italian, Thanksgiving, Vegan, Vegetarian 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

This weekend I decided to take the time to create plenty of homemade goodies to enjoy during the work week. One of the things my husband has been wanting since getting the espresso maker is “tiny cookies” to go with his morning cappuccino. So this weekend I decided to make one old favorite and something new as well.

The old favorite is an amaretti cookie. I discovered these in the A16 cookbook. It’s one of the desserts that looked fairly simple, so I tried it, and while my first batch had issues, I finally figured out the trick to getting the perfect amaretti cookies every time (so the recipe below is updated accordingly). (more…)

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Breakfast, Brunch, Dairy free, Dessert, Gluten free, Italian, Vegetarian by Courtney

Continuing with the tapas this week, the Spanish tortilla is a super-duper easy dish to make, and it can be served warm, cold, or room temperature. One of the best things about the tortilla is I usually have all of these ingredients on hand – eggs, onion, garlic, potatoes, olive oil – all staples in my kitchen. The key to a good tortilla is making sure your potatoes absorb a lot of flavor from the spices and garlic/onions. (more…)

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Appetizers, Brunch, Dairy free, Dinner, Gluten free, Lunch, Quick and Easy, Spanish, Vegetarian by Courtney