Colorful Veggie & Beef Dinner Nachos

Colorful Veggie & Beef Dinner Nachos

When it comes to meal time, I’m lucky enough to have a family that has a wide range of likes, & very few things they dislike.  For this dinner, I wanted to use up some of the rescued produce I had on hand, including some gorgeous red, orange & yellow bell peppers.  Now my husband isn’t crazy about bell peppers, but he’s a good sport.  So I thought, everything is a series of compromises – he’s not big on bell peppers, but (if you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you already know) he’s a big fan of cheese!  Give a little, take a little – and we’re both happy!  Families with kids are usually trying to sneak in some healthy vegetables whenever possible,  & this is a creative way to do just that, while still enjoying a “fun” family dinner!

Easy Three Bean Chicken Stew – A Slow Cook Dish

Three Bean Chicken Stew

There’s something reassuring about having dinner in the slow cooker on a busy day.  It affords me the freedom to enjoy myself, even if it’s just getting things done at home.  I think the whole family likes the smell of a home cooked meal.   We can almost taste in the air, the flavors mingling together to form rich juices & tender meats.  Somehow at the end of a more productive day, I feel a sense of accomplishment, & my reward is a simple yet delicious dinner – the result of planning ahead.

So with that being said, this recipe could not get any easier, but the flavor would have you believe otherwise!

Sauerkraut & Dumplings

Sauerkraut & Dumplings

Sauerkraut & dumplings is a signature dish of sorts for Mom.  She’d make it in a great big soup pot, & flavor it with pork spare ribs.  I’d know dinner was almost ready when she added the dumpling dough to the pot at the very end of the cooking time.  The dumplings were always my favorite part, as they’d lend a little creaminess to the dish, & tame the kraut flavor.  The dumplings were just about as fluffy as little clouds, floating on top.  It seemed as though there were never quite enough dumplings, but maybe that’s what enhanced it’s appeal.

Lemon Rosemary Warm Chicken Salad

Lemon Rosemary Warm Chicken Salad

I created this recipe “Johnny-on-the-spot” to be used as a filling for the homemade pita bread I made the other day.  I loved the flavor combination, as well as the great texture – with the use of both cooked vegetables as well as a little fresh cabbage for that added crunch!

My 100th Post! & Mom’s Chicken Parmesan

Mom’s Chicken Parmesan

100th post…it seems so hard to believe!  I’ve recently read so many wonderful year-end, round-ups & “top ten” posts of the year.  Since I’ve only been blogging since this past Summer, I didn’t feel justified in re-visiting my small portion of history.  With this 100th post, however, I’m smiling to myself & that’s a good thing!  I’ve met so many talented, gracious & warm hearted bloggers, & I’m pleased to have made so many great friendships!  So looking ahead, friends by my side…I’ll continue to blog, learn, share & smile. 🙂

Herbed White Bean Soup – A Slow Cooker Recipe

Herbed White Bean Soup

Happy New Year, everyone.  Would you believe here in Tucson we welcomed the New Year at midnight with SNOW!  What an exciting way to begin the first day of the year!

Potato Gnocchi

Potato Gnocchi

Perhaps it’s the cooler temperatures that gives me the desire to make what I would consider comfort foods.  Gnocchi definitely falls into that category for me.   It’s a food that is both hearty and delicate, & it can be paired with a wide array of flavors.  Plate it or serve it with sauteed or roasted vegetables, grated cheese, seasoned butter, sauce, pesto, or even gravy.

Pasillo Ancho Steak – Slow Cooker Recipe

Pasilla Ancho Steak

Tender steak with rich sauce – a delicious recipe for this busy season!

This one was inspired by my nephew Jason’s interest in slow cooking recipes.  His motivation is to have dinners ready when he & his fiance come home from work.  He has the right idea – with just a little bit of prep before a busy day, the payoff is huge!

Top Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Top Crust Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe by:  Designs by Jeanne R

Living in Tucson, we don’t have to worry about many cold nights.   On those few nights when a little warming up is in order, nothing is better than some good old fashioned, comfort food straight from the oven.

Green Chile & Beef Pies

Green Chile Beef Pies

Empanadas, pasties, pies…these are known by many names, but are they different?  In my quest to make these little gems for dinner, I found a delicious recipe for empanada dough from Mark Bittman’s book How to Cook Everything.  This dough was superb…flaky, tender, light & delicious.  It got me thinking, however,