apples

Bacon, Apple & Gouda Stuffed Pork Chops and a Free Jug of Better than Bouillon

March 10, 2013 By Julie 15 Comments

Mention the word “Stuffed” to me in reference to food and my eyes will almost always light up with anticipation. I can see you nodding your head in agreement with me. And why wouldn’t you?

While food in itself is delightful, food stuffed with more food is usually double the pleasure. It only makes sense when you stop to think about it. Seriously, why eat a lonely graham cracker when you can have one with chocolate and marshmallow in the middle? Peppers and mushrooms are perfectly capable of standing on their own two feet, but drop in a little cheese and crumbled meat if you really want to see them dance. And of course there’s pasta shells. They’re just begging to be stuffed with any and all form of culinary delight.

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Caramel Apple Strudel

April 23, 2012 By Julie 19 Comments

Round two of culinary boot camp at the local cooking school began this past weekend. The first five weeks focused on learning proper technique in the kitchen and now the subsequent four will be putting said techniques to good use. We intend to do just that whilst eating our way across the country in true Johnson and Wales fashion. This past Saturday focused on the foods of New England. Think seafood, seafood and more seafood. We steamed up a clam bake, boiled a live lobster and created the ultimate crock of baked beans. We pressure cooked a fabulous boiled dinner of corned beef with cabbage and, of course, we made chowder. Four kinds of chowder. There was the classic New England, the Manhattan tomato based “chowda”, Maine chowder which incorporates a splash or two of half and half and Hatteras (not New England but done for comparison none the less) which is simply broth based – no cream or tomatoes….

Apple Caramel French Toast Casserole

December 1, 2011 By Julie 12 Comments

Do you ever envision what your retirement will be like? Maybe you imagine yourself living on a beach somewhere in a small cabana, with your feet nestled in the warm soft sand while you sip on a cool refreshing drink. Or perhaps your idea of retirement is retreating up to the snowy mountains in a quaint chalet with your better half, a space big enough for the grand kids to come visit but small enough to live in without getting lost (and if you’re my husband, a back door walkout to the ski slopes wouldn’t hurt either).

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Apple Sausage Stuffing and a Pacific Foods Winner!

November 28, 2011 By Julie 14 Comments

Remember the Pacific Foods Everyday Challenge I’ve been sharing with you these past few weeks? Well the contest has closed and the winners are official! There were so many tantalizing recipes in the appetizer/side category to choose from. I really loved the flavor combination of Lisa’s Creamy Chanterelle and Butternut Squash Soup. The sherry in the recipe instantly caught my eye and had me craving a spoonful (or three). The Gruyere and Mustard Potato Gratin was another winning recipe that drew me in with my plate and fork at the ready (add cheese and you’ll have me each and every time). But when all the entries were filtered and the decision was ultimately made, the recipe that won my heart (and my palate!) was the Pumpkin Hazelnut Brioche. I couldn’t help but be won over by her addition of hazelnut milk and I positively adored the spices and subtle sweetness she infused into the recipe. Congratulations Lfrancis on your well deserved win!

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