Tag Archives: food

Everything Bagels

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Everything bagels are…. everything. I could eat a Thomas’ Everything Bagel with cream cheese and a Sunny D for every meal. I’ve reluctantly cut back that indulgence to maybe once every few months.

When I do have a bagel craving, I get Dave’s Killer Bread Epic Everything Organic Bagels, toast half of one, and spread half of a crushed avocado on top. Since the seasoning on an everything bagel prefers your plate, floor, and the bottom of a toaster, I make my own seasoning in bulk and sprinkle on top. Check out the simple recipe below and Everything Season EVERYTHING!

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A simple recipe I made once was I roasted some chicken breast added a little brie on top to melt, sprinkled with Everything Bagel Seasoning then drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Delicious. I should have added a few bacon bits… Next time!

Shopping List:

Sesame Seeds $7.99 on Amazon
Sincerely Nuts Hulled Sesame Seeds – One Lb. Bag – Delightfully Tasty – Healthy & Crunchy – Kosher Certified Product

Dried Minced Garlic $6.24 on Amazon
Garlic, Minced and Dried-4oz-Medium Sized Cut of Dried Garlic Spice

Dried Onion $5.98 on Amazon
McCormick Minced Onion, 8.25 oz

Poppy Seeds $7.49 on Amazon
Spice Select European Whole Poppy Seeds – 10 oz

Coarse Salt $8.95 on Amazon
Premium Atlantic Sea Salt – Coarse Grain 16 Oz.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

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What better way to celebrate Feast Day than to do just that – FEAST! Guinness Stew was one of my favorite foods in Ireland along with a burger that tasted like a Big Mac at a place called Currans in Ennistymon. I’ve tried a lot of Guinness Stew recipes and found that my favorite is the simple recipe from the Guinness Storehouse itself. Drink with Guinness or if you prefer wine, try a Syrah or Malbec. Sláinte!

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
  • 1 pound stewing diced beef
  • 1 medium onion – diced
  • 1 C carrot – diced
  • 1 C celery – diced
  • 1 C parsnip – diced
  • 1 liter of beef stock
  • Sprigs of thyme and rosemary
  • Champ potatoes (creamed mashed potato and spring onion)

Cooking Directions

Add some olive oil to a large pot and heat on med-high. Stir fry the beef with a pinch of salt and pepper for about 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook to sweat, about 3 minutes, and season with a little more s&p. Lower heat. Pour in the Guinness and simmer to reduce by half. Add the beef stock and herbs and simmer very slowly, for about an hour to an hour and a half. Serve with champ potatoes.

Tip: stew is always better when made one day in advance and reheated.

Recipe courtesy Guinness Storehouse.

Find this recipe and more at the Guinness Storehouse website.

Host for the Holidays

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Philanthropy Friday

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There are many ways you can incorporate philanthropy in your every day life and even your not so everyday life when vacationing. I’m known for researching something a lot before any of my purchases big or small. If something costs a little more and an organization will benefit from it, I usually end up going with that option. One Friday a month, I will post a list of 5 organizations for Philanthropy Friday. Hope you enjoy and are inspired to purchase with your heart! See you next Friday.

Crayon Collection

 

 

 

 

 

Their Mission:

“Our mission is simple: to collect as many crayons as possible and donate them to kids in need. Billions of crayons are produced in the U.S. each year, and much of that ends up in our landfills. These petroleum-derived crayons can take years – even decades- to decompose. Meanwhile, U.S. teachers in underfunded public schools are spending an average of $750 of their own income per year on supplies for their classrooms.”

Visit www.crayoncollection.org

Out of Print Tote Bag

Purchase of this bag sends one book to a community in need. Buy at www.outofprintclothing.com for $18

 

Trash Bags to Travel Bags

“ASCF, Inc. provides foster care children with a suitcase/duffle bag to be filled with crayons, coloring and reading books and/or teddy bears, replacing the current common practice of youth transporting belongings in trash bags when changing homes.  With the support of donors and Community partners, Trash Bags to Travel Bags works to eliminate this negative message to children that they, and their belongings, are trash which can seriously affect the long term self-esteem of youth in this vulnerable population. Bags have been distributed at Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) court hearings, to group homes and directly to foster care youth throughout the State of Maryland.”

Visit astepcloser.org for more information. There are many organizations that do this so you could google “trash bags to travel bags” to find something you can visit locally.

9 Million Meals

Rachel Ray is sponsoring this challenge to raise enough money to fund 9 million meals for those struggling with hunger around the country. Visit Feeding America and Share our Strength for more information.

Chantecaille Makeup

Tiger in the Wild PaletteSave the Bees PaletteSave the Sharks PalettePapillons Eye Shade

Chantecaille Makeup has a variety of beautifully designed palettes and compacts that benefit different organizations. Save tigers, bees, sharks or monarchs with these options above.

Cheesy Cider

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Boyden

We were driving by Boyden Valley Farm and decided to stop in for a tour. They had a lot of new wines since our last sampling at a wine event. We tasted some old favorites (like the Cranberry!) but also had to try some of their new ciders on the menu. One of the ciders had an incredible smoked flavor that made me think immediately “cheese!”. wpid-dsc00866.jpg

Introducing the Double Bourbon Cider. Not online yet but here is the tasting menu description: “Dry with a well-rounded warmth, this hard cider is aged in French Oak and American Oak bourbon barrels giving it a complex and caramelized bourbon flavor with a hint of smoke.” (Also a good description for cheese.)

I live for cheese so this had to come home with me and I had to have it with macaroni and cheese. I used a Shelburne Farms aged cheddar but my mind was whizzing about thinking of different varieties of cheese I wanted to try this with. Imagine this with an aged, smoked, bacon cheddar?! Sugarbush Farms has an incredible one and Cabot has some great smoked choices.

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Of course I’ll share my Mac’n’Cheese recipe!

Ingredients:

16-20 ounces of elbow macaroni (medium shells are also a fine choice)

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 tsp ground mustard dissolved in about a tablespoon of water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup half&half)

2 cups shredded Shelburne Farmhouse Cheddar 2-Year

Directions:

  1. Cook macaroni according to package directions.
  2. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat; stir in flour, salt and pepper
  3. Remove from heat and slowly add milk whisking constantly. Place back on burner on medium-low heat.
  4. Cook and stir until bubbles start to form at the edge of the pan and the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Stir in cheese until melted; add mustard.
  6. Drain macaroni; add to cheese sauce; stir to coat.

If you get a chance to visit Boyden Valley, I highly recommend it. Take a tour of the cellar (literally the basement) and watch the Boyden family hard at work. They have a beautiful tasting room and shop where you can order a glass or partake in a 7 variety tasting.  After a tasting and/or tour, relax on the outdoor patio to indulge in a cheese plate complimenting your wine while you enjoy your front row seat to “Made in Vermont”.

Emi’s Home Fries Recipe

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Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 2 Cups Red or Gourmet Baby Potatoes
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • Pinch of Paprika

Directions

  1. Heat 2 Tbs of olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet.
  2. Once heated, add potatoes, onion and all of the spices.
  3. Shimmy, flip or stir everything so it’s combined.
  4. Flip or stir lightly every 3 minutes for 15-20 minutes or until medium golden brown. Larger cut potatoes will take longer.

Tips:

  • I use a Vidalia Chop Wizard to get evenly shaped potatoes and onion. (Vidalia Chop Wizard $19.99)
  • For threatening oil pops, I cover with a piece of foil or parchment paper.
  • Keep all the potatoes touching the pan – flatten out every time you flip or stir.
  • This can easily be cooked in a 375 oven until golden.

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Cruz De Piedra

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2007 blend Argentina ($35).  Malbec, Cab Sauv, Petit Verdot. Spices and dark berry flavors in this medium-full bodied wine. Complimented a beautiful filet, baked potato and asparagus spears.
Hugs and kisses to my amazing husband, Ryan, for putting together an incredible meal!