Football Sundays

Although I'm not a fan of professional football, I LOVE college football!  Brian and I are Navy fans and we root for the University of Maryland Terps too (my alma mater).  Maybe it's the fact that college football players aren't getting paid millions of dollars, or perhaps its the intense rivalries between schools - I'm not sure but either way, I enjoy watching our teams play on Saturdays - especially when we can attend a Navy game in person.  Living in Florida now, that's not really a possibility, but we still try to catch Navy football when they're on TV down here.

That being said, I don't really enjoy watching professional football.  A couple times a season I try to watch a game on TV but easily get distracted.  But since the husband enjoys it, I indulge him every so often by letting him watch on Sunday afternoon busy myself with cooking a hearty football season meal or some yummy tailgating snacks he can eat while watching the game:  I can't think of a better meal to go with football than chili and cornbread.

I don't have a recipe for the chili:  I just saute up some bell pepper, onion and garlic, then brown some ground turkey in a large dutch oven.  Then dump in a couple cans of diced tomato, some beans (homemade black beans made ANOTHER showing!) and a ton of spices (cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper) and let everything simmer together for an hour or so.  It's so satisfying with a dollop of cold sour cream or greek yogurt and some cheese melted on top.

For the cornbread, I went with the Barefoot Contessa's Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread.  Ina's recipes almost never disappoint, and this was no exception.  I baked a half recipe since there was only 4 of us and as delicious as it was (everyone had seconds or thirds!) there was plenty leftover.  I decided to make the cornbread in a mini-muffin pan and even with the muffin cups filled to the brim, there was enough for 24 mini muffins plus two full-size muffins.  This was delicious with the chili, with a subtle heat from the jalapeno and a noticeable onion flavor.  They were soft and light, faintly sweet, not too spicy AND cheesy!  Make them for your next football-watching party, I promise they'll be a winner - even if your team loses the game!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Mini Muffins

makes 24 mini muffins + 2 regular size muffins

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese + 2 tablespoons (I ran out of cheddar and had to substitute half mozzarella), divided
3 green onions, chopped (use both the white and green parts), plus 1 chopped green onion for garnish
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and ribs removed finely minced (use more for more heat)

In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl combine milk, eggs and melted butter.

With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until most of the lumps are dissolved, being careful not to over-mix.  Gently stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese, the green onions and the jalapeno.  Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 24-count mini muffin pan with non-stick baking spray or line with paper muffin liners.

Divide the cornbread mixture among the mini muffin cups (I had a little extra batter so I made two regular muffins, or you could just discard the extra batter).  Top each mini muffin with a pinch of the reserved cheese and chopped green onion.  Bake 12-16 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into one of the muffins comes out clean/dry (you might want to start checking to see if they're done around 10 minutes if you don't fill your muffin cups to the brim like I did).

Football Sundays

Although I'm not a fan of professional football, I LOVE college football!  Brian and I are Navy fans and we root for the University of Maryland Terps too (my alma mater).  Maybe it's the fact that college football players aren't getting paid millions of dollars, or perhaps its the intense rivalries between schools - I'm not sure but either way, I enjoy watching our teams play on Saturdays - especially when we can attend a Navy game in person.  Living in Florida now, that's not really a possibility, but we still try to catch Navy football when they're on TV down here.

That being said, I don't really enjoy watching professional football.  A couple times a season I try to watch a game on TV but easily get distracted.  But since the husband enjoys it, I indulge him every so often by letting him watch on Sunday afternoon busy myself with cooking a hearty football season meal or some yummy tailgating snacks he can eat while watching the game:  I can't think of a better meal to go with football than chili and cornbread.

I don't have a recipe for the chili:  I just saute up some bell pepper, onion and garlic, then brown some ground turkey in a large dutch oven.  Then dump in a couple cans of diced tomato, some beans (homemade black beans made ANOTHER showing!) and a ton of spices (cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper) and let everything simmer together for an hour or so.  It's so satisfying with a dollop of cold sour cream or greek yogurt and some cheese melted on top.

For the cornbread, I went with the Barefoot Contessa's Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread.  Ina's recipes almost never disappoint, and this was no exception.  I baked a half recipe since there was only 4 of us and as delicious as it was (everyone had seconds or thirds!) there was plenty leftover.  I decided to make the cornbread in a mini-muffin pan and even with the muffin cups filled to the brim, there was enough for 24 mini muffins plus two full-size muffins.  This was delicious with the chili, with a subtle heat from the jalapeno and a noticeable onion flavor.  They were soft and light, faintly sweet, not too spicy AND cheesy!  Make them for your next football-watching party, I promise they'll be a winner - even if your team loses the game!

Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Mini Muffins

makes 24 mini muffins + 2 regular size muffins

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup grated cheddar cheese + 2 tablespoons (I ran out of cheddar and had to substitute half mozzarella), divided
3 green onions, chopped (use both the white and green parts), plus 1 chopped green onion for garnish
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and ribs removed finely minced (use more for more heat)

In a large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl combine milk, eggs and melted butter.

With a wooden spoon, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until most of the lumps are dissolved, being careful not to over-mix.  Gently stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese, the green onions and the jalapeno.  Allow the mixture to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 24-count mini muffin pan with non-stick baking spray or line with paper muffin liners.

Divide the cornbread mixture among the mini muffin cups (I had a little extra batter so I made two regular muffins, or you could just discard the extra batter).  Top each mini muffin with a pinch of the reserved cheese and chopped green onion.  Bake 12-16 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into one of the muffins comes out clean/dry (you might want to start checking to see if they're done around 10 minutes if you don't fill your muffin cups to the brim like I did).

Comfort Food 101

B and I have had numerous conversations about "comfort food" - what it means to each of us, what foods we each find comforting, what dishes we could not live without.  


B grew up with homemade pasta sauce cooking on the stove all day long.  He remembers the anticipation as he looked forward to a huge pile of cheese ravioli topped with the sweet and savory sicilian tomato sauce for dinner.  My idea of comfort food is my Grandma's chicken soup with kreplach, grilled cheese sandwiches and bread, especially homemade fresh bread. 


"Hello, my name is Julia and I'm a carbaholic."  


I love GOOD bread and so does B.  I've done my share of bread-baking and have found several recipes that I make frequently.  Here's the latest one I've tried and LOVED:  Anadama Bread.  Huh??  The first time I heard of it was at a soup and sandwich shop called The Loaf & Ladle in Exeter, New Hampshire.  B used to eat there when he was a prep at Phillips Exeter Academy and took me back with him the last time we visited New England.  I had a bowl of soup with their Anadama bread and fell instantly in love. It has a soft crumb, a slight crunch on the crust from cornmeal and a hint of sweetness from the molasses.  And Oh, the smell as it's baking!  Words cannot express the delight you will feel as the bread perfumes your house with the distinctive tangy and yeasty goodness....

Anadama Bread

recipe from Pitchfork Diaries

(makes two loaves)

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, plus more for dusting the top
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup molasses
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix cornmeal with one cup of water.

Bring one cup of water to a gentle boil, and add cornmeal mixture to the pot. Allow to return to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to stir until all the water is absorbed and the mixture is quite thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter, salt, and molasses, and stir to combine thoroughly. Transfer to a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, and set aside to cool.

Combine the sugar with 1/2 cup of warm water, about 110 degrees–it should feel like a warm bath. Sprinkle yeast over the top of the water surface and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to activate the yeast. When ready it should look frothy on top.

Add yeast mixture to slightly cooled cornmeal mixture. Gradually add flours, either stirring by hand or with the paddle of a stand mixture.

Knead for about 10 minutes (or 7 minutes with the dough hook of a stand mixer), until it is soft, supple, and pliable. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer dough to the bowl, turning slightly to also coat the dough in oil. Cover loosely and allow to rise in a warm place for about ninety minutes, until the dough as doubled in size.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Punch down risen dough. Divide in half. Lightly oil two nine-inch loaf pans.

Very gently flatten each piece of dough into a large rectangle, roughly 11″ x 9″. With the short end near you, fold the top side down a third, and then down again a third. Press slightly to seal at the seam. Place the folded dough, seam side down, in one of the prepared pans. Repeat for second loaf.

Lightly oil the tops of the loaves and gently cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes, until they have doubled in size again (this actually took closer to 60 minutes for me).

Remove plastic. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves lightly with water, and dust with cornmeal if you choose.

Bake for twenty minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until slightly browned and makes a hollow sound when thumped with a finger on the bottom. Cool on a baking rack.

NOTE:  I refrigerated the dough for the second loaf this recipe makes since we had no use for two loaves of bread at once.  It kept great in an airtight container for a week.  When I was ready to bake it, I took it out and let it come to room temperature (about 1 hour) in an oiled bowl.  Then, I shaped it and let it proof in an oiled bread pan just as written above.  It did take a little longer to double in size (about 60 minutes), probably because it was still a little colder than room temperature.  It baked the same amount of time and was JUST as delicious!

Comfort Food 101

B and I have had numerous conversations about "comfort food" - what it means to each of us, what foods we each find comforting, what dishes we could not live without.  


B grew up with homemade pasta sauce cooking on the stove all day long.  He remembers the anticipation as he looked forward to a huge pile of cheese ravioli topped with the sweet and savory sicilian tomato sauce for dinner.  My idea of comfort food is my Grandma's chicken soup with kreplach, grilled cheese sandwiches and bread, especially homemade fresh bread. 


"Hello, my name is Julia and I'm a carbaholic."  


I love GOOD bread and so does B.  I've done my share of bread-baking and have found several recipes that I make frequently.  Here's the latest one I've tried and LOVED:  Anadama Bread.  Huh??  The first time I heard of it was at a soup and sandwich shop called The Loaf & Ladle in Exeter, New Hampshire.  B used to eat there when he was a prep at Phillips Exeter Academy and took me back with him the last time we visited New England.  I had a bowl of soup with their Anadama bread and fell instantly in love. It has a soft crumb, a slight crunch on the crust from cornmeal and a hint of sweetness from the molasses.  And Oh, the smell as it's baking!  Words cannot express the delight you will feel as the bread perfumes your house with the distinctive tangy and yeasty goodness....

Anadama Bread

recipe from Pitchfork Diaries

(makes two loaves)

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, plus more for dusting the top
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup molasses
1 package or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix cornmeal with one cup of water.

Bring one cup of water to a gentle boil, and add cornmeal mixture to the pot. Allow to return to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to stir until all the water is absorbed and the mixture is quite thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter, salt, and molasses, and stir to combine thoroughly. Transfer to a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, and set aside to cool.

Combine the sugar with 1/2 cup of warm water, about 110 degrees–it should feel like a warm bath. Sprinkle yeast over the top of the water surface and allow to sit for about 10 minutes to activate the yeast. When ready it should look frothy on top.

Add yeast mixture to slightly cooled cornmeal mixture. Gradually add flours, either stirring by hand or with the paddle of a stand mixture.

Knead for about 10 minutes (or 7 minutes with the dough hook of a stand mixer), until it is soft, supple, and pliable. Lightly oil a large bowl. Transfer dough to the bowl, turning slightly to also coat the dough in oil. Cover loosely and allow to rise in a warm place for about ninety minutes, until the dough as doubled in size.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Punch down risen dough. Divide in half. Lightly oil two nine-inch loaf pans.

Very gently flatten each piece of dough into a large rectangle, roughly 11″ x 9″. With the short end near you, fold the top side down a third, and then down again a third. Press slightly to seal at the seam. Place the folded dough, seam side down, in one of the prepared pans. Repeat for second loaf.

Lightly oil the tops of the loaves and gently cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise for about 30 minutes, until they have doubled in size again (this actually took closer to 60 minutes for me).

Remove plastic. Sprinkle the tops of the loaves lightly with water, and dust with cornmeal if you choose.

Bake for twenty minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 20-30 minutes, until slightly browned and makes a hollow sound when thumped with a finger on the bottom. Cool on a baking rack.

NOTE:  I refrigerated the dough for the second loaf this recipe makes since we had no use for two loaves of bread at once.  It kept great in an airtight container for a week.  When I was ready to bake it, I took it out and let it come to room temperature (about 1 hour) in an oiled bowl.  Then, I shaped it and let it proof in an oiled bread pan just as written above.  It did take a little longer to double in size (about 60 minutes), probably because it was still a little colder than room temperature.  It baked the same amount of time and was JUST as delicious!

My mom's banana bread

We had three sorry-looking bananas in the fruit bowl yesterday and they were calling to me. Well, not literally, but I've been wanting to make banana bread for a while and I had to wait until we had enough over-ripe bananas. So when I noticed that I had plenty of freckled beauties the other day, I decided the time was right.

I always use my mom's recipe for banana bread. It's delicious, always turns out moist and whenever B takes it into work its gone in no time. This time, I wanted to experiment with substituting some of the All Purpose flour for Whole Wheat Flour instead. I also had two ripe pineapples, an opened bag of sweetened flaked coconut and some chopped walnuts so I decided to make it a "Nutty Hawaiian" banana bread. And WOW, it turned out awesome! B ate 4 of the banana muffins for dessert, he just couldn't get enough. We ate it all before I could get any pictures and B took the large loaf to work today. I'm going to share my mom's original recipe and below it I'll describe the specific changes I made this time. Whether you make the banana bread as the recipe is written or modify it like I did, you'll love it. Make it in one large loaf pan or several small ones, or in a muffin pan (makes about 24 muffins). It's also really good with chocolate chips in it, I usually use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and just toss it right into the batter before baking. While this time we ate the banana bread for dessert, it is AWESOME for breakfast: just add a dab of cream cheese and a cup of coffee...that's my idea of a perfect morning!


Mom's Banana Bread (The Original)
Makes 1 large loaf, 3-4 mini loaves, or about 24 muffins


3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (optional, but I always add one of those little individual serving cups)
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
1/2 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan(s) or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix bananas, apple sauce (if using), oil, vanilla, beaten eggs and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just to incorporate, don't over-mix. The batter should be thick but not so thick that you can't pour it (my mom says "It shouldn't be thick like glue" hehe). If its too thick, add a splash of milk or a little extra apple sauce or oil. Now is when you add in your optional mix-ins - the nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or whatever else you feel like adding.

Bake at 325 until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. For the muffins, it took me about 15 minutes and it took about 40 minutes for the large loaf pan, but check back often because you do NOT want to overcook it.

Once you remove the bread from the oven, allow it to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool fully.

Here's what I did this time to make it a"Healthy Nutty Hawai'ian" Banana Bread:

• I substituted 2/3 cup Whole Wheat flour for the same volume of AP flour
• I substituted 1/4 cup of splenda for the same volume of sugar and decreased the sugar by a little less than 1/4 of a cup (so to be exact: for my bread I ended up using a little more than 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup splenda, I figured the added fruit would sweeten the bread enough to leave out some of the sugar... and I was right)
• I added about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats that I had food processed into a very coarse flour (this was to add weight since I was using splenda)
• I added about 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple to the wet ingredients
• I added 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter before baking, and I sprinkled some additional coconut onto the tops of the muffins and the loaf of banana bread before baking
• I used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

The bread turned out so flavorful and delicious. I was a little worried that the coconut on top of the bread would get brown or burn but it came out perfectly, just a touch toasted. The bread was just as moist as it usually is and you'd never know that there was whole wheat flour in there! Next time I might even increase the whole wheat flour to 1 cup and I might try to substitute 1/4 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt for 1/4 cup of the oil - I've read that this is an acceptable substitution in a lot of recipes. I would probably add even more walnuts, pineapple and coconut because well, you really can't ever have too much of a good thing :)

My mom's banana bread

We had three sorry-looking bananas in the fruit bowl yesterday and they were calling to me. Well, not literally, but I've been wanting to make banana bread for a while and I had to wait until we had enough over-ripe bananas. So when I noticed that I had plenty of freckled beauties the other day, I decided the time was right.

I always use my mom's recipe for banana bread. It's delicious, always turns out moist and whenever B takes it into work its gone in no time. This time, I wanted to experiment with substituting some of the All Purpose flour for Whole Wheat Flour instead. I also had two ripe pineapples, an opened bag of sweetened flaked coconut and some chopped walnuts so I decided to make it a "Nutty Hawaiian" banana bread. And WOW, it turned out awesome! B ate 4 of the banana muffins for dessert, he just couldn't get enough. We ate it all before I could get any pictures and B took the large loaf to work today. I'm going to share my mom's original recipe and below it I'll describe the specific changes I made this time. Whether you make the banana bread as the recipe is written or modify it like I did, you'll love it. Make it in one large loaf pan or several small ones, or in a muffin pan (makes about 24 muffins). It's also really good with chocolate chips in it, I usually use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup and just toss it right into the batter before baking. While this time we ate the banana bread for dessert, it is AWESOME for breakfast: just add a dab of cream cheese and a cup of coffee...that's my idea of a perfect morning!


Mom's Banana Bread (The Original)
Makes 1 large loaf, 3-4 mini loaves, or about 24 muffins


3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce (optional, but I always add one of those little individual serving cups)
3/4 cups vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cups sugar
2 cups AP flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
1/2 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 325. Spray loaf pan(s) or muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Mix bananas, apple sauce (if using), oil, vanilla, beaten eggs and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just to incorporate, don't over-mix. The batter should be thick but not so thick that you can't pour it (my mom says "It shouldn't be thick like glue" hehe). If its too thick, add a splash of milk or a little extra apple sauce or oil. Now is when you add in your optional mix-ins - the nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or whatever else you feel like adding.

Bake at 325 until toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. For the muffins, it took me about 15 minutes and it took about 40 minutes for the large loaf pan, but check back often because you do NOT want to overcook it.

Once you remove the bread from the oven, allow it to sit in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool fully.

Here's what I did this time to make it a"Healthy Nutty Hawai'ian" Banana Bread:

• I substituted 2/3 cup Whole Wheat flour for the same volume of AP flour
• I substituted 1/4 cup of splenda for the same volume of sugar and decreased the sugar by a little less than 1/4 of a cup (so to be exact: for my bread I ended up using a little more than 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup splenda, I figured the added fruit would sweeten the bread enough to leave out some of the sugar... and I was right)
• I added about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats that I had food processed into a very coarse flour (this was to add weight since I was using splenda)
• I added about 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple to the wet ingredients
• I added 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter before baking, and I sprinkled some additional coconut onto the tops of the muffins and the loaf of banana bread before baking
• I used 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

The bread turned out so flavorful and delicious. I was a little worried that the coconut on top of the bread would get brown or burn but it came out perfectly, just a touch toasted. The bread was just as moist as it usually is and you'd never know that there was whole wheat flour in there! Next time I might even increase the whole wheat flour to 1 cup and I might try to substitute 1/4 cup plain non-fat greek yogurt for 1/4 cup of the oil - I've read that this is an acceptable substitution in a lot of recipes. I would probably add even more walnuts, pineapple and coconut because well, you really can't ever have too much of a good thing :)

Italy in Jacksonville

So I'll admit this blogging thing takes a lot of work! I've been SUPER busy here the past few days with helping my friend Sharon plan her daughter's 2nd birthday party (Happy Birthday Brooklyn!) and getting ready for my friend Becky's bachelorette party. They are both taking place today and since I got *most* of the work done ahead of time (soooo not like me!!) I have the time to sit down (well, actually I'm standing up) and write a little blog post. Don't worry, I'll be posting more on my contributions to the parties later...get excited though because I MADE a 3-tiered cupcake stand and 40 cupcakes decorated like flowers and bugs for Brooklyn's birthday and concocted a batch of pesto pasta salad, AND I baked two loaves of bread and whipped up a batch of my fave white bean dip for Becky's shin-dig. So now you know why I haven't had the time to blog :)


The other night (I think it was Wednesday...or was it Thursday??) I made Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms (aka Chicken Cacciatore). It was a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food website and it. was. delicious. But of course...it was Martha. I made a few changes because I didn't have any fresh mushrooms (and besides, Brian doesn't really like them anyway). I used a small can of mushrooms that I had in the pantry. I also didn't have any stewed tomatoes so I used a can of diced tomatoes, the ones that are seasoned with oregano, basil and garlic. I thought some olives would be good with it (I was right) so I added those too, and topped it all off with some nice fresh Italian parsley before serving it. We'll definitely be making this again!


To go along with the chicken cacciatore, I baked a loaf of no-knead bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I don't own the book but I found an abbreviated version of the recipe for the boule here. I know, I know - French bread with Italian food! Well, it went fabulously well together so I guess we'll just call it European "fusion" cuisine :)I followed the bread recipe exactly but halved it in order to get 2 loaves. Now I wish I had made the full recipe because you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, just cutting off 1-lb sections as you want to bake them! I will be making this bread every week since I CANNOT find good bread here. I have to drive all the way to Wilmington (1 hour +) to get to a Whole Foods or Fresh Market which have the only acceptable bakeries I know of in the area. I haven't found any little boulangeries anywhere closer. Well anyways, it must be meant to be because I was ALWAYS intimidated of baking bread - you know, the kneading, the rising, etc. I wouldn't have even thought to try to make my own bread (B is the boulanger in the family) but this recipe just looked so SIMPLE...and it was! Try it. You will not regret it. And by the way- I am definitely buying the book.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients
Serves 4


4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (I used one small can chopped shitake mushrooms, drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
handfull of whole, pitted kalamata olives
chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large (5-quart) saucepan (I used my dutch oven) with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook chicken, turning when it easily releases from the pan, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan; add in olives; cover, and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken to coat with sauce, and serve topped with chopped parsley.

Italy in Jacksonville

So I'll admit this blogging thing takes a lot of work! I've been SUPER busy here the past few days with helping my friend Sharon plan her daughter's 2nd birthday party (Happy Birthday Brooklyn!) and getting ready for my friend Becky's bachelorette party. They are both taking place today and since I got *most* of the work done ahead of time (soooo not like me!!) I have the time to sit down (well, actually I'm standing up) and write a little blog post. Don't worry, I'll be posting more on my contributions to the parties later...get excited though because I MADE a 3-tiered cupcake stand and 40 cupcakes decorated like flowers and bugs for Brooklyn's birthday and concocted a batch of pesto pasta salad, AND I baked two loaves of bread and whipped up a batch of my fave white bean dip for Becky's shin-dig. So now you know why I haven't had the time to blog :)


The other night (I think it was Wednesday...or was it Thursday??) I made Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms (aka Chicken Cacciatore). It was a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food website and it. was. delicious. But of course...it was Martha. I made a few changes because I didn't have any fresh mushrooms (and besides, Brian doesn't really like them anyway). I used a small can of mushrooms that I had in the pantry. I also didn't have any stewed tomatoes so I used a can of diced tomatoes, the ones that are seasoned with oregano, basil and garlic. I thought some olives would be good with it (I was right) so I added those too, and topped it all off with some nice fresh Italian parsley before serving it. We'll definitely be making this again!


To go along with the chicken cacciatore, I baked a loaf of no-knead bread from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I don't own the book but I found an abbreviated version of the recipe for the boule here. I know, I know - French bread with Italian food! Well, it went fabulously well together so I guess we'll just call it European "fusion" cuisine :)I followed the bread recipe exactly but halved it in order to get 2 loaves. Now I wish I had made the full recipe because you can keep the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, just cutting off 1-lb sections as you want to bake them! I will be making this bread every week since I CANNOT find good bread here. I have to drive all the way to Wilmington (1 hour +) to get to a Whole Foods or Fresh Market which have the only acceptable bakeries I know of in the area. I haven't found any little boulangeries anywhere closer. Well anyways, it must be meant to be because I was ALWAYS intimidated of baking bread - you know, the kneading, the rising, etc. I wouldn't have even thought to try to make my own bread (B is the boulanger in the family) but this recipe just looked so SIMPLE...and it was! Try it. You will not regret it. And by the way- I am definitely buying the book.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients
Serves 4


4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 pounds
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (I used one small can chopped shitake mushrooms, drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed tomatoes (I used diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
handfull of whole, pitted kalamata olives
chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large (5-quart) saucepan (I used my dutch oven) with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Cook chicken, turning when it easily releases from the pan, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add mushrooms; cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until tomatoes have broken down, 10 to 15 minutes.

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan; add in olives; cover, and cook until chicken is opaque throughout, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chicken to coat with sauce, and serve topped with chopped parsley.