Creamy Baked Mac n Cheese

Yup.  Winter.

Cold, damp, snowy winter.  And unless you ski (we don't) or snowboard (we tried) or snowshoe (not yet) - the cold days tend to lend themselves to making good, home-cooked comfort foods.

I'm surprised I'm not 700 pounds.  Good genes, I suppose.

And on the make this time was a nice, creamy mac n cheese that sticks to your ribs and has left-over qualities that go beyond just finishing off what's in the fridge to save from tossing them!

So, grab some noodles, grab some cheese.  And if you're like me - grab some friends to share this wonderful meal with!

Spicy Prawns

Gosh - the first REAL post of the New Year!  And it's only taken me 26 days, 20 hours and some-minutes.  Whew!  I have recipes to share, I really do!  It's finding the time to share them that's hard to come by!

Winter is upon us here in our small town.  Snow is falling here and there, although not nearly as much as last year (thankfully).  And we've made it past our cold snap that always arrives in the middle of January.  Right when a toboggan party would work GREAT for Biggie Wiggie on her birthday.

And so, huddled by the fire, we're on the downhill slide into what one would call spring.  If only!!  Because once the snow starts to melt and making a left hand turn is easy (if you've ever seen the snow plowed into the middle of the road first thing in the morning you'll know what I mean) we always get one.last.dump.

Mr. Hungry and I love to share a treat when the kids go to bed.  No, not THAT kind of treat.  A snack.  One that tastes great and it easy to make while sugar plums dance in the wee one's minds.  And this time, we decided that some prawns would be good!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

A Cake Sale of All Cake Sales!

So, some of you may know that I'm on the Crime Stoppers board here in town.  I'm the Vice President and the Secretary. 

I wear both hats proudly as I think it's a worthy endeavor and worth the time.  And every year we host the No Host Bazaar.  Yes, sounds strange to me too, hosting a No Host.

But, it's fun and there are always loads of vendors sharing their wares and it's at a perfect time to get some holiday gifts!

This year, we each took on our own personal fund raiser, to raise funds for operating our non-profit organization that works to give people an anonymous means through which to report crime.  And sometimes get a reward too!

So, my fundraiser was all about cooking.  Baking, more specifically.  You know me - party planned and COOKING is all I can think about!

Is it Too Late for Halloween?

Papa keeping all the Minions in line.

Easy to do when you've got
a knife in your hands!

OK.  I make plans.  I tend to follow through. 

Honest.  If I say I'm going to be there, I will be there.  Barring a horrible, unforeseen event. 

Or kids stuff.  I always put the kids first.

So, my intentions were to post our Halloween Pumpkins way-long ago. 

On Halloween, actually. 

But life kinda-sorta got away from me and it was not until today, when I downloaded my iPhone, that I realized that my photos from way-long ago were still on there.

Oops.  See - totally slipped my ever loving mind!

So, I'm sitting here now putting these photos on my blog and feeling a bit strange about it.

Halloween at nearly Christmas it is.

The Aftermath of the Bacon Explosion

So, life is about lessons.  Some are easy and some are hard.

This lesson was not particularly a HARD lesson, but a good one to share.

So if you follow my blog (or perhaps just happen upon it) you know that I love to experiment.  And the last experiment I posted about was the delicious Bacon Explosion.

It was a fun meal to prepare, made everyone drool as it cooked and pleased us all when it was time to eat!  That, was a good experiment.  What happened next was not nearly as good, slightly dangerous and (after the dust had settled) awkwardly funny!

Bacon Explosion (AKA Bacon Wrapped in Pork Wrapped in Bacon)

So. 

Where do I begin?? 

I guess the beginning is the best place!

Crispy Parmesan Chicken

So those that know me know I love to cook.  Not a surprise either.  Big or small, I love to cook meals for family, friends - even the odd stranger (although that doesn't happen much at all).

And, I love to watch cooking shows.  Of all sorts.  Hey, I work in cable.  The TV is always on in my office and since I HATE soap opera-ish shows....I might as well learn something from the Food Network.

And I have learned.  And been inspired to try new things.  And one of my favorite people to watch is Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa.  She's so easy to watch.  Her foods are simple enough that you don't feel like you need a degree in culinary arts AND they look great!

Chicken is a versatile dish in our house, and her recipe for Parmesan Chicken was certainly one I was temped to try.  I've tweaked it a bit, but it's still her inspiration that led me to make this dish that Mr. Hungry LOVES and I do too!

Rich and Creamy Mushroom Soup

I was never much of a soup maker in my early days of cooking.  I just always thought that to make good soup (really good soup) you needed to spend a lot of time working on it.  Hours and hours of back breaking time spent over the hot stove, stirring, tasting, stirring and adding more and more items until SOUP was born.

Remember the Creamy Leek and Potato Soup I made?  Didn't take forever, did it!!

Well, in my never ending creep towards the big 4-0, I'm beginning to learn something ....

.... not all things that taste good GREAT take a lot of time to prepare.  Like soup.  And I love me a good bowl of soup!!  And since I started blogging, I've tried to add 'making soup' into my non-structional routine a bit more.

Mini French Toast

So, it's a miserable, rainy day and cold.  I think it's official - fall is finally here to stay.  And really, it feels like summer ONLY just started.  Before long the snow will creep down the mountains and lay a clean, white blanket out on the front lawn.  I'm not ready.

And cold weather seems to get my brain thinking about food - comfort food that fills the tummy and warms the heart!

What a summer it has been!

I don't usually tend to spill too much of our personal life onto the blog (unless it's about our kids, because they care too cute and too funny not to share) but MAN, this summer was a hard one.  And I'm not talking about the weather (although it left A LOT to be desired). 

I'm talking about loss.

Our small town has been rocked so many times, it's no longer real.  Hearts broken, families shattered, lives changed forever.  Sadness.  It's all around us.

For each of you who have been affected, I'm so sorry.  My heart goes out to you in so many ways.  Although I may not have ever known you, I have thought of you.  And the loved ones you have lost.  Because reality is - we all know each other though someone.  Our lives are intertwined in some way, big or small.

All over the world, people are thinking of you, sending healing thoughts and positive energy your way.  Because without friends, we might not find the way.

So, from my heart to yours - may you find peace.  May you find comfort.  May you find a friendly face to share your sadness with, and a kind shoulder to share your burden.  You don't have to do it alone.  Ask for help, knowing that needing assistance is not a weakness.

For others, be there for your friends.  Be their rock, their sanctuary - their support that helps them find some clarity in this crazy world.  I know so many of you ARE just that.  And I'm proud to know you all.  I'm proud to have you by my side.

Time heals all wounds.  We do not have to forget.  Ever.

--The Cook

I've not forgotten you, dear friends!

I tell you - as soon as summer rolls around we end up busy.  Super busy.  And as much as I intend to come and visit and share - I have yet to get the time!

The good news is that I am compling some treats for you all, and will share when the days start to get a little shorter and less.....hot.

So far I have banked the Parmesan Chicken and a Curry Sauce for you all!

Want me to try something - drop me a line and let me know!  I'm game to try nearly everything.  And hey, we just might come up with something really fantastic.  Or horribly disgusting.  But either way, we'll enjoy the time we spend in the kitchen!

--The Cook

Mud Soup

Mud Soup a la Loo Lee

I swear, our kids do things JUST to make themselves different.  To stand out.  And Loo Lee, never to be outdone by her sister - just HAD to get dirty.  Of course, not on the same day as the Biggie Wiggie.  The next day.  Thankfully, bath tub day!

Soup instead of Pie.  And Loo Lee does things her way.  Slow.  Methodical.  Planned.  And messy.  I swear we worked on this soup for the whole day.  Of course, we stopped for lunch, a play in the park and a few snuggles - but it was a full day event followed by a dive into the tub with a whole herd of animals!

Mud Pies

Mud Pie a la Biggie Wiggie

Remember back when you were young(er) and playing in the dirt was THE.BEST thing ever??  I do - and I remember the look on my Mom's face when we were done.  Part disgust, part happiness.  And never anger.  Unless we were dirty BEFORE we got to where ever it was we were to be.

We grew up getting dirty - splashing in mud puddles, chasing cows in the back pasture, feeding the chickens and fighting with the goats.  Never fought with the goose though.  He was mean, and we knew it!

So, we've been raising our kids to know that getting dirty is part of being a kid.  And an adult too, sometimes.  And today was a day for making Mud Pies, Biggie Wiggie style!

Braised Fennel with White Wine & Cream

About a year ago, I had the pleasure of attending a function hosted by Kendra - who owns a great deli downtown here.  She's a terrific cook with great knowledge, new ideas and a wonderful attitude to home cooked meals.

The dinner she made while I was there included a side dish of braised fennel.  Now, I had never had fennel before, so I tasted this dish with wonder and amazement!  I mean - something so simple yet so tasty!  I was hooked, and have recreated her dish many times over and over again.

For those that don't know - fennel is a bulb (like celery) that smells remarkable like black licorice.  There are a number of ways you can use it (I've heard grilled in big slabs on the BBQ is quite tasty) so give other methods a try, once you enjoy this savory version!

So, grab yourself a few steaks, fire up the grill and go ahead and have this delicious dish along side!

The Better Burger - My Way!

So, if you know me well you know I have a few weaknesses.

Rum (thanks Nannie for the introduction), Man Tracker (he's a real, manly man), a Big Mac and the Double Gut Bomb (not it's real name) burger from Dairy Queen.  And since 3 of the 4 mentioned weaknesses can kill me if not consumed in moderation, I had to venture out and find my own way to make burgers that tasted great!

And let me tell you - I practiced for many years.  I read everything I could on the internet - searching for the one key tip that I was missing.  The one key that would catapult my burgers into burger stardom.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

So, you've put in the time (and it really wasn't THAT much time, and was probably fun too) to create the Butter Chicken Sauce and you're ready to eat!  Tell you what - grab a few friends and make a night of it!





Remember the Indian Roti (Chapati) post a while back?  Those are going to go GREAT with this - and if you have help, and a nice glass of wine (or two) plus some terrific conversation - I swear you're going to enjoy this meal even more!

Here's what I do to create a yummy, saucy, melt in your mouth Butter Chicken.  And remember - you're going to have a few containers in the freezer ready to use when the desire strikes - so this is going to be a fairly easy meal!

Butter Chicken Sauce (Murgh Makhani)

If you've never tried Butter Chicken, I think you need to.  And fairly soon.  It's one of the most delicate of curry dishes, and melts in your mouth with greatness.  GREATNESS!!  I was hooked from the first time I tried it, I can tell you that!

Butter Chicken, for us, started at the Farmer's Market here in town.  This great cook (Pam) makes the sauce in little tubs and freezes it so people like me can grab one, store it and create a terrific meal in minutes!

But you know me.  I needed to find MY own recipe!  So off I went in search of just.what makes the sauce, the sauce.  And like a good sleuth, I search many recipes and bought many spices (did you know that Indian spices are the most fragrant I've ever found??) and began to experiment.

Is it traditional?  Probably not quite.  Is it good?  You bet!!  And like any one family spaghetti recipe - Butter Chicken is personal per family, perfect per taste and really something you just NEED to try!

Ma P's Bread Stuffing

Ma P is Mr. Hungry's Mom.  Since they've moved to BC from Ontario, we get to spend more time together and at times, cooking is the front runner activity.  Or chasing children, which Ma P does with style.

No shame in giggling and carrying on just like one of the kids around our house!  And she does that and more.  And, she can cook.  Which is nice because cooking alone gets boring (as does talking to one's self) and why not share the load!

And on a quiet Christmas eve, you'll be sure to find Ma P with a nice cool glass of Bailey's on ice.  OK - a few glasses.  Or heck - the whole bottle!  And I'm not ashamed to join her!  No twisting my arm involved (or my rubber liver either).

Why?  Beyond the taste - Christmas eve is OUR time, Ma P and I.  Bailey's tastes great, involved NO mixing and icicles are usually handy hanging from the roof if we run out of ice cubes!

So, Ma P showed us how to make HER stuffing for turkey.  And since we can't resist an excuse to cook a bird in this house - we had turkey for Easter dinner and stuffed that bad boy (or was it a girl) up real good!

Braided Egg Bread

Our Grandma always used to have this terrific, dense bread at Easter that was braided and always (ALWAYS) had jelly bean eggs decorating it.  All the grandkids used to ohhh and ahhh when it was presented and we'd all secretly plot to get the most beans on one slice of bread.

A lot of my memories revolve around food and family.  Meals spent at the table (or kids table - remember those??) talking and laughing and enjoy the moment that it takes to eat a meal that's cooked for days!  I want our kids to remember the times like that and the joy on everyone's faces.



I wanted to recreate that bread (and the wonder, for the kids) and came across this recipe (with pictures - who can resist pictures) and thought that I would give it a try!