I first had panna cotta when I was in Florence, Italy over a decade ago. How I miss those decadent Italian desserts! Panna cotta is traditionally made with a sweetened cream combined with gelatin. Use a high quality gelatin made from pasture raised beef for the best …
Why, hello you handsome plate of braised venison! Old Nordic recipes like this one remind me of growing up on the farm, especially in the winter when the Minnesota wind whips your face and it’s so cold that hell may have actually frozen over. The …
Over the holidays, I allow a bit more lenient indulgence in my diet. Caprese bean dip happened to be that perfect blend of indulgent creamy warmth and healthful ingredient additions for an appetizer that’s fit for any gathering or game day! My awesome neighbor friend enjoys cooking healthy fun meals as well so she and I chat about food quite often. It was she who introduced me to this particularly delicious dish at a neighborhood ladies night and I ran with the idea making an update to add pureed white beans. This addition of the pureed beans enhances its creaminess and blends perfectly with the Tuscan themed tanginess of traditional caprese flavors.
Basil pesto, a touch of parmesan and garlic are blended with cream cheese and pureed white beans for this creamy crowd pleaser! Top it with slices of cherry tomatoes and bake until bubbly. I’ve also made this bean dip by substituting plain Greek yogurt for part of the cream cheese resulting in a bold bite that’s super awesome with veggie dippers.
Delicata satay as a title is a bit misleading since satay technically refers to “meat on a skewer” if you go with the Indonesian roots to this dish. So, now I’m a rebel and breaking all the satay rules by a) using delicata squash and …
Snow falling on my pine trees equates to cravings of all things warm, cozy and filled with goodness. The most recent cozy goodness came in the form of quinoa chili which is packed with a mix of black and pinto beans and veggies which was …
Oh man, are you all in for a treat! Cold weather makes me crave hot food… as in spicy hot! Gotta get that metabolism moving to stay motivated right? Ha! If you prefer less intense heat, you can adjust the spice level to however hot you desire but as written, this recipe for Szechuan chicken has a lot of authentic kick with equal amounts of flavor.
Szechuan (or Sichuan) chicken is abundant with authentic Sichuanese flavors like sesame, garlic and ginger. I used Sichuan peppercorns paired with dried hot chilies that I found at a local Asian market for the true flavor punch that is familiar in that region of China but you can totally use ground black pepper in place of the peppercorns as well and still achieve tasty results. Using chicken thighs will give this meal added fat and a deeper flavor profile which is common among Sichuan cooking but feel free to use chicken breast if you prefer. The results will be divine either way when combined with the spicy sesame sauce. Serve this crazy good Szechuan chicken as is for a keto friendly, low carb meal or pair it with a side of rice or riced cauliflower!
Simple and savory kale dip stuffed chicken is a dish that shines equally well on your weeknight table or for guests you want to impress with your kitchen prowess. For the filling, a traditional kale dip is modified into a healthier stuffing mixture by combining fresh …
Spicy, zesty, sweet, whole grain mustard goodness is simply a gift of the gods. I even named one of my new chickens Dijon since mustard has become my new favorite condiment. This spring, I learned to make mustard completely from scratch! There are so many …
Whoa. I just need life to slow down right now. My hubby has been home nursing a back injury for a few weeks and all my kids have been home being actively involved in summer activities like swimming lessons, building forts in the woods, and prepping for the county fair. I’ve also decided to participate in our local farmer’s market selling fresh made artisanal mustards, sauces, and jams this year so it’s been a madhouse around here making all sorts of goodies. This week will be the first market here and runs through September so I should be plenty busy the rest of the summer as well. This strawberry balsamic jam is one of the many awesome jams I’ll be selling at the market next week!
Strawberry balsamic jam is a perfect blend of sweet meets tart and tangy in the form of an aged balsamic vinegar. It’s like an upscale dessert in a jar that you can smear on toast, bagels, crackers, you name it! It’s super awesome warmed up and drizzled on this homemade dairy free ice cream. Traditional jam recipes usually contain a LOT of sugar but I’ve recently discovered a citrus based pectin that sets with calcium rather than sugar. This allows you to use much less sugar or to substitute honey, xlitol or even use no sweetener at all! With most other pectins using the low sugar recipe, I’d often end up with a softer set jam or it wouldn’t set up at all which is always disappointing so I’ve switched completely to the Pomona’s Universal Pectin because of this and I’ve had NO set failures yet. I use this pectin now exclusively in my jams because I do believe that having less sugar in our lives is a VERY good thing.
As strawberry season comes to a close here in the northern states, I’m hoping to harvest a few more pints to make more of this jam and some other unique combinations like strawberry passionfruit and strawberry margarita! I’ll be jammin’ out over here and if you’re interested in seeing the selections I’m taking to the farmers market, take a gander at my Etsy shop, Firewater Rustics!
My two daughters are at the national goat show this week with their grandparents experiencing what Nebraska has to offer. It’s pretty darn special that they are able to get out, explore and get a taste of farm life for a few weeks each summer …
