For the Love of Food

A few weeks ago Bob took an insight questionnaire to help him better understand his management style.  He shared some of the questions with me.  One question was:

In your daydreams, what do you tend to dream about most?

The first thing that popped into my mind was: food!  Great recipes, tasty ingredients, beautiful food, sharing it with friends.  So, you can see that I love good food and I love cooking, as well as sharing recipes and ideas.  This blog is my way of sharing.

Painting by Mary Cowan Jensen

I am attempting in the coming weeks to write what was shared in the Relief Society cooking class, on October 14th, and to expand on that in this blog.  Instead of handing out copies of recipes, etc., the information will all go here. Posting takes time, and I wouldn't want to overwhelm you with too much information all at once; the posts will come every few days until I run out of things to say or time to say them!

Just wanted to thank Jen Tucker for being a wonderful sous chef Tuesday night and Billie Ann Divine and Thessaly Barnes for helping with the food, Anna Baker for helping me set up the email updates, and Thessaly for being a great editor.

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Here is the recipe for my favorite appetizer.  It takes just a few minutes to put together, and can be made the day before you want to serve it.  Everyone loves it!

Hot Artichoke Dip

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, diced

1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies

1 heaping cup Monterey Jack cheese

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

Mix all of the ingredients together.  Place in a baking dish.  Bake at 325° for 30 minutes, until bubbly and brown on the edges.  Serve with tortilla chips (my favorite) or your favorite crackers.  Serves about 12.  You can make this the day before and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake it.  Store leftovers in the refrigerator (if there are leftovers).

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Let me share a wonderful fall apple dip from the blog Event Trender that takes 5 minutes to make, is delectable and makes a great gift.  Click below for the link: 

Yummy apple dip and gift idea

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A very easy recipe for Cinnamon Cream Cheese Danish can be found on the blog Our Best Bites. The recipe is fairly simple and looks beautiful when it is finished.  I might try whipping the egg first and then adding only half of it to the cream cheese mixture.  The cream cheese seems a little runny to me. Great served as a dessert or breakfast pastry, warm or cold.  Click on the link below:

Cinnamon Apple Cream Cheese Danish

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Martha Stewart has a make ahead recipe for Baked Chicken Cutlets.  This is one of her simpler recipes.  You prepare them ahead and then put them in the freezer to bake later.  Take out one or 6 and bake for a snack or a meal.  They are great baked, sliced up and added to a green salad for a main course meal.  To skip a step, add the salt and pepper to the flour and mix.  I was able to bread 10 chicken cutlets (5 chicken breasts) with half of the panko crumb recipe.  Fifteen minutes is probably too long to toast the panko.  Start at eight minutes and see how they look.

Click below for the link:

Baked Chicken Cutlets


To learn how to cut your own cutlets, click on the link below:

Cutting chicken cutlets

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Kitchen shortcut - Cutting a green pepper or red, yellow or orange

Growing up, I learned to cut up a pepper by cutting out the stem at the top, pulling out the seeds and rinsing the inside.  Then slicing it in half, slices or dices.  There is a much easier way!

Rinse the pepper and put it on your cutting board. Slice down the edge of one side. Turn it a quarter turn and slice the next side. Do all four sides.  Throw out the core and you are done. It is so slick and you don't have to deal with the seeds.

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Cathy Gelwix asked Tuesday night about this quick minestrone soup recipe that we have both used for years.  It takes very little time and has a wonderful flavor.  I like a frozen mixed veg that has green beans, carrots and broccoli  or a mixed veg that has broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.  I think I will make it this week!

Quick Minestrone Soup

2 (10 oz.) cans chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cup frozen mixed vegetables

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup small pasta like small shell or macaroni

½ t. thyme

½ t. basil

1 (14 oz.) can Italian style diced tomatoes

          In a large pot put broth, beans, frozen vegetable, onion and herbs. Bring to a boil. When boiling add pasta. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. When pasta is thoroughly cooked, stir in tomatoes.  Heat through.

          Serve with grated or shredded Parmesan cheese.  Serves 4-6.

          One cup cooked, cubed chicken can also be added for a heartier main course meal.

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Next post:  Blueberry Lemon Sweet Rolls and other rolls to make with the same dough.

If you have questions or comments, you can email me at: cowanrl@gmail.com.