lindalouhamel

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Bruschetta Topped With Heirloom Tomatoes

Bruschetta Topped With Heirloom Tomatoes is what we’re having for dinner tonight. Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer of toasted bread with toppings. The name comes from the Italian word for “burn” because the bread is grilled until slightly charred. Living in the mountains of Tennessee it’s taken us a while to find a good Farmers’ market near us but we did. This Farmers’ market is run by an Amish…

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My New Updated Kitchen

  It’s been a year since, my husband, Steve and I moved into our log cabin in the mountains of Tennessee. This is My New Updated Kitchen and below is the original kitchen. When I found this home it had everything, my husband wanted. Mountains, a private lake, waterfalls, caves, and trails. For myself, I wanted a new kitchen. Because it is an open kitchen floor plan I wanted to make changes in the…

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Pork Wellington

My Pork Wellington and how this dish came to be. You’re not going to believe this, but I was in the kitchen and heard that commercial about the three “P’s.” You know the one, right? It’s the one for life insurance. I’m always thinking about what I’m going to make for dinner.  I know I had two pork tenderloins, Prosciutto, and a couple of rolled puff pastry sheets in the refrigerator. I was…

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Homemade Brown Gravy

My Homemade Brown Gravy is easy and quick to make. I have a couple of tips I want to share with you. First, you must add the beef broth or chicken broth slowly to prevent lumps. Second, is the Kitchen Bouquet. This is a browning and seasoning sauce that gives you the brown color when using a lighter color broth. If you’re using a beef broth to make your gravy, you won’t need to deepen the color…

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Sofrito In A Jar

My Sofrito In A Jar is a convenient way to make cooking quick and easy. Many dishes require a “base” whether it’s a Mirepoix, the Holy Trinity for Cajun cooking, or a Ginisa for Filipino cuisine or Asian dishes. The term “sofrito” is commonly used for Italian or Spanish dishes. I decided to make my version of a classic sofrito that I can add as a “base” to many dishes and store in my…

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Cinnamon Sugar Popovers

Today I’m making my Cinnamon Sugar Popovers with a cheesy surprise inside. I’ve made my savory Sweet Italian Sausage Popovers in an earlier post. You can check out the link below for that recipe. I felt like I needed a little sweet something and these Cinnamon Sugar Popovers did the trick. These popovers go great with a good cup of coffee for dessert or breakfast. One of the best things about…

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Soft Pretzel Bites

This 3 ingredients recipe for Soft Pretzel Bites is handy if you need an appetizer in a pinch. They’re everything you love about a soft pretzel without any of the fuss in making the dough.         Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 to 22 minutes Total Time: 32 minutes Yields: 8 servings (48 pretzel bites) Equipment: cutting board, chef’s knife, 6 qt. Pot, 1/4 cup measure, large slotted spoon.…

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Summer Squash With Smoked Sausage Casserole

I titled this dish Summer Squash With Smoked Sausage Casserole because I didn’t think the word “and” would be exactly right. Let me explain. The star of this dish is the summer squash. I added a small amount of smoked sausage for added flavor and also because my husband thinks all dishes should have some type of protein. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Inactive Prep Time: 10 minutes…

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Classic Shepherd's Pie

I’m making my Classic Shepherd’s Pie today which is different from how I grew up eating this dish. I lived in London for a few years in the early 1970s. I’d never had shepherd’s pie, at least not the way my Auntie Joyce made it. She did not put vegetables in her Classic Shepherd’s Pie; she added only a few shredded carrots for sweetness. The meat she used was ground lamb, and the vegetables were…

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Mini Cannoli Cream Tarts

I’m making my Mini Cannoli Cream Tarts today for my husband to try. They are going to blow his mind! I remember my first time eating a cannoli and how delicious they were. Growing up in New Jersey, my grandparents took our family to a small bakery in New York City for cannolis. I looked forward to those times because the city was amazing! There was so much to look at and explore as a kid.…

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Ricotta Frosting

      Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Yields: 12 cupcakes Equipment: 1 medium-size mixing bowl, hand-held mixer, rubber spatula, piping bag (disposable with a tip) Ingredients: ⅔ cup ricotta cheese, whole milk ricotta, at room temperature 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened 3 cups powdered sugar ¼ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (Optional) 1 teaspoon of pure…

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Homemade Pasta

Since we moved to Tennessee, we’ve been busy remodeling our home, with the kitchen being the biggest project. Most of the kitchen appliances are still packed away in the spare bedroom. This post is about making Homemade Pasta by hand, which requires just two ingredients that everyone has in their pantry: flour and eggs. The third ingredient is a bit of elbow grease. Once you’ve tasted fresh…

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Cheese Danish

  I can’t think of anything better in the morning or for dessert with a cup of coffee than a delicious Cheese Danish pastry. Whenever I’d go to the bakery section at my local grocery store, Cheese Danishes were the pastries I’d have to bring home. I’ve posted two ways you can make these delicious treats—one by using a sheet pan, which is the one I’m doing today, and the second by using a mini…