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Dinner Divas: Week 16 – One Pot Wonders

August 4, 2017

One Pot dinners are the busy weekday’s salvation. We are quickly approaching “Back to School” and we’re here to help get dinner on the table quickly and without too many pots and pans to clean up afterwards.

How it works: Every Friday morning, a new meal plan will show up in your email. It will consist of 5 dinner options, plus 2 extras. Those two extras could be side dishes, dessert, drinks, etc. The Dinner Divas weekly menu plans will feature (mostly) healthy, seasonal foods that don’t take all day to prepare. Getting the weekly menu delivered to your inbox on Friday morning gives you the chance to make your shopping list and get organized for the week ahead. I’d love to hear from you & see your creations! Post a pic using #DinnerDivas and tag @pookspantry! I hope this weekly menu plan provides inspiration and makes life a little easier… one meal at a time.

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11 of My Very Best Fall Recipes

October 7, 2016

Crisp fall air and leaves turning shades of red and burnished orange, the crackle of them under your feet as you walk down the street with hands snuggled deep inside your pockets. Autumn is by far my favorite season. The temperatures begin to cool down at night, calling for an extra blanket or a down comforter. This is something I miss now that I live south of the Mason Dixon line. It’s only been 3 and a half years, but I doubt I’ll ever really get used to the lack of (distinguishable) seasons.

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Food Friends

September 20, 2016

Greetings, All! I am away in Idaho this week with my friends from Idaho Potato! In lieu of posting a new recipe, I wanted to share some awesome recipes from my super talented friends.

I do hope you will check out their recipes, as I happen to think they are pretty great! Besides being amazing in the kitchen, they are good humans and I am lucky to know them. I can’t wait to tell you all about Idaho and the fun things happening there right now! I’m updating and sharing pics on social media every day, so if you want to see what we’re up to, check out my Facebook page, Instagram account or Twitter feed for the latest shenanigans.

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Summer Grain Salad

May 29, 2016

It’s the unofficial start to summer and you know what that means: dining alfresco! Whether it be picnics, backyard BBQ’s or lunch hours outside on a bench while soaking up a little sunshine, this grain salad with it’s rainbow of colors has you covered.

It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy nature’s bounty of fresh vegetables. If you are trying to eat a little cleaner and healthier, grain salads are for you! The satisfying chewiness of whole grains, the crunch of fresh veggies, the freshness of herbs and the zing of red wine vinegar make this salad a home run.

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(Old Mother) Hubbard Squash

November 10, 2012

The past two weeks have been a weather nightmare here and we are all in need of a little comfort. For me, that usually comes in the form of something warm from the oven. This particular time, the oven also served as heat for my apartment. I had purchased a perfect little Hubbard squash and since I had lost my heat it seemed an opportune time to do something with it.

If you have never had Hubbard squash before, you are in for a treat. The flesh is slightly drier than acorn or butternut and it is a bit earthier in flavor. The bluish-gray color and deep orange flesh is beautiful and makes for a striking contrast.

Any kind of roasted squash is, for me, the perfect fall food and if you are the type that likes to change up for your holiday menu this would be a great addition to the meal. As I have professed before on this very blog, I am NOT the type to change my menu, but adding to it is absolutely permissible.

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Butternut Squash Risotto

December 2, 2011

Risotto is one of those foods that require demand a long, leisurely approach. On a cold winter afternoon when the wind is blowing outside and the last thing I want to do is brave the cold, THIS is the kind of food that happily keeps me indoors and in front of the stove.

This is comfort food on every conceivable level. On days when you need a bit of a mental break, I whole-heartedly recommend making risotto… 20 minutes of stirring while you lovingly watch the pot of rice in front transform into something ethereal you can be just what you need.

The whole key to risotto is the slow process allowing the creaminess of the rice to come out and that can only be achieved by not rushing it. Knowing this going into it makes the constant stirring a welcome change of pace from the frenzied dinner preparation most of us normally experience.

Don’t let the thought of the stirring deter you from making this, it really isn’t more than a bit of pouring in stock and stirring for the better part of the cooking. Some people find it a bit off-putting to be tethered to a stove for a period of time, but if you have children that are a little older have them do the stirring for you. Getting your kids involved in the kitchen is the best way for them to learn.

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Stuffed Acorn Squash

November 12, 2011

Acorn squash is one of those little gems that most people probably just pass on by at the store and don’t even give a second look.

Well, stop and give it a second glance. Squash, whether they be acorn, butternut, spaghetti or any other variety you happen upon at the store (or ahem… Farmer’s Market) are delicious and now is when they are at their peak. They are wonderful roasted in the oven or scooped out and stuffed with whatever you can dream up.

This humble little vegetable may not be the latest “in” thing on the restaurant scene or some new discovery that will help you live to over 100 years of age but what it is… is delicious.
The flesh takes on an almost buttery texture when roasted and the caramelized squash is sweet and melts in your mouth it’s so tender.

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