The hubs and I are Ravens fans. Last Saturday night wasn’t really a good night for us Ravens fans. Though the outcome of the game…
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Category: Kitchen Bootcamp
Creamy Carrot and Potato Soup
I loooove this soup!
That’s what I used to tell my mom when she made this soup for me when I was a kid… And, now that I’ve made it myself, I’m still raving about how much I love this soup!
I guess I should start at the beginning. Long before Lonely Island proclaimed their love for being on a boat, there were Bert and Ernie… You know who I’m talking about – from Sesame Street! Perhaps this clip will jog your memory a bit…
I watched quite a bit of Sesame Street in my day. So, when my mom made this carrot and potato soup for me when I was a kid, I would walk around letting everyone know how I felt about the soup, Ernie style. In fact, my mom has a handwritten note in her cookbook that says “Jenny LOVES this soup!” (Yes, I was known as Jenny back then, too… And, there may be a few people who still call me that.)
Challenge: Soups (Kitchen Bootcamp January)
Whether I’m ready or not, 2011 is here. I haven’t really outlined specific goals or made a list of resolutions for the year… However, if I did, I think that continuing to learn new things, particularly in the kitchen, would be pretty high on my list. Though I enjoy making familiar recipes, it’s the new recipes and techniques that I find to be the most fun.
So, I’m feeling a sense of renewal as we head into the January Kitchen Bootcamp challenge. I’m ready to tackle some new recipes, techniques, and flavors… And, I hope you’ll join me!
Kitchen Bootcamp Roundup – Hors d’Oeuvre and Appetizers
When I announced the November/December Kitchen Bootcamp challenge, I had grandiose plans for all of the lovely appetizers I would make. The holidays seemed like a wonderful time for me to finally embrace the concept of appetizers and come up with a few of my own. But, as it often does, life just got in the way.
I love to order appetizers at a restaurant, but when it comes to making them myself, I usually just can’t be bothered. I’m more of a cheese and crackers person. So, even though it sounded like a lot of fun to develop new appetizers during the holidays, when things got busy, they went right back to the bottom of my priority list. I would just much rather spend time on a fancy dessert or the main dish than worry about appetizers.
Cocoa Cardamom Espresso Roasted Almonds
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, hopefully you’ve already finalized your menu and are well on your way to a spectacular dinner! If not, you can always check out last week’s Friday Favorites for my collection of favorite Thanksgiving recipes.
Now that dinner’s taken care of, let’s talk about a fun snack for your guests to nibble on when they arrive. I always like to have a few bites and snacks available to keep everyone occupied while I’m cooking dinner and getting everything together.
Lately, one of my favorite snacks is roasted almonds. Almost everyone I know loves to munch on nuts (and they’re not so filling that they’ll spoil your dinner!), but I prefer to make my own than buy a can of pre-seasoned nuts. By roasting my own almonds, I have the opportunity to get a bit creative with fun flavors.