tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28869644197049104052012-01-18T14:11:24.411-05:00My adventures in the kitchen...Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.comBlogger361100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-1137074078287416032009-10-14T21:00:00.002-04:002009-10-14T21:03:24.081-04:00

I thought it might be fun to do an interesting product review from time to time. I've been curious about the Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Ice Cream. I've walked past it many times in my grocery store... and finally decided to give it a try. I picked up the Vanilla Bean flavor, since Vanilla Bean ice cream is one of my favorites.The ice cream is sweetened with Agave Syrup, a "

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-3271123337995150532009-10-14T08:34:00.001-04:002009-10-14T10:04:27.029-04:00

About a week and a half ago I was watching Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network... and she made this dish. I stocked my freezer with short ribs, found a lot of recipes that looked amazing, had them all ready to make, and then I came down with the flu. So, here we are a week and half later and my husband and I were finally able to make them!This dish is so savory. I had never attempted short

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-4214142041291952652009-10-12T09:25:00.000-04:002009-10-12T18:28:43.559-04:00

I was really struggling to come up with ideas this week... my brain was just dead. I turned to recipe searching again... and wound up on the Williams Sonoma Recipe website. I ended up printing several recipes and saving several more. This was one of the recipes. You can find the original recipe here.I couldn't find Broccoli Rabe, so I used Broccolini instead. I used sausage from our favorite

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-73482827556834623132009-09-29T20:00:00.000-04:002009-09-29T20:08:32.876-04:00

It certainly has felt like fall for the last week or so, which means it is time to start making soups and crockpotting!!! I know everyone has their own version of Broccoli Cheese Soup, but I wanted to share this one. The soup's base is so thick and creamy from the potato.... it's a much more "filling" soup. I enjoy the thinner consistency Broccoli Cheese Soups as well, but I keep going back to

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-5930956613991718572009-09-28T11:48:00.008-04:002009-10-28T22:09:43.425-04:00

I've had a big container of Orzo in my cupboard for quite awhile, so I started searching for recipes to start using it up. This one from epicurious sounded tasty, quick, and simple. I didn't have fresh basil or medium shrimp so I substituted dried basil, and a can of baby shrimp.I loved this!!! It was very simple, but very delicious!! I think it would be even better using the fresh basil so I

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-27072055090481632892009-09-19T21:35:00.000-04:002009-09-19T21:35:28.432-04:00

This is one of my favorite fall/winter dishes. I love lentils and they pair wonderfully with sausage! The idea for this recipe came from a cookbook called Easy Meals on a Budget. Yet again, I've changed and added a few things to make it a little more exciting!No one complains when I say we are having lentils for dinner! I used canned lentils in this dish to make it go together quicker. You

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-17413473586942837182009-09-18T20:40:00.001-04:002009-10-28T22:10:48.616-04:00

I got the idea for this recipe from the new issue of Rachael Ray Magazine. I added a couple of things to it... because some of her recipes are rather boring. I like zucchini a lot, if its cooked correctly. Make sure you don't overcook your zucchini!!!Saffron is one of my favorite spices. It brings vibrant yellow color and richness to any pasta dish. Growing up I loved it when my mom would

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-39267096640073514912009-09-14T19:39:00.000-04:002009-09-14T19:40:02.703-04:00

This is another recipe I adapted from the Whole Foods website. I'm always trying to sneak veggies and whole grains into my meals... and so I thought I'd give these a try. I had never made meatballs before... but I was pretty pleased with my first attempt!These meatballs were so tender... and tasted so good. The zucchini really kept them moist. The whole wheat pasta I paired them with was

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-44717643437104491392009-09-13T13:28:00.001-04:002009-10-28T22:11:40.228-04:00

I wanted to make a warm potato salad to go with some homemade coleslaw and grilled brats. This is what I came up with... next time I may use fresh parsley, and some chopped fine red onion. This was also very good chilled!!!Warm Potato Salad-serves 4-6 side dish-Approx. 15 small Potatoes, (I used baby Yukon's and Purple ones from the Farmer's Market)3/4 tsp. Dry Mustard1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar1/

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-50487296018557588152009-09-11T21:06:00.001-04:002009-10-28T22:12:06.502-04:00

I found this recipe on my Whole Foods recipe application on my iPhone... It seemed like a kid friendly meal and I love polenta so I thought I'd give it a try. It was really tasty!!! Even the baby who is the pickiest eater in my family ate some of the polenta (Pepperoni is a different story though!!) I threw this together in about 5 minutes, let it bake for 30 minutes... and voila!!! Easy dinner!

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-11746998829960741772009-09-07T18:16:00.008-04:002009-09-07T22:21:04.426-04:00

This recipe is inspired by a dish my mother-in-law made for us while we were visiting them this summer. I used a pretty assortment of green beans I picked from my mother's garden yesterday. The fresh lemon juice and feta cheese compliment the green beans beautifully. Very simple to make as well. This is our favorite way to eat green beans at the moment!!Lemon Feta Green BeansRoughly 3/4-1 Lb

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-70946905071627878132009-08-12T21:10:00.005-04:002009-10-28T22:13:13.333-04:00

This recipe was inspired by a scrumptious salad I had at one of my favorite restaurants here in Grand Rapids called Marie Catrib's. I ate the salad, and vowed to come up with a recipe that tasted similar. This came really close! I made a light "vinagrette" to mix into this salad... and when I was done I couldn't help but pick at it all day! I love Quinoa, it is a perfect grain to add protein

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-49056419069192393642009-07-30T13:35:00.007-04:002009-07-30T13:56:25.610-04:00

Hello, it's been awhile. My folks came up to visit my kids earlier this week, so I took the opportunity to try this recipe out from Epicurious. I have to say it turned out amazing! I used boneless chicken breasts instead of bone in, and I'm a wimp so I added a pinch of cayenne instead of crushed red pepper. Roast Chicken Breasts with Tomatoes, Garbanzo Beans, and Paprika5 Boneless Skinless

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-3970181462335510152009-06-15T20:43:00.004-04:002009-06-15T21:23:58.146-04:00

It's been a rough couple of months here.... moving, toddlers, end of school, etc etc etc......... So I haven't had the time to post anything. My mother told me to get back to blogging so here I am.....My husband and I love the little lettuce hand rolls they have as appetizers at un-traditional restaurants. I found this recipe at epicurious, and decided to give it a try, and add a couple things (

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-29532991337918576292009-04-27T12:05:00.000-04:002009-04-27T12:06:02.088-04:00

Oh I guess you could say I've been on an "Asian" kick lately..... but I'm not getting any complaints! I got the idea for this from my local health food store's website (Harvest Health). Mine ended up being a bit different...but still very tasty. Quinoa is chock full of protein and fiber- and can be a great substitute for rice. So when I came across the Shrimp Fried Quinoa Recipe, I had to try

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-58214211810432630482009-04-24T19:27:00.001-04:002009-04-26T10:34:00.315-04:00

I never used to like doing stir-fry until I started making my own sauces. The bottled ones just don't do it for me, I never know what they are going to taste like, and the powdered ones, well let's just not go there. I usually do beef for stir fry, so I thought I'd switch it up a bit and do chicken today. This is another sauce that we like- adapted from Recipezaar. Add your own meats, veggies,

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-90675936863705372832009-04-04T11:46:00.000-04:002009-04-04T11:46:39.325-04:00

This is a recipe I make very often. I have adapted it from meals matter. The sauce reminds me of the beef and broccoli sauce you would get from chinese takeout. I never have any complaints when I make this meal for my boys. The flank steak is great as a "stir-fry" meat. I have also included our favorite way to make basic rice, the stock adds a little more flavor. Beef with Vegetables in

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-76997422242990810322009-04-02T07:56:00.005-04:002009-04-02T08:02:09.279-04:00

I have always loved polenta, and it has been awhile since I made any. This recipe uses the pre-made polenta, which you can find in tubes in the refrigerated section, or in the pasta/italian food isle. The shrimp turned out to be my take on "scampi", and the Green Beans my husband prepared went quite nicely. Fried Polenta Rounds with Shrimp - serves 3-4 -1 tube of Polenta, I used a

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-7328669657633148512009-04-01T10:14:00.000-04:002009-04-01T10:14:35.894-04:00

My brother, Matthew, and sister-in law, Kathy (both at A Good Appetite), turned my Mom onto this book called "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day". My mother then turned me onto it, and my husband picked me up a copy a few weeks ago. All I can say is "WOW" this system makes it so easy to have fresh bread whenever I want it! Make enough dough for a few loaves, and keep it in the fridge! No

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-38545098349599550452009-03-31T19:52:00.001-04:002009-03-31T21:05:33.522-04:00

It's still been quite busy here- ... I haven't had the energy or the time to be posting anything.... let alone make anything really out of the ordinary.... So it's about time to get back on track!Anyways, our family visited my parents and little sister this past weekend, and my older son Braden dyed Easter Eggs with his "Mima" and Aunt Jessica. They turned out beautifully and my mom sent some

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-15169776716365662082009-03-08T17:20:00.004-04:002009-03-22T16:36:08.778-04:00

The past couple of weeks have been so busy and crazy I really didn't get time to cook anything really exciting, let alone blog about it... hopefully things will calm down now and I can get back into the swing of things.... Today I was in Kalamazoo all afternoon for an appointment, and wasn't home to make dinner, so yesterday I prepared this Indian Curry Stew, and all I had to do was pop it in

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-55117473728336012042009-02-24T20:35:00.000-05:002009-02-24T20:35:22.117-05:00

I had been craving a burger for about a week now.... so for dinner tonight I made burgers with grassfed beef (thanks mom!) on the foreman grill.... which I think does a pretty good job with burgers. I made these awesome fingerling potato chips to go with them... along with some green beans...Baked Fingerling Potato Chips2-3 fingerling potatoes for each person (you can also use Russet)Olive Oil or

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-75496066444629550292009-02-19T15:20:00.002-05:002009-02-24T20:39:49.926-05:00

I had some bananas that turned overripe very quickly on me this week- so what else to do but make banana bread! I used Alton Brown's Recipe from his baking cookbook, but adapted it a bit because my husband is allergic to nuts.Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips3-4 overipe bananas1 cup sugar2 eggs1 stick butter, melted then cooled1 tsp vanilla1 2/3 cups all purpose flour1/3 cup oat flour (I used

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-87428214358062172752009-02-14T14:33:00.000-05:002009-02-19T19:18:16.653-05:00

My husband and I went out to eat last weekend for our 1st anniversary, so instead of going out on one of the busiest and cheesiest days of the year, I've decided to make a romantic dinner for us here at home, using leftover chipotle peppers from my Guisado earlier this week. On the menu tonight is Robin Millers Chipotle-Lime Chicken Thighs with Jamaican Rice and Peas, which I found on Food

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-32410669509619247712009-02-11T10:20:00.000-05:002009-02-13T14:14:05.869-05:00

This past fall my husband and I went down to the Hispanic Festival in downtown Grand Rapids to eat some mexican food (which we both LOVE). One of the dishes we had was called Carne Guisade, which was slow cooked beef with potatoes in a smoky tomato-ey sauce. I have been unsuccessful at trying to find a recipe that is similar...so here is my try at making it! We were both VERY happy with the way

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-31410344388385362042009-02-10T16:52:00.002-05:002009-03-22T16:27:58.397-04:00

I recieved the March issue of Rachael Ray Magazine in the mail over the weekend....and this sounded good, and I had all the ingredients to make it already! Cheesy Hashbrown Chili2 Tbsp Olive oil1 onion chopped2 Tbsp chili powder2 tsp cumin1/4 cup tomato paste1 Lb ground beef1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used my mom's canned tomatoes, chopping them myself)1 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed1 Lb

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-30624332672856671352009-02-09T19:52:00.000-05:002009-02-11T20:33:04.335-05:00

I love lentils- I sneak them into dishes a lot. The canned ones are so easy because you don't have to soak them! I didn't know what I was making when I started making dinner tonight.... and this is what it ended up being. I am not sure if it is soup or pasta (you could add more stock to make it more soup-like), so my husband named it : )Bow-Tied Lentil Narsh-Narsh4 oz Salt Pork, cut into thin

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-48800987239201284522009-02-04T10:34:00.000-05:002009-02-11T20:43:05.770-05:00

This was an easy tasty meal that I adapted from a recipe I found on Serious Eats. The original recipe was for 2 people, and I made a little more than that... and added garlic.Spaghetti in Creamy Pea Sauce with Crisped Prosciutto16 oz. Whole Wheat Spaghetti16 oz. bag Frozen Peas3 small Shallots, minced3 cloves Garlic, minced3 Tbsp. ButterSalt and PepperDash of Nutmeg3 oz. Prosciutto (1-2 slices

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-7258464127542540932009-01-31T12:37:00.000-05:002009-01-31T13:01:09.576-05:00

I like garbanzo beans, so when I came across the recipe for garbanzo nuts I thought I would give it a try. I thought they would be similar to corn nuts, but they aren't as hard, and some of the insides are still a little chewy. I'm still not exactly sure what I think of them.... they may have just needed more salt.Garbanzo Nuts1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed, and patted drynon-stick

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-40404643397788834292009-01-31T12:08:00.000-05:002009-02-11T20:41:18.670-05:00

We like Brunswick Stew- there is a BBQ restaurant here called Smokey Bones that makes a good one with bits of all their smoked meats. After reading a lot of different recipes, I've come up with my own..... not as traditional with okra and lima beans, or lots of smoked meats... and have cooked it in the crockpot. I tend to do this a lot when working with my crockpot nowadays (just throw some stuff

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-30576221795483647622009-01-27T17:10:00.001-05:002009-01-27T17:14:00.318-05:00

I started sprouting wheat berries on monday. I soaked them overnight on sunday and rinsed them monday morning. I will continue to rinse them morning and night (two-three times a day is good). Here are my wheat berry sprouts after 1 1/2 days of sprouting!

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-4424739873583297132009-01-27T10:12:00.003-05:002009-03-31T20:54:27.379-04:00

This recipe is for an "all purpose meat sauce" that can be used in several different recipes. or as taco filling, filling on baked potatoes, sloppy joes, etc. It is from the Feb '09 issue of Rachael Ray magazine. I will be using it in 2 of her recipes included in the issue, and then freezing some because it made so much! I did change a couple of things...Meat Sauce1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-19257136599759045662009-01-24T22:12:00.002-05:002009-02-24T20:37:17.022-05:00

We had Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast this morning! I watched the episode of Good Eats in which he made them a while back and finally gave them a try myself! Link to his original recipe Food NetworkI made half of his recipe, and do not own a stand mixer yet, so used the hand mixer and then the food processor- which actually works pretty well to mix up dough! My halved recipe

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-65567765769102589142009-01-23T20:30:00.002-05:002009-03-22T16:28:29.080-04:00

I made fruit roll-ups yesterday. These actually have fruit in them (unlike their storebought cousins...) They turned out pretty good, except a little sticky, probably could have dried them out a little more, but I needed my oven for something else...After reading a lot of recipes, they were all pretty much the same:Fruit Roll Ups2 Cups Fruit Puree (from fresh, frozen or canned)HoneyLemon

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-45057141605210653192009-01-23T20:05:00.000-05:002009-02-11T20:48:12.437-05:00

I adapted this recipe from a recipe I found at NoshtopiaHere is my version:Quinoa Porridge with Fresh Fruit1 1/4 Cups cooked Quinoa (I used Red Inca to give it some color)3/4 Cup cooked Amaranth1/2 Cup cooked MilletInformation on cooking whole grains can be found at Whole Grains Council2 Tbsp. Butter2 Cups Vanilla Hemp Milk 3 Tbsp. Agave Nectar (you could also use honey)2 Tbsp. Brown Rice Syrup (

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2886964419704910405.post-20764911258305153932009-01-20T10:10:00.000-05:002009-01-27T16:37:36.074-05:00

hello! welcome to my blog. my focus is going to be food- and my biggest goal for the year is to incorporate as many raw foods and whole grains into my families diet! i am a stay at home mom who has started going a little bit stir crazy- and have really taken on cooking and experimenting. hope you enjoy!yesterday i started sprouting some lentils- i really enjoy sprouts, and at 3-4 dollars a pack-

Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18225964377511393437noreply@blogger.com1