Color Chic

Broken Bread...

A new restaurant in town...

After a delightful lunch a couple of weeks ago at Broken Bread we were finally able to enjoy a fabulous dinner there.  We started off with tri-colored carrots and bleu cheese dip, we had those for lunch and I was looking forward to trying it again. So fresh and crisp with a dressing that doesn't overpower the carrots. Next we had green salads with the freshest lettuces, cabbages and a nice light dressing. These were both enjoyed with warm fresh bread.  My honey ordered the Braised Bison Back Ribs with Smashed Roots, Winter Vegetables. I ordered the Clams and Crostini; both were cooked to perfection. I only wish I had thought about taking a quick photo... because it was all beautifully prepared.  Luckily I thought about taking one of the dessert:

Panna Cotta with Cherry Rhubarb Jam... Oh my gosh! A perfect finish to a wonderful meal.

What I love about Broken Bread is the seasonings never overpower the fresh foods they prepare. You can find the menu on their blog.

Looking forward to going back for another tasty meal!

Broken Bread on Urbanspoon Broken Bread on Urbanspoon

Little Pumpkin Soup

I spent a good portion of yesterday cleaning out the pantry. Over the Holidays we seemed to be in the throw and go mode and the small counter that I used as a step stool to reach the highest point was no longer available! I really should have taken a before and after shot but then we've all seen messy before! But what came out of the pantry were these darling little pumpkins I had tossed into a wire basket; perfect for soup!

I cut them in 1/2 and layed them on a cookie sheet topped by a Silpat...

I figured if I was going to roast these it would be great to roast some onions right along with them!

While these cooked I went about the business of cleaning the pantry, and I never set the timer. My Grandmother always said that when you can smell the flavors coming from the oven it's probably done; she was right!

These are perfectly fork tender and easily scooped into a pan. I added about a cup and half of vegetable broth,  left over italian tomatoe sauce, a bit of left over tomatoe relish and a few dried tomatoes (yes I cleaned the fridge too)! I also added a bit of cumin and garlic, simmered for about twenty minutes, then pureed with the immersion blender...

I added a dollop of nonfat yogurt with a drizzle of olive oil and added freshly ground pepper and paprika.

Warm and toasty for a cold, winter day!  I love the challenge of using up the pantry and fridge items to create a tasty meal without heading to the store.

What have you been cooking up lately?

Marshmallows Done...

Whipped to perfection...

A super sticky mess...

But Marshmallows are packaged and ready to share with family & friends...

Hot Chocolate is still on the shopping list but I do have 3 days left....

How are your Christmas projects coming along?

Should I be trying to make Sour Dough Bread?

We all have so much going on this busy Holiday season so why in the world do I always try to cram in one more thing.  I mean I think I might be a little crazy trying my hand at baking bread when I have crafts that need to get done and presents that need to be wrapped. But whatever I have this wonderful starter in my fridge:

And that's the best part of this process... The worst part is all the calculating:

I did my best and then inprovised...

My mixer came in handy but I do have a huge mess on my hands... flour everywhere!

And it's supposed to have this elastic feel to it, but mine... well you can see it's not! The only reason I have time to write this post is that it's supposed to rest for 10 minutes - 4 times between extra pulling and folding (well that's what you're supposed to do) but I'm just sort folding.

Then it rests in a bowl in the fridge until tomorrow... I hope things are better then! Because I have a pile of Ribbon...

And presents to wrap....

I must say if I hadn't fit Yoga in this AM, I wouldn't be nearly so calm!

Are you fitting in too much this Season!

Enjoy it All!

Sourdough Starter...

While I've got the bread and pizza thing down pretty well, any time I looked at recipes with sourdough I didn't know where to start... Until now!

I received a gift of "Starter", and now I can make Sourdough Pancakes...

More to come...

a little more Thanksgiving Prep.....

So that I didn't feel to guilty about watching the morning shows I decided to do a bit more Thanksgiving day prep... The vegetables... Let's start with Brussel Sprouts...

I never really understood this vegetable and do not get the appeal. I suppose it's kind of a cute little green... but how do you prepare it to bring out the fabulous flavor it's supposed to have? I welcome any recipes you want to send!

Next Green Beans....

Not really the season for fresh, but we've always had these on the table so they are washed and ready to go!

Onions and Mushrooms...

These are sauteed and ready to go into the stuffing. I did a little extra to top the pizza for tonights dinner.

Celery...

This will go into the stuffing too, but I wanted to keep it seperate.

Now off to Work... !

How's the Thanksgiving prep going at your house?

 

Thanksgiving Day Prep...

Fresh & Cooked Cranberry Sauce.... Check!

Pumpkin cooked for pies... Check!

Table set... Check!

And this Turkey has a LONG way to go before it's thawed!!!

Off to Yoga to keep the balance!

How are your Thanksgiving day plans going?

Granola...

The granola made with Erin's Honey is on the way to her.  It's been fun to make the trade of Honey for Granola and I hope she enjoys my baking as much as I love the fact she keeps bees!

Along with this list of ingredients here is the recipe:

4 Cups Oats

2 Cups Almonds (typically I use 1/2 pecans but Erin wanted all almonds)

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Bake at 325 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes, stirring as mixture browns.

Add 1 generous cup of cranberries when cooled.

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I'm sharing this with:

Mary @ Dear Little Red House

Honey...

About a month ago I asked my daughter's friend Erin if she would like to trade a jar of Erin & Aaron's Honey for Homemade Granola (of course I would be using honey from her bees).

Well enough time has passed with that beautiful jar sitting on the counter, and time has come to fulfill my part of the deal.

It's baking now... once it cools I'll add the cranberries... and package it up perfectly and get it out to her later today.

I'll update this with recipe and packaging details later!

Coffee...

I seriously love a great cup of coffe first thing in the morning!

My day isn't the same without one!