The biggest struggle here was figuring out how to name these! Pumpkin, Pancetta, Sage, Tyme, Rosemary, Turkey.... too many buzzwords to pick just a few! For whatever reason, I rarely think to make meatballs, but am so glad I did and tweaked this recipe until they were just right. The sauce also has a little pumpkin in it, making it an all around Fall treat. Get cozy, eat these alone, over spaghetti squash, or regular pasta, and enjoy!
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Whew! It has been a while! We moved, started new jobs, are still getting settled in, and have been out of town so much celebrating weddings, babies, and all of the parties they bring for our favorite people. We celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and bought our first car together - all the while adjusting to the reality that we are actually adults. We have two weddings and a christening to go this year, and are trying to just relax and explore our new neighborhood as much as we can on our "off" weekends. There is a big part of me that loves and thrives off of the crazy, but then I always have to counter it with time to do absolutely nothing. Cue last Sunday: our plans included our couch, football, sweatpants, and chili.. This chicken chili recipe was the perfect fall chili, and I can't wait to make it again.
The first time I made this I literally burnt the crap out of it. Second time around with a few adjustments - and we're golden (brown?! wink wink)! One of the things no-one tells you about food blogging (and probably all blogging in general) is all of the trial and error that goes into it... and also how the things you make are RARELY your meal for that night. Beyond recipe disasters that you need to adjust twice or three times (or great recipes that you accidentally spill on the floor as you're moving it to take pictures of it - yes this has happened to me), to re-making a recipe you loved for dinner on Friday night at 10am on a Sunday, just so that you have good light to photograph it (cough cough this roast chicken). For every three pictures I post, I've probably taken at least 75, weeded them down and edited to what I actually post. It's definitely an adventure, and most definitely my favorite hobby. The most relaxing hours of my day are when I'm in the kitchen, coupled with loving to eat, and then adding the creative design element through blogging and photography makes it perfect for me.
Now on to this roast chicken! Like none I've ever had before. I found the recipe while watching food blogger Clodagh McKenna on the Rachel Ray morning show, and knew I had to make it. Tarragon is such a unique taste that to be honest, I HATE the smell of when uncooked. Please don't let this turn you off - tarragon and chicken are made for each other. Give this a try and I promise it will be your go to recipe! Let me start by saying that this is SO not my usual color scheme, but this combination keeps jumping out at me in magazines, on pinterest, just about everywhere ... and the images are piling up! Though this is the classic nursery combination, I've recently been seeing it pop up in interiors and events in such a feminine, modern, and chic way, and I just love it! It has quickly become one of my favorite combinations for late winter and early spring. It is just so lovely! By adding more modern hardware and lighting in the gold, black, and iron tones, and applying it to clean lined spaces, it is immediately transformed and updated. See some of my favorite images below of this combo done oh so right, as I fight the urge to redecorate my apartment! A little spice, a lot of cheese, and some greek yogurt... how could this be bad!? I love anything that involves feta, and this dip is no exception. The greek yogurt helps it to be dip-able, the jalapeño and red pepper flakes add just enough heat, and the lemon & parsley make it nice and fresh! Sadly, I made this for myself on Sunday evening for the Steelers game (tough loss), when Wes was out of town (which makes appetizer dinners perfectly acceptable). Despite the outcome of the game, I loved this dip, and am also loving that this recipe made more than enough to last us the week. Serve it with veggies, pita chips, potato chips, sweet potato chips.... you really can't go wrong! Enjoy!
Happy January! The calm after the storm. We had wonderful holidays, and both got to take a nice long break, which was so very needed. It felt like we blinked and all of a sudden we went from the wedding to the holidays, and now here we are - without any plans until mid-March. I think we are both hoping for a quieter year (and how could it not be compared to last year), enjoying cooking, being home, celebrating our friends & family in their special times, and enjoying the simplicity of the phase we are in in life right now. It can be so hard to just sit back, be patient, and enjoy where you are, especially in your late 20's when you're dreaming of a house, job goals, the list goes on... but that is the goal for us, for now.
Now onto the perfect soup for a quiet and cozy January! This soup is so good for you, tastes like it's bad for you, and is truly easy to make. It makes enough for six, so if you make it on a Sunday, you'll have a few lunches and dinner's solved for the busy work week! It honestly tastes like it has cups of heavy cream (even though it's dairy free), and the salty crispy pancetta helps to make it a perfect lunch or light dinner. Pecan balls go back as far as I can remember in the Burke family. They are a holiday favorite for two reasons: the first (and only because I am saving the best for last) is that they are the perfect accompaniment to ANY pie you would eat vanilla ice cream with, yet they are also insane on their own. You know how snickers bars are better frozen??? Same thing applies here. Freezing the pecans with the ice cream makes all of the difference instead of just sprinkling them on top of ice cream.
The second reason is just the nostalgia. Every Christmas growing up, we would get together for brunch with our close family friends, the Joneses. Although we see each other all of the time now, our hectic family schedules pretty much allotted for holiday brunch, and a summer barbecue every year in the early days. The highlight of this holiday brunch for each and every one of us was the Pittsburgh Field Club's signature pecan balls. Serve it with pie, serve it with chocolate sauce/caramel/butterscotch - or all three combined - they are AMAZING. Finally, we just took a stab at it on our own at home! The two ingredients are extremely simple, but the process is important - and finally tried and true after a few failed attempts! When it's in between the holidays and you are in major need of a detox ... but the thought of salad is sad because it's cold out and you want something warm - this is the recipe for you! This is the perfect healthy, easy, and savory meal for one or two, or however many, with the only cleanup being tossing the parchment paper in the garbage. I absolutely love this recipe, and would probably make it three times a week if I could!
This recipe features my two favorite squash - delicata and acorn - and my favorite simple, flavorful, and delicious way to eat them! I've made every combination between rosemary, sage, thyme, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup... you name it, but this maple syrup and thyme version is my favorite! This comes together quickly, and you can really use any combination of squash with this topping! It is easy, healthy, and we haven't gotten sick of it yet!
Wes and I are sick as dogs, so this EASY chicken and vegetable soup is what we have been surviving off of all week! Before I got sick, I made Wes a chicken soup with homemade stock, but once I caught the bug midweek... it was store bought stock all the way. This is a really nice twist on the classic chicken soups out there, and I can not stress how easy it was, and how comforting it has been! I love nothing more than soup during the fall and winter, and love knowing that this is possible to make as a quick weeknight meal! Truly 1 hour start to finish! Hopefully we are on the upswing!
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