Good Morning Darlings!
Remember on my birthday, my sweet friend Allen gifted me with a homemade chicken pot pie? Goodness gracious, it was delicious. And, as expected, gobbled up like hungry badgers by E and me.
Lunch
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Allen’s Chicken Pot Pie
Tuesday, March 1st, 2011Mmmm, Chicken Meatballs!
Monday, February 21st, 2011Good Morning Darlings!
Oh my goodness. I was totally spoiled this weekend. And as much as I would like to share all the grandeur right now, I must rest.
So tomorrow we will regroup. But today I will leave you with a new food product to ponder before the weather gets too warm. Although it can’t get warm enough fast enough for me. You? These chicken meatballs are yummy. And I don’t ever eat chicken meatballs. But these might have convinced me that it doesn’t always have to be beef meatballs.
What’s new in the food world? Come See.
Mmmm…Tacos
Tuesday, February 1st, 2011Good Morning Darlings!
Wasn’t yesterday with Arlynn fun? She is such a delight.
And since she was such a love to write such a wonderful post, I am going to keep it short today and talk about tacos. Tacos are Eric’s favorite food. I like them, too, but I am more partial to pizza.
The other day I gazed into my refrigerator to see what I could conjure up for lunch. Um….slack jawed and uninspired, I stared. And then it hit me. I saw some chorizo I had just picked up, spied a hunk of queso, there’s some sour cream and we even have salsa verde! Hot diggity. I always try to keep tortillas on hand and so I fished those out of the pantry. Voila!
Eric joined me in the kitchen and diced up an onion to go with the chorizo frying in the pan. I heated up the tortillas over the flame on the stove (it’s fun! it’s like camping inside!) Not too long after, we were gobbling down some of the tastiest tacos I have ever had.
One fine meal.
Life’s funny like that. When you least expect it, the tastiest treat comes out of nowhere.
I hope your day is full of unexpected pleasures, Darlings.
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Taco – Putting On The Ritz
Weekend Edition-Ritz Round Up
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011Good Morning Darlings!
Hope you all are having a splendid weekend filled with fun.
You know how I love The Ritz-Carlton. Not only are their properties to die for, but I have made some fabulous friends there, too. And they are always coming up with new and exciting things to delight visitors with. And with the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day just around the corner, they are planning the most divine scenarios imaginable. Take a look:
From way down south, my friend Paulina at The Ritz-Carlton Cancun shares a unique dining experience at Twelve. With seating for only twelve guests, you are welcome to step into the kitchen with Chef Rory and help prepare the night’s meal, if you would like. The Viking equipped kitchen overlooks the Caribbean Sea – Eric and I were so privileged to indulge in this gourmet fantasy over the Christmas holiday, so you can trust me when I say it is the ultimate foodie experience. Three set menus in Mexican, Southern and Mediterranean cuisine await you in this five course experience that you will never forget. How about that for whisking your darling away for Valentine’s Day? Perhaps to pop the question?
Cook with Chef Rory in this magical kitchen setting.
Fun Find Friday-The Perfect Grilled Cheese
Friday, January 21st, 2011Good Morning Darlings!
Usually I feature a product or place on Friday, but I’m in a grilled cheese kind of mood.
I’ve only become proficient at making these beauties in the past few years. Before that, I would always burn the bread and end up with cheese that wasn’t melty, stringy and delicious.
But no more. If you find yourself with unmelty, unstringy and not quite right grilled cheese, worry no longer. I am here to help. And it’s easy.
Photo courtesy of The Glam Society at Blogspot
First, make sure your butter is softened. I would say at room temperature, but in the winter, at least at my house, that would mean rock hard. If you have a microwave, you might zap it for just a few seconds or let it sit on a warm stove for a bit. Spread the outsides of your bread with your softened butter and move on to the cheese.
Second, use grated cheese. Grate it fresh if you have to. I adore Jarlsberg for my grilled cheese and feel that the extra effort to grate a hunk of it worthy of the perfect sandwich. Grated cheese is going to melt up much easier than sliced cheese. Trust me on this. Almost all cheese will work for grilled cheese, except maybe parmesan.
Stove temperature – I set the burner to medium, melt a little more butter in the pan and when it warms up, place my bread buttered side down into the pan. Now, take a mound of your grated cheese and heap it on top, followed by the second piece of bread – buttered side up. Give the sammie a few minutes, pry up the bottom with a spatula and if it looks brown, turn the whole shebang over to grill the other side. This can be tricky, so don’t be afraid to use your fingers to hold the top piece in place. Just don’t burn yourself. Owie! Give it another few minutes on the second side and voila, you have yourself a tasty treat.
I have to admit that a very guilty pleasure of mine is grilled peanut butter and jelly. Don’t scoff. If you have never tried this, you are missing out. So go on over to the pantry and pull out the pb&j and give it a try.
Happy Weekend!!
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Little Chris Moyles Show – Brand New Cheesy Song
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Thursday, December 16th, 2010Good Morning, Darlings!
My wonderful husband, Eric, is taking the reins today to share the recipe for the scrumptious White Bean and Chicken Chili he made this weekend. It is perfect for these cooler nights. Enjoy!
This chicken chili hits the spot on a cool evening.
White Bean and Chicken Chili
Ingredients
- One whole chicken, in parts
- 12 tomatillos
- Two large poblano chiles
- Two medium jalapeño chiles
- 1 1/2 cup diced onion
- 3 12oz cans cannellini beans
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 beers
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp Adobo
- 3 tsp sage
- 2 tsp basil
- Salt & black pepper
Debone the chicken. Season evenly on both sides with salt, pepper, adobo, sage, and basil. Reserve.
Peel and rinse the tomatillos. Cut the smallest in half and the larger to roughly that size. Put in a medium saucepan, and add the cider vinegar and one beer. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the tomatillos soften.
Roast the chiles and wrap in plastic to steam them, 15 minutes. Rub or peel off the skin, then remove the seed pits and dice.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot to a shimmer. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown. Remove before the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towel.
To the pot, add half of the liquid cooked with the tomatillos and deglaze. Add the chiles and onion to the pot and sautée* with a pinch of salt. Once toasted, add the garlic and toast, stirring often 5 minutes. Add the tomatillos and liquid, then the cans of beans, with liquid. salt and pepper the beans before you stir them in. Add the other beer.
Dice the chicken and return to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour. Taste frequently to correct the seasoning.
Serve with white corn tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream.
* If you started with a whole chicken and have giblets, dice them and add them with the onions and chiles. Skip the kidneys and neck.
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Beyonce – He’s My Man
West Egg With Miss Elizabeth
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010Good Morning, Darlings!
Miss Elizabeth and I recently met for lunch at West Egg Cafe on the Westside. I have no idea why it has taken me so long to get here, as my buddies Laura Scholz and Shameeka Shy Ayers have been singing the praises of Chef Patric Bell forever.
But now that I’ve visited, I will not be a stranger.
The cafe has an open, airy feel to it, making you feel welcome immediately. The menu looks like a secret assignment from CIA, only your assignment is “Burgers and Draft Beer, $10”. Much better than the CIA, if you ask me. Unless your version of the CIA is the Culinary Institute of America.
The very photogenic Miss Elizabeth
Lunch With Three Sisters
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010Good Morning, Darlings!
A very special celebration is in the works and it involves my good friends at Three Sisters Vineyard & Winery. Last week I traveled up to Dahlonega with my fun friend Terri (you met Terri here) and we lunched with Doug & Sharon Paul. Chef Dairen was on hand to cater and discuss the event with us. Everything was lovely and I just adore being up in the north Georgia mountains – it’s all so serene. As an extra special treat, Sharon took Terri and I on a fabulous tour of some glorious spots on the property. I cannot wait until I can share the details of our upcoming evening with you!
But I can share the details of our lunch together.
A beautiful salad with homemade dressing started the meal.
Salad Course Paired With Fat Boy White