Potluck Recipe #5
Peggy made this yummy dip. It includes one of my favorite melting cheeses, Fontina. So Good! Again, sorry for the less than less-than-stellar photo, I’m snagging these from a video since I forgot to get photos of each dish.
[Read more →]February 5, 2024 No Comments
Potluck Recipe #4
January 31, 2024 2 Comments
Anne’s birthday salmon
I made salmon bowls for Anne’s belated birthday dinner last week. I’ve been on a salmon kick recently, in excess, since now I’m sick of salmon. I do this more often than I’d like to admit. I think it’s simply part of cooking for one. Admittedly, a large part of the problem is that I shop at Costco for my business. While I’m there (several times a week) I will also pick up food for myself. I think we can all agree that shopping at Costco when you’re cooking for one, isn’t the best strategy. This is another “something” that I need to work on.
[Read more →]August 30, 2023 3 Comments
Reminder …
YOU CAN’T WIN IF YOU DON’T PLAY!
Today is Monday. Our drawing is Wednesday. Time is running out. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, please see the previous post – 14th Blogiversary. In the meantime, a new recipe:
This recipe comes from Instagram influencer, Lauren Garcia aka whatlolalikes. I met Lauren in the summer of 2019, about 8 months after I started Harmony Boards. She was at an Airbnb doing a photoshoot. The owner of the property ordered a board from me for Lauren, her photographer, and stylist to enjoy while they worked. Lauren tagged me in the photo and my Instagram account blew up. She ordered several more boards from me over the years and I can honestly say that my account quickly grew by leaps and bounds, in large part to her and her strong influence.
Lauren makes this salad all the time, so I finally decided to try it, yes she influences me too! It is amazing! It is now my go-to quick, easy, and healthy meal at least 2 times a week. I have no doubt that you’ll love it too.
[Read more →]August 21, 2023 1 Comment
Fixed!!
Good morning! Happy Day! Sunny Sunday! All the good vibes have arrived!
I’ve been struggling with this website for many months. It’s been extremely difficult to create a post on my end because the site was being uncooperative and dropping content, photos, etc. And I know that on your end the site was taking FOREVER to load. Not just for you, but for me. When I needed to search for an old post, it would take up to five minutes for the search bar to appear. I’d nearly given up … but it’s all fixed! I hope you notice an immediate difference.
In celebration, let’s make some decadent lobster tacos!
July 16, 2023 10 Comments
quick and yummy
Here is the final recipe from my April trip to Chicago. It comes, once again, from Half Baked Harvest, and as usual, slightly altered to use what is available.
May 22, 2023 No Comments
More recipes tried in Chicago
I was visiting Max and his parents in Chicago at the end of last month and tried a few new recipes for Mom and Dad, aka Marissa & Jeff.
This first one was from the Half Baked Harvest blog. It could not have been quicker or easier. Also, delicious, so I’ll be making it again and adding in diced chicken breast or thighs for added protein.
Oh, and May the 4th be with you!
[Read more →]May 4, 2023 No Comments
My new favorite recipe
One thing about me, with the exception of holidays, I rarely make a recipe twice, let alone 3 times in the span of a few weeks! This recipe is now a family favorite. I don’t know exactly what it is. Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t often use ground chicken. Ground turkey, all the time, so I may be a bit sick of ground turkey. Ground chicken seems to taste milder to me. It carries other flavors better. I don’t know, I’m just all about ground chicken right now. Then there’s the richness of the dish; cream cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, pesto; all the good stuff! Give this a try and let me know if it becomes a part of your meal rotation.
[Read more →]March 28, 2023 2 Comments
chicken thighs
I often prefer cooking chicken thighs over chicken breasts. Thighs are juicy, more flavorful, and don’t dry out. I use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs most often.
The thing I don’t like about using skin-on chicken pieces is all the extra skin that is left on when you bring them home from the store.
Use your kitchen shears to trim off all that extra skin and discard.
This dish comes together in a snap, it only takes about 15 minutes to prep and is in the oven for about 45 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dinner. I like to serve the thighs and their rich herb sauce over couscous.
When you use the side of your chef’s knife to lightly smash the garlic cloves, you are looking for each clove to break up slightly, making each clove come apart into 2 or 3 smaller pieces. You don’t want to obliterate them, use a light touch.
You can purchase the pancetta at Trader Joe’s. It comes in a convenient 4-ounce package and is already diced into the perfect size. Simply open the package and scatter over the chicken when called for.
[Read more →]June 1, 2020 3 Comments
tips and tricks
Have you or someone in your house made banana bread during the last many weeks of quarantine/staying home? I bet if not, you know someone who has. Baking, in general, has been one of the main activities people have had in common, but for some reason, banana bread appears to be number one on the list of things to make.
I finally got on the bandwagon yesterday. After returning home from my daily walk, I preheated the oven, began gathering up the ingredients when I realized I didn’t have butter in the refrigerator, only frozen in the freezer. It may be spring in most of the country but here in Arizona, summer is in full swing. We’ve hit the 100’s so it is important to only use the oven in the morning before the temperatures get out of hand.
What to do about the frozen butter??? I didn’t have time to wait for it to come to room temperature as needed for most baking recipes. The answer? Use the large holes of a box grater and grate that rock-solid frozen block.
Be careful as you get near the end, the warmth of your hands will warm up the butter and may cause it to slip. Keep turning it as you grate it to prevent that from happening.
And then when you get down to the last little bit, stop grating and use a knife to cut it up. I don’t want to be responsible for any flaps of skin being taken off anyone’s hands!
You then have the option of spreading out the shavings and leaving them out to quickly come to room temperature or you can put it in the mixer before adding any other ingredients (as I did) and beat it into submission.
My other tip for this basic banana bread is to use my favorite honey-flavored Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I love sour cream, but for sweet recipes, I always sub out with the Greek Gods Honey Yogurt.
And if you were wondering if I might already have a banana bread recipe on this site … I mean, how could I not? This blog is over 10 years old after all. Here is the link to a very fancy banana bread recipe. Today’s is basic and basically delicious!
[Read more →]May 13, 2020 4 Comments