Posts from — August 2022

Today we have some baking tips. As you may recall, I hate to bake but sometimes it winds up being a necessity.

For more intense chocolate flavor in chocolate-based recipes, substitute 1/3 to 1/2 cocoa powder for 1/3 to 1/2 of the flour that is called for in the recipe.

With summer coming to a close, the kids back in school, and the “ber” months quickly approaching, how about a fun, festive, and tropical summer dish?

A new feature here is Tip Tuesday. There is already of TIP INDEX of tips I’ve previously shared over there on the left side of the page. We’ll be adding to it on Tuesdays.

This is the final recipe from the freezer meals I made for Marissa and Jeff before I returned home on July 2nd. The good news is that I am going back to visit next week. I can’t wait to get my hands on sweet Max! Here is a list of all nine of the meals I made for the new parents, with links to each of the recipes.

Picadillo Taco Meat

Tuscan Chicken w/Cannellini & Cremini

Chicken Fajitas

Spinach Lasagna w/Mushroom Ragu

Sausage, Poblano & Broccoli Quiche

Chicken & White Bean Chili

Sesame-Carrot Soup

Creamy Celery Soup

Meatballs in Red Sauce

Today is the 13th Blogiversary of this page! Yay!!! If you have followed for long, maybe as long as *thirteen years, then you may remember Amy’s Famous Taco Soup. I posted that wonderfully easy recipe on November 3, 2009, during year one of this blog. Just like Amy, Lisa is a long-time dear friend and a former neighbor in Equestrian Manor. And just as with Amy, Lisa has a recipe that is a family favorite. Lisa has been making this pasta dish several times a month for the last 20 years for her family. They request it often, and she is always happy to oblige. Lisa recalls that she adapted what was to be a pizza topping into a pasta dish. Excellent decision!

Lisa made it for me when I had the pleasure of going to the family cabin outside of Prescott this past weekend. The sunset photos are from that beautiful and magical place. Thank you, Gordon and Lisa, for inviting me, and thank you, Lisa, for agreeing to let me share this gem of a recipe!

*Today marks 13 years since the first post here at LesPetitesGourmettes.com. In the past, I’ve made a big deal about my Blogiverasary. That doesn’t feel appropriate this year since there have been many gaps, a few very long gaps, especially in the last several years. Yet, this is the 2,084th post. So, all in all, not too shabby. Thanks for hanging in there through it all!

Are you even making freezer meals if you don’t make at least one style of lasagna? I think not. Jeff is a true carnivore. Marissa is a former pescatarian. She eats meat now, but in limited quantities, so I decided a vegetarian lasagna would be a nice touch since many of the other freezer meals I made included meat.

Unfortunately, I did not take even one photo of the lasagna, all I have are screenshots taken from videos I shared on Instagram. So please forgive the seriously awful pics! As biased as I am, I feel as though the photo above makes up for all of it. <3

Yes, if you’re thinking this is now a baby and recipe blog, you are right. I can’t help but share this photo of Max in his new sleep suit. Swaddling is now done with, the suit is what is now the cat’s pajamas! Plus, he is adorable in it. I fly back to Chicago to see Max and his sweet mama in two weeks, I seriously can’t wait to get my hands on him!

Today’s recipe is the epitome of dump and cook. A package of chicken thighs, a package of mushrooms, a bell pepper, open a couple of cans, dump, season it up, freeze, thaw, cook and you’re done!

The remaining freezer meals I made for Marissa and Jeff only have one photo, which I took to use on Instagram stories while I was there. Hopefully, that will be enough to entice you to give at least a couple of them a try. I’ll start with this one that was so easy and quick that I only needed 1 bowl and a microwave to prep.

A little bonus today; photos of sweet Max who turned 2 months old on August 1st. He fills my heart with so much love and joy!