Lisa made these delicious caramelized onion bites. This recipe is a keeper.

Hello friends! It’s been a while. A long while! The last time I posted here was nearly 4 months ago. Harmony Boards has been such a wonderful ride this last 18 months but I do miss blogging, posting recipes and feeling connected to you all!

On March 14th, I posted this on my personal Facebook page:

“I’ve wondered what I would do if I was literally stuck in my home for 14 days…

*I would brainstorm new ideas for my business and refresh my websites. I’d actually have time to return to my blog, LesPetitesGourmettes.com, which I have neglected for months!

*I’d clean out closets, cabinets, files, drawers, the garage, the sheds–you name it! What an opportunity to start fresh and start dreaming again!

*I’d choose to see this extra time as a gift, the gift of slowing down and taking stock.

*I’d put on not one ounce of makeup and wear facemasks, and teeth whiteners and moisturizers all day! The next big run and hoarding at the stores are going to be these such items! Why not!?

Little did I know that that time would come as quickly as it has. I temporarily closed down Harmony Boards on March 17th and began actually cooking again the next day. (something I have not done much of for many months!) My son, Connor, came over and we made a variety of seven dishes for ourselves and to share with my (almost) 89-year-old dad and with my dear friend, Kim Howard, and her family. More on the Howard family and the events that have been unbelievably devastating to them in future posts.

It’s official – I can no longer say, “I’m back,” as a heading to a post. I’ve used that a few times after a planned extended break from blogging. I said, “I’m back!” as recently as last spring. I meant it at the time. I wholeheartedly planned on getting back to blogging on a regular basis, but then life, in the form of a new business, got in the way.

It’s been more than a month since my last post. As soon as summer remotely felt as if it was over, Harmony Boards took off like a speeding bullet and I’ve been non-stop, often working 12-hour days, ever since. I am not complaining! I love it, but it makes finding the time or wrapping my head around doing anything else, very difficult.

That changed with a comment I received from a loyal blog follower, former Les Gourmettes student, repeat blog contest winner, and friend, Shirley G.

Shirley { 10.20.19 at 8:33 AM }

Hey Linda,
I haven’t seen a blog post from you in a while…is everything alright? Did I accidentally remove myself from your list??? You know I am not the most tech-savvy person around…lol.
Thanks and I miss your posts!
xo,
Shirley

Thank you, Shirley, for the love, for missing me, and for giving me the wake-up call I needed! Here’s a recipe with a tablescape that I’ve been wanting to post. It is from a dinner party I co-hosted on Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day. My co-host, Angela, is 100% Italian. So this 100% Irish girl and Angela taught a lovely group of women to make Gnocchi and I made up a big pot of Cacio e Pepe Pasta (literally cheese and pepper) and an even bigger bowl of Panzanella Salad and of course, an antipasto Harmony Board. We sat outside and it was a glorious night celebrating Italian food and the end of a long hot summer.

I have so much to tell you about this simple brown, dump, and walk-away turkey chili recipe. It’s so easy that I shouldn’t have anything to share, but somehow…

The first thing is these chips! They are so good that I am never buying them again. I’ve made the chili twice a week and I’ve gone through two bags of these devilishly yummy chips. Five pounds on the hips later and nope, I’m done with them! So take that, Tostitos Hint of Jalapeño.

Next is this cheese. I hope that all Trader Joe’s lovers, like myself, know about TJ’s Unexpected Cheddar. It is the bomb! It makes me unsatisfied with plain old cheddar now. There is just something about this cheddar-Parm combo that makes me happy. The texture isn’t great for slicing, it is a bit crumbly, but I don’t care, I use it on Harmony Boards anyhow just to spread the love.

Now for an explanation as to why I used a slow cooker instead of my Instant Pot for this chili. Laziness is the simple reason. Both my slow cooker and Instant Pot are in this cupboard on the left in my garage. The day before I made the recipe for the first time, I’d bought a bunch of wood for Harmony Boards. The sanded, branded and oiled boards that are ready to go are in the rolling bin to the right. The new wood is stacked against the bin and is blocking half of the cupboard. The Instant Pot is behind that locked door on the right and the slow cooker is behind the unblocked door on the left. That’s the reason. You could easily use an Instant Pot for this recipe and cut out the step of browning the meat in a skillet and brown it directly in the pot.

Lastly, I want to share a “Grandma Tip” that I’ve always assumed everyone knows and uses. And that is when you use canned food, such as the diced tomatoes used here, and you have a liquid that is also added to the dish, such as the water in this recipe, you pour the liquid into the empty can to wash out the can and get every little bit of the food out. You do that, right? If you don’t then your grandma or mom messed up. You need to do that. And in the case of this recipe which uses two cans of tomatoes, you add the water to one of the cans and then pour it into the other can to wash it out and then pour it into the slow cooker.

See, I had a bunch to share! Now on to this delicious recipe! I love it because the addition of tortilla chips at the end gives it a hint of tamale taste. YUM!

I love this dish! Spaghetti squash is subbed in for the classic noodles.

Spaghetti Squash-Chicken Pad Thai

Chicken

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper flesh
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast half, finely chopped

Pad Thai Sauce

• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons water

Pad Thai

• 1 small to medium spaghetti squash (about a 2-pound squash)
• Peanut or olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• Red pepper flakes
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Chicken: In a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the soy sauce, and then stir in the garlic and jalapeño.

Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours.

Pad Thai Sauce: Whisk together the rice vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons in a small glass bowl, microwave on high heat for 30 seconds and whisk until everything is combined into a thin sauce.

Pad Thai: Cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Place the halves, cut side up in a large Pyrex dish, add 1/4 cup water to the dish, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 8 minutes or until tender.

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For a person who started out, nearly 8 years ago, blogging every day, these last couple of years sure have been hit or miss. Such is life. I hope to be getting back on track now. I’ll probably never go back to posting on a daily basis, but most certainly back in a routine of regular and steady posts.  I want to thank you for hanging in there with me! xoxo

Enough chitchat, let’s get to a recipe!

This easy-to-make sweet-tart onion jam is currently my favorite thing in the fridge. I’ve made three batches since April.

For the most recent batch, I used 4 pounds of onions. The house still smells of it … I am not complaining!

It is the perfect sweet-tart accompaniment to just about everything!

• Serve with roasted pork, beef, poultry, or grilled salmon. 
• Thin it out with a touch of red wine vinegar mixed with water and use it as a marinade for vegetables before grilling, broiling, or roasting.
• I mix it in with my ground turkey every morning before dropping an egg in the center.
• For a more decadent breakfast/brunch dish – spread it on a warm biscuit with a slice of quality ham.
• Pair it with blue cheese for the most amazing pizza!
• Throw a heaping spoonful in a salad before tossing.

• Or do what I do when you need a quick appetizer and toast slices of baguette, spread with a layer of softened goat cheese, top with a mound of the onion jam, and garnish with finely minced fresh rosemary. You’ve got a sure-fire hit on your hands!
  

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It’s been raining cats and dogs in our desert for the last couple of days. Nothing tastes better or is more welcoming on a cold and rainy day than beef brisket!

This classic brisket is a family favorite. I found the original recipe nearly 30 years ago in The Silver Palate New Basics cookbook and have adapted the recipe over the years.

Basic Beef Brisket with Fresh Horseradish Sauce

• 6 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of most excess fat
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large onions, peeled and sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bottle beer
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced

Horseradish Sauce

• 1 cup and finely grated fresh horseradish root (peel first and use a Microplane to grate)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• Pinch of salt

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I found a version of this “dump, sauté & bake skillet dinner” on Pinterest and decided to make my own take on it using “everything Trader Joe’s.”

Of course, you can spin it any way you want whether you have a Trader Joe’s in your neighborhood or not.

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Today is Connor’s 25th birthday. Dave, Connor, and I are celebrating at Universal Studio’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Los Angeles. We are having the best time! Our only wish is that our expert in all things Harry Potter could be here with us. We miss you, Marissa! The photos above are from Sunday.

Yesterday, Monday, we spent the afternoon on Hollywood Boulevard and at Warner Bros. Studio. The tour at the WB is pretty darn great. Not only do you tour the lot on a tram, but you get off and walk around all sorts of cool spots. My favorite stop was the props building and that is where we found the Oval Office set from The West Wing. Connor is very presidential!

And if your favorite sitcom of all time is Friends, then no trip to Warner Bros. is complete without a photo on the set of Central Perk.

Connor, I love you, adore you, and could not be more proud of you and the loving, kind, and generous man you are. xoxo

Getting back to the Friday the 13th Dinner Party – we are nearing the end. Tomorrow will be the main course and then only dessert remains.

The lucky ingredient in today’s dish is lentils. The legumes are considered lucky because of their coin-like appearance. Additionally, when cooked, lentils are plump, symbolizing growing wealth.

Lentil Salad with Wild Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 pounds fresh mushrooms; a mixture of white, crimini, oyster, shiitake, etc.
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup capers, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup dry black lentils
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 bag baby arugula
• 1 cup fresh pomegranate arils (seeds)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

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I cooked up ten different recipes for the Friday the 13th Dinner Party and this appetizer was the clear favorite. At least half of the guests asked if it was on the blog. I assured them it would be posted this week, so we might as well start off the week(s) worth of recipes with it.

I had hoped to serve 13 items, but I could only get to 12 before I ran out of time and energy to pull off the last one. In addition to the ten, I actually made, I also served grapes, 12 per person for luck, and put out purchased fortune cookies on the dessert table.

The base for this salsa recipe is black-eyed peas. For many southerners, consuming this inexpensive legume on the first day of the new year is believed to bring wealth.

According to Wikipedia: “Two popular explanations for the South’s association with the peas and good luck date back to the Civil War. The first is associated with Gen. William T. Sherman’s Union Army’s March to the Sea, during which they pillaged the food supplies of the Confederates. Stories say peas and salted pork were said to be left untouched because of the belief that they were animal food and not fit for human consumption. Southerners considered themselves lucky to be left with some supplies to help them survive the winter, and black-eyed peas evolved into a representation of good luck. In other traditions, it was a symbol of emancipation for African-Americans who had previously been enslaved before the civil war who became free officially on New Year’s Day.”

Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 cups cooked black-eyed peas (see note)
• 3 cups diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup diced red onion
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced
• 2 ripe but still firm avocados, diced
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• Tortilla chips, for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lemon zest, juice, honey, garlic, and oregano. Whisk in the olive oil, taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, except the avocado and cilantro, and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. Thirty minutes before you’re ready to serve, add the avocado and cilantro and then bring back to room temperature for 30 minutes and toss just before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.

12 servings

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