Sugarcrafter » dinner

Buffalo Chicken Pot Pies

Tracy — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:00:56 +0000

Even though I’m taking a little vacation from blogging for the next few weeks, I had to share a recipe today that I’ve fallen in love with, just in time for your Super Bowl festivities this weekend. I’m sure by now you’ve noticed that I love all things buffalo chicken, and these hot and spicy pot pies I created in order to have something a little heartier around the table on game day are no exception. I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity this year to participate in an all-girl food blogger fantasy football league, which consisted of Michelle from Brown Eyed Baker (league champion!), Tracey from Tracey’s Culinary Adventures (second place!) Dara from Cookin’ Canuck (third!), Marie from Meandering Eats, Elle from Elle’s New England Kitchen, Jen from My Kitchen Addiction, and Jackie from The Spicy Lens, and it was hands-down the most fun fantasy league I’ve ever been in. Each of them also have some great Super Bowl recipes, so please check out their sties as well as the links below! Have a great weekend, and enjoy the game!

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Lentil Soup

Tracy — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:39:45 +0000

Even though it’s raining outside instead of snowing, it’s still perfect weather for soup. I didn’t realize just how easy it is to make soup from scratch until last fall, and now I can’t get enough of it. If you can chop things up and throw them in a pot, and have time to let them simmer while you’re doing other things around the house, then you can make soup. I like to refer to Kate’s post over on Aimée’s blog on how to make soup from scratch without following a recipe; I find it so much fun to experiment with new flavors and also to try and recreate some of my favorite restaurant soups at home. I like to serve many of my soups with cheddar and parsley biscuits as well, mostly because soup alone doesn’t quite fill up the hubby, but also because I love them too and because they always seem to go well with whatever we’re having. Happy soup making!

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Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Tracy — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:26:21 +0000

First, I just wanted to thank you for your comments on my last post – I’ve really enjoyed reading about all your food-related goals for the year! It’s exciting to see that many of us have similar ones, and I’m looking forward to hearing about all your successes. Here’s to a prosperous and fruitful new year meeting our goals!

Now that the bustle of the holiday season is over and we’re left to cozy up and settle in for the winter, I’ve been making many a pot of soup around here for dinner. This is one of my new favorites – it’s hearty and satisfying, quick enough for a weeknight meal, and perfect served piping hot on a cold day. Serve it with biscuits as well if you’re extra hungry…either way, make it this week and stay warm!

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Chicken Pot Pie

Tracy — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:42:40 +0000

Thank you all so much for your feedback on my last post – as I’ve already announced on Twitter and Facebook, Pie Week is a go for the week of the 14th! I spent this past weekend up to my elbows in flour working on pie recipes (and loving every minute of it!), and I’m very excited to share them all with you next week. In the meantime though, I’ve been wanting to share this recipe for from-scratch chicken pot pie, since it’s one of my very favorite fall meals. It’s hearty, it’s full of vegetables, and since you won’t find any cream of chicken soup here, it’s lacking all of the preservatives and other ingredients I’m not entirely sure how to pronounce that you’d find in the frozen grocery store version. This homemade version also freezes very well, so go ahead and double the recipe and freeze one for later. Enjoy!

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Acorn Squash Soup

Tracy — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:41:02 +0000

I hope you all had a very happy Halloween! In the past we’ve had to forgo the usual festivities due to a church-related conference that’s always held on Halloween weekend, but since Halloween was on a Monday this year, we were very excited to be first time candy hander-outers! Having no idea how much candy to get, hubby did his research based on how much our parents give out at their houses, and I’m happy to report that we served about 120 trick-or-treaters last night without running out of candy…and we only had a handful left over, so I’d say he nailed it! I had so much fun handing out candy and seeing all of the cute costumes. Some of those kids sure did look cold though! So today, I’m serving up some acorn squash soup, perfect for getting rid of any chill left over from last night. I served mine with some cheddar-parsley biscuits, and it’s definitely a meal I’ll be making again and again!

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Hearty Split Pea Soup

Tracy — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:14:04 +0000

About a month ago, I was telling a friend about my food-related to-do list when we got on the subject of split pea soup, something that had been on my list for a while. She began extolling the virtues of this soup and how she had just tried a new recipe, so I decided that I finally had to give it a try. To my disappointment, as I scoured the shelves at Wegmans later, I found that their split peas are processed with peanuts and tree nuts (as well as milk, soy, and wheat) – which I don’t understand, because they should simply be peas and only peas. I relayed my disappointment on Twitter, where I was surprised that someone from Wegmans actually responded to me, assuring me that their split peas are just split peas except for the chance of cross contamination. I assured them that the allergen warning is exactly what makes them not just split peas, otherwise I’d be able to eat them and there would be no problem. All that said, they were at least able to point me in the direction of a company more conscious of allergens: Goya (I say more conscious because Goya’s split peas still contain soy and wheat. I’m still looking for some that are allergen-free). Despite the split pea fiasco though, this soup was incredibly easy – a few minutes to prep all of the ingredients, and then into the pot they go. It’s a new favorite of mine, especially now that cooler weather is here, and you can easily leave out the meat if you want to make this a vegetarian dish. Enjoy!

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Beet Risotto

Tracy — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:19:41 +0000

Beets are one of those vegetables I always avoided. I don’t remember having had them growing up, much less whether the experience was good or bad, so I’m not sure where my aversion to beets came from. Last year during our CSA though, beets were plentiful… and after weeks of our CSA owner urging me to try them, I finally, albeit reluctantly, took some home. Beets took me by surprise that week…I ended up throwing together this summer salad and loving every bite of it. This year, rather than avoiding beets, I’ve been anticipating them with excitement in my CSA basket. Unfortunately though, the beet harvest hasn’t been as good this year due to the weather. I did get enough beets to make this colorful risotto though; it’s a wonderful summer side or lunch. If you come across fresh beets this summer whether through a CSA, a farmer’s market, or your friend’s vegetable garden, don’t be like last year me and avoid them…make this risotto!

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Strawberries and Cream Risotto

Tracy — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:30:23 +0000

I know, I know. Strawberries in risotto seems kind of weird. Each of the other types of risotto I’ve made have been very much on the savory side, so the thought of tossing in fruit had even me wondering if it was really a good idea. As soon as the scent of strawberries simmering on the stove filled my kitchen though, I knew that it was going to turn out okay. And, much like the light orange hue of the butternut squash risotto, the strawberries dye the rice a lovely light pink color that I just love. Instead of the cheese I normally use in savory versions, I added cream, which gave it an extra velvety texture. Now, my head is filled with ideas for new fruit risottos to try – I’m especially excited for when blueberries are in season. If you love risotto, give this sweet version a go…and if you’re on the fence like I was, be adventurous and give it a try!

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Jambalaya

Tracy — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:00:28 +0000

I can’t remember the last time I went out for some good Creole food. There’s even a popular New Orleans restaurant that’s pretty close by, but for one reason or another I’ve still never been there. So, one night I decided to take matters into my own hands and make jambalaya. To my surprise, it really wasn’t that hard at all…most of the time required to make it is spent letting the broth cook down and thicken, and aside from stopping by to stir it occasionally, you can go off and do laundry, watch TV, or whatever else you feel like doing while your dinner essentially cooks itself. And, even though I’m kind of a wimp when it comes to spicy stuff, this dish instantly became a new favorite of mine. I was even able to sneak in some extra nutrients by using brown rice, although you can certainly use white rice instead. I think this dish is best served with light and fluffy dinner rolls so that you can soak up all the broth. Enjoy!

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Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Tracy — Fri, 06 May 2011 14:27:26 +0000

I know yesterday was Cinco de Mayo, but I can’t help but share one of my new favorite recipes in the spirit of “better late than never.” I’ve made enchiladas many times before, but I’ve always used corn tortillas – and I confess that I haven’t quite been able to master getting all of the corn tortillas to wrap nicely without splitting down the middle or breaking in half altogether. Perhaps I fry them too long, or maybe not enough; in any case, I have some tips that I’m going to try on my corn tortillas the next time around. For this recipe though, I made things simpler – and healthier – by using whole wheat flour tortillas. These enchiladas make for an easy and quick weeknight meal, and are perfect served with a cold glass of iced tea or your favorite margarita.

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