Stefani Hood

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So far Stefani Hood has created 342 blog entries.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Chicken Sausage Bolognese

This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna with Chicken Sausage Bolognese is my copycat recipe of the restaurant, True Foods, recipe. I’m sure a lot of you have been to True Foods (Oprah’s restaurant) and have your favorite thing you order. This is one of my go to orders, along with the edamame ravioli. This recipe is filling and only about 450 calories a serving. You can make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken sausage.

I made this the other night for my family and they loved it. I’m serious! My 13 year old who hates everything and is a total teenage ahole right now (I do still love him) said, “this is awesome mom”. I did nearly fell out of my chair, but I just smiled and said, “thank you, sweetie” then got him a second helping. OMG! So if the crabby teen likes it I promise you will all like this recipe.

Now this recipe is not fast, but its pretty straight forward. It is mostly waiting for the timer to go off so this is a good recipe […]

Stefani Hood2020-09-03T18:03:28+00:00February 25th, 2019|Meats & Fish, Pasta|0 Comments

Taco Pasta

Some nights I just want an old-fashioned comfort food dinner. What comes to mind? Pot Roast? Grilled Cheese? Hamburger Helper-Did your mom make that? My mom cooked every night and made great dinners for us, but there was the occasional “cheat night” and we would have Hamburger Helper. Now the thought of opening that box kinda makes me sick, but I still love the idea of the beefy, cheesy, pasta dish. So I have come up with a modern “fresher” version of the famed box dinner, but its just as easy-Taco Pasta!

Now lets be real-this is not a fancy dinner, but its quick and easy and the whole family will love it unless you are a kale eating vegetarian 🙂 You probably have all these ingredients in your pantry so if 5pm hits and you have NO idea what to make for dinner this is a great recipe. Note-I have a taco seasoning recipe but if you don’t want to make your own then just use one of those taco seasoning packets.

Hope you have a great […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-19T19:08:32+00:00February 19th, 2019|Meats & Fish, Pasta|3 Comments

Valentines Day Menu

It’s Valentines Day this week-I cannot believe that we are in February already, but here we are. What are your plans? We are headed to Virginia to visit our son and take him to dinner-romantic, huh:) After 19 years of marriage the romance of Valentines Day is a bit lost or should I say the idea of going to an expensive, pre-made, crowded dinner is not very romantic. And this year it is on a Thursday, wha wha… which means work the next day. So, if you are planning on staying in, but want to make the night special here is a great menu.

I created this menu with the idea that after a long day at work you want to make a special dinner, but do not want to spend hours grocery shopping or hours making it. All of these recipes are super easy. They sound difficult and very restauranty, but I promise they are easy. Oh and the ingredients you can get at just about any grocery store. I would suggest going to the best store […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-12T01:28:44+00:00February 12th, 2019|Menus|0 Comments

Butter Poached Scallops

Butter poached scallops! How decadent does that sound? I was at the grocery store with my son and he was picking out the piece of salmon he and his dad wanted for dinner and since I don’t love salmon I picked out some jumbo scallops for my dinner. I used to “like” scallops, but I didn’t love them because I don’t really like the contrasting textures of seared scallops. The outside is crispy and the inside is soft. It just doesn’t work for me when we are talking about seafood. So when my friend made scallops one night for a dinner party I could not believe how AMAZING they were. I mean TO DIE for! Of course I asked for the recipe and she gladly gave it to me. I can’t say it’s much of a recipe, but more like instructions because it is that easy. It takes about 12 minutes from start to finish, I’m serious! You can make this on any weeknight or for a dinner party or special occasion. It is that special, but […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-12T01:05:39+00:00February 12th, 2019|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado

It is citrus season and I love it! There is nothing better than a juicy orange on a winter day. It just makes you feel happy and hopeful that spring is around the corner. We always have tons of oranges, grapefruits, lemons in the fridge but especially in the winter months. In fact, I was at the grocery store this morning and came home with about 15 oranges and grapefruits so I better get cooking or peeling.

This Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado is a classic restaurant salad probably because it is delicious but also because it is really easy to put together and in a restaurant they can charge about $18 and get away with it. So, why not make this at home and save money and have it all the time?!

If you are not familiar with fennel you need to get to know it. It is a delicious vegetable and that goes in so many dishes and can also be eaten raw. I used to hate fennel, but we had a friend come to our […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-11T22:02:04+00:00February 11th, 2019|Soups & Salads|0 Comments

Blanched Asparagus with Beurre Blanc

Blanched Asparagus with Beurre Blanc, damn that sounds fancy!! Well, it is fancy but super easy and very impressive. Let’s break this recipe down… blanched means to scald in boiling water for a brief time and then place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Basically you are boiling the vegetable until it is crisp tender and then cooling it down so it does not over cook. Easy, right?

Ok on to Beurre Blanc..it is literally translated from French as “white butter”. It is butter sauce made with a reduction of white wine, lemon juice and shallots into which cold butter is whisked in to prevent separation. I know that sounds super fancy, but I promise it is not hard and once you learn how to make the sauce from heaven you will make it all the time. It goes with everything-steak, eggs, vegetables, old shoe…. It is to die for!

So we are basically making boiled asparagus with a butter sauce. Sounds much more manageable. There are a few tricks to pull this off-1) use a timer when blanching the asparagus […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-11T17:54:36+00:00February 11th, 2019|Sides|0 Comments

Chocolate Pot de Creme

February is chocolate month! We are not huge sweets people in my house, but every now and then I love a great dessert. If I could narrow it down to 3 I would choose creme brûlée, carrot cake and pot de creme, pronounced POH-de-KREM. It means pot of cream and it is a French dessert dating back to the 17th century. You can make salted caramel pot de creme or vanilla pot de creme or CHOCOLATE pot de creme the list goes on. It is silky and rich and oh so delicious and oh so easy! It sounds super fancy and time consuming, but I promise it is a breeze to make.

This is a recipe you can make a couple days in advance of a dinner party. When it comes time to serve all you have to do is take it out of the fridge and add a dollop of whipped cream and dessert is served!

One thing to note about a dessert that you cont cook-use the very best ingredients you can find or afford. I […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-11T01:52:37+00:00February 11th, 2019|Desserts|1 Comment

Fondant Potatoes

Fondant Potatoes are not a new thing, but they are rarely seen or discussed and I am not sure why. They are SO easy and SO delicious! I honestly forget to make these fabulous little delights because I am always trying to find new amazing ways to make the same damn thing-potatoes:) But, the other night I was digging through the bare fridge and pantry (yes I too hate going to grocery store sometimes) and I found 2 sad looking russet potatoes, some butter (I will never not have butter), garlic (same thing-never not have it), left over chicken stock and rosemary (I have a huge plant of rosemary-I could bathe in it I love the smell so much). I pulled out my trusty cast iron skillet and created these to die for potatoes!

Ok, lets discuss cast iron skillets. You MUST own a cast iron skillet! Stop what you are doing and go buy one! I know this sounds old fashioned and silly, but you will be able to pass down a good cast iron skillet […]

Stefani Hood2019-02-08T17:39:52+00:00February 8th, 2019|Sides|0 Comments

French Onion Dip

Here is another great dip to serve or take to a Super Bowl Party. French Onion Dip is a take on the classic onion dip you get at the grocery store that comes in the tub. But like my husband said, “this tastes fresher and less salty”. It so good and everyone will love it. The only downside about this recipe is it really needs to sit for a few hours in the fridge before you serve it so the flavors meld. But, if you don’t have time it is still delicious.

Now, if you have ever caramelized onions you know how intoxicating the smell is. It makes the whole house smell amazing and I can promise you that anyone that is in the house is going to come running to the kitchen asking what you are making. Tell them to wait because I promise this dip is worth the wait!

A couple notes on caramelizing onions-

1-Slice your onions about 1/8″-1/4″ thick. Too thin and they will burn

2-Keep your heat at medium low. You are not sautéing the onions […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-30T19:45:35+00:00January 30th, 2019|Starters|0 Comments

Beef Enchilada Dip

It’s SUPER BOWL time! Thank GOD! I am so tired of football. With three boys we have a game on ALL weekend, every weekend from September to February. And since my husband is an Eagles fan it has been an even longer 2 years. So, I am excited for Sunday to get here:) I’m not excited for the game, is anyone, but I am excited for the food and for football to be over so we can watch basketball or golf, ugh.

Now we all know that people throw Super Bowl parties so that everyone can cheat on their new year diet, right? The food is always so fabulous and so not diet! Here is a dip that I have served or taken to a party for the past few years-Beef Enchilada Dip! It is SO delicious and one of those dips that you can’t stop eating even though you know you need to:)

And if you have any left over (which you won’t) you can warm up a tortilla and scoop some of this dip into it and […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-30T18:18:53+00:00January 30th, 2019|Starters|0 Comments

Pork Medallions with Herb Cream Sauce

Pork Medallions with Herb Cream Sauce sounds really fancy and difficult but I promise you its not hard or time consuming. Have I ever steered you wrong?? I see all these recipes and read all the magazines that promise that this recipe won’t take long to make and then I read through the recipe and find that it needs an hour of marinating or 6 hours in the crock pot or takes 35 minutes to come to pressure and THEN it only takes 10 minutes to cook a roast… Well, in my book quick means quick. I need a recipe that I can open my fridge, cook and have the food on the table in 30 minutes! This is one of those recipes and it is SO delicious! Now I know it has cream in it, OH MY GAWD! But…. I serve only 2 medallions for each person along with a huge salad and a steamed veggie. I understand that it is not a grilled chicken breast, but I have boys and they need more than salmon […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-29T17:26:29+00:00January 29th, 2019|Meats & Fish|1 Comment

Roasted Garlic

Roasting garlic is one of those things in life that you just need to know how to do! It is so easy and makes such a difference in recipes. Oh and it will make your house smell amazing!

I tend to roast a head of garlic if I have my oven on for another recipe. Just wrap a head of garlic in foil and place in the oven along side whatever you are already making and in 40 minutes you have the most amazing caramelized, sweet, savory goodness. Spread it on a crusty baguette or add it to a vinaigrette or mash it into homemade hummus or stir it in to mashed potatoes….there are a million uses for this delicious treat. Last night I was making an oven roasted steak and when I pulled the steak out of the oven and put it on a plate to rest I added the roasted garlic to the roasting pan with some butter and then drizzled it over the steak, uh yum!!!!

You can make this on a weekend […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-28T18:38:25+00:00January 28th, 2019|Starters|0 Comments

Instant Pot Senate Bean Soup

Yes here is another Instant Pot recipe!! I’m just as shocked as you are that I have been using it. I have found that I really like the IP for soups, rice and a few meat dishes that would other wise take me hours to make. I am still not going to use it for all my meats only because I don’t love shredded meats except for a few recipes. And I am not going to use it for recipes that I can make in the same amount of time on my stove or oven-whats the point? But, I can promise you that if I post a recipe on here it has been tested, tested, tested and family approved and trust me my little one hates EVERYTHING! So if I post it that means that the beast ate it:)

I’m sure you have all been in the US Senate dining room, right? No of course not, neither have I, so I cannot testify to how this compares to the original, but I have done a lot of research […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-24T20:34:51+00:00January 24th, 2019|Soups & Salads|7 Comments

Instant Pot Meyer Lemon Risotto

I know, I know I have said I am not a fan of the Instant Pot and in general I am not. I just don’t love shredded meat (occasionally in tacos) or using the Instant Pot when I can make the same thing on the stove in the same amount of time. BUT, I have been working to find recipes that do take advantage of the time saving aspect of the IP. One of those recipes is risotto. If you have ever made risotto you know what a pain in the butt it is-you have to stand right next to the stove and stir and stir and stir…. Now if you are sous chef and have time to do this great, but I am a mom and I am being pulled in a million different directions and I don’t have the time or desire to stand next to a pot and stir to make essentially rice:). I say “rice”, but if you have ever had really good risotto then you know how amazing and luxurious it is.

So….how […]

Stefani Hood2020-03-29T23:05:10+00:00January 20th, 2019|Starters, Sides|0 Comments

Garlic Butter Roasted Salmon in Foil

This is one of the most requested dinners in my house. My youngest son LOVES fish and inhales this every time I make it. And I love that he loves it! As a growing teenager salmon is such a great food for him to eat-pure protein! And when I make this he rarely eats a second dinner of cheerios because he is so full from the first dinner.

Roasted Salmon in Foil is one of the EASIEST dinners you can make. I timed myself and it took 18 min from start to finish! I serve it with steamed green beans or asparagus or rice. […]

Stefani Hood2019-05-08T00:32:22+00:00January 16th, 2019|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Blood Orange and Rosemary Chicken

What are blood oranges?? They are a variety of citrus originated in the Southern Mediterranean with a slight raspberry flavor. They are a natural mutation of the orange where the flesh turns crimson only with the cool temperatures of the night during the fall and winter months. In America the blood orange season is December-March in Texas and November-May in California. I love cooking with blood oranges when they are in season, but this recipe for Blood Orange and Rosemary Chicken is just as delicious with regular oranges.

When developing this recipe I wanted more of a savory/herby dish than the typical Chinese Orange Chicken that is sticky, sweet and tart. I used a little honey but only to make the sauce a bit thicker. I am not a fan of sweet with my main dishes.

Another note-I used boneless/skinless chicken thighs (I can’t find boneless thighs with skin on) instead of chicken breasts because the breasts dry out, but if you prefer white meat then by all means use breasts just watch the cooking time so they don’t dry […]

Stefani Hood2019-01-16T20:33:55+00:00January 16th, 2019|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Pancetta Stuffed Pork Chops

The holidays are a time of indulgence and celebration and I try to carve out a couple days a week during this busy season to have a family dinners. I want the dinners to be special and delicious, but I am always so exhausted during December that the recipe must be easy! This Pancetta Stuffed Pork Chop is very fancy, but is really easy. There is no sauce needed and that cuts down on the kitchen time. Start to finish including baking time (read sit down and have a glass of wine time) is about 55 minutes.

I bought my chops at Trader Joes and they were “frenched”, which means the bone was left on the chop and it was cleaned. It just makes for a pretty presentation, but not necessary. You can do it yourself with a paring knife if you can’t find it already done or you can just buy chops without the bone. You just want thick cut chops so that you can stuff them. And speaking of stuffing it is very easy to cut […]

Stefani Hood2018-12-18T16:48:06+00:00December 18th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Cheese Straws

“What can I bring?” is what I find myself asking all throughout the holidays. And the response is “Anything is fine”, ugh what does that mean? You know the host will have a cheese tray and a charcuterie board so what can you bring that is quick, easy, homemade and delicious? These cheese straws are ALWAYS a hit. They are typically a southern nibble, but no matter where you live people will love these. They just go so good with a glass of bubbly, wine, beer, coke, water, milk…:) honestly anything.

These take about 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook and have 6 ingredients that I am sure you have lying around your pantry and fridge. And I am almost positive you have a fork and pizza cutter. The only thing you might not have is a rolling pin and if you don’t have one of those then use a drinking glass to roll out the dough-problem solved!

Another note-this recipe only calls for 1/4 teaspoon cayenne to just give it a hint of spice, but […]

Stefani Hood2018-12-05T16:47:14+00:00December 5th, 2018|Starters|0 Comments

Winter Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Casserole! That word is rarely spoken in our house because my husband hates them! And generally I don’t love them because they are always made with condensed soup-ick!!!! But, I do love the ease of making casseroles and the clean up after dinner. So, I have come up with a casserole that everyone will eat. It uses winter vegetables and a sauce that is very easy that makes this recipe creamy and rich. I call it Winter Chicken and Rice Casserole-original, right?, lol!

Another thing I like about the recipe is that once it is in the oven you can clean up the kitchen and then after dinner all you have to do is put the plates and cups in the dishwasher and you are done! There really is nothing worse than eating a delicious dinner only to have a kitchen to clean up after. So this makes a perfect weeknight dinner!

A couple tricks to make this even easier- pre-cut brussels sprouts, pre-sliced mushrooms, pre-cooked wild rice, pre-cut sweet potatoes. The grocery store has so many short cuts […]

Stefani Hood2018-12-03T15:47:56+00:00December 3rd, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Chicken Paillard with Pear and Aruglua

Its December and that means a packed schedule of parties, happy hours, brunches, school performances….and lots of yummy high calorie treats, dinners and cocktails. Just go ahead and book your trainer now for January-it takes away a bit of the guilt. But, if your house is like mine the kids still want to eat even if I have a party to go to and I have to feed them something other and Chic Fil A and Canes-right? And there are times throughout the holiday season that I just want a quiet dinner at home which means I have to make something as good as Chic Fil A and Canes. This recipe for Chicken Paillard with Pears and Arugula is DELICIOUS! It is so easy, quick and light and your kids will eat it because it is tangy and salty and sweet. I adapted this recipe from Tyler Florence- a chef I LOVE. His recipes are always easy and just “normal”. Nothing fancy, but always tastes fancy.

Paillard just means pounded […]

Stefani Hood2018-12-01T20:30:58+00:00December 1st, 2018|Meats & Fish|4 Comments

Rosemary Nuts

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas…. just kidding its only the first of November, but there is already Christmas music on the radio and every store is decked out! Its still 80 degrees here in Texas so it makes it hard to think of Santa right now not to mention that Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened!!! I don’t know about you, but it kinda pisses me off that we just skip over Thanksgiving, grrr. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday-the food, the friends, the family and the lack of gift shopping. Its just such a relaxed holiday and I just love it! I guess I should get started on my menu:)

Ok off my soap box…. since it is the beginning of the holiday season we are all crazy busy and there seems to be a party or get together every other night and everyone says to bring something- “Just bring something small”. What are you supposed to bring??? Well, stock up on mid priced wine to take and make a huge batch of these Rosemary Nuts to […]

Stefani Hood2018-11-06T19:10:55+00:00November 6th, 2018|Starters|2 Comments

Instant Pot Korean Beef

Ok, Ok, Ok I know I have said I am not a huge fan of slow cookers and instant pots and for the most part I am not, but I have been playing around with the Instant Pot and have come up with a few recipe that are really delicious. This recipe for Korean Beef is so fast and is so good! It took me about 40 minutes from start to finish with only 10 of those minutes being hands on. So you can get these ingredients into the pot and then go do a few other things or just sit your butt down and have a glass of wine.

My family loves this dish and have asked for several times since I first served it. I have a few people in the family that don’t love spicy food so I kept the spice down and just served Sriracha on the side for my son who likes is SPICY! I serve this over Jasmine rice, but you can serve over lo Mein noodles or rice noodles or brown […]

Stefani Hood2018-10-01T20:22:28+00:00October 1st, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

Keeping with the theme that life is crazy ass busy right now I have put together another one-pot dinner. Its the Unstuffed Bell Pepper and it is so good! It is even easier if you use all the amazing short cuts the grocery store offers now. Items like pre-cooked rice, pre-chopped garlic and pre-chopped parsley make this recipe even easier. You can whip this up in about 30 minutes from start to finish and your family will love it! It tastes just like the traditional stuffed and baked bell peppers without having to bake them for 45 minutes.

You can obviously substitute the ground turkey for beef and you can use white rice if you prefer. I just like the chew of brown rice and plus it has a bit more nutritional value. Serve this with a side salad and dinner is served!

Enjoy!

Unstuffed Bell Peppers

All the ingredients and flavors of a stuffed bell pepper come together in this one-pot meal. It is quick […]

Stefani Hood2020-01-09T16:35:12+00:00September 26th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Casserole! That is either a comforting word or a word that brings up memories of church suppers with dishes all made with cream of mushroom soup. I am not opposed to canned items like tomatoes, chilies, beans… but I avoid at all costs the cream of ______ soup cans. They are just gross to me, but I do love a lot of the dishes that are made with those cans of cream of ______ soup. So, I decided to come up with a recipe for a classic Chicken and Rice Casserole that does not use those icky soups.

This recipe is one of those that you can make in advance and either keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days until you are ready to bake it or you can keep it in the freezer for up to a month. If you do decide to freeze it I suggest lining the dish with foil then transferring the uncooked mixture (this recipe uses cooked chicken so it safe to freeze) to the foil lined casserole dish then freezing the […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-17T23:36:15+00:00September 17th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese

Your friend says bring an appetizer to a party and you think what can I go buy? But, store bought vs homemade is just not comparable. Homemade is so much better and so much more appreciated by the host. If you have the time try this Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese Dip. My good friend Allison gave me this recipe and I have made it about 15 times and every time people just love it! This recipe is not quick, but its easy and so delicious and kind of a conversation piece on the buffet. It is very dramatic and your guests will love it. You can also serve this as a side dish along grilled chicken or oven roasted salmon and if you have any left overs you can put it in a blender with some milk and make a quick cauliflower soup.

Give it a try and let me know your thoughts!

Enjoy!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese Dip

A dramatic […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-17T18:52:12+00:00September 17th, 2018|Starters, Sides|2 Comments

Artichoke and Green Chili Dip

Its football season! Lord help me!! When football season starts that means it is on EVERYDAY of the week-seriously I have no idea how they can play that many games, but they do. I really enjoy watching college ball, but I HATE pro-football-too many politics and too many rules, but, since I married a guy from the north-east that means college ball gets put on the back burner and pro takes over. And, my husband has done a great job of indoctrinating my three boys to love the Eagles and living in Dallas that is not all that popular:), especially since my Dad is a Cowboy fan!

Anyway, what makes watching so fun? Its the food, drink and friends that rotates around the big screen. I made this delicious Artichoke and Green Chili Dip the other day and it lasted about 7 minutes when I put it out on the table. Its cheesy, salty, tangy, spicy-all things you want in a dip! Its the traditional artichoke dip but adds a nice Texas flare with the green chilies. It […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-17T20:00:41+00:00September 17th, 2018|Starters|0 Comments

One Pot Creamy Pasta with Italian Sausage

I still can’t figure out why the first of the school year is so crazy busy. Its not as if I haven’t done this for years and years and years, but every year I feel like I am running around with my hair on fire in Sept trying to get my to-do list done before my employers get home from school. Because once they get home the real work starts with driving all over town, appointments to get to, yelling, cooking dinner, yelling, helping with homework, yelling, bedtime… so what I need is EASY dinners to get on the table in a short amount of time. And I need to be able to make dinner and still drink my glass of wine so it better be simple. This recipe for One Pot Creamy Pasta with Italian Sausage is just that-SIMPLE. Serve this with a side salad and some fresh bread and dinner is served! And the best part is you only use ONE POT so clean up is quick.

Use a large deep pot with a lid for […]

Stefani Hood2020-10-02T14:43:06+00:00September 13th, 2018|Pasta|0 Comments

Easy Beef Taco Skillet Dinner

Beef Taco Skillet Dinner is one of those recipes to keep in your back pocket for one of those days when the shit has hit the fan but the people in your house still need to eat! It is easy, comforting, hearty and delicious. My in-home taste tester scarfed the whole plate down. This is rare-he hates everything so if the 13 year old likes it you know its good!

You can make this entire dinner in one skillet which makes clean up a breeze and is an added bonus for those nights when you are too tired to clean 5 pans. This recipe is also one that you most likely have all the ingredients in your panty or fridge. So go rummage or stock up when you are at the grocery and you will be able to pull this together in 20 minutes!

Also, a quick nag for all you crazy busy families-take 10 minutes on Sunday night to make a rough weekly meal plan. I have the template on the right side of the blog. Just print it […]

Stefani Hood2020-10-30T20:47:21+00:00September 11th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Chicken Lombardy

Since beef is now the devil’s food I have been trying to cook less red meat and more chicken, fish, salads and even vegetarian, gasp! But, chicken can be very bland and way over served so how to we make it delicious and craveable? That’s right, put a crap ton of cheese on it with a savory rich sauce! This Chicken Lombardy is not in anyway a “healthy” recipe, but it is so good and sometimes we just need a decadent dinner to reward our selves for making it though traffic, carpools, tantrums, homework, teenagers… and this dish avoids the devil’s food, BEEF. We will serve that tomorrow night 🙂

Chicken Lombardy is a classic recipe that has been around forever. It is easy to pull together but looks very fancy. Basically this is using the same technique that I use in a lot of my recipes which is to sear the meat, create a sauce with pan drippings and bake in oven. When I teach my cooking classes I try to pass along TECHNIQUES because all that […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-10T19:12:55+00:00September 10th, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

Oven Baked Orange Chicken

It’s that time of year again-the start of school! I really cannot believe that its already September. I do have to say I love this time of year though with the newness of everything. The new teachers (read- trying to figure out how to login to their cute websites with ridiculous passwords and dealing with hours of homework) the new teams and coaches (read- the endless streams of tears because your kid didn’t make the “A” team or the coach is an insensitive jerk and makes 12 year olds run 6 miles), the new fall wardrobe (read- I cannot fit into anything because I was in vacation mode for 3 months and ate anything I wanted) or the new dinnertime routine (read-WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER) Just kidding!!! Kinda… but really I do love the Fall. The weather finally starts to cool down and the trees begin to turn colors and the yummy fall comfort dishes are on the table!

So… you ask, WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO MAKE FOR DINNER?? […]

Stefani Hood2018-09-02T21:36:04+00:00September 2nd, 2018|Meats & Fish|0 Comments

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