Tuesday, June 2, 2009

A sampling of blog recipes and some sweet awards...

Pull up a chair and sip some wine/beer/margaritas/gin/coffee/tea. Grab some chocolate/cheese/pate/shrimp/cruditees. Take a deep breath and relax. I've been cooking. From your blogs. Above is some Shrimp Aragonate from Proud Italian Cook. Even the non-shrimp eater in my family lapped it up.

I've had a grand spring using your recipes! And to add to fuzzy warm feelings, two bloggers went and sent me an award! The best part of the award is - passing it on. So today's blog is about your wonderful recipes and my thanks to foodie-friends who visit offering to share their cup of sugar and pound of butter - with me!
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I may have to start cooking six times a day in order to try out all of the recipes that entice me. I thought I would have photos for all of your recipes. I intended to catalogue all of them and not forget one. I hoped I would have something lusciously witty to accompany all of your delightful posts. I fell short. I will try to keep better records. For someone who catalogues every play submission, you'd think I could set up a spread sheet for these recipes!
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After mowing the lawn, my children were were rewarded with Sophie's Strawberry Smoothie from Sophie's Foodiefiles. Now, it is expected! What nerve! I offer a healthy treat and they already take it for granted. I guarantee if you promise this smoothie to someone, they will be at your beck and call as long as strawberries are in season.
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To continue on the healthy trend, we have had Natasha's Guilt-free Chocolate Milkshakes from Five Star Foodie Culinary Adventures. It's nice to get that chocolate fix without the guilt!
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The summery turkey tacos from Food and Flavors of San Antonio are beginning to be a staple around here.
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The tortellini salad from My Tasty Treasures elevated my simple grilled herb chicken.
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The San Francisco Chicken from Bunny's Warm Oven is easy, pretty and pasted on my fridge door - with a promise to make a copy for my son - who is spending the month here before he moves out - collecting recipes.
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I already mentioned Katherine's incredible herb and cheese focaccia.
But it's worth mentioning (again) because I made it (again). And I will also be doing her Chicken Potalba so check out Smoky Mountain Cafe. You won't leave hungry.
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It's been a muffin month. I am enticed by all the fruit muffins floating about and the dessert muffin and the anytime-muffins and well, to speak the truth - I don't think I've ever met a muffin I didn't like. I know the muffin man and I am he. She. Non-gender specific. In the last days of college finals, I had these oatmeal muffins ready for my daughter to grab-and-go in the mornings. In addition to providing sweet comfort during stressful days (chemistry final, physics final), they even supplied some nutrients.

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Kowalski's Market which I frequent so much - I should rent a cot - has these pecan-studded chicken breasts. They have always looked so good. But when I bring them home, they are too dry. I should know better than to buy anything pre-seasoned, pre-marinated and pre-pecan studded. To the rescue was Reeni and her Cinammon Spice and Everything Nice blog.

Her Pecan-Bacon Chicken is moist and comes with a sweet/savory honey-mustard sauce.
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Italyville inspired this taste of spring Italian fennel salad. It's actually more than a taste of spring - it was a glorious bite of an Italian spring!

What's on the agenda for June?
Watermelon and Mango Salsa from Diary of a Fanatic Foodie
and a few hor d'oeuvres from The Unconfidential Cook
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Meanwhile in the midst of tech/dress week for the ten-minute play festival and a host of other "life" happenings, Sophie at Sophia's Foodiefiles
and Catherine at The Unconfidential Cook
sent me this:

How sweet is that? Have you ever noticed that these acts of sweetness come at exactly the right time? That you may be overwhelmed by - anything - a spider? a weed? work? life? strife? And then - there's a comment, a cupcake, an e-mail, a call... or a Sisterhood Award ... to let you know you can wait for the sunshine. You can wait almost anything out.
`In gratitude, I would love to thank Sophie (whose recipes are so elegant and fresh) and let it sprout wings and fly to: Confectionery Creations for knocking on my door a few times and offering to bring her extraordinary treats; Five Star Foodie Culinary Creations for constant inspiration (even though I still cannot access your latest blog post and this is bordering on the criminal); Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice for always making me want to cook everything you dish up; Smoky Mountain Cafe for introducing me to new dishes and getting me out of my rut; Bunny's Warm Oven for warmth, food and complete meals; Girlichef who keeps astounding me with her knowledge of all things food-related and done with grace and humor - and Cooking in Cleveland who dispenses the best advice when I hit a milestone and combines it with the freshest of ingredients.
And I thank Unconfidential Cook (who spins the most marvelous tales to accompany her scrumptious dinners) and send the Sisterhood Award to: Diary of a Food Fanatic who inspired me to make sweet blueberry pancakes awhile back (and I forgot to mention - I am sorry about my loss of brain cells, Heather), Food With a Little Thyme for making my cast addicted to the Outrageous Brownies she posted (and I can send you where the lengthy excerpt is to CANDLELIGHT if still interested;), My Tasty Treasures - who must have a hundred of these - but she makes us all smile and she does everything so well; Mille Fiori Favoriti for bringing my beloved New York City back to me and sharing it with the world; Moments of Mine for spreading joy with her love of nature and family, Italyville for bringing Italy to me since I cannot make it there and Burp and Slurp for sharing an amazing journey with true grace under pressure.
Thanks to you all - may you spread the joy.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Many delicious recipes! Congratulations on your award and thank you so much for passing on to me!

Maris said...

All of these recipes look great but I think the herb and cheese focaccia made my mouth water the most!

Unknown said...

thank you for such wonderful recipes..il surely try them out...Please check out the blog mentioned below its really cool....!!!im sure you'll love it!!!

www.stay-sharp.in

Unknown said...

Claudia. Your tribute to everyone is so sweet. How nice of you to recognnize us all.And thank you for the sweet award, I appreciate it so much, a girl can never have too many awards or shoes or O's for that matter;)

OhioMom said...

Just got up and made coffee and now I am hungry, what delish food and recipes ... YUM!

OhioMom said...

Ooops! Forgot to thank you for the award. THANK YOU!

:)

Heather S-G said...

Wow, you are a busy bee!! Everything looks and sounds amazing...and I have so many bookmarked that I know I'll never be able to make even half of the ones I want!! And I STILL want this focaccia. Congrats on your awards and thank you so much for passing one on to me :)

Laurie said...

You have been very very busy! Thanks for sharing this.. I love that you have taken the time to re create dishes from the blogasphere.

I too want to try Marie's Shrimp Aragonate. Looks yummy. :)

Michele said...

Awesome! You gave me some great blogs to check out!

NKP said...

It all looks so good.. I need to come live near you.

Reeni said...

What a sweet posting!! You have been one busy cook!! Everything sounds so delicious! I am so honored that you tried my chicken, and so glad you like it. Thanks for all the kind words, your a sweetie, and I am so glad I found you!

Anonymous said...

Isn't it so cool to be able to get in-depth recipe instruction, opinion, and suggestions on blogs!? It makes me so happy!

Juliana said...

First of all, congratulations on your award...all of the recipes look yummie as well.

Dimah said...

All of these recipes look delicious!
Congratulations on your award!

Wanda..... said...

Thank you Claudia...you are so kind to think of me! You do such a wonderful job with all your great recipes...plus your stories...I will display it soon...Thanks again!

Bunny said...

Thank you so much Claudia! I love our blog friends and all they're creations, it's part of my day to visit you and other blogs to see what you're up to. Thank you again!

Anonymous said...

thank you so much, claudia! I just posted this award at my blog. I am so touched!
and my oh my, you've been quite busy! I love how you really tried out all these delicious dishes from other bloggers...I think there are TOO many good recipes, TOO little time! your family is so blessed!

Sara said...

Everything sounds so good, food bloggers are quite the talented group!

joe@italyville said...

Claudia.. I don't know how I got into the "Sisterhood" but I'm honored! woohoo! Thanks for thinking of me! Joe

Claudia said...

Joe: If I can be part of the "Brotherhood of Man," you certainly qualify for a "Sisterhood" award in the bloggers world. I love your posts.

unconfidentialcook said...

Thanks so much for the roundup (our bloggers are so talented)...and for mentioning the hors d'oeuvres.

Creative Classroom Core said...

Congrats on your award, and thanks for sharing the great recipes!

Foodie with Little Thyme! said...

It's great that you are letting so many of us know that you care. Thank you!
And yes still interested.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

Claudia,

Sorry that I've been away, but I am humbled by you. You inspire me to go beyond what I think I can do and I am so honored and flattered that you are trying my recipes.

You certainly have so many irons in the fire with your directing plays and then turn around and WOW us with you awesome dishes.

Congratulations on your award and I am flattered tha tyou passed it one ot me.