Sweet Love and Ginger

Jessica

Summer’s Over, Let’s Talk About it

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

It’s September and by most standards summer is over.  As sad and upsetting as it is I’m ready for
fall, I’ve always been a cold weather kind of girl so it’s welcome. I thought it
might be a fun change of pace to do a little review of my favorite things about
this summer.

 
Camping! We did a lot of camping, my favorite trip had to be
the one we went on with our friends from northern VT.

Visiting wine country.

Favorite recipes included the Herby Burger, Backcountry CreamyOrzo, and Shrimp and Parsley Ravioli.

I was pretty much a lush.

Don’t forget the fair. I’m a dork for the demolition derby.

I loved teaching Brody to swim & love the water as much
as his parents. We also got to go river tubing for a day, found an old rope
swing Chuck played on as a kid, and spent quite a few days up at the lake. We
had lots of water time this year.

I made to the beach for the first time in years!

I started a small garden that blossomed with a pretty
amazing bounty of beans, tomatoes, radishes, carrots, parsnips, and kohlrabi.
I also had way more beans than I could handle. Next year we will pant the marigold a little earlier to keep the pests away.

It was a laid back and fun summer, full of food and friends.
What more could you ask for?

What were your favorite parts of summer this year?

Finding the Balance with Pot Pie

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Over the summer there is no doubt that we eat healthier in
the SL&G house, even if we are eating mayo loaded burger there’s still a
side of salad. And there are more grilled, fresh, or fire roasted vegetables,
and fruit than you would believe. There is too much delicious fresh produce
available to not eat like that.

This all changes the second the air begins to crisp. It’s the
first week in September it has already started.

I FINALLY got Chuck, the human furnace to ditch the air
conditioner in favor of open windows at night. It is still dark out when I leave
for work in the morning, I have had to toss on a light jacket just to get there,
and at night I have traded in my iced tea and white wine spritzers, for rich red
and hot tea. Fall has come.

I suppose it couldn’t have been better timing we both have
been craving something a little more calorie dense, and homey for dinner than
the usual salad, kabobs, and masses and masses of grilled corn on the cob that
have been frequenting our dinner plates. Chuck requested chicken parmesan, and I
have been dying for a pot pie, so I made both this week; along with potato
soup, risotto, and some smoked cheddar macaroni and cheese (you will see more
on those soon enough). It feels like we have put on ten pounds each just this
week, but that’s ok once in a while. There are still a couple clean recipes in there;
it’s all about balance after all.

The same goes for balance in all other areas of life.  Sometimes after a long time of stress, heart
ache or just general discontentment its recipes like these that seem to save
your life, puts your feet back on the ground and gives you the strength you
need to get on with it all.

For me making something with some love in it really does the
trick; something I know by heart that I barely need to think about. A little
time in the kitchen simply chopping vegetables is a kin to taking a mini
vacation, at least mentally; Then later the satisfaction of creating something
so genuine and delicious, sinking into it while you forget all the other
troubles on your mind for a while.

Yes we needed this week of hearty fall food. Totally and definitely.

One Pan Chicken Pot Pie with Chive Biscuits

1 ¼ cups flour

½ tbsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp chives

½ stick of butter

¾ cups heavy cream

1 tbsp oil

1 lb lb of chicken, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Salt & pepper

2 tbs butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp pepper

3 tbsp flour

1 cup chicken broth or stock

¼ cup heavy cream

1 cup of frozen peas

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder, salt, and chives
together. Cut the cold butter into small chunks and blend into the flour
mixture with a fork or electric mixer. Then add the cream and mix well. The mixture
should become crumbly. With your hands mix the final crumbs together and create
a ball. Move the mixture to a floured work surface and push it down to about ¼ to
½ inch thick. Use a cookie cutter, knife or glass (whatever’s closest) to cute
out several round pieces of dough, and set aside. In a large oven safe skillet,
or Dutch oven warm oil over medium high heat. Add chicken seasoned with salt
& pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes or until it becomes opaque. Remove the
chicken from the pan and set aside. In the same pan melt the butter and add
onion to sauté for 2 minutes. Add in garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook for
3-4 minutes stirring occasionally. Stir in thyme, pepper, and flour and cook
for an additional minute before adding in the chicken and broth. Stir well
until the mixture becomes milky, and smooth, then add the cream and allow it to
simmer for 5-7 minutes until it become thick and bubbly, stirring every minute
or so. Add the peas and cook for a minute or two. Place biscuits on top and
move to an oven preheated to 400 degrees. And cook for 15-20 minutes or until
the biscuits begin to brown on top. Serve immediately.  

Foil Sausage & Pepper Potato Packets

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Right now I am day dreaming about camping, but we seem to be
busy every single weekend for the foreseeable future, so instead I’ll offer up
this awesome camping recipe.

Sausage and peppers, the classic combination that is
delicious and simple, as well as a great alternative to the typical hot dog
while camping.

I have made sausage and peppers in the woods probably a
dozen different ways, and this so far is my favorite. You could also easily
cook the onions and peppers in foil and the sausages on sticks then pile it all
on a bun the way it’s usually eaten, but I feel like we eat enough buns while
camping so I swapped the buns for potatoes to keep it hearty.

Foil Sausage & Pepper Potato Packets

1 package precooked Italian sausages, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2-3 potatoes chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp butter, in small chunks

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients on a large piece of tin foil,
tossing to mix well. Fold the foil into a pocket and seal. Add an additional
piece of tin foil and wrap the original packet. Place over a fire or on a grill
for 20-30 minutes, turning regularly. Potatoes should be tender when done.

I call out for precooked sausages because they tend to take
a while to cook over the fire, and for health and safety reasons you don’t want
undercooked sausages. I usually just buy my favorite Italian sausages and cook
them up at home before bringing them camping, but this is only my suggestion,
based on experience.

Long Weekend in Hampton Beach

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.


 

This vacation was much needed.

The food, the beach, the rest, and the people, all very much
needed.

3 Amazing Chicken Sandwiches

By

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Hello Random Late Summer Heat wave!!

I don’t know about you but when I get into my car after work and it tells me that it’s
104 outside you can bet the idea of cooking in my tiny, super hot kitchen is
nowhere near appealing to me at all. This summer I have become a big fan of
sandwiches, burgers and grilled veggies. Anything that means I don’t need to
turn on the stove. I’ve been posting for you some of my favorite burgers from
this summer, here, here, and here. Now here is a couple of my favorite chicken
sandwich recipes.

Caprese Chicken Sandwich

¼ cup balsamic

2 tbsp extravirgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic podwer

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tomato, sliced thin

10-12 large basil leaves

1 tbsp preferred Spread

4 whole wheat rolls, or buns

Combine balsamic, oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper in a
shallow pan. Cut chicken in half length wise and place into the pan tossing to
coat. Cover the chicken and allow it to marinade for at least a half hour or
overnight. On a preheated grill cook chicken for 5-6 minutes a side or until
cooked through. 2 or 3 minutes before the chicken has finished top with
shredded cheese and allow it to melt. Place chicken on a toasted bun and top
with tomatoes, basil, and preferred spread.

Personally I really like this sandwich with Lemon Aioli,
but it is also good with pesto, regular mayo, Italian dressing, or you could
even take the left over marinade and reduce it a little on the stove top.

Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Chicken Pannini

2 boneless, skinless chicken Breasts

1 can artichoke hearts, packed in water

1/3 cup sundried tomatoes, packed in oil

1 clove of garlic

Splash of olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

4 whole wheat, rolls or buns

1 cup of baby spinach

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese


Cut the chicken breasts in half length wise, and season well
with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill and cook for 5 or 6 minutes a
side, or until juices run clear. Meanwhile in a blender combine artichoke hearts,
sundried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts and oil, pulsing until well blended, and
maybe a little chunky. Spread roughly a tablespoon on each side of the buns. Place
cooked chicken on one side and top with spinach, and cheddar cheese, and the
top bun. Place the entire sandwich on the grill for 2-3 minutes a side. While
it is cooking take the flat part of the spatula or a oven proof pan and push down
on the sandwich to flatten it some. Or if you are lucky enough just put it on a
Panini press.

 Note: I just use my Foreman grill, it works just fine.

A classic Monte Cristo Sandwich typically uses turkey and is
dipped in an egg wash before it is pan fried, but as I said I was trying to
avoid the stove, and chicken is cheaper, so this is my spin on the Monte
Cristo.

Quick Chicken Monte

2 boneless, skinless chicken Breasts

8 thick slices of bread of choice

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/3 lb thick sliced smoked ham

¼ lb sliced Swiss cheese

¼ cup pure maple syrup

Cut the chicken breasts in half length wise, and season well
with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill and cook for 5 or 6 minutes a
side, or until juices run clear. Meanwhile Spread the mustard on one side of
each slice of bread, then on half of them layer smoked ham, cheese, the fully
cooked chicken and finally another slice of bread. Place the sandwich back on
the grill to toast for a minute or two, and to allow the cheese to melt a
little. Serve warm with a side of maple syrup to dip in.