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December 09, 2021
Appetizer Ideas

My dear friend hosted a lovely evening last night. She's a real estate agent in town and invited about ten of her clients/friends (I'm lucky to be both) over to enjoy a class from a local chef.

It was the best kind of class as it mainly involved sipping wine and eating the appetizers he made for us. True to the nature of most chefs I know, he didn't want or need a lot of hands-on help, but he was great at telling us how he prepared the food and gave many helpful tips and suggestions for variations on the recipes. We also had a lively discussion about his gradual transition to a vegan lifestyle and the importance of nutritious whole foods. I was inspired to revisit my green smoothie habit this morning.

He still cooks with lots of meat and cheese, and the dishes he prepared for us were not at all vegan. The menu was perfect for a holiday cocktail party, so I thought I'd share the ideas with you.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Blue Cheese
Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze
Crostini with Pistachio Pesto and Ricotta topped with Roasted Red Pepper (very festive looking)
Crab Cake Stuffed Mushrooms
Brie en Croute (he made it with store-bought puff pastry and caramelized onions)

I was reminded of this homemade ricotta, which is so simple to prepare and so much better than store-bought. It is super fresh, creamy, and an excellent vehicle for strong or spicy flavors. I like to put it on crostini as he did with pesto or an olive tapenade (see links in the comments). It would also be good with hot pepper jelly, a balsamic drizzle, or herbs with salt and cracked black pepper.

https://auntiechatter.com/recipes/snacks-starters-and-sundries/dips-and-salsas/fresh-ricotta-cheese/

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April 15, 2023
Cookbook preview

If I had to ballpark a timeline, I’d say I should have my book, Living Legacy: Stories of a Restaurant Family ready for purchase by the end of May. 🤞 I was really hoping to have it finished in time for Mother’s Day but everything is taking longer than I anticipated. I’m self-publishing and I uploaded the pdf’s for the interior and cover today. Now I’ll wait to see if there are any issues with the files (fingers crossed I fixed them already!) and to receive a printed copy I can look over before I release it to the public.

It’s been a huge learning curve, but I’ve enjoyed (almost) every frustrating minute because now I know how to write and design a cookbook. I’m not sure what my next one will feature but it will definitely have some lighter recipes after fixing and eating all of the rich restaurant food, delicious as it was. I’m excited to get back into more recipe development of my own!

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November 18, 2022
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November 15, 2022
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When I got back from a trip this week, my garden had exploded and all my arugula bolted. So I made this: https://auntiechatter.com/recipes/sides-salads-and-soups/salads/arugula-salad-corn-avocado-tomato/

We had it with grilled chicken and polenta that I remembered I had in the freezer. The polenta soaked up the dressing and it was so yummy!

Molly, I hope you’re well!💗

August 15, 2023
Cookbook Launch!!!

Hi all. I'm excited to announce my cookbook, Living Legacy: Stories of a Restaurant Family, is available now at https://witandthyme.com.

Thanks for your patience and support through my writing and cooking journey 🧡 I'm really proud of how it turned out and can't wait for everyone to try the
recipes!

July 18, 2023
Back online!

AuntieChatter.com is back! 😅 ⁠
Thanks for your patience while the site was down. I am now in complete control of my domain (if not at home, at least on the internet 😂), so there should be no recurrence. Hot tip: If you sell a business, make sure your other domain names don't go along with it 🙃. ⁠

I'm greatly relieved to have it back since it's plastered on all of the Living Legacy cookbooks that are currently printing. That would have been super fun to deal with. ⁠

I'll get to work on a new post soon. Meanwhile, visit auntiechatter.com to find new and old favorite recipes! ⁠

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October 10, 2022
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Spice Mixes
Seasoned Salt, Italian Seasoning, Southwest Seasoning

I use one of these three mixes almost every time I cook! 

I think you will find it's a little more budget-friendly to take individual herbs and spices and combine them into a custom mix than it is to purchase premade mixes. They make great homemade gifts too. I used little jars of the Seasoned Salt as party favors for my niece's bridal shower a couple of years ago and, several months later, received requests for the recipe as the jars were empty and the people wanted more. I love it when that happens. 

Enjoy!

Seasoned Salt

Great for chicken, fish, salad dressings/dips, soups, eggs, etc.

1/4 cup kosher salt or sea salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried  thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel

Combine all of the ingredients and store the mix in a small mason jar or similar container.

 

Italian Seasoning

Works well in pasta sauces, soups, salad dressing, and garlic oil, as well as on pizza and garlic bread

3 tablespoons dried basil

3 tablespoons dried oregano

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Combine all of the ingredients and store the mix in a small mason jar or similar container. If you have a mortar & pestle, grind the celery seed, fennel seed, and red pepper flakes first to release the flavors.

 

Southwest Seasoning

Use in tacos, chili, tortilla soup, dressings/dips, burritos, enchiladas, etc.

1/4 cup dried ground ancho chiles

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons dried Mexican Oregano

1 tablespoon dried cilantro

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all of the ingredients and store the mix in a small mason jar or similar container.

 

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