Kamalot's Kitchen

Thursday, February 21, 2013

January 2013

Here's to the New Year and a fresh start...

Cranberry-Sauced Pork Chops: BHG pg.313 - 1/2/13. Surprisingly, we all really liked it! (Despite the fact that none of us love cranberry sauce.)
Pasta with Pesto Cream Sauce: PW pg.136 - 1/10/13. I made this twice last year, but never took a photo. Serisouly, people. You HAVE to try this stuff! I am obsessed with good pasta and yet, this simple recipe is at the top of the chart for me!

Biscuits & Gravy: PD online - 1/12/13. Jake LOVES this dish. I think it could possible kill you (especially with Paula Deen's recipe) but once or twice a year, we indulge!

Fish Tacos with Creamy Slaw: EF Cookbk pg.150 - 1/14/13. These were so totally awesome. I was going "Mmmmmm" the whole time. Seriously. The boys even scarfed it - slaw and all! :)I used fresh salmon.

Shrimp & Grits: MS American Food pg.177 - 1/16/13. This was pretty good. Jake loved it the most. I think my pregnant taste issues were the only thing that got in the way.

Williams Sonoma BBQ Meatloaf - 1/24/13. This was a bottle of starter I got at the store. Good!
Penne with Shrimp & Herbed Cream Sauce: GDL Kitchen Bk- pg. 166 - 1/27/13. This was SO GOOOOD. I would make this any day!
Old Fashioned Beef Stew/Fried Polenta: BHG pg. 460 - 1/28/13.

Beef Chili with Black Beans: WS Cooking at Home pg.150 - 1/31/13. I REALLY loved this stew-like Mexican chili. I made it for our church cooking group and it was a hit there as well.

That wraps up January! Buon Appetito!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Well, I clearly did not maintain this blog the way I had planned (monthly), but I will excuse myself considering it was the most hectic/busy/stressed/insane (you get the idea) three months of my life to date.

No jokes.

SO - though I wasn't on a roll in the kitchen, I did manage to create a few yummy things during that crazy time period. Here they are:

Cheese-Stuffed Jalepenos: MS pg. 293 - 10/4. These were sooo fantastic (and easy!) They were such a crowd-pleaser, we made them for my sister's bridal shower too.

Cashew Chicken: EF Cookbk pg.40 - 10/15/12. Excellent!

Six Roasted Vegetables: 10/20 . The absolute BEST way to enjoy veggies, in my personal opinion! :)A little olive oil and kosher salt and we're good to go! Asparagus, carrots, brussels sprouts, onions, potatoes & cauliflower. Woo!

Williams-Sonoma Haunted House kit with the boys!

Thanksgiving prep for: Mom's Candied Yams (best ever!) and a new recipe from a friend - Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes - Both were great! I don't know if I will ever be able to go back to "regular" mashed potes again!

My Thanksgiving dessert contribution: Mom/Grandma's Apple Pie - I LOVE THIS SO SO SO MUCH!

Chocolate cupcakes: Nov - For Miles' 4th Birthday Party!

Grandma Stallings' Famous Homemade Hot Fudge, Dittmer Mix and Martha Stewart's Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprints were all included in our holiday treat boxes for friends this year.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Second Half of September

Here's the rest of the new stuff from September!

Spicy Shrimp with Lime & Cilantro: EF May/2012 - 9/18. So yummy, easy and fast! Hubby and I loved it!!!

Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup: EF JanFeb/2012 - 9/20.Great flavor! Easy to make most of this ahead of time and just throw together at the last minute! (I did!)

Georgia Peach Pie: WS Pies & Tarts - 9/23. Great! (Although all I had were the peaches I froze after picking them in Georgia - the flavor was good, but fresh is always better!)

Tomato & Basil Scramble: WS Breakfast Comforts - 9/24. Really easy, fast, cheap and yummy. Even the boys liked it - even though they have decided they "don't love eggs anymore!"

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Welcome

KAMALOT'S KITCHEN!

Let's be real. I do a WHOLE LOTTA cooking - and some baking too! So, I've decided to make this my kitchen journal. I'm not trying to create my own amazing recipes. I'm not trying to do something that has never done before. I'm not trying to become the next Martha Stewart, Barefoot Contessa, Pioneer Woman or Giada. However, I DO tend to refer to these ladies OFTEN!
(I call them, "My Girls.")

I just want a personal record of all the NEW recipes I've tried. I want to remember what it looks like, if I liked it, if my FAMILY liked it (the true test) - and where I found it, so I can make it again if I want to!
If anyone else takes an interest in this blog that's okay by me . . .
but I'm doing it for me.

BUON APPETITO!
(Just a warning - I am absolutely obsessed with Italian food! This blog will contain a WHOLE lotta pasta - among other Italian delights! Although, this year, I've done a pretty good job of branching out - which is why I need this blog.)

Here's the rest of my collection - I dive into these a lot as well:

January - September

Here Are Some Of The NEW Recipes I've Made So Far This Year:

Here's a little KEY to my abbreviations:

WS - Williams Sonoma

BC - Barefoot Contessa

MS - Martha Stewart

GDL - Giada De Laurentiis

PW - Pioneer Woman

EF - Everyday Food Magazine

JOY - Joy of Cooking

TJ - I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook

PD - Paula Deen

BHG - Better Homes & Gardens

SLT - Sur La Table: Art & Soul of Baking

JC - Julia Child: Mastering the Art...

JANUARY

Chicken Saltimbocca: WS Simple Suppers - 1/10. Fantastic! The whole family loved it. It's easy and nice enough for company.
Focaccia: JOY - 1/10. AMAZING! We are all obsessed. So easy too.
Farfalle w/ Green Beans & Feta: TJ - 1/12. So great and healthy.
Sopapillas: JOY - 1/15. Classic. What's not to love?
Roasted Pork Loin with Pan Sauce: WS Simple Suppers - 1/15. Simple, but great flavor. All loved it. Several uses for leftovers (like the next recipe).
Pork Lo Mein: WS Simple Suppers - 1/17. All liked it, I loved it.
Roasted Salmon & Veggies: EF Jan-Feb/2012 - 1/24. Light and yummy!
Hearty Beef Stew: WS Cooking at Home - 1/25. All thought yummy. Thinner - like a soup not a stew.
Sweet Crepes: WS Cooking at Home - 1/27. SO GREAT!
Berry Butter: PW - 1/27. Out of this world amazing.
Tres Leches Cake: PW - 1/12. Awesome! Different!

FEBRUARY

Mashed Sweet Potatoes: JOY - 2/2. Good, but not amazing.
Stovetop Rice Pudding: JOY - 2/7. BETTER than Kozy Shak! LOVE IT!
Buttermilk Biscuits: WS Cooking at Home - 2/7. Fast, easy and fantastic.
Sausage Gravy: PD online - 2/7. YUM. Not exactly healthy...
Pound Cake: WS Cooking at Home - 2/11. Good, but not "the one."
Restaurant Style Salsa: PW - 2/12. Best ever! Never buy grocery store salsa again!
Crab Legs w/ Garlic Butter: Online - 2/14. YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!
Steel Cut Oats: Alton Brown Online. LOVE THIS! Careful not to burn!
Chocolate Chip Cookies in Muffin Tins w/ Ice Cream: Pinterest - 2/14. Look so fun, but actually too rich to finish one - and I NEVER say that!

MARCH

Braised Chicken w/ Red Onion & Carrots: EF Mar/2012 - 3/6. Great flavor.
Chicken Soup Base (STOCK): EF Jan-Feb/2012 - 3/6. Easy! I have done several times with carcass of rotisserie chicken.
Israeli Couscous: TJ - 3/17. YUM, but kids only thought it was okay.
Bolognese Sauce: WS Cooking at Home - 3/25. AMAZING!!! Long, but soo worth the effort.

APRIL

Cinnamon French Toast: WS Cooking at Home - 4/1. Basic, but just what we wanted.
Wilted Spinach w/ Tomatoes & Basil: GDL Weeknights - 4/3. Really yummy and fast. Good on pasta too.
Chicken Adobo: GDL Weeknights - 4/8. Hubby says this is the best version of this Filipino dish he's had in the States! YUM!
Mango Tart w/ Toasted Coconut Crust: online - 4/8. SO Great!
Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup: EF Mar/2012 - 4/12. The kids and I LOVED it. Hubby just doesn't love soup.
Golden Baked Pears: Mother Goose Cookbook - 4/12. Kids book. Good!
Raspberry Parfaits: GDL Weeknights - 4/12. Amazing! (Without the balsamic).
White Pizzas w/ Arugula: BC Back to Basics - 4/29. SO SO AMAZING! All must try it!
Baked Chocolate Pudding: BC Back to Basics - 4/29. Yummy, but not pretty.

MAY

Gemelli w/ Cauliflower, Bacon & Sage: EF Mar/2012 - 5/1. SO great! The mix would also make a great side for chicken.
Savory Palimers: BC Back to Basics - 5/2. Good, but strong.
Roasted Tomato Caprese: BC Back to Basics - 5/2. I MUCH prefer regular caprese. Not my favorite.
Parmesan & Thyme Cracker: BC Back to Basics - 5/2. Amazing!
Parker House Rolls: MS American Food - 5/6. FANTASTIC!
Cauliflower-White Bean Dip: EF Mar/2012 - 5/8. Yummy and healthy!
Mushroom & Bacon Dip: MS American Food - 5/10. Only for me - 3 boys won't eat 'shrooms.
Pasta w/ Pesto Cream Sauce: PW - 5/11. This has the most fabulous flavor!!! I used homemade roasted garlic in my homemade pesto - which helped too! Boys love it!!!
Lemon Chicken Breasts: BC How Easy Is That? - 5/14. YUM! Fast and easy!
Almost No-Knead Bread: Cooks Illustrated - 5/15. The most beautiful bread on the planet. Not gonna lie: I felt like a rockstar when it came out of the oven!
Beef Stew: PW - 5/15. With a few alterations, it was awesome. The boys scarfed it!
Pound Cake: MS American Food - 5/24. Good, but still not "the one..." (Made w/ BC's Blueberry Sauce.)

JUNE

Canning Fresh Picked Georgia Peaches: BHG - 6/28. BEST EVER!
Salted Caramel 6 Layer Cake: MS Living Nov/2011 - 11/16/11, 6/ , 8/ . YOU WILL NEVER WANT ANOTHER CAKE AGAIN!!! THIS IS THE ULTIMATE OF ALL TIME!
Couscous w/ Watermelon, Watercress & Feta: GDL Weeknights - 6/14. This was not my favorite, but very, very unique.

JULY

Fish Tacos with Pineapple Salsa: Pinterest/Dailycandy.com - 7/16. We ALL -inc the kids- LOVED it! Healthy too! Used Salmon.
Salmon w/ Mango Chimichurri: EF Jul-Aug/2012 - 7/18. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST, EASIEST, HEALTHIEST things ever!!!
Pastina w/ Peas & Carrots: GDL Weeknights - 7/22. THIS IS SO SO AMAZING, though it only looks plain and ordinary! (I used Orzo for the pasta and didn't have peas the first time I made it. Used peas every other time - so great).
Yellow Layer Cake: MS American Food - 7/23. SO SO SO Wonderful! I will never need another yellow cake recipe!(It doesn't look pretty, though, b/c I was in a hurry to get it to a friend...)
Creamy Coleslaw: MS American Food - 7/26. I loved this! The rest of family doesn't love coleslaw as a rule.

AUGUST

Vanilla Shortcrust Dough (for Tarts) - SLT - 8/12. Great! Used w/ a key lime custard from Kitchen Kettle Village.
Pork Schnitzels: Falling Cloudberries - 8/13. Fast, okay. Not my fav.
Harvest Blend w/ Zucchini & Squash: Made this up.
Fried Smashed Potatoes w/ Lemon: GDL Weeknights - 8/22. I could eat a MILLION of these! They are so so great!
Brussel Sprouts Browned w/ Cheese: JC - 8/23. BEST brussels ever ever ever. So much butter, but totally worth it. Make for Thanksgiving!
Chocolate Chip Cookies: MS American Food - 8/28. I've had a favorite recipe for years. This does not beat it, but it is really good. Hubby likes that they are flatter and crispier than my usual ones.

SEPTEMBER

Tortellini Alfredo: BHG for Kids - 9/4. Luke chose this for his back to school dinner. Kids LOVED it!
Crispy Chicken w/ Rosemary-Lemon Salt: GDL Weeknights - 9/6. Really good. Huge hit with the kids!
Baked Potatoes w/ Sausage & Arugula: GDL Weeknights - 9/11. Not my favorite, but Hubby really liked it. Boys - no.
Sloppy Joes: MS American Food - 9/12. Best ever. So so fast! Kids begged for more!
Steak Sandwiches w/ Creamy Shallots: EF Sept/2012 - 9/14. Great! We preferred the meat and shallots alone - not in a sandwich.
Chocolate-Chrry Blondies: EF Sept/2012 - 9/16. Wonderful!!! I didn't have cherries on hand, so just doubled the choc chips.