Morning Caffeine Treat - Quick Mocha with Whipped Cream

It's one of those mornings when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed.  Or perhaps you went to bed on the wrong side.  Regardless, you are at work.  Cold.  Sleepy.  Drained.

 

You pass the donuts and head out to the coffee station at work.  Brew a fresh pot of coffee.  While the coffee is brewing, you pull out a packet of hot cocoa mix and empty it into a bag.  In go the two packets of creamer, and you mix, waiting for the coffee to finish brewing.

Hot, steaming, coffee goes into the cup.  You mix.  And then, to make your morning just a little bit better, you reach for the whipped cream, in a canister, and give the drink its finishing touch.

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Vacation on Whidbey Island ~ Blue Goose Inn Bed and Breakfast

 When vacation plans fell through this year, my friend Lera came to the rescue and recommended a charming Bed and Breakfast in Coupeville, Washington.  The Blue Goose Inn on Whidbey Island was our destination for a brief getaway before the New Year.  Charming, well taken care of, with warm inn owners, the inn offered comfort, proximity, and rest.
 

How to Make Chicken Stock - Basic, Easy Recipe for Success

The secret is out! You can make chicken stock in your own kitchen.  So unless you are in a hurry, leave the packaged stock at the supermarket and instead, pick up a chicken, a few carrots, onion, celery and parsley. That's pretty much all that you need to make a flavorful, base chicken stock.

If you can spare a few extra dollars, purchase an organic chicken, you really would be able to taste the difference.

Choose a chicken that weighs about 4 pounds.

Place the chicken in a large soup pot.

Add 1 large onion, quartered; 3 large carrots, halved; 2 celery stalks, halved; bunch of parsley stems; 4 garlic cloves, crushed and 6-10 whole black pepper corns.

Cover the ingredients with cold water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Next, turn the heat to medium low and simmer the stock for 2-3 hours, skimming occasionally.

It's best to let the stock cool and refrigerate over night.  The next day, remove the fat from the top and strain the broth, if desired.

I personally use the chicken and the vegetables to make soup.  Remove the chicken skin and bones and shred or dice the meat and cut up the vegetables.  What's next is up to you!

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Beef Stew Recipe ~ Southwestern Style with Black Beans and Sweet Potatoes

The last time I made stew it was for the Artist's birthday party celebration.  Two or three hours prior to the party, the Artist decided there wasn't enough food and headed out to the store to buy beef.  I turned the cubes of stew beef into the evening's most popular dish - beef stew on top of mashed potatoes.  It was simple, delicious, and hearty.

The Artist went slightly overboard, buying a few extra pounds of stewed beef.  The extra few pounds went into the freezer, until last week.  I transferred the beef to the refrigerator, to thaw, and tried to think on a new twist for the beef stew.  Glancing in my pantry, I located a can of black beans, a can of roasted tomatoes and sweet potatoes.  The Southwestern Beef Stew turned out to be another success!

 

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Recipe ~ Quick & Easy

 My love from salsa continuously grows.  When I say this, one might not be sure whether I'm talking about a condiment or a dance.  In this case, it's the condiment.  Though, recently I returned to the dance and couldn't be more happier.

 

This my friends, is a simple to prepare, but complex in flavor Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.  The recipe is rather easy to make and the ingredient amounts can adjusted to suit your taste.

 

Cranberry Challah Turkey for Thanksgiving

Alas it is no longer Thanksgiving, but don't you have something to be thankful for on daily basis?  As such, I'm going to share with you photos for a Cranberry Challah Turkey that I created for a family Thanksgiving Dinner, inspired by Pinterest.

 

 

Happy New Year 2013 from Snacking in the Kitchen

I hope your year is off to a great start!  I wish you lots of delicious dishes, healthy and new discoveries in the kitchen, culinary travels, brave cooking attempts and lots of joy!

This year, my kitchen received a beautiful bouquet of red utensils made by Le Creuset.  I'm calling this Red Tulips for the Kitchen.  Look forward to using them.  Thank you, Artist!  As you can see, the "vase" is resting on a silicone trivet.  I love it!

Have you received anything kitchen-related this year as a gift?  Please share!

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