Eat happily
I used to pound my chicken breasts to make them flat and even. But I never was a fan. Not only was it a pain to keep the meat from “splattering” from underneath plastic wrap, but also the pounding action unattractively shredded the flesh. Not pretty. If you feel the same way I do… have you ever tried making cutlets? I learned this tip way-back from Cooks Illustrated. All you have to do is to hold your knife parallel to the chicken breast and slowly and carefully slice through the chicken. ...
I’ve mentioned before that I grew up in a household that was extremely health and food conscious. That meant no processed foods and certainly nothing with sugar added. Forget ketchup. It simply wasn’t a part of my life. Mayonnaise? Now that’s a different story! I grew up in Cary, North Carolina, and the Southern mayonnaise of choice was Duke’s Mayonnaise. Since it is minimally processed, Duke’s Mayonnaise always tasted like freshly made mayonnaise, only without the preparation and cleanup ...
Last Thursday was girl’s lunch out with my friends Amanda and Alicia. We met at Table Mesa restaurant on perhaps one of the busiest days imaginable in downtown Bentonville: Earth Day. The square was alive with children, events, parents, and the demand was high for a spot in Table Mesa. Thankfully, there was no waiting in line for us at Bentonville’s hottest and one of the best-kept-secrets in Northwest Arkansas. Why was there no waiting? I went online and reserved a table earlier that ...
I wondered. Especially when every parking space is filled up at the Pinnacle Promenade in Rogers and those two perfectly vacant spots are beckoning (taunting) me in from of Williams-Sonoma. Alas, surely this means I either (1) have to pick up a customer or (2) have ordered something at Williams-Sonoma that I need close access in order to load it in my vehicle. Right? Wrong! The sign does not mean either one of those! After talking with an associate in the store, she told me that these two ...
Posted by Lyndi Remember that childhood jingle: “Eat it or wear it?” Well now you can wear something that declares your love affair with eating! One lucky reader will get to own this sterling silver foodie charm! Gratis! Free! No Cost to You! My sister Stacey, jewelry designer at StormFlight Designs, created this one-of-a-kind handmade charm specifically at my request for one of you! She specializes in sterling silver and really has an incredible ...
It happens to all of us one time or another. You get near the end of the bag of potato chips and are faced with a plethora of broken-down chips OR you host a party and there too many potato chips leftover but you don’t want to throw them away and you don’t want to binge on them. What to do. What to do. Here’s a handy tip: Take those potato chip crumbs and store them in the freezer in a Ziploc freezer bag! They make a great “bread-crumb-like” topping for baked chicken or fish. By storing ...
While the Pinnacle Promenade Mall in Rogers, Arkansas may have grossly missed the boat with their food court options in my opinion; they definitely make up for it with their restaurant anchors. One restaurant in particular is Fish City Grill, sandwiched between Pottery Barn and Solstice on the Southside of the mall entrance. Once you enter, the ambiance of part-diner, part-bar, and part-family-style décor greets you comfortably. There are a plethora of seafood options on the menu and a daily ...
In my opinion, pesto is delicious on just about everything. From the obvious to the sublime, it is always handy to have this trusty little foodie condiment within reach. Ever wanted to make it instead of buying it? It’s easy and I’ll tell you how. Thought it was too expensive to purchase all that basil? If you are not growing basil yourself, check out your local oriental grocery store. Chances are they will have an inexpensive option for, just like Hong Sun Oriental Market in Rogers has ...
It is helpful to store asparagus in your fridge with the bottom stalks standing in water. Similar to a flower arrangement, doing this will help prolong the freshness of your asparagus. If you are looking for thick asparagus (like the ones in the photo), go to Sams Club. Looking for thin and delicate? Check out Walmart, Harps, or Allens Market. Happy eating! ...
Recently I shared that Allen’s Food Market in Bella Vista is stocking $0.99 fresh herbs. To my delight, Harp’s Food is carrying the same line in the Produce Center AND they have a slightly broader selection as well as different offerings such as $0.99 sun-dried tomatoes and chili peppers. And guess what else they have? Edible Flowers for yes - $0.99! So, if you want to add a touch of Spring to your salad, pick up these little delights. They taste fresh, clean, and slightly sweet and gave my ...
Recently I received eleven fresh shitake mushrooms in my organic vegetable delivery from Old Soul Organics in Fayetteville. Since I had no idea what organic vegetables would arrive that day, it was fun to decide what I would do with these little gems. So, I made a soup. An easy, creamy, satisfying shitake mushroom soup. With a sprig of thyme. Yep, you’re going to want to make this yourself. And yes, dried shitake mushrooms work fine. However, fresh shitake mushrooms are available now in ...
There are a lot of folks right now who are getting ready to observe the Days of Unleavened Bread. This is an annual religious observance in the spring when leavening products (symbolic of sin) are removed from the home and observers refrain from eating for one week. So exactly what are leavening agents? · Ammonium Bicarbonate · Baking Powder · Saleratus (Baking Soda) · Baking Soda · Hartshorn · Carbonate of Ammonia · Powdered Baking Ammonia · Yeast · Single-acting Tartrate (European) · ...
Several years ago Samantha Brown, of Travel Channel fame, was in France. She was sharing her experience of what I can only describe as a wine-crawl. One of the wine bars she entered had the cutest wine glasses that were more like miniature pint glasses. Think of an espresso cup in wine glass form. No stem. Those glasses made the wine seem so enticing and added a fun flair to the atmosphere. Forget the countryside of France, I wanted to be there at that wine bar! I have been searching for years ...
So you are making pesto and are just about ready to drop in a handful of basil leaves into the pesto. Wait! Stop! There is one more step you must do! Slip the basil in a Ziploc bag, and pound gently to bruise the leaves, ever so slightly. This releases the full flavor of basil. Now, continue on with what you were doing. You’re welcome. ...
We did something really fun as a team last week. We had a potluck for lunch. Not just any old potluck… this one had a theme. Where is your favorite vacation spot and bring a dish that represents your favorite vacation spot.” What a blast! As expected in the middle of the coolest winter that Northwest Arkansas has had in years, there were a plethora of tropical themes, photos, and dishes. It was a thrill to get to know my work-friends in a new way and their favorite vacation spots spanned ...
Here’s a little something to spice up your next vodka and tonic… Add sage. One or two leaves will do nicely. Enjoy! ...
Last summer I read an amazing book by Michael Pollan titled In Defense of Food, An Eater’s Manifesto, a number one New York Times bestseller. This book explains three main areas we should concentrate on when it comes to healthy eating: Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much. Pollan goes on to explain, in great detail, just why he recommends we live our lives in this manner. It is simple and to the point and it may change your life for the better simply by getting you to THINK about your ...
