Skein and Hook

I have a major surplus of zucchinis this year.  That means lots of zucchini bread!  I make both chocolate and regular.  This year I tried a new chocolate recipe.  It turned out great.  It's very chocolatey and delicious. You can find the recipe for this here .  The only substitute I made is for the semi-sweet chocolate chips, I used Enjoy Life Chocolate chips which makes this recipe dairy-free and soy-free so my kids can enjoy it too.  I did end up baking my loaves for 60 minutes instead of 45. I tripled the recipe, so it made 3 loaves instead of one.  The other thing I do, is line my loaf pans with foil.  All you have to do is lift the foil out and there's no clean up...which makes me very happy. I left two of the loaves in the foil and then wrapped in saran wrap and then put in a freezer bag to save for another time.

I really like this homemade Bisquick mix.  I use it in cookies, pancakes, quiches, any recipe that calls for Bisquick.  I try to keep a zip-lock bag of it in my refrigerator all the time.  I find it stores much longer in the refrigerator but its not necessary if you don't want to. 6  c all-purpose flour 3  Tbsp baking powder 2  Tbsp powdered sugar 1 1/2  tsp kosher salt 3/4  tsp baking soda 9  Tbsp canola oil You can make this in a stand mixer, food processor, or by hand.  Combine all of the ingredients and mix until uniform.  Store in a zip top bag or air tight container.  Use it in any recipe that calls for Bisquick.

I love a good caesar salad.  It's not something I eat often but every now and then I really get in the mood for it and today is that day.  I looked around a little online.  I started with a recipe from Pioneer Woman and then just tweaked until it was right for me.  When I make this for my kids, I leave out the parmesan cheese and it is still really, really good.  Also, you could easily add grilled chicken to make it a main dish for lunch or dinner.  Here is what I did- Mixed the dressing- juice of 1 lemon, about 2 tablespoons 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 1/2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Combine the above ingredients and let sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Make the croutons- 1/2 to 1 loaf french/italian bread (depending on how many you want to make) canola oil garlic powder salt and pepper italian seasoning Cut the bread into cubes and put on a baking sheet.  ...

I love Nigella Lawson.  I have all of her cookbooks.  I love her recipes even if I don't make all of them.  I love how she describes food- she makes it magical.  Every single description and word she utters about food is poetry. This recipe is based on her Rapid Ragu in the cookbook Nigella Express.  I have changed it quite a bit and possibly massacred it in her eyes but I make it with what I have on hand.  And to me (never really having the original version), it is great. 2 tbsp canola oil 1 onion a few slices of bacon, I have used both already cooked, leftover from breakfast and raw bacon both with great success 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound ground beef 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5oz 3/4 cup white wine (I usually use Pinot Grigio) 1/2 cup lentils 3/4 cup water Saute onion in oil until starting to brown.  Add the bacon and cook either until the bacon is cooked though, if using raw, or heated, if using pre-cooked.  Add the garlic, sti...

Roasted chicken thighs are one of my go-to dinners.  I love the favor and juiciness of thigh meat.  And they are so easy to make too- barely any prep, your oven does all the work.  When I'm really lazy, I roast them in a foil tin and then there isn't any clean up either...my perfect kind of meal :) 1.5 pounds chicken thighs 2-3 tablespoons canola oil 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt pinch of black pepper Preheat oven to 375F.  Drizzle oil over the chicken, sprinkle with spices, and roast in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  That's it!

I saw this recipe on tasteofhome.com and made it for a summer cook-out a few years ago.  It was so good!  When I was going through my recipe box this past weekend for inspiration, I found it and was so excited.  I made it last night and it was just as good as I remembered! Serves 6-8 1 cup pineapple juice, I used Dole 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 2-pound beef flank steak 2 cups cubed fresh pineapple 1 cup salsa verde 2 ripe avocados, peeled and cubed 2 green scallions, finely chopped 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro In a large zip-lock bag, combine pineapple juice, lime juice, garlic salt, and cumin.  Place steak in the bag and marinade for 8 hours or overnight. In a bowl, combine pineapple, salsa, avocado, green onions, and cilantro.  Gently stir to combine, cover, and chill until serving. Take beef out of marinade and discard the marinade.  Grill the steak over medium he...

Despite the name, this dish does not contain any butter at all.  It is a really delicious Indian dish.  It's a really good dish to start with if your new to Indian food.  My kids absolutely love it and so do my husband and I. 1 tablespoon canola oil 4 cloves garlic, diced 1 onion, finely chopped 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste 1 teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces fresh cilantro,  chopped, to taste Saute the onion in the oil until translucent over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.   Add coconut milk and tomato paste to skillet; stir to combine. Add curry powder, chili powder, and ginger; stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low.   At this point it might seem thick but the chicken will release water during cooking, so no...

Once a week, we have homemade pizza for dinner.  Everyone looks forward to it. I have tried so many crust recipes and all of them were good but not worth repeating.  I just kept searching for the best.  I finally found one that fit the bill.  It's Pioneer Woman's Pizza Crust.  You can find the crust recipe here .  Make sure you use extra virgin olive oil, I think it makes all the difference. Mix the dough ingredients and form into a ball.  Then lightly coat the ball of dough with olive oil and cover the bowl with a clean tea towel.  Let it rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Prepare to pans (I usually use cookie sheets) by sprinkling them with cornmeal. Split the dough in half and roll each half out on a floured surface and put it on the prepared pans. Next, let it sit for 20-30 minutes before putting on the toppings.  I find that this helps to make sure the crust is not soggy. Right before baking, top the pizzas with your ...