Bean and Chicken Cassoulet #SundayFunday

This quick and easy bean and chicken cassoulet has all the flavor of those long, slow recipes so that you can enjoy it anytime.

You might wonder how I am sharing this for the Sunday Funday theme of Croissants.......

The Simply Irresistible Round Up

I am so happy to have hosted the first month of the year for our Food n Flix group.  I chose the film Simply Irresistible starring Sarah Michele Gellar and Sean Patrick Flannery.  I had not seen this film prior to choosing it but had heard that it was a great Foodie Film.  I had heard correctly.

Welcoming February and the Weekly Menu

February is normally a busy and happy month here on the Farm.  It often is the month that we go on dive trips......Last year we went to Cozumel and had a great time with family and friends.....

When we got home COVID19 arrived in full force and it has been a year unlike any other year that I can remember in my life.......

Karen's Breakfast Nachos

These breakfast nachos are a fun way to start the day. They are perfect for brunch and brinner as well.  Tortilla chips smothered in breakfast sausage, cheese and potatoes and then topped with a perfectly fried egg.  Sooooooo good.

This is the recipe I chose for Festive Foodies Recipe/Blog Swap.....

Chicken and Rice Jollof and a Book Review

This aromatic and lightly spiced version of Jollof is a wonderful one pot meal.  If you like heat you can always add a scotch bonnet pepper to this recipe.

I was inspired to make this Ghanian dish after reading the novel Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi.  This is a fictional book but Gyasi has written with the background of her own experiences.  Like protagonist, Gifty, Gyasi's family emigrated to Alabama USA from Ghana.

Honey Cornbread Muffins #MuffinMonday

These corn muffins sweetened with honey are the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of hot soup or stew on a cold winter's night.

It's time for Muffin Monday.........................

Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet #SundayFunday

This flavorful dinner is ready and on the table in less than an hour from start to finish.  It is budget friendly and high in fiber.  

I used leftover roast fresh kielbasa in this skillet.  It is a great way to use up leftovers but I have also made it with smoked sausage.  

Life is Returning to Normal so Here is the Weekly Menu

Frank was released from the hospital for the third, and hopefully last time, this past Monday.  It was nice because he got to see Chuck before he left early Tuesday morning.  

Since then life has been a whirlwind of making doc appointments, setting up home care and fielding phone calls.  Add to this that the Teen is starting a new semester in school and the bowling team has resumed and I have been pretty busy.

I didn't have a menu made for this past week but I did have lots of recipes and ingredients that I had gotten for prior menus that never got made so we got by pretty well.  I served up this Vegan Vegetable Soup that was hearty and filling.  I am sharing the recipe with you today.  It is a wonderful way to Eat a Rainbow and to try to build my husband's strength and immune system back.

Mexican Ham Soup and Spanish Rioja Wine #WorldWineTravel

We are kicking off the New Year with a new group that is exploring wines around the world.  We are starting off by exploring the wines of Spain.  This group is the brainchild of Jeff of Food Wine Click.  You can learn more about it in his invitation post.

This year we are exploring Spain.  We will be talking about the wines, the food, the country.  We are starting in Rioja........

Apple Bundt Birthday Cake #BundtBakers #LitHappens

Tender yellow cake flavored with cinnamon, studded with fresh apples and drizzled with caramel sauce.  Perfect as dessert or for breakfast with a cup of coffee.

Join me as I share two of my favorite groups in one post and celebrate a dear friends birthday as well........

Lemon Rosemary Yogurt Loaf #CakeSliceBakers

This tender loaf made tangy with yogurt and lemon and flavored with savory herbs made a perfect, light dessert following Christmas Eve Brunch.  

We have opened a new cookbook for this year's edition of Cake Slice Bakers.........

Air Fryer Taquitos #MultiCookerMonday

The Teen is a huge Taquito fan and I usually keep a box of store bought in the freezer for her to heat up for herself and friends.  One day the box in the freezer was empty and I had just completed the Costco run where I normally purchase them.  So onto Google I went and found this easy, quick air fryer recipe.  The Teen said they are even better than the store bought version.

Join us for Multi-Cooker Monday..................

Leftover Oatmeal Muffins #NationalOatmealMonth

These muffins, starting with leftover oatmeal and filled with your favorite oatmeal toppings is a delicous, nutritious, grab and go breakfast.

It's National Oatmeal Month........

Pumpkin Waffles #SundayFunday

Low in fat and chock full of  fiber from whole grains and antioxidants from the pumpkin these delicious pancakes taste like you are having pumpkin pie for breakfast.  Your family will never guess how nutritious they are.

Join the Sunday Funday Blogging group as we share Waffle Recipes...............

Clean the Refrigerator Soup aka Garbage #SoupSwap #SoupSaturdaySwappers

 If there is anything more comforting than childhood memories, then it has to be childhood memories of the soup Mom used to make.  This warm, soothing memory of my childhood starts with whatever leftovers you have in the refrigerator.  It's not a recipe so much as a method.....

Welcome to National Soup Swap Day and Soup Saturday Swappers........

Chateau Haut-Pognon and Mediterranean Stew #Winophiles

This Bordeaux from Entre-deux-Mers is reasonably priced and delicious, making it the perfect wine for a casual weeknight dinner of Mediterranean Stew.  The stew, chock full of vegetables and flavor, is slow cooked requiring only minutes of hands on time.  Perfect meal to come home too after work or a day of running errands.

Join the French Winophiles as we start the New Year off discussing What's New in Bordeaux.......

Easy and Elegant Garlicky Shrimp Pasta #FishFridayFoodies

This recipe is wonderful to serve when having guests because it goes together so quickly and easily leaving you plenty of time to spend with your company. 

Welcome to the 2021 edition of Fish Friday Foodies......................

Sourdough Buttermilk Biscuits for #BigLiesinaSmallTownParty #ImprovCookingChallenge

 We are having a party today with The Book Club Cookbook crew and author Diane Chamberlain.  Publisher St. Martin's Press provided me with a pre release copy of Big Lies in a Small Town.  I'm excited to share my review with you.  As always, all opinions are strictly my own.

You can learn more about this party and the guests invited in this post by Judy of The Book Club Cookbook.

Easy and Delicious Beef Ragu #NationalSlowCookerMonth

Slow simmered in the crockpot all day long this sauce will have your stomach grumbling as your house smells more and more delicious.  

Welcome to National Slow Cooking Month................

Honey Bear Loaf #BreadBakers

This adorable little honey bear is a great addition to the family dinner table when there are going to be young guests.  I made one large bear but you can make several small bears so that each person at the table has his/her own little dinner roll bear.

I served mine as part of the Christmas Dinner Buffet.  Unfortunately I forgot to snap a photo of it plated up prettily.  Holidays are hectic.......

Bacon Ranch Potatoes #NationalSlowCookerMonth

Cheesy potatoes seasoned with ranch dressing mix couldn't be easier or more delicious. Being cooked in the slow cooker means you can enjoy these year round.  

We are celebrating National Slow Cooker Month all week long.......

Pepper Jelly Glazed Chicken Breasts #BakingBloggers

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be healthy but they can also be a little, ahem, boring.  Add a little bit of interest and zing with an easy glaze made with pepper jelly.  

We are baking with Jams and Jellies today over at Baking Bloggers.........

Easy Beef Pho #EattheWorld

The classic Pho recipe is made from a long simmered spiced beef broth.  This recipe, using doctored packaged broth and leftover beef tenderloin comes together quickly making it perfect for a weeknight meal.

The Eat the World crew are visiting Viet Nam today.........

Homemade Chocolate Pudding #SundayFunday

Less than 10 ingredients and 10 minutes to a creamy chocolate treat that your family will love.  This has been a family favorite in my household for nearly 50 years.

The Sunday Funday group are celebrating Dairy today........

Finally beginning the New Year and our Weekly Menu

 The Christmas Season went out with a fizzle here on the Farm this year.  The season that is usually filled with dinner parties and gatherings was not to be this year.  You would think this was due to COVID but that's not the case.  We still had gatherings planned just much smaller so that we were able to social distance and stay safe.

Crab Napoleon inspired by Simply Irresistible #FoodnFlix

Tender, sweet crab meat over a mixture of avocado, tomatoes and cucumbers.  Served with crackers or bagel chips this is a wonderful starter or snack.

I was inspired to make this dish after watching the fun flick.....Simply Irriesistible.

Asian Appetizers paired with Tozai Sake #WinePW

This was such a fun Wine Pairing Weekend Event.  I had only tried Sake once before many, many years ago and hated it but when Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla asked us to share a Sake or Wine Pairing with Chinese food I decided to give it another go.

I decided to pair my sake with an assortment of Asian Appetizers......

Asian Rice Salad with Matcha Ginger Dressing #FoodieExtravaganza

Happy 12th Day of Christmas.  This celebration of Epiphany is the final day of the season in our household.  The decorations and tree will be coming down tomorrow and we will start preparing for Chinese New Year.

Speaking of Chinese, I made an amazing Asian Flavored Rice Salad for our Foodie Extravaganza Event this month......

Cuban Batido #CooktheBooks

Sweet and frothy this fruity Cuban drink reminds me of the Orange Julius' that used to be in stands in the center of every mall in America.   Not quite as thick as a smoothie but just  as delicious.

I was inspired to make this drink after reading about it in our Cook the Books Selection.....

Roasted Chicken with Greek Salsa #SundayFunday

Lean, nutritious, boneless, skinless chicken breasts sauteed in heart healthy olive oil and then roasted to perfection. Topped with a Greek salsa that is chock full of antioxidants from the parsley and oregano and heart healthy, cancer fighting tomatoes, beets and olives this dish is gorgeous to look at and so tasty your family won't even realize how good it is for them.

We're starting the New Year off with sharing some healthy, nutritious and delicious recipes with the Sunday Funday gang..........

A Lovely Bottle of Taurasi paired with a Delicious Meal of Beef Tips Marsala #ItalianFWT

Tender beef tips seared golden brown, smothered in a mushroom marsala sauce served over fluffy egg noodles and paired with a wonderful bottle of Salvatore Molettieri Taurasi Vigna Cinque Querce 2008 from Campania, Italy.

The Italian Food Wine and Travel group are sharing their favorite Italian Reds and Whites to kick off the New Year.

Happy New Year....Here's hoping that 2021 is "Simply Irresistable"

Let's start the New Year off right.  While we still can't be gathering with a large group of friends to celebrate, it still marks the end of a year that was tough on every single person in this world.

So since we can't gather as a group, why not pull your loved one's close, curl up on the couch with some hot chocolate and watch a quirky, silly, feel good movie.

I invite you to join me and the rest of the Food n' Flix group as we watch Simply Irresistable during the month of January.  

Food n' Flix is a fun club in which we take turns hosting.  We choose a movie for us all to watch, we watch it at our leisure and then we create a recipe inspired by the film and share it on our blogs or instagram.  Anyone can join in the fun and I hope you do.  Here is how.......

• Watch the chosen film for the month. Buy it, rent it, borrow it - matters not. Just set aside a couple of hours a month to sit back, relax, and be inspired! If you've seen it before, try watching it again with your "foodie" glasses on. 
• Take note of food references. Physically or mentally. It could be food the characters are eating or cooking, food in the background, or food in the dialogue. But it could also just be something that brings food to your mind: a location, a sign, a play on words. There are no boundaries to inspiration. 
• Make a recipe inspired by the movie and write a blog post about it. Be sure to include a recipe or tutorial and at least one photograph. Talk a little bit about the movie - why you enjoyed or disliked it (and note, it's okay to dislike the chosen movie and still participate). Talk about the food inspiration you found. The discussion is half of the fun - getting so many different opinions and thoughts on the same film. 
• Send an email to wendyklik1517@gmail.com (cc:Heather@foodnflix.com) with a link to your post and permission to use photos and content.
• Include a link back to the Host's Announcement post and the Food 'n Flix website somewhere in your post. Use of logo is optional. 
• Not sure how to link back? Feel free to use this phrase in your post: Want to participate in Food 'n Flix? Check out this month's announcement post at A Day in the Life on the Farm and drop by the Food 'n Flix site to learn more!

I promise you will have absolutely no problem finding food inspiration in this magical movie.  In the opening scene you will see at least 5 choices.  

I hadn't seen this movie and decided on a fluke to watch it.  I knew right away I wanted to host FnF one month and showcase this film.  Although, they had watched the film once before, it was many many years ago, so Heather allowed me to run with it again.  Thanks Heather.

This film is from 1999 and stars Sarah Michelle Geller as Amanda, a woman trying to keep her deceased mother's restaurant alive.  Sean Patrick Flanery stars as Tom Bartlett who is opening a high end restaurant in a department store.  They meet accidentally at a Farmer's Market and, of course, are immediately attracted to one another.

This is a silly rom com.  Nonsensical and fun.   A perfect way to start of 2021.  I hope you join me.