Protein Packed Muffins #MuffinMonday

These muffins are made with white whole wheat flour, natural peanut butter, yogurt and banana, making them a little healthier and nutritious.

It's Muffin Monday.......

Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs #SundayFunday

Looking for a fun cold winter project with your favorite sous chef?  Look no further than these fun Hot Chocolate Bombs filled with hot cocoa, micro marshmallows, and sprinkles with more sprinkles for decoration.

It's National Hot Chocolate Day........

Pollo Agrodolce and the Weekly Menu #PotluckParty

This delicious dinner of Sweet and Sour Chicken with Eggplant served over pasta is a warm and comforting main dish that comes together in a snap.

Welcome to our first Potluck Party.........

Gamberi al Cioccolato #ChocolateWeek

This dish is a fun take on Shrimp Scampi.  The addition of a Dark Chocolate Drizzle makes this dish feel a bit more decadent and special.

Today is Fish Friday and the final day of Chocolate Week......

Roasted Carrots with Chocolate Balsamic Glaze #ChocolateWeek

These carrots are roasted to a tender, sweet, golden brown before being drizzled with a dark chocolate balsamic glaze.  They turn an ordinary dinner into something special.

We are on Day 4 of Chocolate Week......

Chocolate Pomegranate Crostini #ChocolateWeek

Crisp baguette slices topped with a honey sweetened cream cheese, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds, pistachios and grated dark chocolate.  

This is an elegant and beautiful appetizer to start off your Valentine's Day Celebration.  Welcome to Day 3 of Chocolate Week.

Chicken Mole Tacos #Chocolate Week

Add some dark chocolate to your tacos today.  This mole sauce adds tons of flavor to ground chicken helping to make your tacos a bit heart healthier. Adding chopped nuts and using soft corn tortillas instead of fried hard shells add fiber and continue with the heart healthy theme.  

We are still celebrating Chocolate Week here in anticipation of Valentine's Day.  There are hearts everywhere.  Let's use those hearts to remind us to take care of our hearts and those of our loved ones.

Pork Tenderloin with Chocolate Molasses Gravy #ChocolateWeek

Chocolate isn't just for candy and sweets.  This tender pork with a chocolate molasses gravy is a wonderful entree to serve up to your Valentine this year.  It is quick, easy and amazingly decadent and delicious.

We are celebrating Chocolate all week long.  I have a weeks worth of savory chocolate dishes for you starting with this amazing Pork Tenderloin.....

Four Cheese Ravioli Skillet #SundayFunday

Cheese Ravioli in a cheesy mushroom sauce, topped with ricotta, fontina and parmesan cheese all baked up and served in one skillet in less than an hour.  

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are having a Birthday Party......

Lamb and Lupin Kofte with a Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet #WorldWineTravel

Delicious lamb meatballs known as kafta in Lebanon and kofte in other countries mixed with lupin flakes made from a legume grown in Australia were a huge hit in our house, especially when paired with a Cabernet from Western Australia.  Surprising to me because my husband and youngest profess to not liking lamb but loved these kofte.

These kafta are made with ground lamb and lupini flakes.  I had never heard of lupini flakes before but I guess they are quite popular in Australian cooking.  I found them on Amazon and ordered up a bag.  These kafta are sooooo good!! I can't wait to try the flakes in other applications.

Shrimp Ramen and the Weekly Menu #FishFridayFoodies

This soup, chock full of shrimp, vegetables and ramen noodles, without the addition of the seasoning packets, is healthy and nutritious not to mention scrumptious.  

The Fish Friday Foodies are sharing soups today.......

Joconde #CakeSliceBakers

 Light, almond flavored sponge cake filled with whipped cream and fresh berries, jelly roll style.  

This is The Cake Slice Bakers 2022 Edition.......

Kahlua and Cream Cake #BundtBakers

Baby, it's cold outside.....Here in Michigan we have been well below freezing for a couple of weeks.  The solution?  Cuddling up by the fire with a cocktail.  Too early for a cocktail?  Then cuddle up with this Kahlua and Cream Bundt Cake.  All the same flavors that you love in the cocktail.  Or do as I did and enjoy both while cuddling with your sweetie.

It's time for Bundt Bakers........

Magical Ingredients Gingerbread Oats in an Instant Pot #NationalOatmealMonth

Steel cut oats combined with all the flavors of gingerbread for a warm comforting breakfast to keep you going until lunchtime.

It's National Oatmeal Month.....

Tiger Salad (Laohu Cai) for Chinese New Year #SundayFunday

Hello Sunday Funday Friends.  Today we are sharing recipes to help you plan for your Chinese New Year celebration.  2022 is the Year of the Tiger so I am sharing with you Laohu Cai which translates to Tiger Vegetable.

Chinese New Year 2022 begins Tuesday, February 1st.  Much like our 12 Days of Christmas the Lunar New Year is celebrated for 15 days ending with the Lantern Festival on February 15th this year.

Ground Chicken Noodle Soup and the Weekly Menu #SoupSaturdaySwappers

Homemade Chicken Soup in less than 30 minutes.  This is the easiest Chicken Noodle Soup you will ever make and it is oh, so delicious.  This recipe starts with ground chicken and it is just as comforting and nutritious as the Chicken Noodle Soup you spend hours making.

The Soup Saturday Swappers are sharing Homemade Chicken Soups today.......

Italian Sausage Soup #NationalSlowCookerMonth

This Italian Sausage Soup is cooked in your instant pot using the saute and slow cooker settings.  It is chock full of vegetables making it filling, delicious and easy and nutritious.

Today is the final day of our #NationalSlowCookerMonth event.

A Red Wine from Provence? Yes, meet Bandol; a New Old Wine paired with a Slow Cooked Goulash #Winophiles

The weather has been frigid here in Michigan for the last few days making me yearn for comfort food, a good glass of wine and a seat in front of the fireplace.  So I slow cooked a roast and turned it into Goulash because what is more comforting that pasta?  The answer?  Pasta with a glass of strong, spicy, hearty Bandol wine from Provence.

The French Winophiles are visiting Provence this month.......

Chocolate Coffee Martini #ImprovCookingChallenge

This creamy, chocolatey, coffee flavored Martini will be the perfect ending to your Valentine's Day dinner.

Whether you like to eat in or out on Valentine's Day, this cocktail will be the perfect ending to your evening.

Slow Cooked Asian Chicken #NationalSlowCookerMonth

Tender, white meat chicken slow cooked to perfection with Asian flavors creates a moist, delicious entree with very little work. 

Today is the second installment for National Slow Cooker Month......

Beet Bread #BreadBakers

This gorgeous bread tastes just as good as it looks.  It is perfect with a bowl of soup or for use when making a sandwich.  

Welcome to Bread Bakers......

Japanese Rice #EattheWorld

Short grain brown rice seasoned with rice vinegar and sesame oil, then finished off with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and scallions.

We are traveling to Japan this month as we Eat the World!

Terriyaki Ribs #NationalSlowCookerMonth

 You can still enjoy BBQ Ribs in the winter with the cold wind blowing and snow on the ground and covering the grill.  Just pull out your Slow Cooker, add some Asian Seasonings and go on about your business.

It's National Slow Cooker Month!!

Huevos Rancheros Verde #SundayFunday

 Huevos Rancheros translates to Ranch Style Eggs.  This is a breakfast commonly served to ranch hands in Mexico to help them power through busy, active days.  I am sharing a lightened up version that is just as delicious but better suited for a less busy lifestyle and career.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Egg recipes today......

The Holidays are over, A new Healthy Dinner Recipe and the Weekly Menu is here.....

The Christmas Season ended in this household as we celebrated Little Christmas.  You can read about that in this post.  This weekend will be spent taking down all of our Christmas decorations and replacing them with Winter, Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day decor.

We started last night and before we knew it, it was dinnertime.  We were tired, hungry and I didn't have much energy left. I wanted something quick, easy and delicious and since it is the beginning of January I also wanted it to be nutritious and healthy for us...That left out ordering in pizza LOL.

Celebrating Little Christmas in Michigan with a Local Bubbly #WinePW

Did you celebrate The Feast of the Epiphany yesterday?  Also known as Three Kings Day, Befana Day, Little Christmas, Twelfth Day, The Baptism of Jesus, depending on your location, customs and culture.

We do celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas ending with Little Christmas on January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany.  I had planned a family dinner and was going to serve Italian foods, starting with anitpasti and ending with a Befana Cake.

However, on New Years Day, Frank was diagnosed with COVID and we went into quarantine.  All gatherings were canceled.  Frank and I still celebrated the end of the Christmas season and the near end of his quarantine by popping open a bottle of Sparkling Wine from Mawby Vineyards here in Michigan.

High Steaks Pita on the final Day of Christmas #MoviesandMunchies

Happy Epiphany and Merry Little Christmas.  We will be having a quiet celebration tonight as Frank is still quarantined until Friday.  I will be sharing that with you tomorrow. Today I want to share a movie we watched during this time we were staying home.

I  was very saddened when Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen and brainchild of FoodnFlix contacted the members of our group to let us know that she was going to take a sabbatical from blogging.  

The group had decreased over the years but the core group was still going strong and we loved, loved, loved watching the flix and making the food.

Raspberry Cream Parfaits for the 11th Day of Christmas #FoodieExtravaganza

Fresh raspberries layered with a delicious combination of cream cheese and heavy cream is a beautiful, light and scrumptious dessert.

The 11th Day of Christmas is also National Whipping Cream Day......

Trashy Ginger Beer Chicken for the 10th Day of Christmas #CooktheBooks

Chicken marinated in ginger, garlic, miso, soy sauce and ginger beer before being baked to juicy perfection.  A quick and easy dinner, perfect for weeknights.

Throw together a vegetable fried rice using leftover rice and frozen vegetables, pour a glass of crisp, beautiful, dry Rose from Provence and you can invite coworkers home with you for dinner and they will think you are a genius, or at least a good cook......

This recipe was adapted from one found in Midnight Chicken (& other recipes worth living for) by Ella Risbridger.

Asian Ginger Chicken Salad for the 8th Day of Christmas #SundayFunday

This easy and delicious salad chock full of Asian flavors is so tasty and filling that your family won't even realize how nutritious and healthy you are starting off their New Year.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are sharing Main Course Salads today.......

Enjoying Aglianico From the Vine with Pizza Montanara on the 7th Day of Christmas #ItalianFWT #SupperClubSaturday

Monatanara Pizza is a classic pizza that originated in Naples, Italy.  It is different as you fry the pizza dough before topping with a savory sauce, smoked mozzarella, a sprinkling of Pecorino Romano and fresh basil.

I was inspired to create this pizza to pair with an Aglianico wine after watching the film From the Vine.....