Don't get used to it

I have posted three in days in a row. This will not occur often so don't get used to it. Since I have just started this blog, I am experimenting and wanted to get some posts in. I do have another one today but that is only because I actually have something to talk about.

Last night, the whole family came over to celebrate M's birthday. It was a really fun time. But of course, we must talk about the food, right? My grandmother brought her famous stuffed mushrooms. I must get that recipe and get it on this blog. I'm telling you, the best ever. M and I made the greek vegetable chunk salad, pasta, meatballs, french bread pizza, and our version of American Chop Suey. There were also chicken wings but we did not make those, the store did.

It is not the traditional dish with macaroni and meat sauce. We really kicked it up to fit our tastes. M loves it and requests it often. Since it really isn't a true American Chop Suey, I have dubbed it American Ragu. It is hearty and meaty and awesome on a cold winter day. It is a warm you to your bones kind of supper. I also made some homemade brownies that I got out of a cookbook. I think it is a pretty standard recipe. It was my first try at making brownies from scratch and I think it was pretty successful. I don't know if I can post the recipe because the book said that any recipes cannot be reproduced or quoted without written consent of the publisher. But, I know on other food blogs they post recipes from cookbooks. I have to figure that one out because I am always pulling out a cookbook. I'd like to not get sued.

There was also a Boston Creme Pie cake that came from a very delicious bakery. Thanks to my mom for providing the birthday cake for M to blow out his candles from!

American Ragu

1lb ground beef

1 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

8-10 mushrooms, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dry red wine

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped or torn

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb cooked pasta, any small shape

salt and pepper

parmesean cheese

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, preheat the olive oil. Add ground meat and cook until browned. Add the carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, red pepper, garlic and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the veggies have just started to soften. Add the red wine and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce until fragrant and all veggies are tender, about 15 minutes. The longer it simmers, the tastier it is. Before serving, add the basil and parsley and toss with cooked pasta. Or, you can serve them separately and you can add as much or as little sauce as you like. Sprinkle with cheese and get all warm and cozy. It tastes even better the next day.

Greek Vegetable Chunk Salad

Several months ago, the hubs, M, and I went out to dinner at a tasty restaurant called Burton's Grill. Now, this is a chain but it is a very good one. I am not embarrassed to say I had one of the best salads ever. It was Mediterranean Salad and was basically a chunky greek salad. I vowed while eating that I would make this at home - and soon. It was so simple. Just chop some veggies and throw in a bowl. I have made it several times since and M requested it for his birthday dinner. I have made some modifications to the salad from what we had at the restaurant and it is super tasty.

Greek Vegetable Chunk Salad
Adapted from Burton's Grill

1/2 European cucumber, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 tomato, chopped (We prefer heirloom but a hot house would be fine)

Feta cheese, as much as you like (we like a lot), crumbled

Olives, kalamata and/or green

Any dressing

Combine all the vegetables in a bowl. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Top with olives or leave them on the side - not everyone likes olives. In my house, I like the green, M likes the kalamata. Dress the salad with your choice of dressing.

Note: You could also add some chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce. At the restaurant, there was some romaine in the salad. We like it with just the chunky vegetables. But, you won't hurt our feelings if you add lettuce. You may also add some thinly sliced radishes as well. We did in the salad pictured above.

Welcome to A Homemade Kitchen

I am a home cook, nothing more. I enjoy slapping on an apron and getting my hands dirty in the kitchen. I love the color of food, the smells they emit as they roast in the oven or slowly ripen, and the comfort they bring to the soul. My kitchen is a place of relaxation and joy. I like to try my hands out at a new recipe and love the joy I get when it is actually a success.



In the introduction to James Beard's American Cookery cookbook he writes, "Not all of our food history is set down in cookbooks." While he is referring to the traditions in American cooking, I think this is also true for the home cook. Our lives are not written in books with instructions to follow but it grows with experiences, emotions, and memories. Food is the connection between them all. It is a memory of the family dinner table, the joys of a success in the oven, or the delight in tasting a sweet strawberry on a hot summer day. These times in our lives are not written down but they are shaped in our kitchens, our family table, and our friend's homes. A hand written, splatter stained recipe card is a treasure because it represents those moments of family, happiness, and comfort.



There is no better place to bring a family together than at the kitchen table. Growing up, there was a family dinner every night, no matter what. It may not have always been fancy but it was important. It was a time of reflection and togetherness. It is a memory I hold dear and a tradition that I will bring to my family when we are blessed with children. I wanted a place to record my thoughts and feelings in a journal related to my experiences with food. This is why I have started this blog, A Homemade Kitchen. The thought of starting a blog scared me a little; I am not a writer. I am jumping onto the blog bandwagon very late but it is more for me. I want a place to write my feelings, thoughts, and recipes. A friend suggested that I start a blog and at first, I scoffed at the idea. Me, a blogger? Just too ridiculous for me to comprehend. And, I'm not a photographer. Would readers expect pictures? Of course they would! We eat with our eyes first, right? But the more I thought about it and continued a hand written journal, it became clear that the best action would be to start a blog and keep a permanent record of my food journaling. Cookbooks, recipes and food make me happy. I think I'll share that with you and I hope you enjoy and find some inspiration to make a homemade kitchen of your own.