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Posts tagged as “vegetarian”

Warm up! 7 great soup recipes to make this week

Warm up! 7 great soup recipes to make this weekWarm up! 7 great soup recipes to make this weekend From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

This past week, we've seen some ridiculously cold temperatures, into the negative teens after factoring in wind chill. Brr... But, hey, it is January, after all.

One of my favorite things to make is soup. It's always a great way to use up vegetables that I have leftover and expedite the dinner-making process. The past couple of weekends, I have made soup on Sunday in our Crock-Pot for Dave and I to have as lunch and dinner during the week.

Here is a quick round-up of seven great recipes to try if you need inspiration for what to make this week. I've included a few of my own and a few that just sounded delicious from others. Let me know in a comment what you think and if you have tried any of them!

Quick cherry ice cream parfaits with dark chocolate and pecans

Quick cherry ice cream parfaits with dark chocolate and pecansBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

This perfect dessert is a sweet way to end a casual Valentine's Day dinner. It's unfussy and great for a weeknight. Plus, who doesn't love ice cream?

For extra deliciousness, scout out your local area for a dairy or creamery where you can buy homemade ice cream. I've been fortunate to live near a few excellent places. In the Rochester, New York area, try Pittsford Farms Dairy & Bakery; in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania area, try Klein Farms Dairy & Creamery in Easton, PA. If you prefer, you can also use non-dairy ice cream and nondairy whipped topping.

Luxardo and Fabbri Amarena Wild Cherries in Syrup are the best for cocktails, but the juice that comes with them is liquid gold for an easy dessert recipe like this. You can use a few tablespoons of the syrup blended with vanilla ice cream, a little milk, and a little bit of ice to make a great milkshake, or with yogurt and ice for a smoothie, too. Substitute canned, dark cherries in syrup, if they are hard to find and you aren't able to order from Amazon or a specialty food store online. I wouldn't suggest using maraschino cherries for this, though; quite simply, they are not as good in this recipe.

Chickpea Stew, an “OG” recipe redux for 2023 | fromannaskitchen.com

Chickpea Stew, an “OG” recipe redux for 2023 | fromannaskitchen.comBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

"Ah. Where has the time gone?" I feel like I say that to myself every year as I log in to WordPress, blow off the dust, and proceed writing as if I'm catching up with an old friend.

2020, 2021, and 2022 felt like they were one, crazy, never-ending superyear where there were beautiful, happy, exciting moments and some tragic, frustrating low points all jumbled together. The "new normal" got redefined countless times. Whatever that means now as we've headed into the first couple of weeks of 2023 is to be determined, but if 2020 in a single word was "chaos" then 2021 was a "rollercoaster." 2022 was a state of "transition" and the year that Dave and I officially became homeowners. Now, it's our hope that 2023 will be, simply, "calm."

I could spend so much time talking about the emotions, both happy and sad, of the last several years, and maybe in due time, I will. In this specific moment, though, I'm processing the fact that I've had a personal blog/website of some format for 22 years...

Looking at it another way: my very first domain that people knew about, burned-bridges.com, was registered in 2001 after making the leap from creating single-page Expages and later multi-page Geocities websites, with frames, GIF animations, Midi background music and all! B-B.net, if it was still "alive" in its previous format and a human being residing in the U.S., could drink by now. Yikes.

Call me nostalgic, but it seemed fitting to revisit a recipe that I published on my other "OG" blog, fuchsia-revolver.org (still "alive" but inactive and about to be permanently redirected here), in 2009: Chickpea stew. This recipe was one of the first that inspired me to come over here to a new domain and start my foodie adventures properly in 2016.

Proof? Here she is: a throwback from December 22, 2009, courtesy of the fuchsia-revolver.org WordPress archives.

Dinner in a flash: Baked portabello mushroom caps

Dinner in a flash: Baked portabello mushroom capsBrowse recipes, menu ideas and more From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

The never-ending stay-at-home fatigue is very real in my household. Dave and I have had to get creative with our weeknight meals because while my commuting time has gone away, it doesn't always mean extra time at night to spend freely. A con of working from home is certainly that the morning, afternoon and evening hours can sort-of all bleed together. Before I know it (like right now), it's almost dinner time, and I'm still at the computer. And wedding planning, of course, has also eaten up time during the evenings, although in a (mostly) enjoyable way. With that said, this recipe is definitely of the variety of a 30 minute, or less, meal. In fact, it's so easy, it's hardly a recipe: if it takes more than five minutes to assemble, and longer than 20 minutes to cook, then you're overthinking it.

Game Day: Must-try recipes for your Big Game watch party

Game Day: Must-try recipes for your Big Game watch party

Getting ready to watch the big game? Don't forget the snacks!

From chicken wings to dips, I've picked out a few that are a spin on classic recipes. They are quick and easy to make for your watch party, with a focus on snacks that are bite-sized and hand-held to make it easy to grab them between passes and touchdowns.

Settle in with your favorite beverage and a few things to much on. Continue reading for ideas and recipes!

Taste test: Mezcla plant-based protein bars

Taste test: Mezcla plant-based protein barsMezcla Protein Bars review From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

This post is made in coordination with Mezcla. Please see the site-wide disclosure policy for more information about sponsored content on fromannaskitchen.com.

How do you feel about energy bars or protein bars? I've tried several different kinds over the years as a healthier snack alternative. Admittedly, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with them that started with one bite from a brand that I won't mention (it has a familiar name, but I'll just call them "brand X") that stuck in my memory.

Caprese salad: The best way to say farewell to summer produce

Caprese salad: The best way to say farewell to summer produceGrilled corn caprese salad recipe From Anna's Kitchen (www.fromannaskitchen.com)

There's something to be said about having the right tools to get a job done. I think this goes for just about anything in life, even food.

When you have nice ingredients or tools, cooking is more of a joy. It could mean a splurge on a quality olive oil or an aged balsamic vinegar, a luxury like truffles or Kobe/Wagyu beef (for meat eaters - maybe not for me ;) ), or a nice quality knife or cutting block to work with as you prepare meals.

Sometimes, it doesn't have to be expensive at all: buying produce in season, for example, when it's abundant. You're already off to a good start of making something good when you're working with fresh food that's in-season. It speaks for itself. You can do so little to it and it's still delicious.

As ready as I am for the season to change as I sit here on my porch, on the cusp of my favorite time of the year — with cool wind blowing through the windows, anticipating the turning colors of the leaves that will start any time now — I'll always take time to savor the last of the wonderful summer produce that I've grown and harvested or purchased locally at markets.

And one ingredient I always miss the most as the season turns is the tomato.