Romantic Mom Recipes...spoon lickin'...bowl scrapin"..belly fillin' good!
What you'll find in The Romantic Mom.com
Featured Cookbook--Through the Kitchen Window by Susan Hill
This happens to be one of my favorites--if not my favorite--cookbooks. Although it's not a traditional cookbook like Joy of Cooking or similar tomes, it's more of a lifestyle, enjoying the seasons and enjoying the kitchen kind of cookbook.
Susan Hill achieves this happy approach by simply throwing into the mix--helpful tips, little stories, anecdotes, and gorgeous illustrations by Angela Barrett--and voila! we've got a wonderful little treasure of a book indeed...click to see more!
What's your creative kitchen and cookin' style?
I've ebbed, flowed, and morphed through a number of sagas and scenarios of cooking styles. In college, I lived in a duplex for awhile and had some neighbors that launched me into some adventurous and international culinary tangents--including some French and Asian cooking.
I also worked at a bank, which immersed me in office pot lucks, covered casseroles and the big-dish desserts. Later in my twenties I entered into the fitness craze where I became super-meticulous and super-savvy nutritional.
With babies and small children, I avoided the kitchen as much as possible and turned crock-pot crazy...read more
Good Old-Fashioned Comfort Food
Wonderful smells overflowing from the kitchen and floating delectably throughout the house is our idea of what good old-fashioned comfort food is all about! Get out your notepad and scribble away from some of my family favorites--or copy these fun recipe cards for even more vintage kitchen flair!
With Summertime upon us, though, I have provided some light, easy, fresh, simple-to-pack picnic fare first!
Summertime Repasts...
Chicken Wraps and Fajitas
This would be our version of chicken wraps and fajitas...
Soft Tortillas (white, wheat or your favorite flavor)
Skirt Steak (grilled and seasoned to your liking--see below for our favorite seasonings)
Chicken Tenders (we prefer the sweet & spicy Asian style)
Chopped lettuce
Chopped cilantro
Chopped tomatoes
Salsa (see recipe below)
Shredded cheese
Olde Cape Cod Chipolte Ranch Dressing
Lay down the tortilla, thinly slice the meat (chicken and/or beef) and lay on the meat of your choice (or use sliced avocados or Guacamole salad instead--for a yummy vegetarian fare!) down the center of your tortilla, then pile on the accoutrements, and top off with the wonderful Chipolte Ranch dressing. Roll 'em up and serve with my incredibly tasty and very easy Guacamole Salad (see recipe)
Skirt Steak Seasoning (taken from How to Grill by Steven Raichlen)
1 1/2 lbs. skirt steaks
1 T pure chili powder
1 t ground coriander
1 T coarse salt
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t black pepper
2 limes
Place skirt steaks in a nonreactive baking dish in a single layer. Combine the chili powder, coriander, salt, cumin, garlic and onion powders, and black pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle this mixture over the meat, patting it on with your fingertips. Let stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze the limes over the meat. Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour, covered.
Zippy-Zingy Salsa
1 14 oz. can Petite diced tomatoes - undrained
1/4 c chopped onions
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1 t coarse ground salt
1 t granulated garlic
1 t lime juice
1 t habanero hot sauce
3 t olive oil
Mix together in bowl and serve chilled. Yummy!!
Wonderfully Simple Guacamole Salad
Chop avocados into small cubes, add a handful of chopped cilantro and a handful of chopped lettuce, toss a couple of shakes of Lowry's garlic salt in and an equal amount of the zippy-zingy salsa (above), mix together and squeeze on a slice of lime--that's it! And it's wonderful!
Zesty Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts
Coming Soon!
Tangy Tuna Salad with Sliced Carrots and Cabbage
Coming Soon!
Favorite Crockpot Recipes...
Traditional Bread Pudding
Coming Soon!
Easy Applesauce
Coming Soon!
Pies and Desserts...
Rustic Apple Pie
This is the photo in which I derived my inspiration for the rustic pie variety. I was looking for something more crusty, hearty and country than the perfectly executed, humps and dips in all the right places kind of pie. This is the kind of crust that even the children can't muss!
Rustic Pie Crust