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When there is a chill in the air, it makes me crave mushroom! What better way to savor the bounty of the forest than by making a batch of delicious mushroom confit? Not only is it incredibly flavorful, but it’s also a fantastic way to preserve your harvest for months to come. What is Mushroom […]

Recipes

Mushroom Confit

Chicken Diane, a classic French dish, traditionally features pan-seared beef in a creamy sauce. But today, we’re putting a modern twist on this elegant recipe, swapping out the beef for tender chicken and infusing the dish with the earthy flavors of locally sourced wild mushrooms. Why This Recipe Works: Tips & Variations: Enjoy this delicious […]

Recipes

Chicken Diane with Wild Mushrooms with Smashed Yukon Golds

Hosting a dinner party can feel daunting, but what if you turned it into a regular, relaxed affair with friends? Enter the supper club: a rotating dinner party where friends take turns hosting intimate gatherings. It’s a fantastic way to build deeper connections, explore new cuisines, and rediscover the joy of shared meals. When I […]

TidBits

From My Table to Yours: Starting a Supper Club with Your Friends

Creamy Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup with Italian Sausage and Pancetta

I love soup! If you go through the history of my blog posts or on Instagram, you will see that I share a lot of soup recipes. I think that my love for soup stems from my mom. There was something about smelling soup on the stove as a kid that makes me want to […]

Recipes

Creamy Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup with Italian Sausage and Pancetta

When my husband and I started dating, I would say his palate was a bit bland. Thank the good Lord that he was willing to try and experiment, but when it comes down to it he is an Irish/Scottish New Englander aka meat and potatoes kind of guy. The first time that I made roast […]

Recipes

The Best Nancy Meyers Inspired Meal – Roast Chicken, Mashed Potatoes & Sautèed Green Beans

Hello my friend and welcome to the inaugural week of Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking ™! I am so excited that you are here and have found the answer to the most annoying question, “what’s for dinner?”. Let me tell you a bit of how the idea for this came to be. In September […]

Recipes, TidBits

Mastering the Ease of Home Cooking, your weeknight meal companion

Albert Einstein once said “When you stop learning, you start dying.” I will be honest with you, I was not a fan of school. For me, school was what happened in between sporting events and dances. I enjoyed attending college and did actually learn a lot. However, it was not my favorite thing. As I’ve […]

Recipes, TidBits, Travel

Cooking Classes & Why I am in LOVE!

When we were in Italy last fall, if there were zucchini flowers on the menu, I was having them! There is something about the pillowy softness of a stuffed zucchini flower that fills my heart. I’ve had them cut up on pizza, stuffed, and fried, but the one I’m going to share with you here […]

Recipes

Stuffed Zucchini Flowers

Arrabiata Sauce

I have spent enough time in Italy to know that dishes are very regional. For example, Bolognese sauce is ONLY available in Bologna. If you make a very similar sauce, up the road in Modena, it is called ragu. (If you missed it you can check out my stories about our time in Bologna, Modena, Cooking in Modena and Rimini). […]

Recipes

Pasta with Arrabiata-ish Sauce

Before we visited Texas for the first time in 2017, I pictured all of Texas to look like how West Texas actually looks. West Texas looks like a scene from a cowboy movie with the high hills, vistas and desert vegetation. In actuality, the Hill Country of Texas is very green, except when we’re in […]

Travel

Visiting West Texas