Jacques of all Trades

npr:

Here are three common dishes served at home whose looks can be improved with a bit of design attention. These two-step tips are from food stylist Lisa Cherkasky. 

— Serve a better-looking plate - The Washington Post

Do you do this? — tanya b.

I have often found that a garnish or two, tastefully applied, increases my perception of a dishes tastiness. And it usually takes only and extra 10-20 seconds.

Thanks KB and GB for a delicious southern feast with friends last night!

Commence feasting!

Prelude to a feast.

Mmm, Moroccan food.

Kabobs for dinner (thanks to Joyce). Yum!

From the weekend: you can dress them up, but be careful putting them around fine china.

(No, nothing was broken, but Hugo was extremely interested in those shiny plates).

Grilling up some dinner:

-Molasses-whole grain mustard marinated pork tenderloin.
-cauliflower and broccoli (lightly tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper), and
-Daikaya-inspired grilled avocado, with lemon juice, and to be topped with ponzu sauce

After a weekend of amazing (and decadent) eating, we’re detoxing with a grilled marinated chicken salad, with ponzu vinaigrette.

Hot soup for a cold night, this Chicken and Corn Chowder recipe from Bon Appetit via epicurious.  

We subbed half-and-half for heavy cream and loaded up on the potatoes, but otherwise went with the recipe…it tastes so delicious for a cozy night in, away from the howling winds!

• 10 bacon slices, chopped

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

• 3 medium onions, chopped

• 2 cups chopped red bell peppers (about 2 large)

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 9 cups low-salt chicken broth

• 4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (cut from one 1 3/4-pound squash)

• 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

• 2 16-ounce bags frozen corn kernels

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 4 cups diced skinned roast chicken

• 2 cups chopped green onions

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

preparation

Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. Add butter to pot; melt over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 cup bell peppers. Sauté until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth, then squash, potatoes, and thyme; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until squash and potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Add corn, cream, and 1 cup bell peppers. Simmer until corn is tender, about 10 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Add chicken, 1 cup green onions, and 1/2 cup cilantro; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle chowder into bowls; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup green onions and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Tonight’s dinner, a delicious Tunisian Vegetable Tagine, recipe from Marin Magazine, via our friend Kate!

Grilled tilapia (sprinkled with a spice rub) with a salad of romaine, nectarine, and candied pecans. Yum!

Tasty grilled top sirloin (in a zinfandel marinade) and a cobb-esque salad for dinner tonight!

Fantastic dinner at Rosario’s in San Antonio

A tasty chicken and apricot tagine, and a Moroccan carrot salad (with olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, garam masala, paprika and cayenne).

Pad Thai prep from last night’s dinner. It was delicious.

(We used Mark Bittman’s recipe from “Best Recipes in the World, which is fairly similar to this one from his NYTimes column).