Weekly Favorites 10/27/19 to 11/02/19

Every Saturday, I go through Twitter with #foodblogger and find my favorite food related articles. These are this week's favorites!

Sounds like a great way to spend time with family to me!

Saturday's be for family and Sushi !!
......................#foodies #foodporn #food #foodie #instafood #foodphotography #foodstagram #foodlover #foodgasm #foodblogger #yummy #delicious #foods #instagood… https://t.co/jB15PCDYuS

— Ritwik Jha (@ritwikjha) November 2, 2019

Thanksgiving is upon us and one of my favorite flavors is pumpkin! Not pumpkin spice, just pumpkin!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese frosting!https://t.co/nm6RrhYlTl#foodporn #foodie #haloween2019 #yummy #delicious #dessert #nomnom #eatclean #recipe #foods #foodstagram #food #foodforthought #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/faMiiNcv2s

— The Indian Claypot (@indianclaypot) October 30, 2019

This makes me want to go to Seoul now!

Every once in a blue moon, gotta roll through to this spot and literally roll out HA. There’s definitely better in Seoul but it’s by my house lol. Time to be a fatty. #fat #food #foodporn #foodphotography #foodies #foodstagram #foodblogger #foods #foodie #foodiesofinstagram pic.twitter.com/mLz9amoq27

— Tomeatsseoul (@tomeatsseoul) November 2, 2019

Can't resist these! Almond rolls are amazing!

All in all a 🌟GREAT🌟 day’s baking. Will be writing up these new recipes over the coming days 💛🧡💛 #foodblogger #Food #baking #bread #tasty pic.twitter.com/cIyXBf3mG5

— Sammie (@sammiefeasting) October 28, 2019

I love a good sausage! Whenever there is a butcher that makes his own, I have to stop and try some!

Excellent sausages from Aubrey Allen. We went for Cotswold, Warwickshire Whizzer and Bumblebee. #AubreyAllen #uksausageweek #sausages #sausage #LeamingtonSpa #buylocal #supportlocalbusinesses #backbritishfarming #buybritish #foodblog #foodblogger #eatdrinkandfortywinks pic.twitter.com/tf5uSuivd9

— Eat,Drink&FortyWinks (@edandfortywinks) November 1, 2019

Weekly Favorites 08/05/18 to 08/11/18

Last week, for Weekly Favorites, I decided to go with a sweets and desserts theme. This week, I decided to go with another theme, and include all pasta articles!

Baked Lumaconi Pasta Shells with Chicory and Porcini - via The Pasta Project

I've always loved stuffed and baked pasta dishes. Pasta stuffed with mushrooms is one of my favorites!

These scrumptious lumaconi #pastashells are filled with ricotta, chicory and porcini mushrooms and then baked in a roasted cherry tomato sauce!! Sounds delicious, right? https://t.co/JdxonsKn7x #lovepasta #italianfood #pasta #bakedpasta #vegetarian #pastagarofalo #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/Dg7U6WPelh

— Jacqui DeBono (@jacquidebono) August 8, 2018

Creamy Tomato Alfredo Tortellini with Sautéed Arugula and Hot Sausage - via The Sweet & Savory Couple

If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I've never been a huge fan of Alfredo sauce. I am however, a fan of tomatoes and Italian sausage. And, I've always been fascinated by tortellini!

Creamy Tomato Alfredo Tortellini with Hot Sausage. Easy meal sure to please the whole family. #foodblogger #italianfood #pastadishes #easydinnerrecipe #dinnertime #sweetandsavorycouple https://t.co/88B9irnbnD pic.twitter.com/Zh9hLbgZlE

— The Sweet and Savory Couple (@sweetsavorycpl) August 4, 2018

Corn Pasta with Bacon and Pecorino Romano - via Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

We've been cooking with a lot of corn lately. Coincidentally, we made a corn and bacon pasta dish just like this a few weeks ago with some chicken! This combination of pasta and bacon and corn is great!

Grab some sweet summer corn and try this fresh and tasty Corn Pasta with Bacon and Pecorino! https://t.co/bEsJAmdMKz #FarmersMarketWeek #pasta pic.twitter.com/QNPWQu0fHB

— Hezzi-Ds Books&Cooks (@HezziD) August 8, 2018

Rigatoni Filled with Spinach and Gorgonzola - via Make it Kitchen

Maybe it's because I watched a lot of Popeye when I was little, but I love spinach! It's great in salads, but especially in pasta! Pasta stuffed with cheese and spinach is a delicious combination!

Here's another video of the MakeItKitchen guys ! https://t.co/2HCnIAAwIO#pasta #spinach #gorgonzola #Recipe pic.twitter.com/Wc4wmLLWLP— MakeItKitchen (@MakeItKitchen1) August 8, 2018

Weekly Favorites 07/01/18 to 07/07/18

Time for a new batch of weekly favorites! I've found some more articles that I'm really excited to share!


Epic Bacon Burger - via Carly Bloggs

I think that at this point, you may have realized that I never met a burger that I sent away without eating it! Throw bacon into the mix and there's no way I'm saying no. Normally, I'm all about the grill. But for those of you who don't have a grill, this recipe demonstrates how to cook a burger stove top, which I find to be a suitable second option. There are of course some nights I am too lazy to go outside and fire the grill up.

You can't beat a homemade burger and I'm still thinking about my one from dinner tonight..... Just look at it 🤤
Here's one of my first ever recipes (which needs and update 🙈) and still the same way I make my burgers.#ukbloggers #foodbloggerhttps://t.co/SjV0mM0rgU pic.twitter.com/1jyQpQsfw3

— Carly (@carlybloggs) July 5, 2018

Summer Tagliolini Pasta Recipe with Marinated Vegetables - via The Pasta Project

When I'm not chowing down on a burger, I turn to my Italian roots for food inspiration. I love a really simple pasta dish, where just a few ingredients can come together to make a dish full of flavor. This Summer Tagliolini recipe just that. The ingredients list is mostly vegetables, with a few others to enhance the flavors. This sounds amazing and should go perfect on a hot Houston, TX summer day!

This healthy, fresh and tasty summer tagliolini recipe is perfect for when you don't feel like cooking much. You only need to cook the pasta and marinate the veg. https://t.co/UuTh04i2h4 #lovepasta #pastarecipe #tagliolini #foodblogger #pastasalad #italianfood #summerfood pic.twitter.com/E2pxlBrER0

— Jacqui DeBono (@jacquidebono) July 2, 2018

Breakfast Casserole with Hash Browns, Sausage, and Eggs - via Mr. B Cooks

Without even looking at the article, the title of this post reminded me of the sausage and egg casserole my mom cooked every Christmas morning and still cooks every Christmas to this day. Diving in to it, the preparation is very similar. The key difference is the addition of the hash browns and the absence of bread cubes. The nostalgia alone, we enough to draw me in to this one!

I'm taking one of my favorite #camping #recipes and making it at home. Check out this #breakfast casserole with hash browns, #eggs and sausage! Full #recipe on the blog: https://t.co/z6ayfVO3TB#breakfastrecipe #food #cooking #foodblog #breakfastcasserole #foodblogger pic.twitter.com/BbTCZe8zEs

— Mr. B Cooks (@MrB_Cooks) July 6, 2018

Passion Fruit Eclairs with Italian Meringue - via Lil' Cookie

What drew me in to this one was the departure from what I think of as a traditional eclair. You know what I mean. I have never had an eclair that wasn't a pastry filled with either cream or custard, topped with chocolate. Not that I am complaining. Here, Lil' Cookie takes us away from that traditional eclair with the addition of fruit and a light meringue, perfect for summer!

Passion Fruit Eclairs with Italian Meringue. RECIPE: https://t.co/0qjT3sB8ea
Pin for later: https://t.co/x7NHrEQJrc#RecipeOfTheDay #foodblogger #passionfruit #baking #dessert pic.twitter.com/4ddBMBjvYZ

— Natalie Levin Sapir (@lilcookieblog) July 6, 2018

Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches

I've always loved the idea of sausage and peppers as an appetizer. So when I realized I could make a sausage and peppers sandwich, I was hooked! The other day for a staff meeting at work, we brought out the grill and tried it out!! I was too excited though and forgot to take any pictures!


The Recipe:

• Italian Sausage
• Red Bell Peppers
• Green Bell Peppers
• Onions
• Bread
• Spicy Mustard (optional)

Sausage and Peppers Sandwich
Photo Credit Serious Eats

I got the charcoal grill going and put the sausage in foil baking dish and put over the coals. This was for two reasons. I wanted to make sure I could slow cook all of the sausage without it burning or splitting, and I also wanted to capture the juices from the sausage to give the peppers and onions a bigger flavor. When everything is done, it's time to build some sandwiches! I used kaiser rolls for mine. French or Italian bread would work fine too.
Add some spicy mustard or tomato sauce if you have it on hand!

Happy Eating!

Sausage and Peppers with Pasta

Sausage and Peppers with Pasta

There's nothing I love better than a classic Italian recipe. So when I first came across this idea, I had to work on my own version!

The Recipe:

• 3 - 5 Links Sweet Italian Sausage - Sliced
• 1 Onion - Diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced 
• 1 Red Bell Pepper - Rough Chopped 
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper - Rough Chopped 
• 1 Package Cherry Tomatoes 
• Pasta - Linguine, Pappardelle, and Fettuccine work well
• Fresh Parsley
• Grated Parmesan 
• Salt and Pepper

Brown the sausage in a skillet. 

Brown the sausage in a heavy bottom skillet. Remove sausage to bowl to add later. Saute the onion and garlic in the sausage grease. Add a little olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Add the bell peppers. Saute until the peppers are wilted. Add the sausage back in. Add the tomatoes. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes begin to open. Toss the sausage and peppers with the pasta in a large bowl. Serve with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan.

Optionally, I like to add some crushed red pepper flakes with the the onions to give a little extra spice.

I like to make this with some rustic, rough cut fresh pasta. Dried pasta works well here too.

Happy eating.

Chicken and Crawfish Gumbo

In some parts of the world, it is starting to cool off, as summer gives way to fall. Fall signals the time to dust of the soup, stew, and chili recipes, and start enjoying those comforting, warming, delicious bowls of brothy goodness. One of my favorites is gumbo, in all of its varieties. Gumbo is great to make on a Sunday night to leave in the fridge until Monday night. I make several different gumbos, that all play off of the same base. which is a combination of the Creole and Cajun styles. Today I am sharing a recipe for a Chicken and Crawfish Gumbo. This particular gumbo was one we threw together based off of ingredients we had in the fridge and freezer.

The Recipe: 

• 1 Green Bell Pepper - Diced
• 3 Celery Stalks - Diced
• 1 Onion - Diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• 1 Cup Chopped Okra
• 1 14.5 oz Can Stewed Tomatoes
• 1/2 Rotisserie Chicken - Chopped
• 3 Links Sausage - Sliced
• 1 lb Crawfish Tails
• 1 Stick Butter
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 2 Quarts Chicken Broth
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Cup Rice - Cooked
• 1 Teaspoon Filé powder
• Salt and Pepper
• Hot Sauce

In a heavy bottom pot, I prefer a porcelain enameled cast iron dutch oven, brown the sliced sausage over medium heat. I like to use a kielbasa style sausage or a beef or pork sausage. Once browned, remove the sausage to a bowl for later. Add some olive oil and the bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic. The Cajuns call this the holy trinity. 

This roux is on the light side. The roux should be at
least this dark. I like to get it as dark as I can
 without burning it. 

While the holy trinity is sautéing, melt the butter in a small cast iron pan over low heat. Stir in the flour. This is going to make the roux to thicken the gumbo. Don't rush this process. It can burn very easily. I like to get the roux to at least a golden brown, but it's even better at a dark walnut.

Back to the holy trinity. Keep stirring it while the roux is going. When the onions start to brown, add in the okra, chicken, broth, bay leaves, and stewed tomatoes. Remember the sausage waiting in the bowl? Time to add it back in too. Bring everything to a simmer. Now is the time to season with salt and pepper. If the gumbo cooks too long, the seasoning won't be absorbed and will sit on top of the rest of the flavors. Season to taste.

Chicken and Crawfish Gumbo

By now, the roux should be ready. Add it to the pot. Keep the gumbo simmering. To qualify as gumbo, it has to cook for at least three hours, if not longer. The crawfish tails are going to cook quickly. If they cook too quick they will turn rubbery and chewy, which is not something anybody wants to find in their food. Put the crawfish tails in right before serving. They just need to warm up and will cook through in a few minutes. 

The okra will act as thickening agent, but I grew up adding filé powder to my gumbo in addition to the okra. It is optional. Serve the gumbo over rice. I like my gumbo spicy. Hot sauce is key here. Tabasco. Cholula. Lousiana. It really depends on what I have in the pantry and how I feel. It goes great with buttered French bread.

Gumbo is like jambalaya. A recipe can exist, but it is forever evolving. It typically doesn't taste the same each time and I always find new ways to make it or new flavor profiles to get out of it. I look forward to hearing how yours turns out. 

Father's Day

Even though it has passed us by, I think it is still appropriate to wish everyone a happy Father's Day! We celebrated on Sunday by having my dad and my brother over. It was great to see all of the little ones run around and play together, and I think my dad enjoyed being able to just relax and not worry about anything but which grandchild he was going to play with next.

A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen

A few years back my wife got me A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen and I've been dying to try it ever since. I'll leave the recipes out of this post so you can enjoy the book as much as I am. We of course had a Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar while everything was still getting ready and enjoyed some great conversation while we waited.

The main event!

For the main event, I made some baked beans, baby back pork ribs, Mediterranean inspired chicken shish kabobs with squash and mushrooms, and jalapeno venison sausage. By special request, my wife made one of my favorite desserts, carrot cake.

My brother, dad, and me. I was waving at my youngest son!

When it was finally time to say goodbye, my dad, my brother, and me gathered for a picture. I always enjoy having the three of us together and am looking forward to the next time we can enjoy each other's company.