We're baaaaaaaaack!

After a not-so-brief hiatus (but not as long as Mad Men - which also premiered last night, praise baby Jesus), we're making a glorious return to the kitchen and blogosphere. Not that we've been out of the kitchen or living on Lean Cuisines (I hide my face in shame), but life's circumstances prevented us from continuing The Finer Things Kitchen last year. But, we're back in action!


This is a quick little meal that's so good and very filling. Give it a whirl. I think the entire process took us about 20-25 minutes.


The Meal: Braised Greens and Chorizo with Polenta

South by Southwest.

I had a really bad hankering for fresh salsa this week. The hot weather begs for something cool, crisp and light. Rather than buying a jar of pre-made salsa - which, admittedly, sometimes does hit the spot - I spent pretty much the same amount of money to make my own, and lots more of it than you'll get in one of those jars.


This meal is incredibly easy to prepare and cook, but makes up for it in the clean-up. Just be sure to clean up along the way so you're not stuck at the sink for half an hour after a day in the heat and an evening of cooking, when all you really want to do is kick back with a vodka and tonic.


The Meal: Southwest Pork Chops with Mango Salsa and Green Bean Fries

One for the archives.

Bill and I like to joke about/daydream of/half-heartedly plan on opening a restaurant of our own someday. We both love what we do right now, but we also love this whole cooking thing. I mean, the boy went to school for it. And I love food, so...


It's just a little pipe dream that if we ever wanted to do something different, we think we could embark on this project together. So, we're "archiving" our favorite recipes from this here blog that could easily be a restaurant-quality dish. This is the first.


The Meal: White Bean and Swiss Chard Stew with Hot Sausage and Poached Egg

It's always Half Full here.

About six weeks ago, I began a lifestyle change - attempting to eat healthier and less, as well as incorporating exercise into my daily routine. The latter has been surprisingly easier than the former. Now, if I don't go to the gym, I feel lethargic and not quite right. 


But, ever since I made this conscious change, I have had an UNBELIEVABLE craving for pizza. I have no idea why. It was never one of my favorite foods. I've been able to resist ordering out until I could make it myself and choose the quality of the ingredients. 


This is my attempt at recreating the pizza and wine bar Half Full. That place has slowly but surely become my favorite eatery in this town - great wine and gourmet pizza. I literally could not want more in life. All of you far-away friends - if you visit, we're going there. That will be my excuse to feed my obsession.


The Meal: Pizza Two Ways - Asparagus, Tomato & Feta and Peppers, Sausage and Parmesan

A different Mother's Day gift.

I've never known what to get either of my parents for Mother's Day or Father's Day. I know they say you don't really need to get them anything, but if you're like me, you always feel the need to do so. I just have never really liked the thought of buying something for someone without a lot of thought behind it.


So, this Mother's Day, I decided to make something for my mother. Not with macaroni and Elmer's glue - I'm pretty sure she's glad those days are behind her. I thought I could use this here blog to contribute.


My mother is how I learned basically all of my cooking skills. My sister was never one for the domestics, so I was always in the kitchen helping out as far back as I can remember. We weren't always the most gourmet cooks - I still am not - but it sure tasted good. So, I decided to return the favor and spend some time in the kitchen in honor of Mom.


The Dessert: Cinnamon Apple French Tartlets

An ode to summer.

I am of the belief that you can summon beach days and warm weather by cooking the right food. Bring out those summer flavors in the kitchen and everything else will follow. But, if it's raining (like it was when I made this), you can turn all the lights on inside and at least pretend you're eating a mid-summer meal out on your porch.

That, and you're going to want to make all of this on the grill at least half a dozen times this summer. I made all of this inside, which will suffice, but all of this tastes immensely better on the grill.

I will forever be reminded of hazy summer Sundays with my family with this kind of food. Mom and I prepping in the kitchen, dad out on the deck grilling - and the rest of the family comes flooding in because everything smells so darn good.

The Meal: Orange Teriyaki Chicken will Veggie Packets and Corn Salad

A Finer Things Extravaganza.

This weekend, Bill and I took on a huge project: An Easter weekend dinner for 12 people. I've never cooked for more than 4. Believe me, this is a marathon, not a sprint. 6 hours of cooking. Oof.

With entertaining, a rule of thumb is to not make anything you haven't made before. Well, we didn't exactly follow that. Our menu was a combination of traditional family recipes, Finer Things Club greatest hits (so far), and a couple of new recipes.

With this entry, we chose to highlight one of the new recipes we tried out and one of Bill's family recipes. The full menu is below:

The Feast: Maple Glazed Ham

                     Herb Roasted Chicken

                     Asparagus Gratin

                     Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad

                     Deviled Eggs with Dill

                     Roseman's Beans

                     Fresh Herb Rolls

                     French Apple and Pear Tart

                     Blackberry Macaroons

We'll give you the two side dishes, Dijon Vinaigrette Potato Salad and Roseman's Beans, which were absolutely delicious and big hits among our crowd.