TJ Wilde Trilogy · Duxbridge Mysteries · Jennifer McCaffrey Mysteries
What's to say? I love to cook and I think families benefit from sitting down together for dinner every night.
I set out whole pumpkins with the idea I’d gut them later for the dogs and leave the rest for the squirrels. The squirrels had other ideas and have literally “carved” my pumpkins into their own version of jack-o-lanterns. I’m thinking I’m going to add an eye to each side of their handiwork and really make it spooky.
With any luck, this time next year, we’ll have a short holiday Halloween themed book from a very spooky Duxbridge.
Not sure what is going on here. Poor Scout.
Photo by jeffreyW
My mom left us this week. I’m not sure quite yet how to process it all. There were a lot of hugs, tears and laughs as we shared stories and remembered her. We said goodbye on the coldest, windiest day imaginable, which seemed fitting somehow.
What is most important for you to know is that she is why I cook, why I share recipes with you. Why the kitchen is a place of joy and warmth and creation. She never met a dish she couldn’t improve on, a recipe that she wouldn’t tackle, or a lesson she couldn’t teach in the kitchen. Success or failure, it didn’t matter, what mattered was you tried. And if was a complete disaster, then you laughed it off and salvaged what you could, but you never let that discourage you from trying again.
And just like Julia Child, you never let them know if the chicken falls onto the floor, you just pick it up and dust it off and serve it as if nothing happened.
Never let the ingredients intimidate you. Cook what you love. Sometimes what looks like a failure turns out to be a completely new creation. And a pie tastes just as good with an ugly crust as it does with beautiful lattice.
Rest in peace, Mom. My best spaghetti sauces will always be the ones you taught me and the sweetest cookies will be the ones I made by myself the first time under your watchful eye.
Fall has turned chilly and Sully has turned into a kitteh burrito:
I think he’s adjusted to his new home…
Cross-posted from What’s 4 Dinner Solutions.
One of my favorite things is recipes in fiction novels. I’ve featured quite a few of them here.
So when I began to write my own fiction, I wanted to include recipes. Run Aground (Book 1 in the TJ Wilde Trilogy – for sale here) featured Smashed Potatoes and Lemon Piccata Chicken
My newest book, Underway (Book 2 in the TJ Wilde Trilogy) features two recipes. Tahini Walnut Rolls (recipe here) and Sausage and Grapes below.
Underway is on sale now, here. You can read Chapters 1 and 2 here.
…I decided to experiment with flavors I would have never thought of on my own. Facebook and blog friend Michael F, shared a recipe on Facebook from Italy, in Italian no less, and the photo intrigued me. I let google translate the recipe (which was a hoot) and went about putting my touches into it.
It was so unusual, my most reliable recipe testers politely declined my dinner invite. Totally understandable. But I will tell you I was pleasantly surprised how well this turned out. If you like pork and apples, this has a similar flavor palate. It was also quick and easy to prepare. I’m glad I decided to experiment.
All right, if you’re up for something new and different, here you go, tonight’s featured recipe.
Sausage and Grapes
skillet
Slice sausage links into four pieces each, add to skillet and fry on medium high for about 10 minutes. Add onion and fennel seeds, cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add grapes, stir until well mixed, cover and let simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes while pasta cooks.
Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
You can toss with the sausage mixture, or serve separately. Serve with Parmesan.
The pasta was my addition. When I asked Michael what would be a good side, he suggested eggplant or roasted potatoes. Roasted zucchini spears would probably work well, too.
