Savory and Sweet Crepes

For Labor Day weekend, the whole family got together in Minnesota.  This is our annual family reunion where we all get together are go to the Minnesota State Fair.  My mom and I always enjoy ourselves wandering in and out of all the buildings and finding the best (read least deep fried) food at the fair.  There are a few foods we have to have every year.  We always stop by the crepe booth and get the cranberry, brie, and almond crepe.  The chocolate dipped key lime pie on a stick is another yearly tradition.  We also spend a while each years examining all the craft products like the gorgeous quilts and afghans.  We look at all the produce and baked goods and try to determine the judging criteria for a perfect potato or spice cakes.  It is a wonderful annual tradition.

As part of our family get together, Noah, my father, and I all cooked a dinner for all 14 people in the family.  Somehow we decided on crepes.  Now this is not something I would normally make for a large group.  Crepes take quite a bit of time, can be a lot of work, and are difficult to make well in just a skillet.  My aunt, however, happened to have an electric crepe maker that simplified the process some what.

Chicken and Dumplings

Before making chicken and dumplings today, I can only having the dish one other time.  I was at one of my friends houses last winter break and our families kitchen was being remodeled at the time so a nice home cooked meal was very welcome.  I fell in love with the dish right then and there.  I have always been partial to chicken soup but the thicker broth and the fluffy dumplings of this dish just make it so much richer.  I had leftover chicken and homemade stock from the chicken that I cooked earlier in the week and thus decided to try my hand at chicken and dumplings.  I was shocked how easy it was and how well it turned out.  Definitely a dish I will be making again.

Roasted Chicken and Sautéed Kale

When it comes to meat, I am not actually a huge fan.  I read the phrase "meat as a condiment" somewhere and thought that it was a good description of my opinion on how meat should be eaten.  I rarely enjoy eating just eating meat (a good steak really isn't my thing) but I do enjoy all of the sauces and dished that go with it.  All of my favorite dishes include meat, they just also tend to involve slow cooking it with a lot of other things so that the flavors meld together.  That being said, I seem to be doing a lot with whole chickens these days.  (I like being able to use the carcass to make stock.)  Also, since I'm cooking for a bunch of friends this summer, they tend to prefer a bit more meat.

(Edit:  Can you tell that my brother and I are basically the same person?)

I made the easy standard roast chicken dish that my family generally makes.  I cook this dish mainly for the onions that go with it.  The chicken turns our well and is flavorful but the onions that cook in the lemon and chicken juices are by far my favorite part.  Also, since I don't particularly enjoy just eating chicken, this recipe leaves plenty of leftover meat that I can use in another recipe later in the week.  I served it over rice with some sautéed kale on the side for a complete meal.

Greetings, Chicken, and Tomatoes

Greetings!

As my sister has pointed out, this summer our family intends to cook much more frequently than ever before.  Although in the past cooking has never taken up much of my time, I wish to develop my skills in hopes that I will be able to enjoy better food, more frequently.  Whilst navigating an eventful summer, I still hope to find time to prepare and enjoy good food.

For my first attempt, I chose to make a chicken dish, with pan-roasted tomatoes, served with orzo and green beans.  I am not a very big fan of plain meat, especially not a steak, and normally select chicken or pasta as my meal of choice.  With my pasta or chicken, I enjoy many different sauces and flavors that go with it, including that of the juices of pan-roasted tomatoes.  This dish can be served with pasta, as I chose to do, with rice, or even on it's own.