#BookClubCookbookCC: BBQ Pot Roast over Cheddar Ranch Grits

So.
It's time for another edition of the #BookClubCookbook Cooking Crew!  Each month, one of the group will send out an invitation to read and create a dish based on a book from Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp's The Book Club Cookbook (Revised Edition).  This month, Renee from Tortillas and Honey invited us to read A Lesson Before Dying.

I have to admit, I didn't read this book at this time.  I read it almost 20 years ago while in Teachers College.
This is a powerful story.  So powerful that I remember crying through the last 50 pages.  I just wasn't up to reading it again.  But if you haven't, I totally recommend it.  Just have the tissues ready.
I debated what I wanted to make this month.  The cookbook suggested pralines, but I'm not up to making candy right now.  I need quick and easy dinner recipes.
I considered posting a Facebook question asking what people would want as their last meal (the book centres around time before one of the main character's execution for a crime he didn't commit), I searched Southern Food on Pinterest, and ended up perusing a site called "South Your Mouth" with lots of interesting recipes, and having a few roundups that I pinned from.  But then I got smart.  I sent a message to Janet.
I've only met Janet once, but she used to work with J when he lived in Charleston, SC.  I sent her a message asking for some true Southern food.  J has always told me that Janet is a great cook, and she had lots of suggestions.
Janet is from the Low Country of South Carolina, not Louisiana, so her suggestions favour that part of the US.  I still want to try Benne Seed cookies, but the recipes I found all made a huge number.  She suggested shrimp and grits, but I don't eat shellfish.  She also suggested anything with sweet tea, or Coca Cola Cake.  I finally took her first suggestion, with a recipe I'd seen featured on South Your Mouth:  cheese grits and a crockpot roast.  Perfect for fall.
I present to you now from Plain Chicken BBQ Pot Roast over Cheddar Ranch Grits:

Retrospective: 2013 in Review

So.
I can't believe that we're already here at the beginning of a new year, looking ahead to what is to come and looking back at what we did.  I've been watching the news this week with their little retrospectives of things that happened, and there are things that I would tell you were longer ago - or that I completely forgot about.  Frankly, I can't believe that we've finally arrived here.
Personally, 2013 has been a good year, but it had its challenges.  I changed schools, which I think is all for the good.  I turned 40.  We went to NYC for a week, which was amazing.  We renovated the kitchen and the pool and while neither of those things qualify as amazing the results do.  I love my new kitchen and the space and counters.
Speaking of the kitchen, I spent a great deal of cooking this year.  I'd like to spend even more time in 2014 doing the same.  According to the stats on my blog, I made 63 new recipes this year.  That's not completely true.  I have 9 recipes that I haven't blogged, and a few more that didn't make the cut.  The exciting thing about this is that even with the kitchen hiatus I made more than 1 new recipe per week.  I participated in 7 Pintertest Kitchens, and discovered a new favourite website, Budget Bytes.  I also blogged in the Pintester Movement once and saw a spike to over 1000 views that month with my Buffalo Chicken Lasagna. 
I also made 32 recipes in the Magazine Challenge.  With 10 issues, that's less than 6 per magazine but it's not too bad.  I made nothing out of one issue and 8 out of another.  I'm so glad I went back and visited these issues.  I'd only made 1 thing, Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins, out of 2005 up until now.  I can't say that anymore.  For the amount of money that was sunk into a subscription back in the day I'm glad I finally got around to using these magazines. 
Tomorrow, I'll give you some ideas of where we're headed in the coming year.  But I present to you now the Best and Worst of 2013 after the jump:

Weeknight Dinner: Greek Marinated Chicken

So.
I know I spend too much time on the computer.  Right now, I'm sitting on the couch, feet up, TV on, blogging.  It's not really multitasking, seeing as I don't really care who wins the football game that's on in the background.  But still.  When I watch TV, I also have a lap top in my lap.
One of the good things about all this computer time is the amount of time that I spend perusing recipes.  There are so many interesting things to look at.
As I've said in the past, one of my favourite places to look for recipes is Pinterest, which almost invariably leads me back to one of my favourite food blogs, BudgetBytes.  Once again, Beth's recipe proved to be easy, filling and darn tasty.  I have marinated in yogurt before, but it always seems like a revelation when I do so.
This meal was nicely economical because I went to the store and there was an in-store special of packages of 8 drumsticks for $5.  I know! That's 2 meals around here. 
What I would say is that you need to use chicken pieces with the skin still on.  It holds the marinade and crisps nicely.  But beyond that, this is all up to you.
I present to you now Budget Bytes' Greek Marinated Chicken:

Magazine Challenge: Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce

So.
One of the restaurants that I enjoy in Toronto is called Il Fornello.  They have lovely wood-fired ovens for pizza, and it was the first place that I ate a dish like this one.  Il Fornello's has toasted pine nuts and chopped plum tomato.  They are a nice addition, but this was good too.
This recipe said in Everyday Food that it took 30 minutes.  I agree.  It doesn't take long.  Fast and yummy.  That's what we're about here on weeknights.
I present to you now from the September 2005 issue of Everyday Food, Chicken Fettuccine with Pesto Cream Sauce:

Cold Weather Meal: Chili Tortellini

So.
I seem to spend a lot of time on the computer.  Most nights, I sit on the couch, watching TV, with the laptop in my lap.  Mainly I play Candy Crush and browse Pinterest.
For the most part, I look at food on Pinterest.  I have about 250 pins of things that I think look delicious and makeable.  This is one of those pins.
I want to say that I got this from jesser, but I'm not really sure.  I mentioned it to J, and he thought I needed to make this sooner rather than later.  With packages of tortellini in the freezer, why not.
I present to you now Picky Palate's Chili Tortellini:

Magazine Challenge: December

So.
It's amazing in some ways that I've managed to make as many recipes as I have from Everyday Food.  It's going to be interesting during the Retrospective at the end of this month to see what I've made, what I've liked, and what I'll never make again.  I'm also interested to know exactly how many magazine recipes I've made.  I know it's not 6 per month, but I'd like to know.
I'm currently toying if I want to continue into 2006 next year.  There have been some winners in what I've made.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.
December is full of rich food, and things to freeze for later.  I've tried to strike a balance of the two, and not too many desserts.  There's also the challenge of puff pastry, something I've always wanted to try making.  Cream puffs give that chance.  Here's what I'd like to make from the 2005 issue of Everyday Food:

1. Chili-rubbed Steak and Salad
2. Salmon Cakes with Lemon Herb Sauce
3. Pastitsio
4. Cream Puffs with Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce
5. Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots
6. Mini Cherry-Pecan Streusel Loaves
7. Black Bottom Coconut Bars
8. Mulled Wine

Quite the list.  We obviously need to have people in.  Let's see what happens.

Magazine Challenge: Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary

So.
J likes pork tenderloin, but few other cuts of pork.  I'm pretty sure it's because his mother cooked it to the point that it was dry, but for the most part I don't push. 
But sometimes I realize that I've bought too much pork tenderloin on sale and I need to use it up whether or J really likes it or not. 
Enter this recipe.  And the above scenario.  You know what I really liked about this recipe?  It took less than an hour, and we got a roast out of it.  So good.  especially with red onions.  Roasted red onions often taste to me like apples, and that just makes it all good.  Especially with pork. 
Easy?  Check.  Tasty?  Check.  All good.
I present to you now from September 2005 Everyday Food, Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary:

Magazine Challenge: Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apple

So.
I post this today in honour of American Thanksgiving.  I made these for Canadian Thanksgiving in October, and they were well received.  I was serving enough things that J would be skeptical about that I decided to cook a vegetable that he likes and I'm not quite so sure about.  Brussel sprouts.
I have to admit, if I'm not sure about a vegetable, the best thing to do is roast it.  The only people who were skeptical about these were my friend's 2 girls.  But they're often skeptical about what I cook when their family comes for dinner.
While there's no time to make them for Thanksgiving this year, there's always Christmas.  Or Tuesday.
I present to you now from the November 2005 issue of Everyday Food Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apple:

Magazine Challenge: Chicken, Rice, and Black Bean Salad

So.
I actually made this in the summer.  You know, when tomatoes were lovely looking, vine ripened, and a decent price.  I'm often looking for lunch-type things for J and I to eat.  While I could go with scrambled eggs or soup (even in summer), he's not quite that into the small lunch.  So I look for things that might work for a couple of days and don't involve my having to cook all the time.
Enter this salad.  It looked refreshing and simple, and would last for a couple of days.  I was right.  J and I both enjoyed it as something different for lunch.
From the June 2005 issue of Everyday Food, I present to you now Chicken, Rice and Black Bean Salad:

Got Milk? 3: Glazed Chocolate Donut Muffins

So.
I didn't make a cake for J's birthday this year.  Both his birthday and mine fell on Fridays that we were on the road for football.
I decided that it was easier to make some cupcakes than a whole cake that we'd then have to eat.  When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew I wanted to give it a try.  Dense chocolate and chocolate glaze that had the potential to taste like a Tim Horton's Double Chocolate donut?
You bet I was in.
I present to you now Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet's Glazed Chocolate Donut Muffins:

Magazine Challenge: Sauteed Chicken and Spinach

So.
I'm always looking for quick dinners that are tasty and incorporate more vegetables.  I'm not good about eating vegetables.  J, on the other hand, is always ready to give them a go. 
One of the few vegetables that we agree upon is spinach.  The other is broccoli.  Go figure.  At least we both like something healthy.
I marked this recipe months ago as something I wanted to make.  I'm glad I finally got around to it.  I love warm salads.  I also like warm dressings.  This combined both of those things.  A quick, filling dinner for a week night.  Just what I want to find.  It was also a Cooking for One feature, so by doubling the recipe I got one night out of the recipe.  J and I like leftovers, but it's nice to have just one night's dinner sometimes too.
I present to you now from the March 2005 issue of Everyday Food, Sauteed Chicken and Spinach:

Magazine Challenge: Butter Pecan Pie

So.
My dad's favourite ice cream when we went to the local ice cream store was Butter Pecan.  Or maybe Maple Walnut.  But I would say that more often than not, he chose Butter Pecan.  My last memory of Dad and butter pecan is from his time in hospice, where he and my mother discovered Butter Pecan Ensure.  He was so happy to not be drinking chocolate, strawberry or vanilla Boost like he had been for the past year. 
When I saw this recipe in the July/August issue of Everyday Food, I found the crust interesting.  The filling was just for Dad.  I made this in the summer when my mom came to visit.  We all enjoyed it.  I think Dad would have too.
From the July/August 2005 issue of Everyday Food, I present to you now Butter Pecan Pie:

Takeout at Home: Sesame Chicken

So.
I wouldn't say that I love Chinese food, but I do enjoy it.  Based on the things that you can find in my pantry like sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar, we do eat a good deal of flavours from that part of the world.
One day, while roaming and drooling on Pinterest, I pinned yet another recipe from Budget Bytes.  As always, it was easy, quick and tasty.  It's also become a part of our regular rotation when I'm not making new things.  I present to you now Budget Bytes' Easy Sesame Chicken:

Magazine Challenge: November

So.
I actually went through the November 2005 Everyday Food in October. 
I wanted to see the Thanksgiving recipes and see what I might want to make for Canadian Thanksgiving. 
I used one of the side dishes, too.
Then I didn't blog it.  But I will.  Let's see if it makes it into November. 
I also haven't made a thing since.  Yet when I go back and look, there are some yummy things listed.  I need to start cooking more. 
We need to stay home.
One football game left.  I should have time.
Here's the list I came up with out of the November 2005 issue of Everyday Food:

1. Bean Burritos
2. Stuffed Onions
3. Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples
4. Pumpkin Spice Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Icing
5. Lemon Cornmeal Cookies
6. Crispy Mustard Chicken with Carrots

The brussel sprouts are good.  Wait til you see.

Pintertest Kitchen: Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Pockets

So.
The kitchen is back up and running.  It's all good, seeing as I've gone back to work and the thought of having to grill or come up with new things for the crock pot is repulsive.
We love everything in this recipe.  Broccoli, chicken, cheese...pizza dough.  I've made similar recipes to this in terms of the pocket, and what I learned before was the importance of the seal.  We'll come back to this.
I present to you now The Baker Upstairs' Cheesy Chicken Pockets.  Here's the pin:

Grilled Steak and Potato Salad

So.
I love making dinner salads.  You know, the ones where you sit down and you can pretend that you're being healthy as the plate has a base of greens.  Actually, there are a couple of salads in Looneyspoons that are that healthy, I just haven't made them yet; other than the fajita salad, which is excellent.
On my way home from Quebec, I wanted a couple of magazines to zone out with on the bus.  While most people would buy People, or US, or something like that, I opted for Canadian Living and Chatelaine.  Frankly, Chatelaine was a bust.  I didn't find the articles appealing nor the recipes worth it.  The Canadian Living, however, was another story.
My mother has had a subscription to Canadian Living for a long time.  I haven't made a lot of their recipes, but those I have made are usually pretty good.  When I saw this salad, I thought it sounded delicious too.
I was right.  And it was perfect for a warm summer night.  Frankly, it would be good on a cool summer night too.  I present to you now from the June 2013 issue of Canadian Living the Grilled Steak and Potato Salad:

Brunch: Ham and Potato Frittata

So.
Being home for the summer, I need to make lunch everyday.  Who thought that was going to happen?  I'd like to be going more meatless, but we do what we can.
While browsing, I read Beth over at Budget Bytes and she'd made a frittata.  Now we all know how well I do with baking eggs, but this looked easy, filling, and simple.  I used her ingredients, but tweaked things slightly to make less.  J and I got 2 meals out of this.  With a salad, it was a perfect lunch.
I present to you now, as inspired by Beth and her yummy things, the Ham and Potato Frittata:

Grilling the Odd: Margherita Pizza

So.
I spent time before the reno pinning recipes I thought would be makeable during the reno - crockpot ideas and lots of grilling ideas.  Somehow, despite my planning we still spent most of the first week eating out because it's easy.
The second week, I made a plan to hopefully stem the tide of money going out of my bank account into restaurant coffers.  Sunday night, I made dinner at home.  That's night one.
I have discovered that my deep freeze is a good height to use as a prep table.  I have also discovered that my basement is a lousy place in which to take pictures.  We're looking forward to having counters again.  But all that aside, this went together quickly and there were minimal trips up and down the stairs before dinner.
J liked this enough that he'll let me make it again with some different toppings.  We'll see what happens in the next few weeks.  I present to you now About a Mom's Grilled Margherita Pizza:

Pintertest Kitchen: Nutella Swirl Pound Cake

So.
I have no kitchen right now.  The cabinets are gone.  The cat is living in our bedroom with a relocated litter box, food dishes and cat tree so she can be Queen of the neighbourhood.  The floor has been ripped out, and my fridge is in my dining room.  The floor in the dining room will come out later when the living room carpet is ripped out.  Our kitchen designers say the whole process will take about 3 weeks, barring any crazy things.  So far, nothing has been crazy (fingers crossed).  Just a whole lot of inconvenient and miffed feline who is only let out to explore when all the workers who might leave the door open have gone.
I'm BBQing a lot, and washing dishes in my laundry sink.  But I also spent some time baking before this process started so we'd still have sweet treats during the renovations.  One of the things I made was this loaf, which I'd pinned:

Nutella and pound cake in one simple package.  How could this possibly be bad?
I present to you now Sally's Baking Addiction's Nutella Swirl Poundcake:

The Last Meal in My Old Kitchen: Moroccan Chicken

So.
A very petite woman arrived with my Kitchen Designer today.  He introduced her as Missy and told me that she was there to dismantle the kitchen.  That was 8:30 this morning.  The only thing in my kitchen right now is a stove, which is still fuctional.  Obviously, what we need to say to this is GIRL POWER!
Missy took it all apart, stacked everything on the front porch for Habitat for Humanity, dragged the boxes of laminate out of the basement, and was on her way at 12:30.  Yep, that was Day 1 of the reno.
But, seeing as I still had some fresh veggies in my fridge which is now located in my empty dining room, and it was under 20C today and I didn't want to stand in front of the BBQ, I made the recipe I'd planned and not had a chance to make for the Magazine Challenge.
I present to you now from the July/August 2005 issue of Everyday Food Moroccan Chicken: