Leftovers

Now the questions is, what to do with all of that bread I made? FYI - 2 loaves is WAY too much for two people. ;)

Well, I couldn't let me homemade bread go to waste, so I figured it was panini time! I know I cut a corner on this one, but I bought a pre-roasted chicken from the grocery store (what can I say, it was a long day at work . . . and a Monday). I decided on pesto, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, and obviously roasted chicken.

The Ingredients

A couple of guys were over for a Fantasy Football draft, so my panini's were scarfed down (always a good sign). I did however manage to get one picture . . .

The Panini

Photos by {Me}

{Recipe} Pesto:

* 1 cup tightly packed Basil
* 1/4 cup Pine Nuts
* 1 clove Garlic
* 1/2 cup Olive Oil

1. Add basil, pine nuts, and finely chopped garlic clove (or put it through garlic press) into a mixer or food processor
2. SLOWLY drizzle in olive oil until mixture becomes smooth and looks like a spread
3. Enjoy on your favorite sandwiches and pasta

An {Italian} Affair

We had some friends over this past weekend for an Italian feast. I tried my hand at homemade bread and pasta noodles, along with Alfredo sauce, a fresh salad, and lemon-blueberry sorbet. The noodles turned out fabulous, I only wish my two little Yorkies didn't get a hold of half of the dough! Grrr. I must say, I had great recipes that were easy to follow - thanks to Jacques Pepin's "Complete Techniques" (a culinary masterpiece).

Although I ended up with flour all over myself (what else can you expect?!) I had a lot of fun with the bread and noodles. Our guests were truly surprised when they didn't have to eat store bought. The evening was a last minute thing, but I think it was a lot of fun for everyone (excluding the dishes). It was great to dine with friends we hadn't seen in a while and catch up.

Homemade Pasta Noodles

Photos by {me}

Hello Blog World!

So I have finally created my own blog (which I am EXTREMELY excited about). I'm hoping to use this blog to share and inspire others to be with their family and friends while enjoying some good food. I love to cook and I believe it is the best way to bring people together. I also love to be a host (although I don't really host in rain boots, I do live in Seattle). :D

Well, I think that's a pretty good introduction. Pictures, stories and random thoughts to be posted soon!

{My Current Obsession}
Williams-Sonoma "Entertaining"