Fiesta Chowder with Chile-Corn Custard Squares

It was walk the red carpet night last night!  Yes, that is right it was "my superbowl" or at least that is how I explain Academy Award night to my husband.  The festivities started at 5:00 with some pre-show glamour and then moved on at 6:00 with the Barbara Walters special (we are going to miss your Oscar special Babs!), which preceded the event of the evening.....The Oscar's!  Of course my dinner for this special night was already thought about and pre-made during the day so that I could enjoy my evening.  I chose to make a simple dinner filled with mexican flavor.  I made my Fiesta Chowder which is a soup that is a mix between tastes of tacos & fajita's with a little reminder of chili, but in a soup version.  It is great!  I also made some Chile-Corn Custard Squares that I found in my June-09 issue of Bon Appetite.  These little squares can be served as an appetizer, but I cut them into larger squares to go on the side of our soup.  They are a mixture between corn bread and a Thanksgiving corn casserole; creamy and  yet breadlike....a perfect side for a Mexican soup.

A Family Valentine's Day Dinner

We are having some family come over for dinner on Valentine's Day.  The perfect way for me to show them that I love them is to cook for them.  One other way for me to show them I love them is to actually spend time with them and enjoy their company instead of  cooking and cleaning the kitchen the whole day and night.  So I decided to make a dinner where I could make most of it before hand to make it    bit easier on me.  I made an awesome Tomato Basil Sauce today which I can keep in the fridge until Sunday.That will be served over some store bought ravioli.   The morning before they come I am going to make a  huge roating pan filled with Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes that I will roast in the oven while they are here.  Also, the morning before they come I am going to make an Italian Layered Salad with  a home-made Balsamic Vinegarette.  For a special Valentine's Day "touch" I made a home-made loaf of Italian Bread that is formed in the shape of a heart!  For dessert I am  making an awesome White Chocolate  & Lemon Mousse Trifle!  You don't want to miss this special Valentine's Day menu!

Minestrone Soup

Do you have that one recipe that just seems to be what you are known for?  I do...that recipe for me is my Minestrone Soup.  If we go out to dinner and we see minestrone soup on the menu, my husband and I both look at eachother and say " We can't order it.  We won't like it.  We are spoiled!"  It just seems that no matter where we go no other minestrone soup will do.  I hope you try this recipe and see for yourself what we are talking about when we say "We are spoiled"!  Mangia!