Old Kitchens...Cool Kitchens

Do you have pictures of any cool looking old kitchens? Farm kitchens, small kitchens, big family kitchens? Bachelor pad kitchens? Boat kitchens? Anything that would constitute a "Home Kitchen". Please scan them and post them or e-mail them to me. It would be really lovely to see kitchens messy and at work!!

A New Day

There's a process of elimination going on...And I want to point out it's an experiment, also. Within the last 5 months this way of cooking and eating home cooked meals has made me aware and sensible, thrifty and resourceful. I love to have the outlook about home cooking that I have now.

So with the knowledge and sensibility I have gained in the process, I changed the name to something much more suitable: Inspired Home Kitchen. I think this name suits it more appropriately. An inspired home kitchen...yes, that's what this is all about.

Home cooked meals made from scratch as much as possible and limiting eating out at restaurants to once or twice a month. When I say restaurant, that's exactly what I mean, a good local choice with fresh ingredients where you can eat something that you would not eat at home: A "treat". Absolutely no fast food or pre-made foods, I am sticking with my guns on this one.  Create some delayed gratification, mealtime is always coming around again. Eat sensibly from home and enjoy!

Cleaning Out The Refrigerator

Some days 'ya cook and some days 'ya don't. After cooking for a few days it's time for a rest and that means throwing everything and anything that is worth eating (edible) on a plate. That's when this happens: a pork chop, a large portion of pasta carbonara, garbanzo beans, sliced tomatoes, the end of a loaf of homemade bread...sounds like a lot, huh. I was starving and ate the whole thing. Usually, the miscellaneous ends of a meal go to work with me and I love, love, love that. But lately for work I have been taking a decadent cream cheese and nutella filled English muffin and a banana - that I cannot seem to get enough of. Oh, well dinner tonight meant cleaning out the frig and making room for the next cooking sessions. Ahh, well, it all goes to the same place as my grandmother used to say. Dig In!

In Praise of Jamie Oliver

I have a copy of Jamie's Food Revolution and I have to say that he's got it down. He has taken people and food and made it real by connecting the dots. People who have cooked only prepared food or never cooked and taken their hand through each of his recipes to teach them that cooking good homemade food from scratch is not difficult, in fact made these people see that cooking is one of the most rewarding simple things in life.


This cookbook is so matter-of-fact you can practically hear him speak. Just like one of the 'real' people he's taught to cook in his book said of him, he's the "cook whisperer".

Jamie's teaching people to fall back in love with cooking home cooked meals. Not the foodies but normal working people that he feels should learn to cook from scratch. It's an amazing book and an even more amazing 'ideal' way of life: Cooking good homemade food on any budget. The way it makes you feel to cook for yourself and family and friends is not just about how the food tastes but the responsibility and awareness it creates within yourself - like a new sense of pride. He changes up classics because as we all know - no recipe is written in stone, the meats can be changed and when you know flavors you can learn to do these things yourself.

Everyone must eat and everyone must cook. Simple. It's not a pipe dream people, it's reality. A kitchen is not a museum it's a working room in our home...use it.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Last night I made Stuffed Chicken Breasts. They were very easy and looked amazing! It actually looked like a restaurant plate when it was done...I was impressed with myself, to say the least and I think they were very much appreciated.

Saute spinach in a little olive oil and garlic until it is just tender.
Saute thinly sliced red onion and mushrooms until they are just tender then add just a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and some freshly cracked pepper.
I took 2 large chicken breasts and sliced them lengthwise, these were so large that I cut them down the middle, also.
Have on hand about 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
Also, have on hand some ricotta cheese - about half a cup- mixed with garlic and freshly chopped parsley.
Open the chicken breasts and fill with about a tablespoon of the ricotta and then the spinach mixture. Fill them so that they will close just enough to see the filling inside.

Prepare a hot skillet that can be placed in an oven. Brown the chicken breasts and then put into the oven for about 15 minutes.

I had cooked some penne pasta - half a pound and tossed it with a bit of butter and marinara sauce. Pour this into a pyrex dish. Place the chicken on top. Spoon a big heap of the onion and mushroom mixture over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan and a few dabs of butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with garlic bread. This is an amazing dish...I am sorry I did not get a picture, just happened too fast this time. Enjoy!!