Cooking with Sheila

Recipe of the Week: Black Beans and Quinoa

Here is a recipe that tastes great and is both easy to make and easy on your wallet.

"Laughter is the valve on the pressure cooker of life. Either you laugh and suffer, or you got your beans or brains on the ceiling." ~Wavy Gravy "How much do you usually spend at the grocery store?" is a question I have been asking friends and collegues a lot lately. Week after week I leave the market having shelled out (on average) between $175-$200. After talking with countless people I realize that I am not alone...the majority I spoke with were in the same financial ballpark. This knowledge didn't made me feel any better though, and I have become determined to cut our weekly bill. (I've read blogs from women who are able to feed a family of four on fifty dollars a week but that just seems like an impossible dream) I have been diligent …

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Sheila Duggan Chabot

10:15 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Thanks, Judy!   more ›

Cooking with Sheila

Cool Off This Weekend With a Tasty Peach Mojito

After a long hot summer day at the beach, pool or working in the yard, cool off with this refreshing peach mojito.

"Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." ~Mark Twain During a hot and humid weekend like this one, it is important to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water. Once evening falls, however, I like to stay hydrated by sipping a cold refreshing adult beverage. Though wine is generally my (adult) beverage of choice, it's always fun to try something new. I found a recipe for Peach Mojitos in an old issue of Cooking Light and decided to give it a try. The verdict? Yum! This is a great summer drink. It does take a bit of work to manipulate the peaches, so if you are short on time (or energy) you can use frozen ones. Peach Mojitos Ingredients: Directions: Enjoy and …

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Cooking with Sheila

What's Betta Than Bruschetta?

A few simple ingredients add up to a fresh tasty appetizer that just screams summer.

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~Lewis Grizzard My husband planted a small herb garden for me this year with rosemary, thyme, parsley and basil. Unfortunately the only one that made it was the basil (the rosemary and thyme didn't grow and something feasted on my parsley) but thankfully there is a lot of basil. Since we are heading to a party this weekend, have a ton of basil and locally grown tomatoes are in their prime I thought I would make a bruschetta to take with us. I found a recipe from Ree Drummond (aka The Pioneer Woman) that looked delicious. I figured that it would be a lot easier to serve it with garlic pita chips than toast a bunch of bread and arrange it on a platter. …

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Cooking with Sheila

Seven Layers of Goodness Dip

This easy to make seven layer dip is great for parties since it is best served at room temperature and won't take up valued space in the host's fridge.

"Don't double dip! It's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip! From now on, when you take a chip – just take one dip and end it!" ~Timmy to George (Seinfeld) As a kid I wouldn't touch Mexican food. This was mainly because my Auntie Bev called refried beans "rechewed beans." As in, "Let's go out for Mexican and get that dip with the rechewed beans in it." In my young mind that meant that all Mexican food was...well, you get the picture. Flash forward a few years and I'm at a party, looking down at a lovely dip surrounded by tortilla chips. I turn to my friend's mom and ask what it is. She tells me that it is a Mexican Seven Layer Dip. I then ask, very seriously, "Does it have rechewed beans in it?" After she stops laughing, wipes …

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Cooking with Sheila

Iced Coffee - A Summer Staple

Skip the drive thru and try making your own delicious iced coffee at home.

"Man does not live by coffee alone. Have a danish." ~Anonymous I am definitely not a coffee connoisseur. My husband makes a pot in the morning and I drink a cup or two, more out of habit than anything else. Of course things change for me when the warm weather kicks in. That's when I really want a coffee. An iced one. I've tried making my own by pouring the hot coffee over ice but it just doesn't taste right (too bitter). Once in awhile I will treat myself and buy one but in general stopping for coffee every morning doesn't fit into my schedule or my budget. So what's a girl to do? Find a recipe and make it at home, of course! I found a great recipe for homemade iced coffee that is so easy it is ridiculous. Two ingredients: ground coffee …

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Cooking with Sheila

Rainy Sunday Curried Chicken Soup

Kick your chicken soup recipe up a notch by adding curry, coconut milk and cauliflower.

"The only stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you've got to have the 'what-the-hell attitude'. ~ Julia Child I'm with Julia on this one, which is probably why I love to cook but almost never bake. You cannot have a "WTH" attitude when baking a cake. Baking involves exact measurements and precise timing. If you use too much baking powder your cake will be bitter and collapse in the middle. If you leave your cookies in the oven for an extra five minutes they will burn on the bottom. End of story. Baking is like chemistry. Chemistry was not my best subject as a kid and baking is definitely not my best as an adult (dozens of burnt cookies and brownies over the years support my case).  Cooking, however, is a much more forgiving …

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Best of Patch Readers Choice: St. Patrick's Day Venues

Let us know your input this week for our newest Best Of poll.

It's that time of year many of the Irish residents in Massachusetts wait for - Saint Patrick's Day.  As such, we're using our Best Of Readers Chioce poll this week to hone in on your favorite places to spend the renowned Irish holiday.  Here are some of our favorite places in and around Concord, but if we're leaving one off of the list, please let us know in the comments and we'll add it: Voting in the poll below is open until 9 a.m. Friday. Ties will be broken by whichever business has the most positive comments in the section below. We will announce the winner at noon Friday. So tell us what your favorite spot to spend time on St. Patrick's Day! And don't forget to tell us in the comments below why you think it's the best place in town. …

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