Happy Holidays!

Oh wait!  They’re over.

Well then, Happy New Year!  May 2013 bring you nothing but love, laughter and happiness.  Oh my Goodness!  The end of January is practically in sight.  Crap.  I guess Happy New Year is a bit late too.  Well, I mean it anyways.  May what’s left of this year bring you all I mentioned just now.

The last month of 2012 was filled with Christmas celebrations, parties, play dates, an overload of toddler cuteness and sugar, massive colds and feeling miserable.  Christmas was supposed to be a day of yummy foods, drinks, pressies, movie watching and a delicious dinner.  Unfortunately, other than Santa’s deliveries and the joy those brought on, the day was filled with stuffiness, immense sinus pressure and misery.  The only cocktails I got to enjoy contained DayQuil, NyQuil and Mucinex.  A few days later, David decided to show his sympathy by coming down with the same cold and I had to be instantly recovered for the sake of the household and all that live here.

We battled the cold, we persevered and moved on.  Some time soon I will update on all the adventures our family has been up to, but for now I wanted to share something exciting:

I am officially the owner of the “Mompreneur Title” and I’m wearing it proudly.  Pamperosity has launched, and things are moving forward.  The website is being designed (which is such an exciting process), I opened up my Etsy Store and I’ve done a good amount of R&D over the past few weeks.  Yep, trying out scrubs, bath bombs and other products are part of the job – I chose well.

And today…

…today we are launching

Our Valentine’s Products!

Photo by: David Beeler

Yes, it is what you think it is: Chocolate Body Scrub! Say “Hello” to your new Guilty Pleasure.  There’s real cocoa inside this jar from heaven and without smelling like a candy bar (the scent is subtle) you’re left with oh-so-soft skin.  Like any other chocolate product, go ahead and enjoy it by yourself, or… share with someone special…did someone say the word “Aphrodisiac”? (Just don’t eat it!!).

An 8oz. jar of Chocolate Love Body Scrub sells for $12.50.  Click here to order.

Photo by: David Beeler

Oh la la, romance!  Pretty and heavenly smelling Heart Bombs.  A combination of Rose & Jasmine oils make for one relaxing (and romantic) bath experience… I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.

A set of 3 Heart Bombs sells for $8.75.  Click here to order.

So, on this note of romance, and pampering, and to tie back to where we begun: I wish you a pampered, relaxed and sweet 2013!  Pamper yourself and pamper those around you.  Treat yourself well, you deserve it!!

Until next time,

Savor food, savor family and savor life.
~ Marieke, aka HRH Mommy

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A few weeks ago, I announced the big news of embarking on the “Mompreneur” journey.  Well, I’m well on my way and though the waters vary from smooth-sailing to sometimes rough and choppy, I am loving the experience and I am completely energized and motivated with this new initiative.

Pamperosity is all about handmade, all natural bath & body products.  Not only do I make all products myself, the recipes are my own recipes, put together by me, myself and I.  I believe that everyone should pamper themselves and treat themselves nicely.  After all, when we, ourselves feel good, we pass that on to those around us.  And honestly, it’s just NICE to pamper yourself at the end of a busy day, when all the craziness is behind you, the kids are in bed, dishes are done and it’s time to unwind.  A nice scrub or a nice bath, a cup of tea or a glass of wine and the day winds down in perfect harmony.  Yep, that’s what I’m all about.  I just wish I had more of those harmonious evenings…

I admit that it’s been a bit quiet on the blogging front here, but believe me when I say that the past few weeks have been nothing but quiet for me: My awesome friend Erik Larson designed my logo, my amazing husband and I designed my business card and the labels for the jars and I have come to learn a lot about the packaging options for my products and about labels and the different types of material used for those.  I got a refresher course in Chemistry (oh how I loathed that class in high school…I never thought in a million years I would ever come to use it) and now I am in the process of finding a web designer/developer and I am getting ready for the big day…

Saturday December 1 is when Pamperosity officially launches with a Launch & Pamper Party here in Los Angeles.  To all those in the LA Area, I extend an invitation.  I would love it if you joined me.  It promises to be a fun eve with complimentary cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and hand massages.  Try out some products and get some Holiday shopping done.  If you’d like to attend, drop me an email at: marieke[at]pamperosity[dot]com and I’ll provide you with the details.

Soon I will grace all of you with a Giveaway in which I will give away some heavenly product, so stay tuned for that.

Photo by: David Beeler

What products do we have right now?  Here ya go:

• Lavender Body Scrub – relaxing, calming, soothing…in other words, perfect for the end of the day.
• Citrus Body Scrub – refreshing and revitalizing.  The perfect wake-me-up scrub to start the day with.
• Brown Sugar Body Scrub – brown sugar, oats and coconut oil.  So delicious, you could almost eat it.
• Paradise Hand Scrub – the hand scrub that gives you a whole-body-experience and leaves your hands silky soft.
• Lemon Elbow Scrub – perfect for the rough and/or dark patches on the elbows.  Yep, it really works.
• Peppermint Foot Scrub – refreshing, soothing and moisturizing.  Perfect for tired tootsies.
• Lavender Bath Bombs – aromatherapy to the max.  The beautiful smell, softens skin, relaxes the soul.
• Ylang Ylang Bath Bombs – RELAXATION!

Photo by: David Beeler

Until my website is up and running, my Facebook page is my portal of information.  Wanna see the products?  They’re up there as well, in the album geniusly  named “Products”.  Stop by, “like” me as the awesome reader that you are and drop me a line.  I’d love to hear from you.

So, I’m off to do some more product research.  I’m gonna draw a bath, get in, drop one of my heavenly Bath Bombs in it and decide if they’re ready to be sold.  Yep, it’s hard work and I’m lovin’ it!

Until next time,

Savor food, savor family, savor life.
~ Marieke, aka HRH Mommy

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

Photo by: David Beeler

Unless you’re a vegetarian, for many people Chicken Parmesan is mentioned on the list of “comfort foods”.  To me, growing up in Europe, Chicken Parmesan was a new concept when I arrived here in the United States, 13 years ago.  I didn’t quite get the hype, but figured, it’d give it a try.  Some time.  And I did.  A few months ago.  Yep, it took me 13 years to try Chicken Parmesan.  Why?  ‘Cause it’s chicken.  With tomato sauce.  Topped with cheese.  It doesn’t take much imagination to get the idea of what that would taste like.

And then I watched a DVR-ed episode of The Pioneer Woman on a Sunday afternoon while David had gone to work out, the kids had their “quiet time” and I had my Mommy Time.  And I have to admit: I don’t know how she does it, but that lady manages to make everything she makes, even something as straight forward as Chicken Parmesan, look so enticing, it makes me want to crawl through my TV screen, straight into her kitchen. So I had to try it.

And I did.

And I thoroughly enjoyed the meal.  It was flavorful, easy to make and the whole family loved it.  It’s the perfect weeknight meal.  I lack the history, I lack the childhood experiences, but I can totally see how chicken Parmesan could make it onto the “comfort food list” of my children.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and pounded flat
• 1 lb. thin linguine
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 whole medium onion, chopped
• 3/4 cups chicken stock
• three 14.5-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more if needed
• Basil chiffonade, for serving

Directions:

• Mix the flour and some salt and pepper together on a large plate.  Dredge the flattened chicken breasts in the flour mixture and set aside.
• Cook the linguine until al dente.
• Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat.  When the butter is melted and the oil/butter mixutre is hot, fry the chicken breasts until nice and golden brown on each side (2-3 minutes per side).  Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and set aside.
• Without cleaning the skillet, add the garlic and onions and gently stir for 2 minutes.  Pour in the stock and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom.
• Allow the stock to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir to combine.
• Add the sugar and more salt and pepper to taste and allow to cook for 30 minutes.
• Toward the end of the cooking time, add the chopped parsley and give the sauce a final stir.
• Carefully lay the chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in the grated Parmesan.
• Place the lid on the skillet and reduce the heat to low.  Allow to simmer until the cheese is melted and the chicken is thoroughly heated.  Add more cheese to taste.
• Place the cooked noodles on a plate and cover with the sauce.
• Place the chicken breasts on top and sprinkle with more parsley and basil chiffonade.
• Serve immediately.

Serves: 8

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: The Pioneer Woman, aka Ree Drummond)

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Share Your Thoughts:

What is your favorite comfort food?  Care to share the recipe?

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I admit: when I first heard of quinoa I assumed it wouldn’t be something I would like.  I expected it to be bland and boring. Then I tried it and I loved it.  It is so versatile, it comes in many different (pretty colors) and it is the perfect side dish to pretty much any dinner.  This quinoa recipe isn’t much different.

I love pine nuts.  I love to eat them when they are still warm from being toasted, I love them in salads, AND I love them in quinoa.  They add a wonderfully nutty flavor to the dish, while the onions add the kick and the parsley contributes on the freshness front.  Despite not feeling great last week, David ended up serving himself 3 times.  Okay, so I couldn’t stay away from it either.  No leftovers on this one.  Yum.

Quinoa with Pine Nuts, Green Onions & Parsley

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1-3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• Dash of salt
• 3/4 cup pine nuts (or slivered almonds), toasted in a dry pan
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Directions:

• If the quinoa needs to be rinsed, rinse with cold water and let it drain in a fine-mesh strainer for at least 5 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a heavy pan.
• Add the quinoa and saute until it starts to smell toasted, usually 3-4 minutes.
• Add the stock.  Be aware of the sputtering in the pan, when the stock hits the hot pan.
• Add the salt and bring the mixture to a boil.  Lower the heat  and simmer the quinoa, covered for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).
• When the quinoa is done, let it stand, covered for 5 minutes.
• Fluff the quinoa with a fork, stir in the toasted pine nuts, sliced green onions and chopped parsley.
• Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Kalyn’s Kitchen)

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Share Your Recipe

Do you have a quinoa recipe that you love?  Share it with me on either Facebook, or by dropping me an email.  I’d love to try it out, especially when it’s a relatively quick recipe.

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‘t Is the season!  Pomegranates are back and I am over the moon.  [insert happy dance]  A couple of weeks ago, I received the first 3 in my produce delivery and though they might have been picked a fraction too early (they were quite tart TART), I ended up putting them to very, very good use.  I decided to make an apple pomegranate crisp.  Let’s just say that the crisp didn’t make the 24 hours on my countertop.  Even David, who was a bit under the weather, couldn’t stay away from it.  SCORE!

Warm gooey apples and pomegranate arils topped with crispy, sweet and buttery oats…go ahead, dig in!  The apples and pomegranates bring a dose of tartness to the table, the spices really come through and the oats make the crisp…well…

And this is where I would tell you pomegranates are high in Vitamin B and potassium and that one apple a day will keep the doctor away.  Seriously, who cares about the nutritional value of this crisp.  Make it, and sinfully indulge, ’cause it’s that good.

Apple Pomegranate Crisp

Ingredients:

• 4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In  large bowl toss the apples, pomegranate seeds, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Sread in a 9×13″ pan.
• In the same bowl stir together the oats, flour and sugar and drizzle in the butter.  Stir with a fork to obtain a crumbly mixture.
• Sprinkle over the fruit.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

Serves: that depends on how how many people are around to smell this crisp baking in the oven…seriously, I’d think it’s dessert for 4-6, especially when you serve it with a bit of vanilla bean ice cream.

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Abundant Harvest Organics)

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These crescent rolls are a hit.  I have never seen appetizers disappear off a plate faster than these did.  It was only a couple of minutes after putting them out when I realized that I hadn’t snapped a pic of them yet.  I honestly had to scramble to pull enough of the crescent rolls together for a group shot.  Every single person at our gathering was crazy about them – the next time I will make more, my friends!

Serve these crescent rolls warm and gooey, that’s the way to go.  Make the filling in advance and just before the arrival of your guests, unroll the crescent rolls, fill them, pop them in the oven and serve them.  Just back off them until you have served your guests!  (Although you might have to try one for quality control purposes, you know what I’m sayin’.)

The kids loved them, the adults couldn’t get enough…yep they were a success.  I used the Pillsbury crescent rolls for this one.  I admit, I am not a big dough maker.  That’s just not my forte.  So, consider this semi-home made, with the emphasis on HOME MADE!

Enjoy them at your next gathering and let me know how they turned out.

Crescent Rolls with Feta & Spinach

Ingredients:

• 2 tubes Pillsbury (or whatever brand) crescent rolls, 8 ct.
• 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
• 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 oz. fresh baby spinach (about half of a pre-washed bag), chopped
• 2 oz. black olives, finely diced (optional)
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• dash of salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Chop the spinach and olives and put them in a large mixing bowl.  Add the feta, mozzarella, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper.  Toss thoroughly and set the bowl aside.
• Unroll the crescent dough and divide into triangles.
• Using a spoon, place small heaps of the spinach mixture on the wide part of the dough triangle.
• Roll them up and place them on a greased cookie sheet.
• Brush them lightly with the egg white.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve immediately (they’re still good when they’re at room temp, but when they’re warm they’re out of this world good.)

Makes 16 rolls.

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Claire Bidwell Smith)

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Share Your Thoughts:

Do you have an appetizer that moves faster than you can keep up with?  Share it with me by either posting the recipe link in the comments, on my Facebook page, or simply drop me an email.  With Holiday gatherings coming up, I would love to discover new party recipes!

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Photo by: David Beeler

So, here we go getting weird.  A couple of weeks ago, I was graced with a bunch of veggies I had never heard of.  Sin-qua.  Sound familiar, right?  I mean, it immediately sparks a whole series of ideas for dinner, doesn’t it?  Not really.  Sorrel was another one.  Though I knew about it, I had only cooked it with once, so this I emailed my neighbor, Tony Romano, who is an amazing chef.  His inspiration: a mushroom risotto with sin-qua and sorrel.

Sin-qua is a Chinese Okra that is quite spongy.  It doesn’t have a lot of flavor and really absorbs the flavors that it is paired with.
Sorrel is a leaf veg similar to spinach. You see it often in mescalin (spring mix) for salads but it has to be mixed with other greens because it contains oxalic acid and in large quantities can make you sick.  BUT…this risotto recipe only uses a handful, so there’s absolutely nothing to worry about.  As a matter of fact, it turns this risotto into a risotto from heaven!  De-Li-Cious!

Now, risotto has the reputation that it’s difficult to make.  It’s not.  It just takes time.  The difficulty is to keep the children occupied while I stir, ’cause you can’t really walk away from the risotto while it’s cooking.  THAT’s the difficulty, but there’s an easy solution for that: a healthy snack and a movie!  Voilà, problem solved.

So, here ya go.  An absolutely-to-die-for-risotto!  Worth every minute of stirring!

Don’t want to venture out on the sin-qua and sorrel?  No problem!  Just leave them out and you’ll have a wonderful mushroom risotto instead!

Mushroom & Sin Qua Risotto

Ingredients:

• Extra-Virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 sin-qua, diced
• 1-1/2lb. assorted fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or cremini, cleaned and sliced
• salt
• 1 handful of sorrel, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 6-7 cups hot chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmegiano
• Chives/Parsley and Parmegiano shavings for garnish

Directions:

• Coat a large saute pan generously with oil and add the garlic.  Bring to a medium-heat.  When the garlic becomes aromatic, add the sin-qua and the mushrooms and season with salt.
• When the mushrooms start to soften, add the sorrel and cook for a few minutes until wilted and the mushrooms are soft and pliable.  Turn off the heat and reserve.
• Coat a large saucepot / pan with olive oil and add the rice.  Cook for 2-3 minutes to toast, stirring frequently.
• Add the wine to cover the surface of the rice and stir frequently until it has completely absorbed the liquid.
• Add chicken stock until the liquid has covered the surface of the rice.  Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice.
• Repeat this process 2 more times, while occasionally checking for seasoning.  You’ll probably have to add some salt.  Oh, and KEEP STIRRING!
• During the third addition of stock, add the reserved sauteed mushrooms mixture.
• When the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked but is still “al dente”, remove the pot from the heat.
• Add the butter and cheese and fold into the rice until well combined.
• It should look very creamy.
• Serve immediately and garnish with chives, or parsley and Parmesan shavings.

Serves: 4-6

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Marieke, aka HRH Mommy, inspired by Tony Romano)

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Share Your Thoughts

I am looking for more risotto recipes!  Do you have any to share?  Send them my way.  Despite the fact that they’re a bit more labor intensive, the result is always well worth it, so I’m eager to experiment!

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Photo by: The Pollen Path

In 2001 I graduated with a Master’s degree in Marketing Communications.   Just in time for the recession.  I spent the summer in Italy and flew back to Los Angeles on September 11.  One and a half hour before landing we turned around, due to the events known to all of us.  I finally arrived in SoCal 10 days later.

And there I was.  A foreigner with a MA, limited work experience and most importantly, no visa.  Good luck on the job hunt, Honey!

I worked at the Consulate General of The Netherlands for a while, covering for the Assistant to the Consul General while she was on maternity leave.  Following, I had the chance to put my education to use: I landed the job as a Marketing coordinator at a flower importer here in LA.  And this is where I realized the discrepancy between the theory as I had learned it in college and the practice.  It was nothing alike and it was frustrating (to say the least) to come to that conclusion.  Not only had I put pressure on myself to make my education work for me, but my surroundings certainly had expectations as well.  After all, I was supposed to conquer corporate America.  Instead I was floundering, stressed and deeply disappointed.

I wanted to be part of the group of people who LOVED their jobs; who loved 80+% of what they did, could do it all day long, even if it meant no sleep.  Being part of the group who hated disliked 80+% of their daily responsibilities and who only were blessed with 20% of enjoyable duties had caused me more than just a bad mood.  Soo…what was the job that would make me tick?  It wasn’t until the conversation I had with David’s best friend, Michael Neill, that it came to me.  Michael is an internationally renowned success coach and best-selling author and it were his questions that made the light bulb go on upstairs.

The job I wanted was to be a MOM!

It was more than an “ahah” moment.  Compare it to an overload of caffeine being shot straight into your veins: excitement and overwhelm, bouncing off the walls and the “Let’s do it!” feeling.

So here we are; 7 years and 2 beautiful toddlers later.  Not only are they an absolutely blessing, but raising them and seeing them grow up is the most rewarding and awesome-est job ever.  They are the first things I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last things I think about when I go to bed at night.  I marvel at them every day, being darn proud of the cool dudes they are.  They rock my world.

Over the past 5 years I’ve been entertaining the idea of starting my own business once the kids were in school.  I had no idea what sort of business it would be, what I would do, sell or create or when and how I was going to go about that.  I just always knew that “when I knew I’d know”.  Oh, and by the way, being the Type A that I am, it was sometimes hard to keep myself from trying to figure out what that was.  I wanted to be my own boss, maybe start something with a friend, create a business doing something I loved doing.  That was as far as I had ever gotten.

And then my friend Nicole came to visit.  By now, you know that we had fun.  And similar to when we were in college, we spent a lot of time talking.  We were both communications majors, so we know how to talk.  And over a glass of something beautiful we talked work, career and life.  I shared that “at some point when the kids are in school” I wanted to start something for myself.  “Doing what?” she asked.  “I don’t know yet, but I’ll know when I know” I said.  “I know” came out of her mouth.

Excuse me?

“Your scrubs, Girlfriend!  They are amazing, everyone loves them, there’s your business!”

Right there and then, I got that jolt of caffeine, lightning hit and I saw the light.  And somewhere up in the heavens, angels sang their “Hallelujah!”

And here I am.  Not only am I over the moon delighted with my job as a MOM, but thanks to Nicole, I am now embarking on the journey of becoming a “Mompreneur”.  (Great word huh?  Love love love it.)

I am going to start my own business in all natural, homemade body scrubs and other at-home spa products.  Pampering, feeling good and sharing it with all who love to feel good too!

Photo by: Mobile Cuisine

I started writing my business plan and it is exciting.  (Except the market segmentation and industry analysis parts, but those are part of the 20%).  Ideas keep coming up, enthusiasm is being sparked and creativity follows closely.  So exciting!

Photo by: Laura Bruno’s Blog

Bill Cumming, a dear friend and amazing mentor, put it perfectly:

“When we truly are excited about what we do, the doing is its own reward. There is only one pass through each lifetime and to ignore the precious nature of the opportunity is assign the responsibility for its design to external forces. “

So, here I am, adding just another thing to my plate.  Seriously, when will days start having more than 24 hours?  The boys will (without a doubt) remain the #1 responsibility in my life, I will continue to cook, make yummy cocktails, write about it all, and now I will start bringing some pampering and “feel good” juju into your homes.  As soon as the website is up, there is news fit to print, or I just want to share my excitement, I’ll do it here and on my Facebook page.

Last but not least: different sort of scrubs and bath fizzies will be up for sale in time for Christmas.  So, when making the lists of who gets what, consider who of your friends and family members enjoy pampering and feeling good.  For those friends and family, I have the perfect gifts coming to you very soon!

Prototypes are out and are being tested, packaging is being designed and website is being built.  The Launch Party is being put together and soon we’ll be open for business.

Until next time,

Savor food, savor family, savor life.
- Marieke, aka HRH Mommy

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

Photo by: David Beeler

Yep, this chicken in basil cream sauce tastes just as good as it looks.  It is absolutely delicious (AND easy to make!!).  The crispiness of the chicken, the creaminess of the sauce and the little kick that the basil adds – it all adds up to a wonderful dinner.  Seriously, crispy chicken, cream, Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs…they just go together.

I served the dish with some spaghetti and really didn’t need additional sauce.  The plain pasta compliments the flavors of the chicken and the basil cream sauce perfectly.  These days I get a fair share of fresh basil in my weekly produce delivery and though it’s great for sandwiches, as an added herb to salads, this was a great variation on how to use it.  It elevates the flavors of any sauce, but well…you add it to cream and melted cheese….need I say more?

So, here ya go!  Enjoy and let me know how it worked out!  Oh, and don’t forget to serve it with a nice glass of white.  A Chardonnay compliments it beautifully I discovered…

Did I mention it’s easy to make?

Chicken with Basil Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

• Place the milk and bread crumbs in separate bowls.
• Heat the butter on medium heat.
• Dip the chicken in the milk and coat with the crumbs.
• Cook i the butter on both sides until the juices run clear.  Remove and keep warm.
• Add the broth to the skillet and bring to a boil.
• Stir in the cream and boil for one minute.  Reduce the heat.
• Add the Parmesan cheese, basil, and pepper.  Stir the sauce and cook until heated through.
• Pour the mixture over the chicken and serve.

Serves: 4

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Abundant Harvest Organics)

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Photo by: David Beeler

Tapenade originates in the Provence, where it started as a paste made of capers, anchovies, and garlic – ingredients readily available in the South of France.  It became popular very quickly and was adapted by many Mediterranean cultures, each culture adapting the tapenade recipe to their taste, availability of ingredients and culture.  These days practically all tapenades have one ingredient in common: olives.  Tapenade frequently includes other ingredients, such as garlic, lemon juice, herbs and olive oil.

Originally, tapenade has a paste-like consistency and is prepared with mortar and pestle.  For this recipe, I decided to go a bit coarser and actually use the food processor.  It was the convenient way as I felt that mortar and pestle would give me more of a workout than I wanted at the time.  Thank heavens for our modern-day conveniences kitchen appliances.

Want a home made appetizer that can be made in advance?  Here you go!  The toasting of the bread takes longer than the making of the tapenade itself.  And both can be made the day before use.  Transfer the tapenade to a non-aluminum bowl or jar, tightly covered, and refrigerate up to 48 hours.  The bread can be toasted in advance as well.  Store it in an airtight container and you’re golden on the day of.

Finally, allow me to tell you that this tapenade is a burst of flavor.  No store-bought tapenade comes close.  Yep, it’s convenient to buy it ready to go, but home-made gives it just that “little extra”.  I strongly recommend it.

Olive Tapenade

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups (7-1/2 oz./235 gr.) pitted mild brine-cured green olives such as Luques or picholines, black Niçoise olives, or a combination of several kinds
• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 3 tbsp. capers, rinsed
• 1-1/2 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1-1/2 tbsp. Cognac or brandy
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• freshly ground white pepper
•  1/4 cup (2 fl.oz./60 ml.) extra-virgin olive oil
• 24 thin baguette slices
• olive oil

Directions:

•  To make the tapenade, combine the olives, anchovies, capers, parsley, garlic, Cognac, lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. white pepper in a food processor.
• Pulse once or twice to combine roughly, then add the olive oil and pulse briefly, stopping to scrape down the bowl sides once or twice.
• The texture should be chunky, rather than a smooth puree.  Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. (180 C.) and arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet.
• Brush them lightly with olive oil and bake until golden, 10-15 minutes.
• Transfer the toasted baguette slices to a serving platter.
• Spread each one with about 1 tablespoon of the tapenade.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 24 bites

Enjoy!

(Recipe by: Williams-Sonoma, adapted by Marieke Beeler)

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