Beef Stroganoff for #SundaySupper's Birthday!

My mom makes one mean strogie. It's a classic recipe, but for some reason it just tastes like more when you bite into it. Whether over rice (hers and my favourite), roast potatoes (which my stepdad likes) or noodles (the traditional starch), the tangy, slightly creamy melange is always a huge comfort and is now the common option for quiet birthdays and Sunday dinners at home. We do a lot more "classic" Sunday supper meals these days, usually having my grandma and my stepbrother's fiancee over. I think it took last year's events to really drive home the importance of connecting and spending time with those we love around us, who we take for granted that they'll always be there, until they aren't.

I thank my involvement in the #SundaySupper movement for fostering that mentality in me, and while I may not be able to eat what the rest of the family can and does, I can share stories, inspiration and good cooking with them - and the wonderful friends I've met along the way in our tweet-chats. As Isabel, our fearless leader, wrote in this week's preview post: ...eating Supper Around the Family Table is the best nourishment we can give our families. It is about so much more than just the food that is served.

This week marks the one-year anniversary of #SundaySupper. While I wasn't part of the "original eight", I'm so proud that I got the chance to be a part of the weeks I was around for. To celebrate the success of this incredible event and continue solidifying our commitment to the craft and to each other as friends and co-cooks, we've chosen recipes made by each other over the year's events and made them for our own families. When I saw the stroganoff on Melanie's blog From Fast Food to Fresh Food it made total sense for me to make it - it's been the "grownup" birthday dinner here over the past few years, has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember and is the epitome of comfort food meets classy food. Like pretty much everything else I've tried from fellow #SundaySupper bloggers, I was not disappointed!

This is what's hitting the tables this week for #SundaySupper's birthday:


Sunday Supper Appetizers:

• Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks inspired by Comfy Cuisine
• So Simple Pizza Puffs by The Weekend Gourmet inspired by Hip Foodie Mom
• Pepperoni and Mozzarella Pull Apart by Noshing With The Nolands inspired by In the Kitchen with KP

Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:

• Lasagna Soup by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Easy Italian Wedding Soup by Webicurean inspired by Family Foodie
• Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Soup by Damn Delicious inspired by Cupcakes and Kale Chips
• Honey Butter Dinner Rolls by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Chicken Noodle Soup by Big Bears Wife inspired by My Catholic Kitchen
• Tomato Florentine Soup by Mama Mommy Mom inspired by The Meltaways
• Chicken Soup with Dumplings by Comfy Cuisine inspired by The Messy Baker
• Coconut Curry Chicken Soup by My Trials in the Kitchen inspired by Damn Delicious

Sunday Supper Main Dishes: 

• Portuguese Mussels and Shrimp in Chorizo Sauce by Supper for a Steal inspired by Family Foodie
• (GlutenFree) Chicken Bruschetta by The Meltaways inspired by Family Foodie
• Feijoada Portuguese Bean Stew by Kimchi Mom inspired by Family Foodie
• Lentils and Chorizo Stew by Galactosemia in PDX inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Carnitas Pizza w/ Chipotle-Avocado Crema by girlichef inspired by Damn Delicious
• Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas by Country Girl in the Village  inspired by Webicurean
  
• Drunken Meatballs by Small Wallet Big Appetite inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
• Goat Cheese Rigatoni Alfredo by Magnolia Days inspired by Family Foodie

• Beef Stroganoff by What Smells So Good? inspired by  From Fast Food to Fresh Food 
• Dorie’s Chicken-in-the-Pot by Hip Foodie Mom inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Pulled Pickled Pork by Juanita’s Cocina inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Hoisin Asian Meatballs by Gotta Get Baked inspired by Damn Delicious
• Shrimp-Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes by Daily Dish Recipes inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Soy, Orange Juice and Red Wine Marinade by Peanut Butter and Peppers inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Chicken Burger with Curried Cabbage Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings inspired by Soni’s Food
• Corn and Basil Handpies by Curious Cuisiniere inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken by Cupcakes and Kale Chips inspired by The Meltaways
• Jalapeño Popper Chicken Chili by Food Lust People Love inspired by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Bigos by Maroc Mama inspired by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Crispy Coconut Chicken Strips with Sweet Chili Sauce by From Fast Food to Fresh Food inspired by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends
• Pork Loin with Port Shallot Sauce by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen inspired by Vintage Kitchen Notes
• Sweet & Tender Brisket by Daddy Knows Less inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Fish Tacos by Cookistry inspired by Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Homemade Harissa by Masala Herb inspired by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by Family Foodie inspired by Kimchi Mom
• New Orleans Style White Beans & Rice by Catholic Foodie inspired by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle
• Spice Rubbed Chicken Tacos with Tropical Salsa by The Urban Mrs. inspired by Family Foodie
• Mac n Cheese Cups with Pork Shoulder Ragu by Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends inspired by Hip Foodie Mom

Sunday Supper Veggies: 

• Carrots au Gratin by Shockingly Delicious inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Skillet Spinach Corn with Edamame, Cilantro & Bacon Bits by The Lovely Pantry inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks: 

• Chocolate Brownie Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake inspired by Magnolia Days
• Mexican Hot Cocoa Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Cinnamon Apple Chimichangas by La Cocina de Leslie inspired by Juanita’s Cocina
• Apple Pull Apart Bread with Caramel Drizzle by Cravings of a Lunatic inspired by Gotta Get Baked
• Cherry Tart by Happy Baking Days inspired by Vintage Kitchen
• Orange Rolls by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Caramel Apple Bread by The Foodie Army Wife inspired by Fam Friends Food
• Rosettes by Simply Gourmet inspired by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pumpkin Donut Puffs by Soni’s Food inspired by Daily Dish Recipes
• Chocolate Chip Cut-out Cookies by Basic and Delicious inspired by Chocolate Moosey
• Nutella Shortbread Bars by Kelly Bakes inspired by Baker Street
• Butterscotch Pudding Triple Chip Cookies by Mom’s Test Kitchen inspired by Dinner Dishes and Desserts
• Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream by The Messy Baker Blog inspired by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Angel Cake Sandwiches by Ninja Baker inspired by That Skinny Girl Can Bake 
• Soft Pretzels with Spicy Beer Cheese Sauce by Vintage Kitchen inspired by girlichef 
• Sweet N Spicy Roasted Spiced Nuts by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz inspired by The Foodie Army Wife
• Cheesecake with Fresh Berries by An Appealing Plan inspired by The Messy Baker Blog

 Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:

• Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Oat Muffins by In the Kitchen with Audrey inspired by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Budget Friendly Breakfast Freezable Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwiches by In The Kitchen with KP inspired by Big Bear’s Wife
• Raspberry Hot Chocolate by My Catholic Kitchen inspired by Momma’s Meals

Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday! 

We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? You can sign up by clicking here.

Tender Cut - Out Cookies and Gluten Free Cut - Out Sugar Cookies

I love baking for my hair salon's crew, especially at holiday time. Since at least one stylist there keeps gluten free, and I know a good amount of them are vegan, it gives me a little bit of opportunity to play with "traditional" recipes. I love seeing their eyes light up when one of the two batches I bring in is labelled "gluten free" (I also list all the ingredients so everyone knows what's in them), and while I'm not usually present when they're dug into, I always hear great feedback the next time I come in for a trim!

GF Cut - Out Sugar Cookies

This year I brought in a few treats for the girls (and gentlemen!) - including these two variations on the classic sugar cookie. I picked sugar cookies (vegan, of course) because they're the perfect tool to showcase to non-GFers how simple and non-threatening gluten free items can be to eat, as well as to give a relatively "safe" option free of nuts, eggs, dairy and (for one batch) gluten. Sugar cookies are also great for the sheer fact that they're a blank canvas for icing, and I definitely had fun with the decorations! To keep the cookies straight, I made all the gluten free biscuits heart or cat shaped, and the "normal" ones became stars and elephants. A basic powdered sugar icing got jazzed up with spiced rum for a punch of flavour and a quick set, and following this guide from SugarBelle they never looked better (even though I was in a rush, hence no finished pics).

When they were all packed up in their respective boxes (and clearly labelled), you'd never be able to guess which was which, and that was the point. I know many people who tried both and loved them equally, and in terms of making them I think I even slightly preferred the gluten free vegan version (they held their shape a touch better)!

Cracked Wheat Bread, Two Ways

We're finally getting back into the "swing" of things after all the holiday hubbub, and one of the first things my mom asked for me to make when she went back to work was some hearty whole grain bread to go with the "leftovers" soup I made from the turkey carcass (hope to get that one up this week!). I turned to one of my favourite "bread books", Prairie Home Breads: 150 Splendid Recipes from America's Breadbasket by Judith Fertig and found the perfect candidate - Cracked Wheat Bread. 

Whenever I think of cracked wheat, I think of my grandma's stories of eating it with breakfast. It's a hearty, wholesome and cheap porridge, that just so happens to be great in bread too! When shopping, I picked up some, trying to remember what the recipe said, but didn't get enough. Hm... do I make half the recipe? Nah - not when I had some other grains to play with! I wound up using up the cracked wheat, some 12 grain hot cereal and a handful of bulghur (pre-cooked, cracked wheat), and the combination worked perfectly! 

Like I said, the recipe makes two loaves. Well, I wasn't content with leaving the dough well enough alone, not when it was such a wonderful blank canvas! So, I divided the lot in half after the first rise and while one half went on it's merry way to becoming a nice wholegrain sandwich bread, I brought out the mix ins for the rest of the batch. I didn't go too crazy though - just sunflower and pumpkin seeds for crunch and a handful of soaked raisins for sweet pops of moisture. While my mom liked both, I know her well enough to spot the "redux" loaf disappearing a little faster than the plain Jane one. Take your pick, or toss in your own favourites! You can't go wrong... unless you really try!

Sending these loaves to YeastSpotting at Wild Yeast.

Nut and Seed Nougat (#SundaySupper Bucket List!)

This holiday season was the catch-all for recipes I always wanted to try and conquer. Bubble Sugar and Coffee Bean Brittle were two of them, along with a few other candy and bread recipes I still haven't gotten around to sharing (bad blogger!), Indian Pancake Syrup and those Vintage Speculaas. But when I found the nut-filled French-Italian nougat recipe in The Liddabit Sweets Candy Cookbook, it looked like something that would use up egg whites from the shortbreads we made and could be the star of my gift baskets - especially since so many recipients were European!

Since I've been making a lot of candy this year, I was somewhat familiar with the process, and having done marshmallows in particular definitely helped. I made a few changes to the original recipe based on what I had in the house (i.e. not enough almonds, or corn syrup, and I wanted to play with the vanilla sugar I had). However, I was not prepared with how stiff the whipped mixture really gets - the direction to "stir the nuts" into the plain base was more like "try not to break your spatula / your arms", and (partially because I slightly overcooked the sugar syrup) cutting it was one of the hardest things either my mom or I had ever experienced. It was well received though, and made a ton so was perfect for gifts.

Would I make it again? Probably not. As much as people liked it, it was far too hard to work with and definitely too hard to cut on my own. But, the point is that I did try it, and I learned, and gosh darn it I conquered that mound of rock hard sugar!

This week’s Sunday Supper is all about trying something new, something that’s been on your bucket list but you have yet to tackle. I'm amazed at the wealth and variety of good eats on our bucket list! Some I hadn't even thought of ever making, until now!

Sunday Supper Specialty Breads:

• Homemade Bagels with Mimosa Spread by Daily Dish Recipes
• Homemade Tortillas by Supper for a Steal
• Brioche by Gotta Get Baked
• Alton Brown’s Soft Pretzels by Hezzi-D’s Book and Cooks
• Braided Challah by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Belgian Waffles by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Gluten-free Bread by Happy Baking Days
• Monkey Bread by Vintage Kitchen Notes

Sunday Supper Main Dishes:

• Lightened Up Slow Cooker Butter Chicken by The Meltaways
• Gluten Free Ravioli by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Bagna Cauda and Potatoes by Shockingly Delicious
• Beef Wellington by Family Foodie
• Green Chili and Lentil Tamales by Mangoes and Chutney
• Mushroom Ragout over Creamy Polenta by Noshing with the Nolands
• Butternut Squash Gnocchi by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Ropa Vieja by Magnolia Days
• Tah-Dig (Persian Rice) by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Fresh Ravioli with Ricotta by Comfy Cuisine
• Stuffed Artichokes by The Roxx Box
• Braised Short Ribs by The Messy Baker blog
• Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon by Hip Foodie Mom
• French Onion Soup by The Weekend Gourmet
• Leaping Frog Chicken by The Urban Mrs.
• Fried Polenta with Spicy Tomato Relish by Mama Mommy Mom
• Savory Spinach-Filled Crepe Cake with Cheddar Sauce by Webicurean
• Japanese-Style Prosperity Pockets & Goat Cheese En Croute by Ninja Baking
• San Antonio Puffy Tacos by Sustainable Dad
• Chinese Dumplings by My Cute Bride
• Falafel by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Sunday Supper Desserts and Snacks:

• Creamy Lemon Fudge by Chocolate Moosey
• Zebra Cake by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Faux Ice Cream with Bananas by Country Girl in the Village
• Divinity by Juanita’s Cocina
• Homemade Seafoam Candy by girlichef
• French Macarons by I Run for Wine
• Mocha Macadamia Trifle with Mascarpone Cream by The Foodie Army Wife
• Nut and Seed Nougat by What Smells So Good
• Pumpkin Mocha Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Frosting and Dulce de Leche Drizzle by Damn Delicious
• Chocolate Meringue Cake (gluten free) by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Gluten-Free Golden Fudge Cake by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Orange Rum Tiramisu Cake by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Peanut Sesame Honey Brittle by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Granola Bars with Dried Fruit by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Jamaican Blue Drawers by Lovely Pantry
• Mini Classic Key Lime Pies  by In the Kitchen with KP
• Donuts: Redux by Kelly Bakes
• Hot Lemon Curd Soufflés by Food Lust People Love
• Popcorn with truffle oil and asiago cheese by Ruffles & Truffles

Don't forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter this Sunday! We tweet throughout the day, with our weekly chat starting at 7:00PM EST. Simply follow the#SundaySupper hashtag and include it in your tweets to join in the chat! We also have a fabulous #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Lemon Honey Roasted Carrots

I hated cooked carrots as a kid. Unlike essentially every other child I knew, I had a mindset that sweet vegetables held absolutely no place on the dinner table. Instead, you'd find me gladly chowing down on the bitter lettuces, cruciferous plants and asparagus stalks, the spicy radishes and hot peppers, or the sour-salty pickled cucumbers and giardiniera.

As I grew up, though, the caramelly taste of roasted veggies grew on me more and more. The bittersweet notes from the bits that are just slightly overdone helps temper the sugar in the beet, carrot, sweet potato or squash, and I'll admit that I'm one of those people who likes their fries (and really most carb-like things) well done - blame my dad, who likes burnt cookies more than perfectly golden ones! Now I not only roast the root veg and tubers, but I love asparagus, green beans, brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower done this way too.

These carrots came from my garden's overabundant (if there is such a thing) yield this year. We ate as many as we could au naturale - I mean really, you couldn't ask for cheaper organic heirloom veggies! - but finally they were even outstaying their welcome in the fridge. To get them into a perfect dinner side-dish format, I called upon the flavours of something my mom used to whip up for dinner during the week (boiled carrots with honey and lemon), but jazzed them up with herbs, spices and garlic before roasting them to tender perfection. While they're certainly simple enough for dinner, these are fancy and delicious enough for company too! 

Sent to Wellness Weekends and Gluten Free Friday