Cranberry Orange Polenta

Since discovering polenta a few months ago, I have made it several times. It is so quick to whip some up and doesn't require alot of work. This recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine caught my eye (I know...again with RR!). We paired this with Mahi-Mahi, that Jeff spiced with ginger and orange zest and it was delicious. I made Jeff's without the cranberries and just tossed some into mine at the end. It was great either way!


Cranberry Orange Polenta
from Rachael Ray
Serves 4

2 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup dried cranberries
grated peel of one orange
1 cup of milk
3/4 cup polenta (or corn meal)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan or romano cheese (we used a mix)
2 tbls of butter


In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth, cranberries and orange peel to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk and return to a boil. Whisk in the polenta and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cheese and butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Tuesdays with Dorie: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies

First, just so there isn't any confusion, I think it is important to point out that these aren't MY Grandma's sugar cookies. These are Dorie's Grandma's sugar cookies. I was looking forward to trying this week's TWD recipe, chosen by Ulrike of Küchenlatein. Growing up, making frosted sugar cookies was a big deal. All of us kids would head to Grandma's house, where we had our pick of green, red, blue, and yellow frosting and a variety of sprinkles. Most of the time, the cookies barely made it to the platter (for us to share with everyone on Christmas Eve). We would always "over sprinkle" a cookie, which had to be eaten right away. I recall one year, when my cousin ate so many, she got sick. Good times!

Because I have a feeling I'm going to be up to my eyeballs in cookies and fudge, I decided to halve this recipe. In hindsight, this was not a good idea. I think it was the egg and egg yolk ratio that I went with. Don't let these pictures fool you...these little devils are as hard as a rock. I don't blame Dorie's Grandma...I blame myself. My husband, however, thought these were the best sugar cookies ever and stuffed two in his mouth in less than a minute.

Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup

I've been trying to give her a second chance. Every month, I buy her magazine. I clip out dozens of her recipes. Yet, each one I try is a flop. And doesn't make it to Vanilla Bean. We tried to give her a try again with this recipe and I am happy to report it is fantastic! We've adapted it a bit...making it easier and perfect for a weeknight meal. We used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. It saved cooking time and we have leftovers for BBQ Chicken Pizza tomorrow!

Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
Adapted from Rachael Ray's magazine


6 cups of chicken broth
3 tbls olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tbls sage
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
One 6-ounce box long grain and wild rice mix (We used the Chicken flavor and added the spice mix in the box to the pot)
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 chopped carrots
3 stalks of celery, chopped

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion, celery and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the broth, the rice mix and seasoning, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken, lower the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until the rice and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, simmer for a few minutes, and serve.