Conversations Over Dinner has been accepted into the BlogHer Ad Network!

In addition to displaying quality ads, we benefit from the added prestige and traffic flow of the BlogHer community.

Conversations Over Dinner is a tribute to the family meal. You don’t have to be a chef, or even a great cook, to benefit from our simple recipes. We strive to make dinner preparation simple and enjoyable. We also provide plenty of good old-fashioned conversation and ruminations straight out of the pages of our own lives.

BlogHer… the community for women who blog.

Conversations Over Dinner… you’re always invited!

Happy Thanksgiving

from

Conversations Over Dinner

Two new pages have been added on the sidebar to the right:

Conversations Bloggers highlights our favorite blogs about conversations. We will be adding to it as we stumble onto interesting blogs. The first to make the list are

Conversations with Writers

“These conversations are presented with a view to promoting reading, writing, and small press publishers.”

and Learning Conversations

“Learning is achieved through conversation. We can change the world by talking together about questions that matter. Whether a conversation is about personal issues or a conversation is about communities, we can learn together.”

and

Food Bloggers, listing our favorite food blogs, starting with

Lola’s Diner

“At Lola’s Diner we’ll be sharing recipes and sharing conversation across the virtual lunch counter.”

and Retro-Food.com.

“It will be a bit of food, a lot of fun, and oh yeah, vintage cookbooks and retro cooking.”

It was one of those nights that captures the very essence of Conversations Over Dinner.

We came in from errands and shopping at 5:30 p.m. We had just loaded up on meats and I had to cut and wrap them for the freezer. By the time I finished cleaning the counter, it was 6:15 and I really didn’t feel like starting dinner. But we had no intention of going back out, we never order in, and we’ve got to eat… so I went for something that would have fairly quick prep time.

I settled in on tilapia, fresh broccoli, and a simple salad. I turned on the radio and sang to my heart’s delight as I cooked. It wasn’t long before I announced, “dinner’s ready!”  We proceeded to talk about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and some health concerns. Long after we finished eating, we chatted and laughed. Lingering over dinner is one of my favorite things.

I feel sorry for people who don’t make dinnertime into a big deal. Conversing while breaking bread together is the stuff of life! You don’t need to be a chef, or even a star cook. You don’t have to study for simple conversation. It takes a minimum amount of effort and brings great rewards.

If you haven’t done it in awhile, give it a try! Set a nice table, prepare a simple dinner, and let the conversation begin.

I love this time of year! The colors of autumn make me feel warm and cozy, and the abundance of fresh produce makes me want to spend time in the kitchen.

Here’s a simple way to make sweet potato fries loaded with flavor. Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins A and C, plus plenty of fiber, making it a nutritious side dish all year long.

All you need is:

* sweet potatoes * fresh ground black pepper * olive oil * basil * sea salt (You can skip the salt if you are on a low salt diet.)

Scrub the potato well and leave the peel on. Cut into large fries – I cut them like steak fries, or Texas fries. Arrange fries on a cookie sheet in a single layer.

Pour some olive oil over them and roll them around in it so that they are coated with oil. Sprinkle with sea salt – McCormick makes a sea salt grinder, which is what I use.

Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for about 35 minutes. (Cook time depends on how thick you cut them. Check tenderness with a fork.)

Sprinkle again with a mixture of sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and basil. They look great and make a pleasant change of pace. You can have them with a meal or serve them up for a snack.

Use this handy widget to get nutritional data on sweet potatoes prepared in a variety of ways.

While grocery shopping recently, I couldn’t help but notice the beauty of the spaghetti squash. It seemed like the very essence of autumn’s bounty, so I added one to our cart.

The day I decided to make the squash, I allowed myself to be completely sidetracked by blogging, and got a late start. With the pork roast already in the oven, time was running out.

I read the cooking instructions on the sticker only to find that I needed 45 minutes to an hour to cook spaghetti squash thoroughly. Uh-oh. Time for plan B.

I cut the squash in half and removed the seeds per the instructions. Cutting this monster in half is actually the hardest part. Then I placed the two halves in a large Corningware dish, over 1/2 cup of water. With the dish covered, I popped it into the microwave for 12 minutes, until it was tender.

Then I discovered why it’s called spaghetti squash. With a fork, you scrape the insides of the squash, which comes up in strands like spaghetti. Placing the strands in a dish, I added butter, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.

It was so simple, but full of flavor. My husband, who is not fond of squash, not only ate it, but went back for seconds!

I am a big fan of trying new things — and keeping things simple.  This is one more side dish to add to my repertoire.

I just installed a handy widget on the “Nutrition Data” page over in the right sidebar.

Enter the name of a food in the search box, and learn its nutritional value in a flash, courtesy of nutritiondata.com.

Click here to give it a try!

* whole or cut up chicken (I prefer Purdue)
* olive oil
* garlic powder
* celery salt
* black pepper
* rosemary

Wash chicken thoroughly and pat dry.

Coat chicken in olive oil. (Olive oil works better than other oils for its hearty flavor and health benefits.)

Sprinkle spices generously on both sides (and inside if using a whole chicken).

Line a metal pan with aluminum foil (for easier cleanup).

Cook at 325 degrees. Do not cover. If using parts, turn after 30 minutes.

Cooking time will vary depending on whether you use a whole chicken or parts. Make sure temperature reaches 180 degrees.

For added crispiness, after baking, put chicken under broiler for a minute or two, but be careful not to let it burn!

This is a very simple recipe, allowing the full flavor of the chicken to shine through. Perfect for a family style dinner. Served with pasta and tomato sauce, it is a very kid-friendly meal.

Barack Obama was not the only winner in this year’s election. Neither were African-Americans. Or democrats.

On November 4, 2008, the world witnessed the electoral process of the United States in all its glory! From this day forward, children of every race, male and female, will grow up believing in the promise of opportunity.

Read the rest of the story:   Election 2008: Who Really Won?

You are looking at what is, in all likelihood, the ugliest pan in America. It is about thirty years old, has a chipped handle, and is stained black.

We refer to it as the “popcorn pan” because that is its single  purpose.

Nothing quite hits the spot like fresh, hot-buttered popcorn and a movie. Microwave popcorn just won’t do! Besides tasting better, buying popcorn seeds by the bag is a lot more economical.

We use olive oil for all our cooking but find it a bit overpowering for popcorn, so we substitute canola oil, which is also a healthy choice.

A word of caution when making stove top popcorn… put only a single layer of seeds on the bottom of the pan, and pay very close attention.

Mmmm...

Grab the remote and enjoy!

What’s going on here?

That’s my husband, making breakfast… something he does every day of the week.

He’s partial to omelettes and egg sandwiches, but also makes the fluffiest pancakes you ever ate!

He’s definitely more of a morning person that I. Most mornings I awake to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Mmmm…

We’ve worked out quite a partnership when it comes to the kitchen. Life is good.

Brussels sprouts aren’t the most popular vegetable in the world, but we love them. When your entree is mild, and you need a hearty side dish, brussels sprouts are the perfect answer.

Here, I’ve mixed them with slices of yellow onion and an orange bell pepper. With a little freshly ground black pepper and a generous amount of olive oil, saute until tender. Sometimes I also add ham, chopped into very small pieces, or bacon bits.

Bonus… brussels sprouts are a cinch to prepare and pack a powerful nutritional punch!

For some interesting data about brussels sprouts, visit NutritionData.com: Brussels Sprouts

We voted… did you?

We voted at 2:30 p.m. here in rural Virginia and faced no lines, no delays, and no problems with the touch screen voting machine. Pleasant experience all around.

Now all we have to do is kick back and await the results.

Would you believe it? We found another lunch time gem on our latest Costco run. Plats du Chef French Onion Soup is frozen, but can be ready to eat in just 40 minutes in the oven, or just 9 minutes in the microwave.

I recommend the oven because it allows the delicious aroma to fill the house. What a delight on a cold day!

Happy Halloween!

from Conversations Over Dinner