It certainly has been an interesting month in our kitchen this past month. The month began with surgery recovery. Then I had my diverticulitis flare up which meant a restricted diet, leaving me craving my fruits and veggies. Let’s just say there wasn’t much fun cooking going on for a while! Then came spring break and the boys being home, plus we went out of town for several days. Despite that and all our other madness we managed to enjoy ourselves.
In my kitchen we have some new semolina flours. I am using them for my sourdough breads and also in my pizza dough.
I received this cookbook for Christmas and love it. There are many recipes I wish to try but just haven’t gotten to them yet. I do use the pizza dough recipe though, swapping out some of the bread flour for semolina. I hope to get to more of Jamie’s recipes soon, they are drool worthy!
Earlier in the month I actually had time to browse at the store and found these organic hot sauces. They are very similar to the original Tabasco and chipotle Tabasco sauces.
There seems to be a hot sauce theme because here are some more! My mom brought these three bottles home from her trip to Seattle. My brother is in beer sales and they also happen to sell these sauces to local restaurants as well. I can’t wait to try them. The sauces are made in Portland, Oregon so needless to say I haven’t seen them here and always like new small batch sauces. The black bean sauce has a recipe for a noodle dish that I think the boys would probably enjoy. As for the drunken jerk sauce I imagine we’ll be marinating some meat to grill with than and we can add habanero hot sauce to just about anything!
I seem to have had a chocolate craving on a recent trip to the store. I came home with these three bars of dark chocolate. The amazing part is I’ve had them for about a month and haven’t even opened them! That will change VERY SOON! Between the pain killers and then antibiotics I was unable to have alcohol for a while. I really like to enjoy my dark chocolate in the evening with a glass of red wine so I guess I just never bothered to have any, or maybe I just forgot all about it. Either way I will be opening one tonight, probably the dark chocolate coconut bar.
And to prove that I really have made something in the kitchen this month is this picture of cookies. Ewan’s Kindergarten teacher is having a baby April 7th and we had a baby shower in the classroom a couple weeks ago. I made these pink feet as well as some blue hands (didn’t get a picture of them) as favors for all the kids and teachers. The gender is unknown and we are anxiously awaiting the big announcement! We will have to come up with a brilliant meal to take her once the baby is born as well. I’m sure Ewan will have plenty of ideas.
So that sums up the last month in our kitchen. I’d like to think that the next month will have more to report but it is already going to be a crazy busy month again. Josh and I have our anniversary as well as my birthday. Plus I’m planning the school spring carnival which is keeping me rather busy. Add in a couple school field trips, an airshow out of town and the month is insane! Thanks to Celia for hosting this monthly event. Check out what is happing in everyone else’s kitchen at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.
Feeding My 3 Sons 
Hands and feet cookies sound wonderful and the perfect baby shower treat!
Thanks! Cute and tasty, always a good party favor.
Yum, love the Theo chocolates. Their Seattle factory hosts terrific tours, complete with a small tasting at the end. I hope your surgery recovery is progressing well.
Recovery is finally done and feeling “normal” again! I saw that the Theo chocolates were from Seattle. When I finally get out there again to visit my brother I will definitely have to tour and taste!
Ohhh, those sauces are lovely. And the chocolates? Send some, please? 😀
Thanks! I’ll send some virtual chocolate your way!
Hi Gretchen, Hope your Easter was a good one 🙂
Love the chocolate those 3 flavors are my faves when having chocolate 🙂
love the cookies too cute, oh and I just bought some “00” flour too 🙂
Enjoy your April!!!
Enjoy your semolina too! I opened the coconut dark chocolate the other night and am loving it!
Enjoy the Comfort Food book – I love it and my top picks would be the great British Meatballs and the Vanilla ice cream!
Oh thanks for the tip! I was thinking about trying the vanilla ice cream now that it has finally warmed up here.
Love the hands and feet cookies and the chipotle sauce!
Hope you enjoyed Easter and thanks for this month’s kitchen views also!
Thanks! The cookies were fun and well loved by all the kids.
Love those biscuits! Busy days by the sound of it. Cheers.
Very busy day indeed! Thanks for stopping by our kitchen!
I keep hearing recommendations of Jamie’s comfort food book, I really do have to get it! Thanks Gretchen 🙂
The Comfort Food is a wonderful book, I haven’t tried the meatballs yet but will add it to the list. Glad your recovery is going well. Those chocolates are wonderful, the ginger one is my favorite.
I certainly am enjoying the Comfort Food book. I think the vanilla ice cream may be the next recipe I make. Thanks for popping by.
i love those feet biscuits. so cute. hope you are feeling much better now!
Thanks! Feeling well and enjoying eating fruits and veg again!
The chocolates sound lovely, Gretchen, and the sauces sound interesting too. We were in Portland last year and loved the food scene there. One of my favourite places in the US.
We were in Portland three years ago and loved it as well!