Monday, December 28, 2015

It's In Your Hands!

Put down your cutlery! This week...

It's In Your Hands!


Make any Ellie Krieger recipe for food you can hold and/or eat with your hands!

Sandwiches and wraps, snacks and finger foods, cookies and candies... whatever handheld foods your heart (and hands) desires!

Make and post your dish by Sunday, January 3rd

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our December Potluck theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all of the wonderful recipes that our participants made and find out which chefs they cooked with.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

IHCC December Potluck!

 It's time for another ...
 

 Potluck! One of our favorite themes here at IHCC!

This is the week where we have NO LIMITATIONS! We get to chose ANY recipe from ANY of our IHCC Chefs! There are easily thousands of recipes to chose from!

Maybe you want to make something to celebrate the holidays? Or, could be that you have a craving that needs satisfying. Or perhaps you feel like checking off one of the recipes on your "to-make" list.  Whatever the case, there is sure to be a recipe just begging to be made!


Nigella Lawson
Mark Bittman
Giada de Laurentiis
Jamie Oliver
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
Donna Hay
Nigel Slater
Diana Henry
Jacques Pepin 
Ellie Krieger

To join in the Decenber Potluck fun, just post and link your Potluck dish by Sunday, December 27th.

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Cinnamon & Sugar theme last week, please click on the link to see all the great dishes we shared!

Monday, December 14, 2015

Cinnamon & Sugar

Sugar and spice and everything nice...

This week we are all about Cinnamon & Sugar!

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar Photos by Freeimages.com

Make any Ellie Krieger recipe with either (or both!) Cinnamon & Sugar in it. Perhaps a baked treat for a holiday cookie or dessert plate, or something to start your morning off right, or even something savory like a bowl of chili with a kiss of cinnamon in it--there are lots of possibilities.

Make and post your Cinnamon & Sugar recipe by Sunday, December 20th.

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Monthly Featured Chef theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all of the wonderful Giada De Laurentiis recipes that our participants cooked.
 


Monday, December 7, 2015

Monthly Featured Chef: Giada DeLaurentis


We fell in love with her years ago when she brought us Everyday Italian. We filled our pasta bowls with countless pasta recipes in her Everyday Pasta, and our families sung praises when we cooked from Giada's Family Dinners. She is Giada Delaurentiis, wildly popular Food Network superstar and author of eight bestselling cookbooks!

Nowadays Giada is known, not only for her Italian recipes, but also for her fresh California-style recipes and also her healthy recipes and lifestyle. Her latest book, Happy Cooking, just hit the shelves last month.


No doubt we will be Happy Cooking the recipes of Giada Delaurentiis this week! Please make and post your dish by Sunday, December 13th! Feel free to share your favorite Giada recipes in your post. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after linking so we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.
 
If you missed out on our Nibbles & Noshes theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all the tasty bites we shared.

Monday, November 30, 2015

Nibbles & Noshes

It's the time of year for gatherings and celebrations of all sorts--the perfect time for nibbling and noshing with friends and family. It's all the better if some of those Nibbles and Noshes are healthier options. So this week, make any Ellie Krieger recipe for appetizers or small plate dishes suitable for sharing. There are plenty of recipes to choose from, dips to small bites, elegant to casual... whatever suits your style and occasion.

Collage Photos from Ellie Krieger.com, Kahakai Kitchen, Stirring the Pot & Couscous & Consciousness
 
Make and post your Nibbles & Noshes by Sunday, December 6th. 

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our November Potluck theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all of the delectable dishes that our participants made.


Monday, November 23, 2015

IHCC November Potluck!!

It's Time For Another..... 

 

Your week to chose any recipe from any of our IHCC chefs, past or present.  Maybe you've been craving the exotic flavors of Indian cuisine and long for one of Madhur Jaffrey's curries, or maybe you feeling like throwing a fiesta with Rick Bayless, either way feel free to have a kitchen adventure with any of the chefs below! We can't wait to see what you cook up! 

Nigella Lawson
Mark Bittman
Giada de Laurentiis
Jamie Oliver
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
Donna Hay
Nigel Slater
Diana Henry
Jacques Pepin

To join in the November Potluck fun, just post and link your Potluck dish by Sunday, November 19th.

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Scentsational Sides  last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all the scentsational dishes we shared.



Monday, November 16, 2015

Scentsational Sides!

The main course usually gets all the credit, but it's the side dishes that make the meal. This week we are all about those sensational, or...

Scentsational Sides!

*Photos from EllieKrieger.com, FoodNetwork.com & Stirring the Pot

Make any Ellie Krieger side dish recipe that strikes your fancy. Want to try out a scentsational side dish for the upcoming holidays? Want a side dish that makes the kitchen, or even the whole house smell downright scensational? Looking for a side dish that is scentsational enough to enjoy it as the main course? Take your pick!

Make and post your Scentsational Side by Sunday, November 22nd. 

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Monthly Featured Chef Event with Mark Bittman theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all of the delectable Bittman dishes that our participants made.


Monday, November 9, 2015

Monthly Featured Chef Event: Mark Bittman


Mark Bittman, also known as The Minimalist, is a prolific cookbook author and columnist for the New York Times. He taught us "How To Cook Everything" with his pure and simple minimalistic approach. Nowadays he is teaching us about the benefits of conscious eating to improve both our own health and that of the world around us. 

Many of Bittman's recipes are a guideline, or jumping off point, giving the cook full creativity to chose from several variations and flavor profiles. In doing so, he not only teaches us how to cook; but, also how to customize our dishes and make them our own. One of the most valuable lessons in cooking.

Please make and post your Mark Bittman dish by Sunday, November 15th! Don't hesitate to tell us why you love Mark Bittman so. Feel free to share your favorite Bittman pic, Bittman quote, and/or share with us your favorite Bittman recipes. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after linking so we don't miss out on your dish. 
New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.
 

If you missed out on our Anyway You Slice It theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all the dishes we shared.

Monday, November 2, 2015

Any Way You Slice It!

Get out those knives, pizza cutters, mandolines, and any other slicing tools because this week it's...

Any Way You Slice It!


Make any Ellie Krieger recipe that can be sliced. Maybe you want something savory like pizza, a baked casserole, a quiche or a sandwich. Or maybe something sweet will catch your eye--like a pie or tart, cake, or dessert bars. As long as it can be sliced or features sliced ingredients, it works!

Make and post your Any Way You Slice It dish by Sunday, November 8th!   

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Potluck Week theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out all of the yummy dishes that our participants made from our IHCC chefs.

Happy Slicing!
 

Monday, October 26, 2015

IHCC October Potluck!


Potluck week is your chance to chose any recipe from any of our IHCC chefs, past or present.  Maybe you want to throw it back to any of our long ago previous chefs, such as Jamie Oliver or Tessa Kiros. Maybe you are already missing the man and the legend, Jacques Pépin. Perhaps you are smitten with Ellie Krieger's recipes and you can't wait to share another one. Whatever the case, take the opportunity to have a kitchen adventure with any of the chefs below. We can't wait to see what you bring to the potluck!
 
Nigella Lawson
Mark Bittman
Giada de Laurentiis
Jamie Oliver
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
Donna Hay
Nigel Slater
Diana Henry
Jacques Pepin

To join in the October Potluck fun, just post and link your Potluck dish by Sunday, November 1st. 

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Think Orange theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the pretty orange-hued dishes everyone shared. 


Monday, October 19, 2015

Think Orange!

This week we're going to...

Think Orange!!!


It's October and the color orange is predominant whether it's in the fall leaves in some parts of the world, the pumpkins piled up at the grocery store, or all of the Halloween decorations popping up everywhere.

You can Think Orange! this week by making an Ellie Krieger recipe featuring or including orange-hued ingredients. Fruits, veggies, cheese, egg yolks and more..., there are plenty of orange ingredients out there to choose from!

Make and post your Think Orange dish by Sunday, October 25th!   

Please remember to link up a thumbnail image of your dish and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your post. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our New Monthly Featured Chef Event (with Nigella Lawson) theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the yummy Nigella dishes that our participants made.

Monday, October 12, 2015

New Monthly Featured Chef Event: Nigella Lawson!

Nigella Lawson

One cannot help but fall in love with Nigella Lawson. Nigella's passion for food and cooking is almost tangible, as if you can reach out and feel it.  This same passion is contagious and ignites the fire in all of us. We love her for that! This week is a dedication to the glory of Nigella and her recipes.


"I don't believe you can ever really cook unless you love eating" - Nigella Lawson 

Our new Monthly Featured Chef Event is a great chance to go back and revisit our favorite chefs and make a new recipe, or go back in the archives, and make a recipe that eluded you the first time around.

What Nigella dish will you make this week?

Please make and post your Nigella Lawson dish by Sunday, 18th! Don't hesitate to tell us why you love Nigella so. Feel free to share your favorite Nigella pic, Nigella quote (we love the way she describes her dishes), and/or share with us your favorite Nigella recipes. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 
 
If you missed out on our first week cooking Ellie Krieger's recipes last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the dishes that were made in celebration of our new chef, Ellie Krieger!



Monday, October 5, 2015

Hello Ellie! {Welcoming Ellie Krieger to IHCC}

It's time to welcome our new IHCC chef this week and say...  
Hello Ellie!

Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and health. She's a New York Times best-selling author of five books (her new book comes out in January), appears on television, (including having hosted her own Food Network show), and she contributes healthy eating articles and recipes to a host of magazines and publications. We are looking forward of cooking along with her blend of healthy meets delicious!
 
I

Let's welcome  Ellie Krieger to IHCC by making any of her dishes that you like--something that says "Hello Ellie" to you! If you need some inspiration, we have included a list of links to Ellie Krieger recipes on the side bar. 


You can grab an IHCC Ellie Krieger badge on the side bar too. (The badge and the wonderful header were made for us by our friend Sue of Couscous & Consciousness. Thanks Sue!) 

Make and post your Hello Ellie! dish by Sunday, October 11th!   

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Au Revoir Chef Pepin! {Until We Meet Again} theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the dishes that were made in celebration of our time with Chef Jacques Pepin.


Monday, September 28, 2015

Au Revoir Chef Pepin! {Until We Meet Again}

It's been a wonderful adventure cooking the recipes of the illustrious Jacques PépinAlong the way we've cooked food Jacques' way; learned new techniques; gained some new favorites; and of course, learned some classical French dishes. Now it is time for a new adventure in the kitchen as we say a very fond  Au Revoir Chef Pepin {Until We Meet Again} !

If you'd like to join in the fun, please make and post your Au Revoir Chef Pepin dish by Sunday, October 4th Also, please feel free to do a roundup of your favorite Jacques Pépin dishes! It is always nice to see which dishes were favorites. Plus, it gives us a chance to take note and try them for ourselves. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish.

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.

If you missed out on our September Potluck 
theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the dishes that were made in celebration of all our IHCC chefs!

YOU VOTED  and you chose the new Monthly Featured Chef option in place of Mystery Box Madness!! Starting this October we will be featuring Nigella Lawson from October 12th through October 18th. During this week you will be able to make ANY Nigella dish!

Also, you will notice some new and exciting changes to the IHCC site this week as we prepare to welcome Ellie Krieger! We will have a new look, a new header, and a new badge!

Monday, September 21, 2015

September 2015 IHCC Potluck!

It's time to Potluck!!! 

 
Your week to choose any recipe from any of our IHCC chefs! That's right, choose any Jacques Pépin recipe you like, or if you prefer, you can take the opportunity to revisit any one of our previous eleven wonderful IHCC chefs:

Nigella Lawson
Mark Bittman
Giada de Laurentiis
Jamie Oliver
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
Donna Hay
Nigel Slater
Diana Henry


To join in the September Potluck fun, just post and link your Potluck dish by Sunday, September 27th. 

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Seasonal Specialties theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the dishes that everyone made. 

***By now you know Ellie Krieger is our new IHCC Chef. We should have our October Themes posted shortly as we get ready to welcome Ellie. In case you missed it, we have another vote going to decide whether to keep doing the Mystery Box Madness Challenges or try a new monthly Featured Chef event. Please see the poll on the sidebar to vote if you haven't already done so.
 

Monday, September 14, 2015

Seasonal Specialties!


This week we are cooking Seasonal Specialties featuring the seasonal ingredients where we live. Since IHCC is a global group this means we will be presenting a wide array of beautiful and fresh fixings. We are eager to hear about your favorite ingredients this season!


If you'd like to get seasonal with us, please get out your Jacques Pepin books, and make and post your Seasonal Specialties by Sunday, September the 20th Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish.

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.

If you missed out on our September Mystery Box Madness theme last week, be sure to click on the links and see all the wonderful ways we used our mystery box ingredients!

 
***Also, please don't forget to vote for next female chef that we will be cooking with starting in October! Participants can choose to vote for either Claudia Roden, Diana Kennedy, Ellie Krieger or Heidi Swanson. Please see the top right sidebar to vote if you haven't already done so. We are so excited to see the final result:)

image courtesy of www.notonthehighstreet.com

Monday, September 7, 2015

September 2015 Mystery Box Madness Challenge (+ A New Chef to Pick!)

Each month we choose ten mystery box ingredients from which to cook. It's up to you to select at least three of those ingredients and to chose a recipe featuring those ingredients from one of our twelve IHCC chefs!  We love to see which chef you chose to cook with, which ingredients you select, and the reason (or story) behind the recipe you share! 

Are you ready for September's MBM challenge?  

  
Here are our Mystery Box Madness Ingredients for September 2015:

Salmon (fresh, smoked, canned) 
Green Peas (dried, fresh, frozen or canned)
 Hazelnuts
Eggplant
Parmesan Cheese
Kale
Apples (any color/kind) 
Blue Cheese 
Rosemary
Bread Rolls/Buns 

Your dish should contain at least three of these mystery ingredients, and you get to choose any dish from our current guest chef, Jacques Pepin, or any one of our previous eleven IHCC Chefs:

Nigella Lawson
  Mark Bittman
 Giada de Laurentiis
  Jamie Oliver  
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless  
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
 Donna Hay
 Nigel Slater 
Diana Henry


Which mystery ingredients and chef are calling out to you?

If you are up for the challenge, make and post your dish by Sunday, September 13th. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish.
 

New to IHCC?  Need help linking up?  Check out our Welcome pageIf you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.


If you missed our Le Plat du Jour theme last week, be sure to click on the picture links and check out "the dish of the day" recipes that everyone made! 

-----

*** New Chef Voting ***
 
Time certainly flies when you are having fun and it's hard to believe that it is time to vote for our next I Heart Cooking Clubs chef! We will be cooking with Chef Pépin through October 4th but then it's on to a new chef. 

In keeping with our boy-girl-boy-girl rotation, we have four fabulous women for you to choose from.
 
 
Claudia Roden: Cookbook writer, cultural anthropologist and expert on Middle Eastern cooking and Mediterranean food, Roden is known for the stories around her recipes and her many cookbooks.

Ellie Krieger:  Nutritionist, television host, and healthy eating contributor to countless newspaper and magazines, Krieger has four cookbooks and countless online recipes that make comfort food better for you while still tasting great.

Diana Kennedy: Known as "The Julia Child of Mexican Cuisine"--Kennedy is the authority on Mexican foods, cooking, and traditions and has spent close to 50 years chronicling the authentic recipes for her many cookbooks.

Heidi Swanson:  Popular natural foods blogger (101 Cookbooks), photographer, and author of three popular cookbooks (with her fourth publishing this month), Swanson is known for her inventive and delicious vegetarian recipes.  

Please use the poll in the upper right of the blog to vote ONCE for the chef you would most like to cook with. The poll will be up until 11:59 PM (EST) on Wednesday, September 16th. 

Happy Cooking!


Monday, August 31, 2015

Le Plat du Jour (Dish of the Day)

 What is Le Plat du Jour, or Dish of the Day, at your place?

Choose any Jacques Pepin dish you'd like to be your special Dish of the Day, or Le Plat du Jour

If you'd like to join in the fun, please make and post your Le Plat du Jour by Sunday, September the 6th Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish.

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.

If you missed out on our August Potluck theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the dishes that were made in celebration of all our IHCC chefs!

 

Monday, August 24, 2015

August 2015 IHCC Potluck!



It's Potluck week again!!! Your time to choose any recipe from any of our IHCC chefs! That's right, choose any Jacques Pépin recipe you like, or if you prefer take the opportunity to revisit any one of our previous eleven wonderful IHCC chefs: 

Nigella Lawson
Mark Bittman
Giada de Laurentiis
Jamie Oliver
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
Donna Hay
Nigel Slater
Diana Henry

Pick your pleasure!

To join in the August Potluck fun, just post and link your dish  by Sunday, August 30th

Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish. 

New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you. 

If you missed out on our Salads et Vinaigrettes theme last week, be sure to click on the links and check out the fabulous salads and dressings that everyone made.

Monday, August 17, 2015

Salades et Vinaigrettes

This week we are celebrating Jacques Pepin's Salad and/or Salad Dressings,
 Salades et Vinaigrettes.

Which beautiful Salads et Vinaigrettes will you take a bite of this week? Make and post your dish by Sunday, August 23rd. Please remember to link a thumbnail image below so that we don't miss out on your dish.
New to IHCC? Need help linking up? Check out our Welcome page. If you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.
If you missed out on our Mystery Box Madness last week, please be sure to click on the links and check out all the recipes we shared.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Mystery Box Madness; August 2015

10 + 3 + 12 = Mystery Box Madness!

Each month we choose 10 mystery box ingredients from which to cook. It's up to you to select at least 3 of those ingredients and to chose a recipe featuring those ingredients from one of our 12 IHCC chefs!  We love to see which chef you chose to cook with, which ingredients you select, and the reason (or story) behind the recipe you share! 

Are you ready for August's MBM challenge?


August 2015 Mystery Box Madness Ingredients:
 
Any Red Fruit (Apples, Berries, Grapes, Plums,Tomato...) 
Corn (Fresh, Canned, or Frozen) 
Tortillas (Corn, Flour, Whole Wheat) 
Skirt or Flank Steak
Oregano (Fresh or Dried) 
Heavy Cream
Goat Cheese
Pumpkin Seeds
Baby/Fingerling Potatoes 
Caramel or Cajeta


   Your dish should contain at least three of these mystery ingredients, and you get to choose any dish from our current guest chef, Jacques Pepin, or any one of our previous eleven IHCC Chefs:


Nigella Lawson
  Mark Bittman
 Giada de Laurentiis
  Jamie Oliver  
Tessa Kiros
Rick Bayless  
Madjur Jaffrey
Yotam Ottolenghi
 Donna Hay
 Nigel Slater 
Diana Henry
  
Which mystery ingredients and chef are calling out to you?  

If you are up for the challenge, make and post your dish by Sunday, August 16th. Please remember to link a thumbnail image and leave a comment after you link so that we don't miss out on your dish.
 

New to IHCC?  Need help linking up?  Check out our Welcome pageIf you have any questions please leave a comment below and we will get back with you.

If you missed our "Reveille-toi!" (Get Out Of Bed!) theme last week, be sure to click on the picture links and check out all the yummy breakfast and brunch dishes that everyone made!