Spicy Chickpea Soup
How can this be a Portuguese soup when it’s really a take on Dave Lieberman’s Moroccan recipe? Simple! Many spices and food influences came to Portugal from Northern Africa. To give this recipe more of a Portuguese flare use chicken broth, add an uncooked cubed potato (large) along with other ingredients, and cut back on the chickpeas by 15 ounces. Either way this is an amazingly hearty meatless main dish soup.
Thank you to Will, my oldest, for introducing me to great Dave Lieberman recipes.
… And this is one of our favorite dishes. Be sure everyone likes cheese … This is not a dish where you can get around it. It’s a favorite of my oldest who put this together. I believe it was requested as a main dish for one of his milestone birthdays. Yes, one of the guests was not a cheese lover but the wine helped save the evening & the apple pie (for her). Crunchy bread, salad and this five cheese mac and cheese is all you need for a delicious dinner.
Behind this door is my new laundry/pantry area … and my pup’s den. There’s really nothing new about it! This 1920’s home is not unlike many others built during that era. It’s compartmentalized with storage challenges. I love this quaint home and the unique challenges. In fact, organizing and creating storage areas has been my focus lately. The Sunday dinners have found a new home with my oldest. I’ll be sharing those recipes soon. In the meantime, open this door to my storage creations. Yes, you can tackle these easily … maybe not all in one week-end!
The challenge here is the size and shape of this 8′ by 8′ room. There’s lots going on in this room and yet it feels perfectly spacious. Yes, organization is the key. Thinking back to all my laundry rooms in past homes I don’t remember a crowd showing up to wash. We were a family of 6 without piles of laundry. Yep, we wore out 4 sets of washers/dryers during the young family years. It’s just easier to do 1 or 2 laundry loads daily than to do 7 to 14 on a Saturday.
Use the top of your washer and dryer. Tidy takes away the clutter-look. Use a beautiful Italian canister to hold you soap pods or a simple glass one.
Use baskets to dress up your shelves and provide organization. Put like items together to provide quick and easy access. Are you thinking there’s not much space left of this room? You’d be surprised!
The best tea cookie, elegant delicate buttery, slightly crispy around the edges. Perfect! Try this easy recipe the next time you have a gathering and watch them disappear. Yes, perfect with ice cream too!
When it comes to cooking we are all in. This was a delight created by my oldest, Will. He’s a Martha Stewart fan. Not only is this recipe hers but the pan too. My son doesn’t have much time for cooking with all he does but according to Will this recipe was not only simple but quick. I say this is a Martha recipe worth keeping! Enjoy! Blackberry Buckle Recipe, 
Sorry Grandma, a twist to my Grandmother’s Vinha D’ Alhos. My brother’s at it again! And he doesn’t even need a celebration but this would be great for July 4th.
The perfect dessert for Father’s Day. Add a little dollop of sour cream or whipped creme fraiche to tame it down. Yep, it’s a dessert for those with a sweet tooth. Most dads I know love pie and my dad was no different. Use frozen blueberries if you can’t find fresh. I find frozen berries so much easier when baking. This recipe is so easy! So good!
How we love cakes! Simple Cakes! Take a tour through our 
Sometimes you just want a Hot Fudge Sundae for dinner! Not into fudge? Well, how ’bout butterscotch or peanut butter, espresso or caramel or any baking chip flavor you like … cinnamon, chocolate mint, lemon, white chocolate. This ‘no recipe’ works for almost any baking chips. It will not work well with chips that do not melt easily.