Happenings in the Dining Alone house

We are pretty much settled in at the new house, we just need to get some more furniture.

But we do have our priorities in this household and we purchase things in the order of importance...


So of course we got this before the furniture. Actually, my Mother In Law has worked for Dillards for years and got us this from her housewares department for an amazing price. It is the Margaritaville DM1000 Frozen Concoction Maker I would definitely recommend them but I don't think I would ever pay full price for one.

Our new house is conveniently located right in the middle of MANY thrift stores. It has been great going out hunting for treasures every weekend.


I have found lots of good books.

And of course...




Lots of great Pyrex.


I even got shoes that look NOTHING like anything I have ever bought. I am trying to get out of my usual comfort zone and buy more colorful and fun things. I tend to be a plain black tshirt kind of person.

One of the most dangerous discoveries since moving to the new house is the grocery store just up the street sells individual serving cakes...


They are SO good, but I can usually make one last a week if I behave.

I will wrap up with another wonderful thing from my Mother In Law. Seriously, I have the best MIL in the world...


She had 2 of these unopened in her garage, again, Dillard's Deals. She is the best, I can't wait to use this!

I hope you are all well and staying cool, it seems like it is hot everywhere these days, not just in Arizona.

Garlicky Tortellini Soup

This is another recipe I clipped from some magazine. I really need to get better about noting where the recipes came from, but my guess from the font on this one is Taste of Home magazine. The name drew me right in... Garlicky. Don't know if that is a real word at all, but I love it.












You will need some cheese tortellinis, spinach, parmesan cheese, canned tomoatoes, broth, butter, basil and LOTS of garlic. MMM Garlicky and Yay Pyrex!




Chop up the basil.




Chop up all of that gorgeous garlic. That is really all you have to do for prep except open the can of tomatoes.




Get some butter in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat.




Add in all the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Try not to swoon as you smell it cooking.




Add in the broth, this is Turkey broth I made myself. Bring it up to a boil.




Throw in the pasta and cook half way according to the directions on the package. It will depend on if you are using frozen, fresh, dried, etc. Season with salt and pepper as well.




Add in the tomatoes and reduce the heat so it is simmering. Let it simmer until the pasta is cooked to your liking.




Add in the heap of spinach and the basil. Do not be alarmed it will reduce down in moments.




Taste for seasoning and adjust as you see fit.




This soup was a garlic lovers dream come true. If you used vegetable broth you could make this for your vegetarian garlic lover as well. I made the whole recipe of this and froze some for later, it was just as good defrosted and reheated.

Chicken with Mushrooms, Marsala and Gorgonzola

I am sorry for the long disappearance, but I have been very busy at work and it has been overwhelming me. But I hope that things are smoothing out now and that I can update here more often.

This recipe I am posting is just perfect for when you are feeling overwhelmed. It is an indulgent treat with yummy cream and cheese.












I honestly have no idea what magazine I clipped this out of, but I am guessing it was NOT Cooking Light.




You will need some chicken breasts (I only used 1 whole breast), crimini or white mushrooms, cream, marsala wine, parsley, garlic and some gorgonzola cheese. All of those ingredients make me very happy.




Chop up the parsley and the garlic.




Slice up the mushrooms.




Measure out your cheese.




Measure out the cream and the wine. Use a decent Marsala, but don't get too crazy.




Slice the chicken into 3/4 inch thick medallions. I did a pretty terrible job at this and it all still turned out totally fine. Season it with some salt and pepper.




Get the oil in the pan on medium high heat until the pan is HOT! Get the chicken in there and cook it for 1-2 minutes on each side, then get it the heck out of there!




Cover it up if you want, I didn't bother.




Add in some more oil and get the mushrooms in there. Season them with a little bit of salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.




Reduce the heat to medium and drop in the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds.




Add in the Marsala wine and scrape all the tasty bits off the bottom of the pan. Let this bubble away for about 2 minutes.




Add in the cream and let that cook for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in most of the gorgonzola and get it melted.




Get the chicken back in and let it heat back up. Give it a quick stir and you are ready to serve.




Add the remaining cheese on the top with the parsley and you are ready to eat. I cannot even explain to you how tasty this was. The fact that I wanted to drink the sauce is probably evidence of how much I liked it. This meal is not that hard at all and is a great reward after a hard week at work.