Mutt & Chops - Food with purpose and sometimes re-purpose

A Christmas Family Gathering – A Collaborative Effort

December 21, 2020 6 Comments

feature image for The Christmas Family Gathering

This post about a Christmas family gathering does not come from my experience, but it has, in part, become part of my story. This month, I stepped outside my comfort zone and volunteered to do something from which, in the past, I probably would have shied away. The daughter of an ex-coworker and long-time friend posted on social media that she was looking for poetry/creative writing friends to participate in a collaborative project. Not knowing what she had in mind, I threw my comment in and responded with "Ex journalism major and current blogger. Can I help?". When other's asked what she had in mind, she responded with "I need help turning some memories into a poem or short story!" So, completely against my introverted tendencies, I did something astonishing. I responded ...

Feature immage of roasted Southwest pepitas in a bowl, on a counter, with a glass of beer and a dish towel

Southwest Roasted Pepitas

If you are looking to add some variety to your snack options, these southwest roasted pepitas may just be the very thing you were looking for. I don’t know about you, but my salt tooth is much more robust than my sweet tooth. It just seems that most processed salty snacks available at the store…

Feature image of plated pomme frites on a table with dish towel and Parmesan on a cutting board with a cheese grater

Easy Garlic and Parmesan Pomme Frites

One of our feel-good side dishes this summer has been garlic and parmesan pomme frites. We’ve had them with steak a couple of times and once with scallops beurre blanc. And they were AMAZING every time. Pomme frites (French for French-fried potatoes), finished in different ways, is a popular recipe concept among bloggers. Many of…

Feature image of grilled asparagus in the serving dish

Citrus and Garlic Grilled Asparagus

Just another 3 weeks or so until the end of summer, and here in Arizona, we are SO ready for it to end. I’m not kidding. This has been the hottest, driest summer on record for us. And it has been HOT! Which is why we take to grilling as much as we can. Keeping…

Sauce Pizza and Wine (Copycat) Salmon and Kale Salad

I’m sharing this Sauce Pizza and Wine (copycat) salmon and kale salad because I am on a salad for an entrée kind of kick during these hot summer months. I’m also trying extremely hard to make healthy food choices. And this salad happens to be one of my favorites for a while now. The Phoenix…

Mediterranean Skillet Seafood Salad

Today’s Mediterranean Skillet Seafood Salad is something I came up with a few weeks ago. Steve was back on the road and I’d been working really hard to cut portions, carbs, and calories. Because I’d been eating a lot of cold salads, I was getting a little cranky. See, I was missing something warm….

Strawberry, Pine Nut, Feta Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Strawberry, pine nut, feta salad with balsamic dressing is quite a mouthful, isn’t it? But I wanted people to know what all is in it, so it made sense for a post title. The salad this recipe is based on had a much shorter name. A salad Steve and I first had about 16 to…

Plated dish over rice for the feature image.

15-Minute Shrimp in Sauce

I’m excited to share my 15-minute shrimp in sauce because it is always a win to get restaurant-quality taste in such a short time. And this dish wins every time. It is fast, it is SO easy, and it tastes like something you would pay good money to eat. What’s not to love about that?…

Cilantro Lime Rice in a bowl, garnished with lime and a cilantro section

Cilantro Lime Rice – Quick and Easy

We recently had a family meal where I served cilantro lime rice with beef fajitas and this black bean and mango salad. My daughter-in-law, Shania, told me she loves cilantro lime rice, and asked me how to make it. So, I told her how I make it. Later, I went looking for recipes online and…

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