Caldo de Camaron y Pescado

I feel like I'm a part-time pescetarian. And I have the sneaking suspicion that if pigs could swim, I'd have no problem whatsoever becoming a full-time pescetarian.

Although, you might find me holding swim lessons for chickens and cows in my spare time.

Kimchi Jjigae | Always Be My Maybe #FoodnFlix

I'm sliding in under the wire with my submission to the January 2020 (!) edition of Food 'n Flix, hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Okay, I didn't make it in under the wire. That was a lie. That wire was a few paces in the past. I'm coming in last. But that's just because the new decade started with a bang! I gave you a little sneak peek of this month's movie pick back in July when I made a dish inspired by it (this Glazed Spam and Rice)...but I'm excited to be able to share another recipe inspired by the Netflix film Always Be My Maybe with you today!

Childhood best friends turned sweethearts Marcus and Sasha are neighbors growing up. Marcus comes from a pretty close-knit Korean family who spend a lot of time doing things together. Sasha and her (Vietnamese) family live next door. Unlike Marcus's family, she spends most of her time alone since her parents are busy running their store.

Hot and Sour Soup | Ghostbusters

I'm sneaking in last minute with a recipe inspired by this month's Food 'n Flix pick, the 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters! Okay, so I'm just gonna go ahead and put this out there...even though I feel like it's probably the unpopular opinion—I like the new Ghostbusters better than the original. I know there are some out there screaming sacrilege, especially since I grew up with the 1984 version, but the truth is, while I always liked it well enough, it never really clicked. I mean, I rollerskated to Ray Parker Jr.'s theme song like it was nobody's business, but the movie never really clicked (seemed like it was aimed more towards guys to me).

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup | #SoupSwappers

It's been several months since I participated (time is not on my side lately) in Saturday Soup Swappers, but I brought a pot of soup to the group this month! I'm also hosting with a theme that I thought would not only produce a variety of delicious soup recipes, but also be a ton of fun for both the bloggers and the readers—COPYCAT SOUP RECIPES!

Slow Cooker Chile Verde | Another Man's Ground

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for Another Man's Ground, the second book in the Sheriff Hank Worth Mystery series by Claire Booth. I'm pretty excited to be hosting a stop on this tour, because I've been eagerly awaiting this book ever since finishing the first book in the series, The Branson Beauty.

Menudo (Red Chile Tripe Soup) | #SoupSwappers

Menudo is touted for it's ability to help cure a hangover. This is due to its high Vitamin B content. I'm guessing that the chile-laden broth probably aids in helping you sweat it out a bit, too. Whether that's a Mexican urban legend or not, I don't know. But ask any Mexican you know how to cure a hangover, and menudo will be the answer. Alongside a big glass of water for hydration, it definitely couldn't hurt. Or you could choose to go hair of the dog. You know, if that's more your style.

Thai Fish Soup

This soup came about on a clean out the pantry and fridge night. I used a can of peas and a can of corn (I know - gasp!), along with the end of a bag of julienne carrots. But really, any frozen or fresh veggies will work here. Throw in some ribbons of greens, some snow peas cut on the bias, or some beautiful carrot coins. Switch up the herbs, or use only one kind.

Slow Cooker Turmeric Turkey Noodle Soup

I know I've said this numerous times, but I'm a soup-year-round kinda gal. But that doesn't stop me from appreciating, eating, and making even more soup during January, which has been designated National Soup Month.

Slow Cooker Turkey Stock

Yesterday I mentioned the massive homemade turkey soup craving that had taken control of my household, and today I'm sharing part two of the process for bringing that turkey soup to life. I started with a whole, bone-in, skin-on turkey breast that I made in the slow cooker, and I'll chop up that meat to use in the soup.

Creamy Ham and Greens Noodle Soup | #Reames #HomemadeGoodness

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Reames®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Everybody has those certain triggers that spark up a feeling of nostalgia—sites, sounds, smells that transport them to another place, another time. For me, at this time of the year, when heavy snow blankets the world outside my window, it's the welcoming smell of a roast, a ham, or a bird cooking slowly in the kitchen.

Hearty Ham and Split Pea Soup for High Tea | #AslansFeast

This month the Fandom Foodies are heading into the kitchen to create with the fantasy world of Narnia as inspiration. Narnia holds a special place in my heart because when my oldest son (now in college) was 7 or 8, just after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie came to theaters, we bought The Chronicles of Narnia (the complete chronicles in one big book).

Since he'd gone from being an only child for 4 1/2 years to having two siblings in short order, I was looking for a way to spend quality time with just him. So, every night, we sat down and, starting at the beginning, read The Chronicles of Narnia out loud for at least an hour every night. This was actually my first time reading it, as well, and both of us fell in love with C.S. Lewis's magical world, and our stolen hour together each night when we stepped hand-in-hand into the wardrobe.

(Almost) Nigella's Black Bean Soup

Although I'm the first to say that I make and eat soup year-round (there are so many great summer soups!), cold weather, snow and ice has hit us hard lately and I've been in even more of a "gimme soup" kind of mood lately. But that works well since I've also had a lot of bones and carcasses from roasted meats to use for making stock lately, as well.

Like a lot people, I love using ham stock or a ham bone to make rich, meaty black bean soup like this crockpot black bean soup. This version from Nigella Lawson is a bit of a break from the norm, though. It utilizes the broth, juices, and ham bone left over from making her Coca-Cola Ham, which results in a bean soup that is a little sweet and unexpected.

Slow Cooker Ham Stock

If you're making a ham for the holidays (or anytime), don't throw away that bone before make a batch of ham stock. You could do it in a pot on the stove top, but if you have a slow cooker or crockpot, why not let it do all the work for you—set it and forget it!

Add the bone (I like leaving a little bit of meat attached) to the slow cooker insert along with a few veggies and herbs, plus water...then cover and leave it for at least 18 hours, but up to 24. Then you simply strain it and it's ready to use in soups, stews, and other comforting dishes to sustain you through the cold months.

Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings | Love Literary Style

If I could describe Love Literary Style in a few short words, I'd say it is a fun, meta romantic comedy. Yes, I said meta. I rarely say meta, because for some reason it bothers me—I think because it was way overused in the last few years. But also because I don't think I completely understand how to use it properly. Although in this case, I'm pretty sure that I've gotten it right. That's just to say, that if I'm using the word, it's for a legit reason (and somehow, "legit" doesn't bother me).

This rom-com, written by Karen Gillespie, not only follows the traditional rom-com formula, it also explains that formula in the book, since one of the lead characters, Laurie Lee is a romance writer. Our other lead character, Aaron Mite, is a college professor who has spent the last 5 years writing his novel.

Easy Mixed Seafood Chowder

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Seafood Nutrition Partnership. All opinions are 100% mine.

Is there anything more comforting than enjoying a bowl of chowder on a cool, crisp day? I'm going to go ahead and answer that question. Nope, nothing is better. Especially if that chowder isn't only comforting, but also healthy, tasty, and best of all–quick and simple to make!

Sopa de Lima | #SoupSwapParty

As a self-proclaimed soup addict, I think the concept of Kathy Gunst's new cookbook Soup Swap is pure genius. Since you often wind up with leftovers when you make soup, you can tire of having the same kind of soup day after day, so why not make a party out of it? Gather a group of friends, family, or colleagues and have each person/couple bring a pot of homemade soup. The host will provide a loaf of crusty bread, a side/salad, and a dessert.

At the party, serve up tasting portions of each kind of soup and then everybody goes home with different soups to enjoy for the rest of the week! You could make it a monthly ritual. You could have themes. You could ask everybody to bring a drink that compliments their soup. You could set it up however you want.

Bacon Cheeseburger Chowder inspired by Popeye | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick for this month is the 1980 live action Popeye film starring Robin Williams. So, here's the thing—this film isn't for everybody. I say this because before I actually had time to sit down and watch it, I had a friend who repeatedly told me how horrible it was...that it wasn't worth watching...that she'd rather do pretty much anything other than be subjected to watching it again. So imagine her dismay when, after I sat down to watch it, I reported back that I actually kind of liked it.

Here's my theory: if you are/were a fan of the Popeye comic strip and cartoons, you'll appreciate this live action version. But if you never really got into Popeye, you may hate this movie. Guess what? I grew up with Popeye cartoons. My grandpa used to record hours of old cartoons on VHS tapes that included all sorts of old Looney Tunes shows, Pink Panther, and Popeye. We used to watch them for hours when I went to visit him, and I watched them at home. I love all of those old cartoons to this day.

Chicken, Plaintain and Peanut Stew (with or without Pretzel Dumplings)

Another summer, another box of mystery ingredients exchanged...it's time for another mystery box reveal!  This year, I received a box of ingredients selected by Matt from Nomageddon that contained a bottle of Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, a package of Boardwalk Craft Beer Pretzel Mix, and a container of Aurora Natural Plantain Chips. These were all amazing ingredients and I couldn't wait to combine them to make one delicious dish.

First of all, next to homemade plantain chips, these are the best I've ever tried. I had to make an effort not to just snack them all away. Loved the beer on its own, as well. I couldn't get the idea of a Caribbean-inspired stew of sorts that featured plantains and peanuts, but the pretzel mix threw me for a loop there, so while that was the inspiration behind my dish, my finished dish wasn't very Caribbean.

Spelt and Vegetable Soup inspired by I Am Love | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick this month is the 2009 Italian film I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton. I watched this movie when it was first released on dvd and remember not really liking it. That being said, I believe in second chances, so I went in with a clear head when I popped the dvd in again this week. Unfortunately, it still wasn't my cup of tea. But all was not lost, because while I found the movie to be painfully slow, it did feature some beautiful scenery and delicious food to keep me in front of the screen.

The movie starts in Milan in the home of the wealthy Recchi family. Food is being prepped, silver is getting shined, and the scene is being set for a family meal to celebrate the grandfather's birthday. He announces his retirement from running the family business, which he will be entrusting to his son and grandson (because it will take two to take the place of one of him).

Dublin Coddle

In my search to find some good traditional Irish recipes to try over the past couple of weeks, I came across a dish called Dublin Coddle. If you're familiar with coddled eggs, which are cooked slowly and gently in a liquid just below the boiling point, you probably got the gist of this dish. Potatoes, onions, good pork sausage, and bacon are layered and cooked together gently to make a sort of stew that is basic - in the best of ways.

It's said that an Irish wife could leave a pot simmering on the stove for hours when she went to bed, that way it would be ready when her husband arrived home hungry from the pub. It's also one of those dishes that tastes better after sitting for a day, allowing all of the flavors to mingle and develop. A coddle was a good way to use up stray sausages and rashers of bacon on a Thursday in times when Catholics weren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays.