Floribbean Holiday Adventure!

It’s the holidays and we’re looking forward to preparing a special holiday menu of “Floribbean” fare for our annual holiday party. Floribbean cuisine is influenced by the many cultures that are found in Florida. Specifically, Caribbean and Latin cultures have shaped Floribbean cuisine. You can find details about Floribbean cuisine here.

We have chosen this cuisine for our holiday party in honor of Florida… a state that has a special meaning to us. So join us in our virtual holiday party by participating in this blogging adventure!

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a recipe of Floribbean (Caribbean/Latin) inspired dishes for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a dish that captures Caribbean/Latin/Floribbean cuisine and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until the midnight, December 13th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created an Floribbean inspired dish are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures (www.joelens.blogspot.com)

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

Holiday Cookie Swap Blogging Adventure!

In honor of my annual Holiday Cookie Swap this year, I’m hosting a Holiday Cookie Swap adventure!

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a cookie recipe for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a cookie recipe and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until the midnight, December 7th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created cookie recipe are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures (www.joelens.blogspot.com)

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

Holiday Candies Adventure!

I’m spending a day making candy for holiday gifts and would love for you to join me! As a result, I’m hosting a Holiday Candies Adventure.

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a candy recipe for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a candy recipe and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until the midnight, December 6th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created an candy recipe are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures (www.joelens.blogspot.com)

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

Devon Ave: Indian-Jewish Adventure!

Have you ever been to an ethnic market and feel a little lost in translation? Curious about ethnic ingredients and want to learn more about them? Interested in finding some great deals on fresh fruits/vegetables and exotic ingredients at reasonable prices? Well, my group is joining me as I explore Chicagoland ethnic neighborhoods each month.

This month, my tour is dedicated to Indian/Pakistani cuisine & culture located on the far north side of Chicago, on Devon Ave. But believe it or not, there is also a section of Devon highlighting European & Jewish culture as well. The second half of our tour will be focused on European (Russian & Georgian specifically) and Jewish cuisine & culture. So for this blogging adventure, create an Indian or Jewish inspired dish!

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a recipe of an Indian or Jewish inspired dish for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a dish specific to your hometown, city, region, and/or country and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until the midnight, November 30th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created an Indian or Jewish inspired dish are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

But wait… there’s also a GIVEAWAY! Participate and you just might receive a giveaway item related to the blogging event. The chosen blogger for the giveaway will be contacted via email when the round up is posted to obtain mailing information. Good luck and hope you can join me in my Culinary Adventures!

November Tasty Tools: Roasting/Braising Pans!

For November’s Tasty Tools, we’re highlighting Roasting & Braising Pans! This is one piece of cookware that will be especially used this month for the many Thanksgiving celebrations happening. However aside from turkey, this piece of cookware has many other uses. I use my roasting pan for roast chicken, pork & lamb roasts, large batches of caramel corn, even lasagna! It’s a great piece of cookware that every kitchen should have and it can be used throughout the year – not just for turkey on Thanksgiving! So if you happen to use a roasting or braising pan for any of your cooking and/or baking this month, submit a recipe you’ve made in a roasting/braising pan to the event all throughout the month of November.

1) Make a recipe using a roasting/braising pan and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until midnight, November 30th.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your name, state/country location
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry with picture

My Kind of Town Thanksgiving Adventure!

Every year I host Thanksgiving and to break up the monotony of the classic holiday fare, I prepare foods of a specific cuisine or theme. This year, we’re celebrating the culinary wonders of Chicago. Dishes that represents or is specific to Chicago will be on the table and I’m looking forward to it! So for this blogging adventure, create a dish specific to your hometown, city, region, country.

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a recipe of a dish specific to your hometown, city, region, and/or country for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a dish specific to your hometown, city, region, and/or country and create a blog post about it from now (the date of this post) until the midnight, November 16th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created a dish specific to your hometown, city, region, and/or country are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

But wait… there’s also a GIVEAWAY! Participate and you just might receive a giveaway item related to the blogging event. The chosen blogger for the giveaway will be contacted via email when the round up is posted to obtain mailing information. Good luck and hope you can join me in my Culinary Adventures!

October Tasty Tools: Dutch Ovens!

For October’s Tasty Tools, we’re highlighting Dutch Ovens! This is one piece of cookware I must have because of the versatility it offers. This is the time of year I tend to use it more often because it’s such a great vessel to make soups, stews, roasts, and casseroles. Let’s not forget that the old style Dutch ovens can also be used as baking ovens to create biscuits, breads, cakes, pies and even pizza! So if you happen to use a dutch oven for any of your cooking and/or baking this month, submit a recipe you’ve made in a dutch oven to the event all throughout the month of October.All October Tasty Tool entries must be submitted by October 31st… and the round up will be posted by November 5th. Here’s how to submit your Tasty Tools entry…

1) Make a recipe using a dutch oven and create a blog post about it from now until midnight, October 31st. Be sure to take a picture of your dutch oven for this event!

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your name, state/country location
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry with picture

Chef Spotlight: International Chefs!

Everyone’s view on food is different, based on one’s exposure, cultural background, environment, etc. This month, let’s prepare dishes of non-US chefs who are known worldwide for their culinary creations. Some chefs include:

From the UK – Jaime Oliver, Gordon Ramsey, Nigella Lawson, Robert Irvine
From Asia – Madhur Jaffrey, Masaharu Morimoto
From Australia – Curtis Stone

To celebrate these international chefs, friends and I are coming together to create dishes of these chefs for my Chef Spotlight event series. You can view more International Chefs here. We’re focusing on all international chefs except those in the United States.

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a recipe of an International Chef for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a dish of an International Chef and create a blog post about it from now until the midnight, October 27th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created a dish of an International Chef are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

But wait… there’s also a GIVEAWAY! Participate and you just might receive a giveaway item related to the blogging event. The chosen blogger for the giveaway will be contacted via email when the round up is posted to obtain mailing information. Good luck and hope you can join me in my Culinary Adventures!

Fall Snacks Adventure!

Snacking is a big deal this time of year… especially with sports fans! My friends and I are getting together to create some fall snacks specifically with popcorn and we’d like you to join in the fun!

BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a fall snack recipe for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a fall snack like popcorn, pretzels, wings, nachoes, etc and create a blog post about it from now until the midnight, October 13th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created a fall snack are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

But wait… there’s also a GIVEAWAY! Participate and you just might receive a giveaway item related to the blogging event. The chosen blogger for the giveaway will be contacted via email when the round up is posted to obtain mailing information. Good luck and hope you can join me in my Culinary Adventures!

Cobblers, Crumbles & Crisps, Oh My!

Fall is a wonderful time of the year to bake. The sweet & savory smells wafting from the oven makes fall one of my favorite seasons. So to celebrate the fall season, friends and I are getting together in the kitchen to bake up some cobblers, crumbles & crisps made with in season fruit, nuts and berries. BLOGGERS: Join in the fun and share a cobbler, crumble and/or crisp recipe for this blogging adventure!

1) Make a cobbler, crumble and/or crisp and create a blog post about it from now until the midnight, October 20th. Any previous blog posts you have where you’ve created a cobbler, crumble and/or crisp are happily accepted.

2) Add a link back to my blog within your blog post, Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

3) Send an email with the following information to itsjoelen@gmail.com:
– Title of the blogging adventure in subject line
– Your first name
– Your state and/or country location if outside the U.S.
– Your food blog name & link to your event entry that includes pictures

You can participate even if you don’t have a blog. Non-bloggers can email the above information (sans blog details) and I’ll include it in the round up.

But wait… there’s also a GIVEAWAY! Participate and you just might receive a giveaway item related to the blogging event. The chosen blogger for the giveaway will be contacted via email when the round up is posted to obtain mailing information. Good luck and hope you can join me in my Culinary Adventures!