The other day I was cleaning out our cabinets and I found two little purple potatoes from the fall. Purple potatoes! They’re one of my favorite treats of the autumn. It was like a little gift from October. Since they were such a treat, I decided to pair them with chroizo that I’d bought for a Christmas batch of Paella.
And because I already had Spain on the brain, I decided to make a frittata that had the feel of the Costa del Sol. Continue reading
I received a cedar roasting plank
While I was in Dallas about a month and a half ago, I discovered a delicious breakfast joint by the name of Ellen’s Southern Kitchen. I had breakfast there two out of four days, it was that good. Their motto is “Grits Rule”, and after trying their Poached Eggs and Grits, I had to agree. Once I got back home, I decided to try my hand at a dinner version of this dish. All it took was adding a little smoked sausage to transition from morning to evening fare. Serves 4. Continue reading
Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Cranberries
Hello November. How’s it going? You’re looking a little gray and drab. But, you still have amazing produce and I’m not about to turn down all you have to offer.
Especially when you provide me with fresh Brussels sprouts. And I love brussels sprouts. Continue reading
There are some recipe ideas that get into your head and linger there like a constant daydream. For me it was the idea of putting greens and cauliflower together in a creamy cheese sauce. I was slammed with work and didn’t have the energy to get into the kitchen for awhile, but I promised myself that the first thing I’d make would be this dish.
And it was everything I’d hoped it would be. The top was crunchy, the filling was decadent. All in all, it was a delicious meal to enjoy with a glass of wine while the wind howled and rattled the windows. Continue reading
Unlike a traditional chicken pot pie, this recipe does not have a thick, rich sauce. I like to make this because it is a great way to use leftover chicken, and it only requires a few ingredients. The leftover pie will also reheat wonderfully in the toaster oven. Continue reading
One of the very first bars I got drunk at in Chicago is called Twisted Spoke – the one on Clark Street, not the one on Ogden in the West Loop. My friend Christine and I got drunk on $2.75 pints of Woodchuck Cider.
Since then, the owners of Twisted Spoke sold the Clark Street location, leaving only the location in Chicago’s West Loop. In the past couple years, this has become the site of what my friends call “Brunching Hard,” which means we sit at the bar with some fancy drinks, get drunk, and maybe eat some food. Continue reading
I got back from Dallas last night, where I spent the last five days eating all the tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole that I could get my hands on; I am still craving pico de gallo! Even though pico seems like a very summery dish, it is a must have whenever you serve Mexican food. The key to this recipe is to make sure the ingredients have at least 30 minutes to “hang out” before you serve the pico. Continue reading
My father cracks me up. He’ll sing at the drop of a hat, and one of his favorites is a certain Simon and Garfunkel song. Because my mother and I both like to cook, we talk about ingredients when we get together – so we tend to set him up for musical interludes pretty easily. Continue reading
“I found Thai basil, I found Thai basil!” my husband happily yelled when he walked through the door.
“Whut?” I asked looking up from the computer.
“I found it, I finally found it,” he said.
And, indeed, he finally had. Continue reading
