The Final Act of Gluttony

Still nursing the side effects of my holiday food coma, I woke up this morning with a serious hankering for something savory. I stumbled to the fridge and found a ziplok full of leftover garlic mashed potatoes, half a red onion, a bag of spinach and the last swig of orange juice that didn't make it into the mimosas. Mmmmm... breakfast.

I scooped the mashed potatoes into a hot skillet with some butter and created a crispy potato cake (a Thanksgiving leftover trick I learned from my mom). I topped my crunchy little cake with wilted spinach and red onions that I sauteed in the o.j. With a quick sprinkle of salt, this breakfast was the perfect finale to a long weekend of gluttony. Goodbye, indulgent holiday... hello, daily workouts.

What Thanksgiving Tastes Like

Today's goal was to make a Thanksgiving inspired cupcake. I decided to make a list of the first five flavors I associate with the holiday. Here's how the list shook out: salty, sweet, sage, citrus, and maple. As a non-baker trying to make a cupcake, I started with a boxed yellow cake mix to which I added fresh sage and orange zest. Homemade maple buttercream was in order to counteract my previous shortcut. Perched on the fluffy icing was a small piece of bacon that delivered the final salty punch. All in all, not a bad little cupcake.

The Week of the Carrot

It all started when my co-worker told me about his chilled carrot soup with coconut foam. My interest was instantly piqued and I quickly became obsessed with the idea of making my own carrot soup. During the course of that same week, two other co-workers came forth with their recipes and thus the week of the carrot was born. There was no question that my Sunday post was unfolding before my eyes. My adaptation was warm and involved pureed celery root, red curry paste, coconut milk, lime zest, and cilantro. The taste was delectably sweet and the texture... velvety smooth. Thick like bisque and full of flavorful heat, it was the perfect lunch on a chilly afternoon. Carrots - not just for rabbits anymore.

Take 2 and Call Me In The Morning

With the remnants of the first snow still lingering on the ground, it's hard to forget the impending winter. With the television devoted solely to sports, it's hard to forget that it's Sunday. Football and winter blahs are both in full tilt which makes today's creation just what the doctor ordered. Bite-sized pie crusts filled with spicy pesto chicken are a flavorful game time snack as well as a culinary panacea. Perched on a flaky crust and topped with mozzarella, this chicken mixture is irresistible. The intoxicating smell of roasted shallots, garlic, and peppers permeates your sinuses. Your stomach is warmed by the chili flakes, the savory herbs infuse your breath. Each bite makes you hungry for another. Winner, winner... chicken dinner.

To make chicken mixture for mini pies:

1 cooked chicken breast (chopped)

1 roasted yellow onion

1 roasted shallot

1/2 roasted yellow pepper

4 cloves roasted garlic

basil

rosemary

arugula

salt

pepper

red pepper flakes

handful of blanched almonds

drizzle of olive oil

Put everything in the food processor and pulse until incorporated. Dollop into pie crusts and bake in a 400 degree oven.