It starts with that annoying tickle in the back of your throat. Next, it's the sniffles and fatigue. Before you know it, you have a full blown cold and you're down for the count. Welcome to the story of my weekend. I've been on a steady rotation of hot soup, hot tea, and hot showers and have spent the majority of the last two days curled up on the couch under a blanket. Today around 3pm, I finally mustered enough energy to drag myself into the kitchen and start a big batch of vegetable stock... throwing everything from ginger to jalapenos into the pot. The aroma of onions, garlic, peppercorns and herbs permeated the house as well as my sinuses. As I looked aimlessly around the kitchen, I noticed that my counter was littered with apples and onions, which happen to be my favorite flavor combo of the week, so I started slicing. I caramelized the pair in a skillet with a healthy dollop of butter. Once they were sufficiently softened and sweet, I added them to the stock which I thickened with flour and almond milk. Hearty enough to accommodate a crusty slice of toast and a thick chunk of Gruyere, this soup was exactly what the doctor ordered. I think there was also a glass of red wine on that order, let me check my prescription....
As a stylist, I spend countless hours perusing blogs, magazines, and any other eye candy I can get my hands on in order to feed the creative machine. Today, as I drank my coffee and sought inspiration, I stumbled upon a recipe for butternut gnocchi on bonappetit.com. The recipe sounded good but I wanted something different than the brown butter sauce they were suggesting. Unsure if I was actually going to follow through with this recipe plan, I headed out to the store to see what I could find. I decided to pick up a variety of fall ingredients which included honeycrisp apples, fresh sage, and a butternut squash. With the intermittent rain and a dreary gray sky, it was the perfect day to get caught up in a culinary escapade so I began my gnocchi production. After rolling and cutting these delicate little pillows, I tossed them in a pot of salted, boiling water and waited for them to pop up to the top. After being scooped out of the water, they landed on a lined baking sheet where they awaited their second act. Opting to forgo the original bon appetit brown butter sauce, I began formulating my own plan to accompany the sweet squash. While the gnocchi sat patiently on the parchment, I chopped a fresh honeycrisp apple and a small red onion that I then sauteed in a skillet with some butter that had been steeping with garlic and sage. Once the onion and apple had softened, in went the gnocchi. A few minutes later the gnocchi had a crispy golden shell. They were sufficiently coated in the sweet and savory mixture and were ready to be devoured. I happily obliged, which lead to the need for a nap. Wake me when it's spring again....
Chickpea flour is my latest muse in the kitchen. Originally purchased for some experimental pasta making, it has turned out to be a versatile, go-to ingredient. One of my favorite recipes, so far, is eggless chocolate french toast. To be perfectly honest, it's a dessert disguised as a breakfast item. A nod to those who believe "life is uncertain, eat your dessert first", it is a delicious mixture of french toast texture and brownie decadence. A pinch of cardamom in the recipe adds a unique taste and the warm strawberry drizzle takes it over the top. Go ahead... eat your dessert first. I won't judge.
There's nothing like a sweet, juicy peach on a lazy summer afternoon. If it's not dripping down your face as you devour it, start over. Wonderful as a ripe peach may be, the perfect sidecar is a healthy dose of fresh ginger. Throw in some cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom and an ideal flavor combination is created. Using a muffin tin, I enclosed this tasty mixture in a flaky pie crust and created individual peach pastries... curing the long standing problem of a deflated slice of pie that has unfortunately lost it's filling to a previous cut. No one should have to endure an imbalanced crust to filling ratio! Buttery and sweet with a hint of spice, these tiny treats were gone almost as quickly as they were created...ephemeral like the days of summer.
Today's dish was inspired by my father, who sent me a recipe a few months ago for a sweet potato hash. It involved sweet corn, black beans, bell peppers, onions, sliced avocado, cilantro, and sour cream... all things I love, except for the sweet potato. I initially blew it off as a recipe I would never try, despite the fact that he assured me I would like it. My only prior experience with sweet potatoes was the mushy thanksgiving side dish, complete with baby marshmallows and a year's supply of brown sugar. When I finally tried the recipe, my opinion on sweet potatoes changed instantly. I immediately incorporated the bright orange monster into my weekly menu and started experimenting with different spices and cooking methods. I quickly realized that sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the spicy flavors I adore, and can easily be incorporated into more recipes than I ever imagined. Today's adaptation was a throw back to the original inspiration dish and was a saute of chick peas, cherry tomatoes, garlic scapes, green onions, cilantro, and avocado. Seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper flake this sweet potato hash was absolutely delicious. Served on a bed of quinoa, it's easily my new favorite meal... looks like father does know best.
I have been anxiously awaiting a harvest in my garden. After a slow start, things are now ramping up and the mesclun lettuce has finally arrived. A wonderful mix of spicy and bitter, these greens are a salad lover's dream. Their crisp texture and bright flavor make them amazing on their own, but today I embellished them by filling individual leaves with a mixture of crumbled goat cheese and tangy currant jam. The combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the sweet and savory filling was absolutely indulgent. Who knew a delicate little lettuce could be so naughty?
I love ice cream. I also like fitting into my clothes. Since large amounts of heavy cream and sugar have an adverse effect on my waistline, I began a search for a healthier alternative that would satiate my ice cream desires. I tried several different faux ice creams but they all were icy and lacked that creamy texture I was craving. Then I stumbled across a vegan ice cream recipe that involved 2 ingredients - frozen bananas and almond milk. I was intrigued but skeptical. No ice cream machine needed. No sugar needed. How on earth this was going to be good? To my surprise, it was simply delicious. It was as easy as slicing bananas, freezing them on a cookie sheet, and then pulsing them in the food processor with a splash of almond milk. Granted, you have to like the taste of banana, but with a little creativity the flavor can be adjusted to suit your taste buds. My favorite addition was a swirl of whipped peanut butter. The possibilities are endless... go bananas!
Sunburn...check. Wet dog... check. Sand in my shoes...check. Yep, summer has arrived! (After a long weekend of rain, I was wondering if I would ever see that large fiery ball in the sky.) With a frosty drink in my hand and the warm glow of the sun on my face, it was hard to think of anything other than the blissful zen I was enjoying, but my mind wandered. The soft fluttering sound of the flags dancing in the breeze turned my thoughts to the soldiers, the fallen heros, and the families left without their loved ones today. So here's a toast and a huge thank you those who provide my freedom - May you never forget that we love you. Your courage is astounding. 
Ok, I must be a dork... or perhaps I have just lived in a small town too long because the opening of a new grocery store had me tickled pink. During my reconnaissance mission, I meandered through the produce section and perused the aisles. The "international" section is where I spotted a bottle of orange blossom water. I had absolutely no idea what to do with it but I couldn't resist buying it. I knew that hauntingly sweet aroma was going to add a new twist to my culinary bag of tricks. The gears began to grind. Weening myself off a 2 week bender of bad eating, I avoided the urge to make cookies or cakes and opted, instead, for a light salad. I started with fresh strawberries, shaved carrot, and chopped romaine hearts and macerated the salad in the juice of 1 navel orange and 1/4 tsp of orange blossom water. Fifteen minutes in the fridge was all it took for these humble ingredients to incorporate into a sweet summer treat. Welcome back, inspiration... I missed you.
I was taught how to make chicken corn soup by my husband's grandmother. That being said, this recipe is dear to my heart. It's a classic Pennsylvania Dutch recipe with as many adaptations as there are people who make it. Variations can include dumplings, vegetables, or particular cuts of chicken. Despite the many versions, one standard ingredient classifies this recipe as authentic - hard boiled eggs. Before you turn your nose up, try it. I was skeptical at first, but the egg yolks actually melt into the soup and create a wonderfully creamy broth. It's a humble dish that is seasoned only with salt and cracked pepper but each bite is pure love. Every Easter I make this soup in the tradition of my in-laws. They, too, are dishing up the same meal, six hundred miles from Michigan, connecting us through the power of food. Happy Easter!
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