Hope you all have a relaxing weekend! With the start of the new year, new resolutions and playing catch up at work, I’m ready for a few days off.
Photo: Breakfast of eggs, bacon, feta and avocado on fried bread.
Music has always been an essential accompaniment to time spent in the kitchen. I cook more often during the colder months, so that’s what inspired this playlist. It’s a mixed bag of genres, with some toe-tapping jazzy tunes and a few super mellow tracks.
The gorgeous photo featured was shot by Caitlin of Roost, a graphic designer who runs one top-notch food blog. At first glance you’d never guess that her recipes are grain/gluten/sugar/dairy free. I’d highly recommend finding a new recipe to try, pouring a glass of wine, and listening these tracks. That’s what I’ll be doing tonight.
Mixtape No 2. – The Kitchen Soundtrack (listen here)
1. I’ve Got That Tune – Chinese Man
2. Stardust – Hoagy Carmichael
3. To Carry Many Small Things- Mina Tindle
4. C’est lui – Josephine Baker
5. Common Burn – Mazzy Star
6. Anything You Want (Not That) – Belle Ruche
7. You – Gold Panda
8. Unknown Brother – The Black Keys
9. The Sweetest Thing – Camera Obscura
I never plan to make muffins. The muffin making usually follows a muffin craving, one that strikes with full force on Sunday mornings. I had an emergency case last weekend, so I turned to my go-to recipe. You can make these bad boys on a whim, which is what makes this recipe so good. As soon as that muffin craving hits, 45 minutes later you’re in sugar heaven and fully satisfied.
I’m sharing my “fancy” MS version of this recipe, but 90% of the time I swap the sour cream for milk, because I rarely have it on hand. I’m sure you could use yogurt here as well. Alas, I hate the stuff.
Bon appetit!
Recipe for Coffee Cake Muffins, adapted from Martha Stewart
The Muffins:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
For The Yummy Topping:
1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Directions:
Make topping: Stir together brown sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles large coarse crumbs.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a jumbo 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sour cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well combined. With mixer on low, beat flour mixture into butter mixture.
Divide half the batter among prepared muffin cups. Top with half the streusel mixture, then remaining batter, and top with streusel. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then you must eat one!
I’m always looking for easy and adaptable recipes for weeknight meals. So this week I thought I’d share a recipe that is a staple in my kitchen. It usually goes something like this:
1. Pour a glass of wine.
2. Prepare the following:
+ Whatever pasta I have on hand
+ Grab a hunk of whatever cheese I’ve got in the fridge. Usually parmesan, goat cheese, or feta at any given time
+ Saute healthy greens like Kale or Chard with lots of garlic and some olive oil
+ Grab protein if I’ve got it, usually chickpeas, prosciutto, italian sausage, or roast chicken
+ A squeeze of lemon and a heavy-handed shake of the red pepper jar.
Toss in a big bowl. Savor.
I made this pasta dish this week with leftover ricotta and loved it. So tell me, what’s your go-to recipe for weeknight meals?
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Rigatoni with Kale & Prosciutto
ingredients:
1 lb rigatoni
1/8 lb prosciutto
1 bunch kale
1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tsp red pepper
3 garlic cloves
Salt & ground pepper
Directions:
Boil a big pot of salted water. While the water is boiling, chop the prosciutto into small pieces. Sauté the prosciutto over medium heat with some olive oil until crispy. Set aside.
Cook pasta according to package. Chop up washed kale into small strips. Saute with olive oil and garlic over medium heat until the kale has wilted. Squeeze half a lemon on top of the kale.
Reserve 3/4 cup pasta water before draining. Combine the pasta water with the cooked rigatoni, kale, prosciutto, ricotta, a small squeeze of lemon, and red pepper. Salt to taste, and ENJOY!
this weekend i made a batch of butternut squash risotto. it was so light, creamy, and full of fall flavors, i thought i’d share my adapted recipe with you. i used martha stewart’s recipe, but swapped the recommended rosemary for sage, and roasted the squash instead of steaming it. i continued to enjoy this recipe by making risotto cakes with the leftovers. just form patties and fry them in lots of butter.
i loved this recipe, however, i think i’ll swap the butternut squash for wild mushrooms, and leeks for the shallots next time for an earthier flavor. what’s your favorite way to enjoy risotto?
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto, adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4-6
1 butternut squash
6 cups Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Freshly grated nutmeg
Salt & ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Cut squash into cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
In a large saucepan, heat stock to a simmer. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add oil and shallots; cook for 2 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Add wine to rice, and cook, stirring, until wine is nearly absorbed. Stir in a cup of stock; cook at a steady simmer until liquid is nearly absorbed. Continue stirring in stock, a ladleful at a time, until rice is creamy and firm but not hard in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. Add chopped sage. Stir in remaining butter, roasted squash and most of the Parmesan. Serve immediately in shallow bowls garnished with the remaining cheese and sage.
click here for a printable recipe card
images via real simple and bon appetit
do you have plans for labor day weekend? i’m taking it easy by spending time with my mom and sister, catching up on some reading, and enjoying a picnic by the lake. i’m thinking of making this recipe for prosciutto wrapped figs stuffed with feta and basil. what ever you have planned, i hope you partake in the last weeks of summer’s fare!
Recipe: Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Feta and Basil
12 figs
12 basil leaves
12 pieces of prosciutto
12 cubes of feta cheese
toothpicks
Cut a slit three-fourths of the way through the figs, from the top down.
Opened up each fig and stuff with a cube of feta.
Wrap each stuffed fig with a thin slice of prosciutto and basil. Secure with a toothpick.
Serves 6
Enjoy on a linen blanket with a chilled Rose and crusty bread (topped with salted butter, of course).
all images sourced from Bon Appetit
do you guys have a sweet or a savory tooth? i get weak in the knees for tart and salty treats, especially when herbs are added into the mix. here are two summertime treats that caught my eye yesterday: lemon-thyme soda, and rosemary french fries.
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lemon-thyme soda
recipe from GQ, adapted from ABC Kitchen, photo by ABC Kitchen
1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 cups water, 1 oz. fresh thyme, juice of 6 lemons, soda water
Bring the sugar and water to a boil, then add the thyme and let steep until cool. Pass through a fine strainer. In an ice-filled glass, combine 1 1/2 ounces of the thyme syrup with 1/2 ounce of the lemon juice. Add soda water to taste.
*if you’d like to add some vodka to the lemon-thyme drinks, here’s a link to the recipe.
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rosemary fries
recipe by spike mendelsohn via oprah.com, photo by good stuff eatery, via serious eats
5 pounds Red Bliss potatoes, 1 cup chopped fresh rosemary, 1 cup chopped fresh thyme, 1/4 cup sea salt, Canola oil for deep-frying
Wash and scrub potatoes under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut in half lengthwise, then into long strips about 1/4-inch thick.
In a deep pot or deep-fat fryer, heat about 3 inches of oil until a thermometer reads 250°. Line a metal tray or baking sheet with paper towels.
Add one handful of the potatoes to the pot. Fry until tender but have no color. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Repeat the procedure until all the strips are cooked. Refrigerate until cool.
Reheat the oil to 350°. Line the metal tray with fresh paper towels.
Add the cooled potatoes a few handfuls at a time and fry until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on the paper towels. Toss with the rosemary, thyme and salt while the slices are still hot. Serve immediately.
this BLT with slow roasted tomatoes instantly caused me to salivate when i saw it posted on TKoW this morning.
check out the recipe on not without salt, and drool over some lovely and savory food photography.
planning a picnic? tired of your standard brown-bag lunches? hate soggy bread and wilted salads? give this a try! so clever.
image from the decorated cookie, via design crush
the beginning of may has proven to be a frigid one. the only reasonable thing to do on a morning like this is to eat have a cup of tea and a hearty breakfast. this egg sandwich never fails to hit the spot. have a great monday, readers!
egg sandwich: toasted french bread, tomato, avocado, over-easy eggs, rembrandt extra-aged gouda, a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and a drizzle of siracha. all that’s missing is bacon.
a few of you asked for the roasted brussels sprouts recipe i mentioned a few weeks ago. it was a twist on a basic way to cook them, and i really enjoyed hearing your tips and tricks for getting sprouts just right.
so that got me thinking: would you guys be interested in doing a recipe swap? i’ll post recipes and images, nothing fancy, just simple, wholesome, delicious indulgences. they’ll fall into a different category each time. i’ll create a recipe card for each one, at a standard 6 “x 4″ size you so can print it out or bookmark it.
in return, i’d love to know what you’re cooking. we can discuss by category; this one being side dishes or vegetable sides. i know you guys are getting creative in the kitchen and i’m dying to hear about it!
so! what’s your go-to side dish? anything i’ve gotta try this week?
Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Truffle Butter
adapted from Barefoot Contessa in Paris
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons melted truffle butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
optional: chopped parsley, half a lemon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the butter, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt, parsley, a squeeze with lemon, and serve immediately.
i’m meeting my talented and beautiful sister for lunch today. we haven’t decided where to eat, but some roast chicken with garlic and lemon, rosemary and cucumber g & t, and a slice of blueberry tart would really hit the spot…
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i love the guest post series that erin put together this month! my post is up at Apartment 34 this morning. we’re talking about my favorite way to spend these cold winter months. check it out! i’ve included some of my favorite cold weather recipes.
3 bottles of wine and 4 hours later, nick and i completed our first made-from-scratch thanksgiving dinner. it wasn’t exactly a traditional thanksgiving meal; we decided to roast chicken instead. the thought of dealing with a 20lb turkey was intimidating, but we decided against it mostly because it was an excessive amount of food for the two of us. we also didn’t have time to brine the turkey because we were at the grocery store at 12pm on thanksgiving day. it worked out great, as i’m more of a sides girl and we made enough food for nick to stuff himself all weekend. all in all it was a great success!
if you’d like, you can see these and the rest of the shots from thanksgiving weekend on my flickr stream.
wishing those of you in the states a happy thanksgiving!
due to yesterday’s weather and a wicked flu going around my family’s home, we are staying in minneapolis this weekend. i’m about to make a big mess in the kitchen-i decided last minute to cook a big dinner for nick and my minneapolis friends. nothing too formal, just lots of food and many bottles of wine. i feel so thankful for my friends up here, they really are family.
hugs and kisses to my family across the country, i miss you dearly and wish we could be with you today. mom- expect a few phone calls regarding turkey roasting. this big bird is really intimidating. ha!
k
image via mint design blog
i like cake. nick loves cake. i didn’t realize how deep his love for cake was until we went on our cake tasting. we sampled 20 different cake/icing combos, and i kid you not, after every single flavor, nick would groan about it being the single best thing he had ever tasted. this was obviously a gross exaggeration on his part, but i guess he takes his passion for sweets pretty seriously. i found it to be adorable and was thrilled he was excited about this part of the planning process.
fast forward a few months and we still hadn’t narrowed down our flavor options. “they were all so delicious!” nick said. so i thought- people like options, so how about we do a cake buffet. that idea went over really well with my sweet-crazed partner.
i spent some time yesterday looking at toppings and decorations to send to the cake lady, and the only cakes i lingered on were the ones that looked really tasty and edible. the ones with creamy, slightly imperfect, frosting that i could sink my teeth straight through. i did like the ones with the ruffles too- they look so light and airy. i am thinking we change up the textures and patterns of the icing on each cake, and maybe doing a few of those trendy little flags on a couple, because i just think they are so cute. so behold! a few of the inspiration images i sent to my cake lady. yummy, right?
images: 1 via, maggie pie cakes 2, 5-6 herriot grace via poppy talk, 3 via nikole herriot, maggie austin cake via ritzy bee
buffet images via elizabeth anne design
last sunday evening, nick and i threw together a little impromptu picnic by the lake. just the two of us, avocado and tomato wraps, our new nikon d90, and a blanket. the crisp may weather was amazing.
still, i would loved to have this basket, a few delicious hunks of cheese, and these vintage utensils. perfect for meals by the lake. we’re hoping to make it a sunday ritual, at least during these warmer months.
photos by ethan ollie
…having this for an afternoon snack than going to the gym. maybe i’ll pick up a few on my way home
My wish list goes something like this:…Great British Food for its delightfully witty writing and quirky design …Olives and Oranges for delicious vegetarian meals…Coco for the star-studded line up of chefs and outrageously trendy recipes…i love macarons so i can learn how to make my own. i’m afraid i will be a little crabby once Lucia’s doesn’t offer them daily!
i’m a little embarrassed to say that i haven’t cooked much from my newest cookbook; a beautiful copy of i know how to cook that i received from my little sister for christmas. i did however piece together my very own mac & cheese recipe using their bechamel sauce! i am sure i will get more use out of it once our csa deliveries start in a month. we’re also courting with the idea of using this butcher after we get two incomes rolling through the door. it’s a possibility that we could be eating 99% local this summer! if anyone has a favorite recipe from i know how to cook let me know. i think the sheer size of the book is intimidating to me.
(some extra spreads from Great British Food below)
