caramelized baby roots with sweet lemon dressing. For Christmas my mom gave me a copy of Alice’s Cook Book, by Alice Hart. I flipped through it during breakfast this morning and said to my parents, “Why do these recipes call for such fancy ingredients? Chickpea flour? Ratatouille pickles? Passionfruit juice?” Caramelized baby roots with sweet lemon dressing not only sounded delicious, but was also one of the least demanding dishes. 1 lemon, zested and cut in half 6 tablespoons of olive oil 3 sprigs of thyme 2 tablespoons of honey Salt and pepper 1.5 pounds of baby parsnips and carrots 3 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash 12 shallots, peeled and halved Half teaspoon of cumin 7 ounces of feta cheese Half cup of toasted and chopped hazelnuts You’ll need a wok and a pot for this. Heat up the wok and sear the lemon halves until the flesh is a dark gold. After allowing the lemon halves to cool, squeeze the juice into a bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the zest, half of the thyme, a bit of honey, and pepper to taste. Ta-da, sweet lemon dressing! Don’t wash the wok— you’re saving the remnants of lemon juice for later. Fill your pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add your root vegetables and squash and boil for four minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the wok and brown the shallots for ten minutes. Increase the heat, add the cumin, vegetables, honey, and remaining thyme and cook for ten more minutes.  When serving, fold in feta, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and drizzle the lemon dressing on top. Happy new year!

caramelized baby roots with sweet lemon dressing.

For Christmas my mom gave me a copy of Alice’s Cook Book, by Alice Hart. I flipped through it during breakfast this morning and said to my parents, “Why do these recipes call for such fancy ingredients? Chickpea flour? Ratatouille pickles? Passionfruit juice?” Caramelized baby roots with sweet lemon dressing not only sounded delicious, but was also one of the least demanding dishes.

  • 1 lemon, zested and cut in half
  • 6 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 tablespoons of honey
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1.5 pounds of baby parsnips and carrots
  • 3 cups of peeled and cubed butternut squash
  • 12 shallots, peeled and halved
  • Half teaspoon of cumin
  • 7 ounces of feta cheese
  • Half cup of toasted and chopped hazelnuts

You’ll need a wok and a pot for this.

Heat up the wok and sear the lemon halves until the flesh is a dark gold. After allowing the lemon halves to cool, squeeze the juice into a bowl. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the zest, half of the thyme, a bit of honey, and pepper to taste. Ta-da, sweet lemon dressing!

Don’t wash the wok— you’re saving the remnants of lemon juice for later.

Fill your pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add your root vegetables and squash and boil for four minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the wok and brown the shallots for ten minutes. Increase the heat, add the cumin, vegetables, honey, and remaining thyme and cook for ten more minutes. 

When serving, fold in feta, sprinkle with hazelnuts, and drizzle the lemon dressing on top.

Happy new year!

Friendsgiving.

We held the third annual Friendsgiving celebration last weekend. I made apple dumplings and a pork roast with apples and onions. I didn’t take any pictures, but that’s not the point.

My favorite thing about Friendsgiving is seeing who brings what to the table. Who knew that Al could make such delicious meatballs? Or that Kelsey’s recipe for green beans is the bomb? Jake, who is Lebanese, made his mom’s famous tabouli again.

And in keeping with tradition, Lucas provided the box of wine.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Brie & cranberry burger. [[Update: I remade this and took another photo during the daytime. Worth it, blog-wise and tastebud-wise.]] It’s all about the layers. A crispy bun with tangy honey mustard slathered on top. A layer of crunchy lettuce. A juicy burger with dreamy dreamy Brie melted on top. Then a layer of salty scallions and sweet cranberries. It tastes as good as it sounds. 

Brie & cranberry burger.

[[Update: I remade this and took another photo during the daytime. Worth it, blog-wise and tastebud-wise.]]

It’s all about the layers. A crispy bun with tangy honey mustard slathered on top. A layer of crunchy lettuce. A juicy burger with dreamy dreamy Brie melted on top. Then a layer of salty scallions and sweet cranberries.

It tastes as good as it sounds. 

baked sweet potato with chili beans. I’ve been dreaming about this all week, but haven’t had time to cook until today. It was worth the wait.  4 sweet potatoes 1 can of pinto beans 1 can of black beans 2 teaspoons of olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon of chili powder 1 teaspoon of smoked salt 28 ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes Cilantro Avocado Red onion Sour cream Poke holes in the potatoes, wrap them in foil, and bake for 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Throw your yellow onion and garlic in a large pan with the olive oil. When the onion is soft, add the chili powder, salt, and tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes using the back of a spoon, but leave big and delicious chunks. Let that simmer for 20 minutes while you dance to this song.  Meanwhile, drain your beans and set them aside. Chop up the red onion, cilantro, and avocado, and set aside.  After 20 minutes, add the beans to the pan and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.  Don’t forget to take the potatoes out of the oven! I did.  After the 10 minutes are up, slice open a potato, fill it with chili, and top it off with sour cream, cilantro, red onion, avocado, and maybe some grated cheese.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

baked sweet potato with chili beans.

I’ve been dreaming about this all week, but haven’t had time to cook until today. It was worth the wait. 

  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 1 can of pinto beans
  • 1 can of black beans
  • 2 teaspoons of olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon of chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon of smoked salt
  • 28 ounce can of whole, peeled tomatoes
  • Cilantro
  • Avocado
  • Red onion
  • Sour cream

Poke holes in the potatoes, wrap them in foil, and bake for 50 minutes at 400 degrees.

Throw your yellow onion and garlic in a large pan with the olive oil. When the onion is soft, add the chili powder, salt, and tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes using the back of a spoon, but leave big and delicious chunks.

Let that simmer for 20 minutes while you dance to this song. 

Meanwhile, drain your beans and set them aside. Chop up the red onion, cilantro, and avocado, and set aside. 

After 20 minutes, add the beans to the pan and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes. 

Don’t forget to take the potatoes out of the oven! I did. 

After the 10 minutes are up, slice open a potato, fill it with chili, and top it off with sour cream, cilantro, red onion, avocado, and maybe some grated cheese. 

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

asparagus with soy chorizo and cranberry beans.Jake and I are having dinner at a friend’s house tonight, so we put this together. I used soy chorizo only because I couldn’t find the real stuff in Whole Foods (which was surprising, because I specifically went to Whole Foods thinking that they would have chorizo.)  1 pound of asparagus, cut into 3 or four pieces 6 ounces of soy (or not) chorizo, cut into medium pieces  A handful of croutons (my signature measuring system!) 1/4 cup of whole almonds 1/4 cup of olive oil 15 ounces of cooked cranberry beans (or any other kind) 1/4 teaspoon of salt 1/4 teaspoon of pepper Heat the oil in a pan, then add all ingredients with the exception of the beans, salt, and pepper. Let it sauté for five minutes, occasionally stirring so everything browns evenly. Add in the beans, salt, and pepper, turn a few more times, then devour. 

asparagus with soy chorizo and cranberry beans.

Jake and I are having dinner at a friend’s house tonight, so we put this together. I used soy chorizo only because I couldn’t find the real stuff in Whole Foods (which was surprising, because I specifically went to Whole Foods thinking that they would have chorizo.) 

  • 1 pound of asparagus, cut into 3 or four pieces
  • 6 ounces of soy (or not) chorizo, cut into medium pieces 
  • A handful of croutons (my signature measuring system!)
  • 1/4 cup of whole almonds
  • 1/4 cup of olive oil
  • 15 ounces of cooked cranberry beans (or any other kind)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

Heat the oil in a pan, then add all ingredients with the exception of the beans, salt, and pepper. Let it sauté for five minutes, occasionally stirring so everything browns evenly. Add in the beans, salt, and pepper, turn a few more times, then devour. 

apple granola crisp. The temperature dropped to 60 degrees today, giving me the courage to turn the oven on again. 3 pounds of apples 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 2 tablespoons of cornstarch 3 tablespoons of sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon A little baby bit of salt 1 stick of unsalted butter 1/4 cup of honey 1/2 cup of flour 2 cups of oats 1/2 cups of sliced almonds 1/2 cup of shredded coconut Set your oven to 400 degrees. Peel, core, and cut your apples into medium sized chunks. Toss them in a 9x13 inch baking pan with the lemon juice, corn starch, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Throw it all around until the apples look evenly coated and irresistible.  Melt the butter in a saucepan with the honey. Once it’s melted, add in the flour, oats, almonds, and coconut. Mix it together until it begins to form little clumps. Spread it out evenly over the apples, then put it all in the oven for about 45 minutes.

apple granola crisp.

The temperature dropped to 60 degrees today, giving me the courage to turn the oven on again.

  • 3 pounds of apples
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • A little baby bit of salt
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1/2 cup of flour
  • 2 cups of oats
  • 1/2 cups of sliced almonds
  • 1/2 cup of shredded coconut

Set your oven to 400 degrees.

Peel, core, and cut your apples into medium sized chunks. Toss them in a 9x13 inch baking pan with the lemon juice, corn starch, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Throw it all around until the apples look evenly coated and irresistible. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan with the honey. Once it’s melted, add in the flour, oats, almonds, and coconut. Mix it together until it begins to form little clumps. Spread it out evenly over the apples, then put it all in the oven for about 45 minutes.

spitze pitze. Hello, world. I’m writing to you from Portland, Oregon. I’ve been busy eating crepes, gelato, doughnuts, and the absolute most delicious macaroni and cheese I have ever had, courtesy of Deschutes. The point is, I’ve had little time to cook. However, I did treat my brother to spitze pitzes, which is German for ‘super pizzas’.  Grab some English muffins, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and avocados. Spoon some sauce on the muffin, top with slices of cheese and avocado, and bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is nice and melty.  Easy. Delicious. Not particularly nutritious. But still. Easy. Delicious. I would like to call this photo, “The Reality of Food Blogging”. 

spitze pitze.

Hello, world. I’m writing to you from Portland, Oregon. I’ve been busy eating crepes, gelato, doughnuts, and the absolute most delicious macaroni and cheese I have ever had, courtesy of Deschutes. The point is, I’ve had little time to cook.

However, I did treat my brother to spitze pitzes, which is German for ‘super pizzas’. 

Grab some English muffins, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and avocados. Spoon some sauce on the muffin, top with slices of cheese and avocado, and bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is nice and melty. 

Easy. Delicious. Not particularly nutritious. But still. Easy. Delicious.

I would like to call this photo, “The Reality of Food Blogging”. 

asparagus, mint & lemon risotto. Surprisingly easy, even more delicious than expected.  The recipe belongs to Jamie Oliver. 

asparagus, mint & lemon risotto.

Surprisingly easy, even more delicious than expected. 

The recipe belongs to Jamie Oliver. 

white sangria.  Is there a better way to spend a Sunday?  One bottle of white wine (I used Riesling), half a liter of ginger ale, two oranges, one lemon, one lime, a few handfuls of raspberries, and a quarter of a cup of sugar. 

white sangria. 

Is there a better way to spend a Sunday? 

One bottle of white wine (I used Riesling), half a liter of ginger ale, two oranges, one lemon, one lime, a few handfuls of raspberries, and a quarter of a cup of sugar. 

polenta and mushroom cream sauce. this is kind of a repeat of the mushroom sauce on shells that I made back in april. the only difference is that this time I made polenta and served it all on a bed of spinach. I can’t even say that I made the polenta myself (who would want to stir cornmeal and water over a hot stove on a 90 degree evening?). I bought a package of pre-made polenta for $3.99, sliced it up, sprinkled some sea salt on top, and baked it at 375 degrees for fifteen minutes. ta-da. sorry, it’s too hot for me to be happy.

polenta and mushroom cream sauce.

this is kind of a repeat of the mushroom sauce on shells that I made back in april. the only difference is that this time I made polenta and served it all on a bed of spinach. I can’t even say that I made the polenta myself (who would want to stir cornmeal and water over a hot stove on a 90 degree evening?). I bought a package of pre-made polenta for $3.99, sliced it up, sprinkled some sea salt on top, and baked it at 375 degrees for fifteen minutes. ta-da.

sorry, it’s too hot for me to be happy.