On Turning In

I have been trying to find words to say, any words; and while I don't think these are perfect, it is what my heart has settled on. 

In the past week, there has been plenty of time for reflection. Grief, too, though I personally do not have a connection to the tragedy in Newtown. Each morning I have awoken with the twenty young children on my heart, and the six adults too, and I know I am not alone in this. 

Last Tuesday, one of my insightful yoga teachers talked about this being the season to turn inward; the natural energy is subdued and introspective, even while the festive holiday season rings out. Nature itself turns in, shielding itself against the harsh winter. Thankfully, as humans, we can turn to one another for warmth and comfort in a difficult time. This is what we can do for one another.

The holidays are a joyful time, and I am so very grateful for all of the blessings that shine so brightly this season. My hope is that you, too, are able to find light and joy in the days ahead, and that we can all share this peace with those who need it most.

And for all of you, May your days be merry and bright.

Read more ►

A Birthday Meal

Here's a belated happy birthday shout-out to my main squeeze! Ryan celebrated another trip around the sun just after Thanksgiving, and we did this one right. Instead of a night out at a fancy restaurant, he requested a homemade meal. And I knew exactly what to make. 

All I had to do was create our own version of this meal from Fast Boy on Vimeo. Homemade gnocchi, a perfect ribeye, and greens. The boiler maker beverages were recommended but not required. A lofty goal, but I was prepared.

Preparation is paramount.

Like any big meal, this one began with me cleaning the kitchen from top to bottom. Starting with a super-clean kitchen and having all the dishes put away meant that I could prep the kitchen properly. I set up stations and planned out the meal carefully, beginning very early in the day. I also had a loaf of bread in the oven, thanks to my new routine. 

Homemade multigrain bread. Wine in background.

Exhibit A: Homebrew Taste Test. 

Weeks ago, we set out making our first batch of beer together. An Amber Ale recipe, we knew it'd be done right around his b-day. 

The first sip left us somewhat unimpressed; thankfully, we were looking for inspiration from the video and a splash of bourbon turned this ho-hum-homebrew into a tasty, smooth cocktail. 

The jury's still out on just what went wrong, so our homebrew journey continues. We have another batch of grains waiting in the fridge; they're a stout recipe, perfect for Christmas, so we had better get on that double-time. 

Exhibit B: The Perfect Steak.

No small feat for this vegetarian to tackle, I set out to make my meat-eating man a perfectly cooked ribeye. I asked the butcher for a "special-occasion cut, for one" and he looked at me sideways. "Are you going to split it?" he inquired. "No," I answered non-chalantly, "I'm a vegetarian." 

In any case, I brought home .85 pounds of pasture-fed, hormone-free, humanely butchered beef and read this guide for fool-proof steak in the oven about thirty times.

The recipe worked wonderfully and also left my cast iron skillet perfectly seasoned. The verdict: "This is the best steak I have ever had in my life."

Exhibit C: Garden Fresh.

The garden played a role in the meal, too. I used rosemary and garlic to flavor the olive oil for the gnocchi; I added some purple sage at the last minute for an extra herbal kick. 

Ryan found a few figs on our tree (poor tree is confused about the seasons, much like the volunteer tomatoes that have sprung up in the garden), and I sliced them very thinly to toss atop a salad of garden lettuce. 

I made a quick balsamic-dijon vinaigrette and crumbled on some very fancy bleu cheese to round out all the flavors. 

Exhibit D: Potato Smashin!

Earlier in the day, I stopped in three different stores to find a potato ricer, which one woman described as, "a pretty high-end kitchen item" and I could probably "find it at Sur la Table." I giggled inside, thinking that gnocchi have been an Italian kitchen dish since the 16th century and it's not as if I were looking for some sort of device that would turn my potatoes into foam. I found a no-frills ricer, for about $8, at a big-box store next door.

The recipe for the gnocchi came from the man behind the Fast Boy gnocchi video. His name is Ezra, and he builds beautiful bicycles and cooks these amazing dinners. And he is battling cancer. And he writes this very real, gritty blog that makes me feel for him and wish him the best, even though the closest we'll ever get is me cooking a few of his recipes and being on the receiving side of all this inspiration.

So there's that.

The birthday dinner! 

The finished product looked like this. I love this photo despite the fact that my husband's head has gone missing. In the dark, on the left, there are steamed artichokes (too much effort to eat, not enough payoff). Then we have salads of home-grown lettuce and figs, with bleu cheese. Ryan's plate has roughly a pound of perfectly-cooked ribeye on it. Fin stands on high alert close by. Note my vegetarian entree: nothing. There's a glass of wine, a tiny Christmas tree, and the gnocchi. Which was a little too pillowy; I should've added just a touch more flour because while the flavor was incredible, the little gnocchi fell apart quite easily and kind of turned out more like mashed potatoes with butter and sage. 

The rest of the birthday weekend looked like this.

In true birthday spirit, we spent the better part of our Thanksgiving break putting up Christmas decorations. A special six-pack of St. Arnold's Celebration began the traditional outside light extravaganza; we start early, say cheers, and then teeter up on the ladder to put up our famously bright lights to herald in the season. Then we go to bed each night with a lingering fear of having attracted an airplane to land on our street. 

Ryan on the roof putting up lights; Pearlsnap the Bike; Fin modeling her Cone of Shame after a minor surgery.

As part of Ryan's birthday gift, I did a mini-makeover in our guest bedroom. I got some vintage maps, made some original art (thank you gold spray paint), and framed a couple of things that had meaning to us. The room was really taking shape, but one thing was missing. So over the weekend, I built a headboard for our guest room, using bead board from Ryan's grandparents' house that's probably around 100 years old. The bead board was salvaged from the house and divvied up among us family members. We all love the aqua and orange colors, and I decided they'd play a central part in our little guest room makeover.

I built the headboard for less than $6; the pieces for the frame (you can see three of them in the background) I found on the side of the road in a neighbor's bulk pick up pile. It's amazing what you'll do for free building materials; I picked up the five-foot pieces and carried them down the street in broad daylight, waving at the neighbors out walking their dogs. It was worth it.

And that's a wrap. 

Read more ►

Turkey Day Prep: 5 Things to do This Weekend

The colors of the harvest season.

Spoiler alert: I LOVE Thanksgiving.

It's a good thing, too, since my family winds up doing three Thanksgiving meals (husband's side, dad's side, mom's side). And then there's the potluck at work. So all told, in the next eight days, I will be participating in four major meals.

It's been this way for many years, and happily I've learned a thing or two; mainly that the weekend before T-Day is very important for preparing. Here are my top five tips for getting ahead this Turkey Day.

5. Recipe plan. Gather all the recipes you need, and really study them. Assess your pantry situation, then—and only then—go to the grocery store.

4. Make an oven schedule. This is totally nerdy, but by golly—it is a real help, especially if you're expecting company at your place. Take time to figure out how long (and at what temperature) everything needs to cook, and plot it all out carefully on a schedule. Take into consideration what can be served once it's cooled a little, like stuffing, and what is better-tasting when it's fresh out the oven.

3. Bake cornbread for stuffing. Making stuffing from scratch is not much more work than the store-bought stuff, especially if you think ahead and make cornbread this weekend.

2. Make pie crusts from scratch. Since pie dough is easiest to work with when it's chilled, make a few crusts ahead of time and throw 'em in the freezer. Move them to the fridge the night before you plan to bake. Thanks, Cooks Illustrated, for clueing me in to that idea.

1. Think of others. It's easy to get swept up in the fun of the season, but all this talk of the wonderful food we're about to enjoy makes me think of the people right here in our community who go without. Do you have time to volunteer at a meal kitchen, or can you donate to a local food bank? Keep the hungry in mind while you're grocery shopping. Many stores offer the option to donate right at the register—super easy! 

How do you prepare for Thanksgiving?

Read more ►

On Bread Making and Routines

Homemade multi-grain bread, fresh out of the oven on a Sunday afternoon.

Ah, the routine: a simple way of saying that while the world spins in craziness all around, there are certain things that stay the same. Even so, the beauty of a routine lies in its ability to evolve. I love a good routine.

In the kitchen, there are many routines that are part of daily life. Breakfast and coffee are made the same way every morning. We enjoy meals together as a family every day, the two of us and our sweet dog (who routinely rests her head on the table while we humans dine). There is a semblance of a routine as we cook, then clean, then start the process over again, though it's never quite perfect or finished.

Lately, Sundays have evolved into bread making day. It is a refreshing routine that at one time seemed so scary and daunting. But each time I've made a loaf of bread, I learn a little bit more. What used to feel like eons waiting for the dough to rise now feels like a sweet reprieve, a chance to do something else around the house for an hour or so. And when I come back to the dough, I'm pleased as pie to see that it's doubled—or more!—in size.

The reliable nature of this well-tested recipe sets me at ease. Each time I bring out the ingredients, I feel more familiarity with them. I have learned, just by looking, whether I need to add more flour or more water. I know exactly which dishes will be dirty, and when the yeast is done working. I know when the bread is done, and I know it needs to rest and cool before we enjoy it.

I have learned this routine.

This particular routine grounds me. It nourishes our family. It is simple, tried, and true. Sometimes I think I could live on bread alone, after all.

Read more ►

The Good Morning Garden

A snap pea tendril reaches out to touch the full moon in the early morning hour—my favorite time in the garden.

Early morning in the garden takes me by surprise each and every day: fresh, bright, fragrant. Dew underfoot splashes as my bare feet make their way across the yard, and even as the sun rises a full moon hangs in sight.

Bright green parsley: I treat myself to a bite each time I walk by.

Drops of dew—or maybe it rained last night?—sit on every leaf, catching what little light cuts through the crisp air. I look for signs of visitors, my peaceful face chagrined only when I see the telltale of a cat nesting (or worse!) in my garden.

Cabbage and cauliflower grow in one bed, and peas climb trellises in the back.

I make my way from one corner to the next, leaning down to say good morning to all the plants. My fingers pluck at leaves, turning some over to assess any damage. Some plants appeal more to certain antennaed creatures, and they have feasted on the greenery. I notice small, perfectly round craters in some of the beds. I look up and see the answer; squirrels have been either foraging for or storing their treasures beneath the straw.

Lettuces begin to sprout.

 It is fall: let the harvest begin!

Read more ►

Quinoa: A Love Story

Quinoa, lettuce, arugula, avocado, and two snap peas. Tossed in dijon vinaigrette.

I know, I'm totally late to the party. But I love quinoa!

Quinoa is a grain that is extremely easy to make and will become a favorite of yours in the kitchen in no time. The flavor is slightly nutty, and the texture is fluffy and just a tad chewy; think tiny grains of soft rice, but better. It's rich in all sorts of minerals (manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorous)—not to mention it's a super protein that boasts all the essential amino acids.

Shop in the bulk bins: a pound of organic quinoa will run you around $4, and that'll go a long way.

So if you're not already a fan, jump aboard the quinoa train. Oh, and since I struggled with this: it's pronounced keen-WAH. I called it kee-NOAH for quite a while before standing (gently) corrected.

One of my favorite ways to eat quinoa is with kale, goat cheese, and roasted sweet potatoes. But last night I served it alongside herbed salmon and a garden salad, a spot that normally would be reserved for brown rice.

Today's lunch was surprisingly delicious. Our lettuce in the garden is beginning to flourish and I tossed it with arugula, parsley, avocado, and the leftover quinoa from last night, in a homemade dijon vinaigrette. The textures and flavors came together beautifully, and my lunch was packed with superfoods: healthy fats from the avocado, good proteins from the quinoa, and vitamins from the leafy greens. Simply delicious and deliciously simple.

If you're ready to try quinoa, I highly recommend this how-to from The Kitchn. It works every time!

This glowing endorsement of quinoa was not paid for by any kind of super pac. 

Read more ►

Freshworthy Friday: VOTE!

My fellow Americans: Please remember to exercise your right to vote! Today is the last day of early voting in Texas, and the big election... in case you haven't heard... is on Tuesday, November 6.

This is the beautiful thing about living in a democracy, one in which our forefathers decreed that we have certain unalienable rights. I especially appreciate that pursuit of happiness bit. And we also have the right to think freely and explore our own ideas in myriad platforms. Including this little food blog. 

I do encourage you to get out and vote—make your own voice heard! Educate yourself on the issues and make the choice that's best for you.

Just vote!

Read more ►