May 15, 2013 · 11:11 am

Truffle Garlic Oven Fries

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I know I’ve harped on this before, but this time of year always drags on for me, food-wise.  Grocery store produce sections look unbearably pathetic, and the farmers’ market (which I know I’m lucky to have this early) has barely anything better.  Potatoes.  Some limp kale.  Once again I have to appease myself with potatoes until I can find something more interesting to spark some creativity in the kitchen again.  And frankly, there are only so many ways to dress up a potato, even a yummy farmers’ market potato. Continue reading →

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April 27, 2013 · 4:19 pm

Whole Wheat Cheddar Crackers

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As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in a coffee shop, organizing photos, sipping a decaf coffee (hey’s it’s after 3 pm and I’m not as young as I used to be), and taking a break every once in a while to just sit and savor the calmness.  Because my little guy is safe at home with daddy and I can write full sentences without interruption. Continue reading →

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April 6, 2013 · 2:30 pm

Bacon Chipotle Meatloaf

DSC_0129Those of you who have hung around for a while remember that a few years ago, I presented you with the golden rule of bacon, namely, “When in doubt, wrap it in bacon.”  Well, that still obviously holds true, but now I have a slight amendment.  If you don’t want to wrap it in bacon, chopping the bacon up and mixing it in is absolutely acceptable.  And adding some smoky chipotles and fresh herbs certainly couldn’t hurt either. Continue reading →

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March 14, 2013 · 12:02 pm

Garlicky Hummus

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Sorry it’s been a while.  A few days ago, I finally pulled it together and wrote a post about this amazing hummus that I made, well, a long time ago, and just as I finished writing it, I clicked save, and WordPress went ahead and ate my post.  I had flashbacks to late nights in college involving lots of coffee and last-minute papers.  I suppose it’s been too long since those days, because I forgot the cardinal rule of writing anything longer than will fit on a post-it note: SAVE, SAVE, SAVE.  So after crafting a nicely worded, polished post… I threw in the towel.  Nothing’s more depressing than trying to re-do something you just finished.  DSC_0035 Continue reading →

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February 24, 2013 · 12:02 pm

Laugenbrezel (German Pretzels)

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In your circles, do you have “inside” foods?  You know, like foods that are kind of like an inside joke, except they’re no joke at all/  A food that when you mention it, everyone gets this knowing look on their faces, because they understand that the food is more than a food- it’s a memory?  For example, if I mention say, “Pokey sticks” to my friends from college, it’s followed by a chorus of, “Oh, pooooookey sticks.” Not because they are really all that good in the cold clear light of day, but because they evoke so many fond memories of cheesy, garlicky dough in the wee hours of the morning after a rather long night out.  It’s not about the food, it’s about being transported to happy times with people you love. Continue reading →

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January 29, 2013 · 5:12 pm

Smoky Black Bean Ragout

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“I made something vegan!” This is what I exclaimed about an hour after I piled all of the ingredients for this dish into the  slow cooker, just as the delicious smoky smell of paprika and cumin began wafting into the living room.  Frankly, I was taken by surprise.

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You can probably tell by my reaction that we don’t do too many vegan meals around here.  The truth is that sometimes I find delicious-sounding vegan recipes, and then inevitably  un-veganize them by adding a pat of butter, or substituting chicken stock for water, or heck, adding a few pieces of bacon. Just a few. But this time I had actually done it.  I made something completely chock-full of non-animal based goodness. Continue reading →

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January 26, 2013 · 3:40 pm

Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

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Sometimes you think you know how much you love something or someone, and then they do something that surprises you and makes you love them even more.    Like when you come downstairs in the morning and discover that your husband has done all of last night’s dishes and taken out the garbage and made you a pot of coffee.  (Yep, it doesn’t take much for me, folks.  It’s the little things.)  Well, these Brussels sprouts are like your husband doing the dinner dishes.

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Last year, I told you all about how I made these amazing simmered Brussels sprouts and I kind of thought it was crazy how good they were.  Because it seemed so simple, and yet… they are so good.  They tasted so different from any Brussels sprout I had ever known.  I kind of fell in love with them.  And these are the same, but the opposite.  Where the steamed ones were light, buttery, and fresh, these are nutty, rich, and a flavor explosion.  Both delicious and mind-blowing, but in a totally different way.   Continue reading →

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