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< all recipes Coq Au Vin I love this dish because everything about it, from the fancy French name to the delicious depth of flavor, is impressive and makes your guests think you are a chef extraordinaire. And it is a perfect dish for a freezing winter day. I would serve it with creamy mashed potatoes or simple crusty bread to soak up all that delicious vino. Coq Au Vin Serves: 6-8 servings Ingredients 2 tbl butter 1 chicken, cut up into 8 pieces and brined 3 lg carrots, peeled and chopped into ¼ inch cubes 8 oz mushrooms (any kind you like), cleaned and sliced 1 lb pearl onions, peeled – frozen are best as they come peeled 1 tbl fresh thyme 2 tbl tomato paste 3 tbl flour 1 bottle red wine (something you would drink) Print Preparation Heat butter in a large pot. Remove chicken from brine and dry well. Brown, skin side down, lower heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Flip chicken to brown slightly on other side (5 minutes). Remove the chicken – place on something that will catch juices. Sauté carrots and mushrooms until mushrooms have released their moisture, about 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper while cooking. Add the pearl onions. Stir in tomato paste and thyme. Sprinkle in the flour, stir, and put the chicken back in the pot(along with juices). Pour in the red wine – just enough to cover 3/4 of the chicken. Cook for 45 minutes. Serve warm over mashed potatoes or with some crusty sourdough bread. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Falafel w/ Tahini Yogurt One of the more deliciously healthy things i've made lately. I was inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe in his cookbook, Jerusalem - which I find myself leafing through quite often, mesmerized by the pictures, my stomach growling by the end. I chose not to fry the falafel really out of laziness. There is not much I hate more than frying, grease splattering everywhere (so right there I am already going to have to clean my stovetop as well) and it has to be done last minute. I prefer recipes that allow me to get the kitchen in order before I put myself into a food coma. Falafel w/ Tahini Yogurt Serves: 12 falafel Ingredients For the Falafel: 3 cups cooked chickpeas (2 15oz cans), drained and rinsed 1 yellow onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped ¼ cup fresh parsley ¼ cup fresh cilantro ½ tsp cayenne pepper 1½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cardamom 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp kosher salt ¼ cup flour (feel free to try chickpea flour here, especially if you want to keep it gluten free) For the Tahini Yogurt: ¼ cup tahini paste ¾ cup plain greek yogurt 1 clove of garlic, minced ½ cup water juice of 1 lemon salt and pepper Serve with pita or naan, pickled red onion, leafy greens Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Combine all of the falafel ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not quite a paste. Form into patties – use a ¼ cup measure and gently press into a patty. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick pan and sauté falafel 3-4 minutes on either side, until golden brown – don’t crowd them in the pan, it will probably take two batches. Place onto a cookie sheet and sauté the second batch if necessary.* Finish cooking the falafel in the oven – about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the tahini yogurt: combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk together (be patient here and whisk slowly or you will end up with lemon juice all over the place). Notes *you can freeze the patties at this point – freeze in a single layer, not touching and once frozen place in a ziploc bag. Thaw in fridge or on counter and cook in 400˚F oven for 20 minutes. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Horchata 'Ritas It’s almost May which means warmer weather (hopefully), longer days, me maybe not resembling Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Cinco de Mayo! Before getting too excited though I thought I would pass along some history on this Mexican holiday (which I looked up upon realizing I had no idea what it even celebrates). Here are some quick facts: On May 5th, 1862 Mexican militia defeated an invading French army at The Battle Of Puebla. Despite only temporarily keeping Napoleon at bay, this battle was a David v Goliath sort of situation and was a big morale boost to the Mexican people. Many people think Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day but they are wrong. That would be Sept 16th. Before our Congress became useless they issued a resolution in 2005 officially recognizing the day’s historical significance and “calling upon the people of the United States to observe Cinco de Mayo with appropriate ceremonies and activities”. So yeah. There is that. I think Americans embrace Cinco de Mayo so enthusiastically because it is a holiday with no strings attached. There is no precedent of family gathering (and subsequent family arguing) or religious ceremony. And since most people have no idea what the heck they are actually celebrating, it is really just an excuse to indulge in food and drink while enjoying the warm weather. So on that note, lets do our congressionally-issued duty and drink to the battle of Puebla! I don’t know where horchata has been all my life but am pretty happy to have finally discovered it on my recent trip to SF. For those on the west coast it is a part of everyday life but it has miraculously never made the journey east. I feel as though I have been accepted (or at least had a glimpse) into a super secret club with a some conspiracy to keep this delectable drink from the clutches of the east coast hipster brunch crowd…cuz you know it will be like Brooklyn invented it. I chose mezcal for its smoky depth of flavor which complements the horchata very nicely. I may or may not have gotten into the hubs’ stash while he was away for work. Oops!! It was totally worth it. Happy Cinco de Mayo! Horchata 'Ritas Serves: makes 6 cups before alcohol - serves 12-16 Ingredients 1 cup rice (uncooked) 2 cups blanched slivered almonds, lightly toasted 2 limes, zest and juice 2 cinnamon sticks ¼ cup agave (honey or sugar can be used as well) 2 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp kosher salt 2 cups unsweetened almond milk ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting mezcal* limes for garnish Print Preparation Combine rice, almonds, lime zest and juice, cinnamon sticks, agave, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Heat 4 cups of water to a boil and pour over other ingredients. Let cool, stirring occasionally, and put into the fridge to steep overnight. Strain mixture using a cheesecloth set in a colander or fine mesh sieve. Use a spatula to press liquid through first then squeeze cheesecloth to get every last drop. Whisk in almond milk and ground cinnamon. Mix mezcal directly into Horchata or pour into each glass. Serve over lots of ice, a dusting of cinnamon and a lime wedge. *Mezcal: the amount here is really a matter of taste and can be added to the whole mix for easy pouring or added to individual glasses. You can absolutely use tequila but I really recommend mezcal as it adds a wonderful smokiness.!I would probably start with 1.5 fl oz (or 1 shot) of mezcal per drink Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Miso Tofu Brown Rice Bowl I rarely eat tofu and even more rarely cook with it. Or never. But last week I met my husband Chris for dinner at this great new food court that he gets at least one of the three meals a day eaten at his desk. I made a beeline for Blue Ribbon Sushi for my favorite spicy tuna roll. Chris got a bowl with some tuna poke, soba noodles, and marinated tofu - thinking it was like the healthiest thing ever . And it might have been...except for the globs of oil coating everything. I knew I could make something so much healthier AND far more delicious. This week I set out to prove myself right (which i like doing on occasion). Although I have yet to get peanut gallery approval, my trusty next-in-line taste testers were at the ready (thanks Mom and Sal!!). Miso Tofu Brown Rice Bowl Serves: serves 4 Ingredients 8oz firm tofu 2 tbl miso paste 2 tbl dijon mustard (or chinese mustard if you want a little more kick) 1/2 cup soy sauce 2 cloves garlic 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger 1 cup brown rice 2 tbl toasted sesame oil 2 cups edamame (frozen works great, just thaw on the counter for 30min to an hour) 1 avocado radishes, thinly sliced black sesame seeds for garnish Print Preparation Marinate the tofu: whisk together miso paste, mustard, and soy sauce. Peel garlic and ginger, chop in large pieces (so you can fish them out later on), and add to marinade. Cut tofu into bite-size cubes, coat with marinade and put into the fridge anywhere from an hour to a few days - i think 1-2 days is the sweet spot but do what works with your schedule. Cook rice according to package instructions. Heat sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet and just before it starts to smoke throw in the edamame. Don't stir for a minute or two to allow some charring. Stir and let sit again. Season with salt and pepper then remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve. Let tofu come to room temp and remove the garlic and ginger pieces. Slice the avocado and season with salt and pepper. To Serve: Place some rice in a bowl and arrange toppings - feel free to spoon some of the marinade on there (this is for real miso lovers). Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Chewy Chocolate Cookies As you will come to see, I am a huge fan of any foods from or relating to Mexican, Southwestern, or Tex-Mex cooking and as a result Lisa Fain’s blog (and cookbook) The Homesick Texan is one of my favorite places to visit. When I saw this recipe I thought it was just too good to be true – how could cookies that have no butter and no flour be good!!? Oh they can be more than good, they can be chewy, gooey, and still have a perfect crunch to their outer layer. Dang. My mouth is watering just thinking about them! The chili powder can easily be excluded but I highly recommend it, as it adds a subtle heat at the end that perfectly compliments the sweetness of the chocolate. I also recommend having a glass of ice cold milk on hand for when they come out of the oven. Chewy Chocolate Cookies Serves: 1 dozen cookies Ingredients 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar ½ cup coco powder (unsweetened) ½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla ¼ tsp chili powder 2 cups pecans (toasted) 3 egg whites 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup milk chocolate chips Print Preparation Preheat oven to 350˚F. Once it has heated up, toast the pecans until fragrant, 5-10 minutes, and set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners sugar, coco powder, salt, and cinnamon. With a spoon or small spatula, stir in egg whites and vanilla until everything is moist. Mix in the chocolate chips and pecans. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, spoon out dollops about the size of a ping pong ball. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the cookies look crackled on the surface. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Lemon Rosemary Scones These scones are from my days at Locanda so you know they will be awesome The lemon and rosemary balance out the sweetness and make these the perfect springtime treat. I made this latest batch to bring in to class for people to munch on while final papers were presented...it would be cruel and unusual punishment to have to sit and listen to people talk about food for two hours without eating something! I also like to make a batch for my Dad (a true scone lover) to have in his freezer, ready to be reheated one by one, slathered with butter and wayyyyy more jam than one person should consume. Lemon Rosemary Scones Serves: 12-16 scones Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup semolina flour or cornmeal 1/3 cup granulated sugar ½ t kosher salt 1 tbl baking powder 4oz butter (1stick), cubed and cold 1 ½ tbl lemon zest, about 1 large lemon 1 tbl fresh rosemary, minced 1 cup heavy cream (plus a little to brush on top of scones) sugar in the raw, to sprinkle on top (optional but highly recommended) Print Preparation If using a mixer: put all of the ingredients, except for heavy cream and sugar in the raw, into the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed until the butter is pea-sized (approximately). If using hands: put all of the ingredients, except for heavy cream and sugar in the raw, into a large bowl and work the butter into the flour with your finger tips (so as not to melt the butter with the heat of your palms). Add the heavy cream and mix until just incorporated. Line a baking sheet with parchment (optional) and preheat oven to 400°F. Roll dough out on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Cut out whatever size scone you like – if you do not have a cookie cutter, just use a knife to cut into squares or triangles. Re-roll scraps until dough is all gone. Place onto prepared baking sheet and brush with some heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar in the raw for a nice crunchy exterior. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through and you know they are done when the bottoms are a nice dark golden brown. Serve warm, room temp or put in the freezer to reheat one by one for a special morning or afternoon treat. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Homemade Cracker Jack I am told there is a big baseball game on tonight, something about the World Series. I know, I knooow its America’s past time and the Mets are finally getting their day in the sun and people around here seem pretty pumped about it but I am just going to be honest here, I really don’t like baseball. There it is. The last time I went to a game I thought it was over when people started getting up at the seventh-inning stretch – I had crushed my giant box of Cracker Jack so in my mind the game was over until someone got me some more. Yes, I go to games pretty much for the junk food but in my defense I went to an all girls school (for 13 years) in the middle of New York City, going out to some random field on Randalls Island to watch lacrosse was just not a thing. More Gossip Girl than Friday Night Lights in millennial speak. And while I like to think of myself as “sporty”, my athletic career includes such highlights as inbounding the ball in middle school basketball (as in that was literally my only job), making a concerted effort to move in the opposite direction of the ball on the soccer field, and being forced to attempt the vault every week in gymnastics, but each time i sprinted loafed towards the springboard I ended up slamming into the damn thing instead of effortlessly twirling over it. Homemade Cracker Jack is more my speed. What I like about this recipe as opposed to one for the more traditional caramel corn is that you do not have to stand over boiling sugar waiting to see that hint of caramel color only to have it burn in the half second it takes to grab your oven mitt. You are still boiling sugar which might seem scary but you are just getting it to a certain temperature so clip your candy thermometer to the side of the pot and as it approaches 250˚F just hover with your oven mitts already on. No problemo. Homemade Cracker Jack Serves: 8-10 cups Ingredients 10 cups freshly popped popcorn* 1 cup peanuts 2 cups brown sugar 1¼ cups honey ¼ cup molasses 8oz (2sticks) unsalted butter, very soft or melted 1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking soda Print Preparation Preheat the oven to 250˚F and line two baking sheets with a Silpat or parchment. Have popcorn ready to go in the biggest bowl you have. Keep the peanuts on the side. In a small pot, combine the brown sugar, honey, molasses, butter and salt. Add a few tablespoons of water to moisten the sugar before bringing to a boil over medium heat. Cook to 250˚F. As soon as the sugar reaches 250˚F, turn off the heat, stir in the baking soda and immediately pour over the popcorn, tossing to coat evenly. Add the peanuts and toss again. Spread the popcorn mix onto your prepared sheet pans and bake for about 1 hour, stirring to break up clumps once or twice. Once out of the oven, give one more toss and let cool completely. This will keep well in an airtight container at room temp up to a week. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Apple Pear Compote w/ Maple-Candied Walnuts The taste of cooked apples immediately transports me back to countless after-school snacks sitting at my parents kitchen table or on a playground bench in Central Park, slowly peeling back the foil top and savoring every last velvety bite. I wanted to keep that taste alive in this recipe but give it slightly more depth of flavor and texture. I did not add any sugar to the recipe because ripe fruit really does not need any, especially when cooked, and the pears help to balance the tartness of the apples. They also break down faster, creating the familiar sauce texture while allowing the apples to remain chunky. What is so great about this dish is its versatility: make it a tasty addition to your morning yogurt and granola, a healthy dessert on its own, or gussy it up with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream. The walnuts are a delicious garnish that add texture - but if you take my advice and add the chipotle powder to the mix, its a whole different ballgame. Talk about grown-up apple sauce! This is fresh ginger from the farmer's market - I had never seen it without that gnarly gray exterior so of course I had to buy this huge piece. Most recipes (including this one) only call for a tiny bit of ginger, leaving the rest of the piece to rot in the back of the fridge. To avoid this tragedy, I peel the whole thing and freeze it - then when a recipe calls for fresh ginger I use a microplane or zester to grate however much I need (no thawing or chopping necessary!). Apple Pear Compote w/ Maple-Candied Walnuts Serves: 4-6 servings Ingredients FOR THE COMPOTE: 2 lbs apples – tart apples such as Granny Smith or Mutsu (aka Crispin) are best 1 lb pears – Bartlett or Bosc work nicely 1 cup apple cider 2 tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp kosher salt 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated ½ cup golden raisins FOR THE CANDIED NUTS: 3 cups walnuts (or pecans if you prefer) ¼ cup maple syrup ¼ sugar in the raw (also called Demerara sugar) ½ tsp kosher salt ½ - ¾ tsp chipotle powder (optional but highly recommended) Print Preparation MAKE THE COMPOTE Peel, core, and slice the apples and pears into uniform chunks – the smaller the pieces, the more apple-saucey the result. Combine everything except the raisins in a large pot over medium heat and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the apples are tender all the way through, about 30 minutes, depending on the fruit size. Turn off the heat and stir in the raisins. Cover the pot and let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the raisins to plump up. MAKE THE NUTS Preheat oven to 350˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, combine walnuts and maple syrup, tossing to coat fully. In a separate bowl, stir salt, and chipotle powder (if using) into the sugar then add to walnuts. Spread walnuts on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, give the walnuts a stir and bake for another 5-7 minutes until they start to brown and smell toasty. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Summer Pudding My Mom has been making this Summer Pudding recipe for ever. It is just so darn good. I mean I will take bread pretty much any way I can get it but this is so delicious even my infuriatingly sensible sister has been known to have more than seconds (possibly fourths but you didn’t hear it from me!). I’m just sayin’. What I love most about this recipe is how ridiculously easy it is and that it can be made days in advance – in fact it gets better the longer you let it sit. Oh and did I mention the cook time is about 5 minutes…total. Crazy. So get on it. Don’t waste your crusts!! Put them in a food processor and make them into fresh bread crumbs. I might be biased but I would recommend making some Basil & Lemon Gremolata to jazz up simple sliced tomatoes, grilled zucchini and chicken. All that topped off with some Summer Pudding for dessert and I think you’ve got a perfect summer meal. Summer Pudding Serves: serves 6-8 Ingredients 10 cups fresh berries ½ cup water 1 cup sugar (maybe a little more if fruit is not super ripe) 1 large white sandwich loaf (about 12 cups), crust removed - i recommend a fresh loaf from a bakery as the pre-sliced stuff gets a little spongy to serve (optional): whipped cream vanilla ice cream Print Preparation Put berries, water and sugar into a pot, stir and let sit just a minute while you prep the bread. Cut bread into large cubes, 1-2 inches roughly, and place in a large bowl. Line a 9x3in ramekin or cake pan with parchment - you will need another pan slightly smaller to set on top as a weight so keep this in mind when picking your pan, you can also do this in a casserole dish or larger cake pan - since we are not cooking it, the only difference will be in whether you get slices like a cake or scoops like a bread pudding...tasty either way! Bring fruit to a boil, reduce to a simmer for a few minutes, until the berries just start to break down (five minutes max). Turn off the heat and stir in the raspberries if using. Pour the hot fruit mixture over the bread and toss until completely saturated. Let sit a few minutes and toss once more. Put in your prepared mold, cover with plastic wrap and place a plate or smaller cake pan on top so it can press the pudding into the mold. Put something heavy on top of the plate and refrigerate at least 12 hours. This can be made 2-3 days in advance and it will actually improve with the extra time to soak. To serve: you can either turn the pudding out onto a cake plate and cut into slices or simply scoop servings out. Serve at room temperature and top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Fried Chicken & Spicy Cheddar Waffles I don’t think you are supposed to celebrate the end of a diet with a feast of fried chicken and waffles but then again a diet shouldn’t really have an end date and I don’t think fried chicken or waffles are ever on the “supposed to eat” list. But when you are forced to follow said diet (for 3 months!) because you happen to live with the dieter who is only doing it because of a bet and tends to get a liiiiittle grumpy when hungry – well then I think you deserve all the chicken and waffles you want. Just sayin. The Spicy Cheddar Waffles are the real star here, the fried chicken was obviously delicious but i’m never sure its worth the effort – the last minute frenzy that frying anything requires not to mention the cleanup from all the oil splatter. So if you are not into the whole frying thing feel free to go rogue – personally I think the waffle topped with some avocado and a fried or poached egg would be magical. After throwing him under the bus just now, I have to give Chris credit for the genius technique pictured below – using the broiler to char the skin which makes it blister and bubble so it comes off almost in one piece. Brilliant! I made the waffles way ahead of time, left them out on this rack and then warmed them up in the oven just before eating. If you don’t need all the batter I would recommend still making them all and keeping the extra in a ziploc on the counter to be toasted and eaten within a few days – or freeze for deliciousness anytime. Fried Chicken & Spicy Cheddar Waffles Serves: 10 waffles Ingredients Spicy Cheddar Waffle Ingredients: 3 poblano peppers, stem and seeds removed 3 cups all-purpose flour 1½ cups yellow cornmeal 2 tbl baking powder 2 tsp baking soda 1½ tsp kosher salt 8oz unsalted butter, melted 3 ½ cups buttermilk 4 large eggs, lightly beaten 8oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated Fried Chicken Ingredients: chicken: i like bone-in skin-on and an assortment of pieces buttermilk (coconut milk works great here too!) flour cornmeal salt vegetable oil for frying Print Preparation Waffle Instructions: Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise and place them on a sheet pan with the skin side up. Move your oven rack to the top and broil the poblanos until their skin has blackened and blistered (about 5 minutes). Remove the skin before dicing the peppers, set them aside. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, buttermilk and eggs just enough to break up the eggs. Pour this into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined but still a bit lumpy. Fold in the poblanos and grated cheddar. Let the batter rest 20-30 minutes. Heat up your waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the machine's instructions. Chicken Instructions: Soak the chicken in buttermilk a few hours or overnight. Combine the flour, cornmeal and some salt and dredge the chicken pieces, making sure to coat them fully. Preheat your oven to 350˚F and heat oil in a large, wide-rimmed pot to 350˚F. Have a baking sheet with inset wire rack ready for the finished pieces. Fry the chicken in batches until the outside is golden brown. Remove them from the oil, sprinkle with salt and place them on the baking sheet. Put in the oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining chicken. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Strawberry & Basil Yogurt Popsicles I’ve had popsicles on the mind for a while now but my first few attempts at some adult pops were not what you might call successful. I have to give Chris kudos here (surprising I know since he is usually under a bus;) for not only being a taste tester but providing very necessary and very nice alcohols (usually unknowingly. sorry). I think his favorite was the sinus-blasting bloody mary attempt. So I have accepted the fact that I am not a mixed drink expert (for now) and will stop stealing from other peoples’ alcohol stashes (um yeah, sorry Dad). This popsicle recipe is simple, perfect for hot summer days, and will make you feel like kid. Or if you are a kid and need to be told that just because there are strawberries at the farmstand does not mean that you should buy a pound or more every time you go, this recipe will help you use them up before you turn into one. Strawberry & Basil Yogurt Popsicles Serves: 10 popsicles Ingredients Basil Simple Syrup 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 bunch fresh basil, washed Popsicles 1½ cups puréed strawberries (from about 1lb) ¾ cup basil simple syrup juice of 1 lemon ¾ cup plain greek yogurt Print Preparation Make the simple syrup Combine the sugar and water in a small sauce pan, making sure all of the sugar is wet. Bring to a boil and once all of the sugar is dissolved turn off the heat and add the basil. Let steep a few hours while it cools in the fridge. Remove the basil before using. Make the popsicles Whisk the basil simple syrup and lemon juice into the greek yogurt. Stir in strawberry purée - you can mix it in fully or keep it swirled for a more marbled look. Pour into popsicle molds, insert sticks and freeze until solid, 4-5 hours. Notes You will need some sort of popsicle mold. I used this 10 pop mold (each pop being about 2½ oz) but you can really do this in whatever you have on hand (little plastic cups or i did a few tests in some go-gurt type of pouches). The simple syrup can be made well in advance, store in an airtight container up to 2 months in the fridge - just make sure to remove the basil after 24 hours. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast

< all recipes Spicy Sausage and Kale Pasta We’ve been in our new digs for two months but in the last two weeks it finally feels like things are starting to come together. Chris had some time off so we decided to have a nice little staycation to get sh*t done. There was furniture hunting, rug shlepping and multiple room rearrangings, there was shelf demolition and shade installation, my first foray into wallpapering and of course lots and lots of cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, scrubbing, washing, cleaning and more cleaning. All of this with only a few bumps, bruises, neck spasms and near melt-downs (that wallpapering was a real doozy!). The only big thing left to tackle is the kitchen which despite my obvious diy skillz (did I mention I put up wallpaper?) we are leaving it to the professionals. A kitchen renovation of my very own!! Holy moly I am excited. about that sausage and kale pasta recipe… This has been my go to the past few crazy weeks because it is ridiculously easy aaaand i dont even have to go grocery shopping! It started as kind of an in-case-of-emergency pasta but I love it SO much its become an at-least-a-once-a-week staple. I keep a large supply of kale and sausage in the freezer and I can literally go from wallpapering to eating in 20 minutes.* It almost makes me feel guilty because, you know, cooking is what I do, but then I walk into my soon to be demolished kitchen – which is usually about the temperature of hell (or whatever temp i’ve set the oven to) – just before the smoke alarm goes off again and a wine glass crashes onto the stove from the stupid wooden cabinet above a six burner gas range that I nail my hip on running to open windows because someone didn’t measure the damn thing or put in ventilation!! I’m sorry what were we talking about? Spicy Sausage and Kale Pasta Serves: serves 4 Ingredients 8 oz chorizo or other spicy sausage (i like uncooked but you can definitely use a smoked chorizo here) 8 oz frozen chopped kale 4 oz parmesan, grated 1 lb pasta Print Preparation Thaw the sausage and kale if necessary - I usually try to expedite this process by running them under warm water for several minutes. Put water on for the pasta and heat a large saute pan - you don't really need oil here as the sausage will provide some for us. Remove the chorizo from its casing and add it to the pan, breaking it into small chunks as you go. Let cook over med-hi heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until nicely browned and cooked through. Add the chopped kale, season generously with salt and pepper. Cook over med-low heat for about 5 minutes and keep warm while you cook the pasta. When the pasta is ready, add it to the sausage and kale along with lots of parmesan and black pepper. Toss and serve immediately. Previous Next hungry for more? Winter Citrus Salad with Toasted Za’atar Breadcrumbs Cacio e Pepe w/ Garlicky Greens Slow-Cooked Prime Rib Roast