December 23, 2013

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

The holidays. They make me a little nuts. Each year just when I think I have my sh…stuff together, I realize I’m waaaaay behind. Gifts need to be made, groceries bought, presents wrapped, cards sent, meals planned, goodies baked, gatherings attended, along with all the usual work/kid/husband/house type of stuff. My mind / not handle. AHHH!

What I really want is just to chill out. Enjoy it. And maybe shove some chocolate in my face. No bigs.

This winter staple puts you squarely in the intersection of soothing peppermint tea and rich, comforting chocolate…it’s relaxing yet invigorating. Peppermint is a natural stress reliever and has several health benefits and chocolate solves all worlds problems. Um, that’s not true, but it does make people very happy. This is your time out. Indulge and reenergize.

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December 19, 2013

Kale Dust

Kale is controversial in my household…I could eat it for days (and do) but my husband and son can’t stand it, which is a real bummer, maaaan. [channeling the Dude] It’s packed with incredible nutrition, is absolutely beautiful to look at, and is so versatile: salad, slaw, soup, chips, juice, pesto…and now dust. Whaaa?? Usually I try to keep my house dust-free, but this is one kind of dust you’ll want to keep around! It’s quick, easy, and adds a healthy punch to whatever you sprinkle it on. Hello popcorn! Or stir it into yogurt and cream cheese for a veggie dip, top off your garlic bread or pasta, add a spoonful to potato soup, or sprinkle it onto a cheese quesadilla.

Kale it, don’t kill it! Hmmm, a new vegetarian slogan? Oh, I kale me! {…just stop}

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December 10, 2013

Potato Leek Buttermilk Soup with Smokey-spiced Croutons and Chive Oil

Winter. It’s here. In a big way. We just got an inch of ice, 8 inches of snow, and my son’s school is cancelled again…for the FOURTH day in a row! Snow-soaked coats, gloves, hats and boots have lined our entryway for the past few days as neighbor kids come in and out from the blindingly white wonderland that is our front yard. I love times like this when there’s nowhere I need to go, nowhere I CAN go. I am literally stuck in my house, forced to peer out at the beautiful North Pole-esque scenery and spend my days cooking and watching movies. I can deal.

It’s moments like this when one needs soup. Comforting. Soul-warming. Even nostalgic. And this velvety-smooth potato soup is just that. Plus it’s really easy and there are only 7 ingredients in the recipe, and that includes water and salt. The short ingredient list allows the simple flavors to shine: potatoes, leeks, and garlic. The buttermilk adds rich silkiness and just a bit of tang. Spice it up with homemade seasoned croutons and chive oil and call it a day. Game over. {christmas} Lights out.

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December 4, 2013

Red Lentil & Butternut Squash Chili

Feeling lazy? Too cold outside to do anything? Want to curl up on the couch and watch a movie with something warm and comforting to nosh on? Don’t worry, I got ya covered. Spicy. Sweet. Savory. And loaded with veggies. It’s chili time!

Make a big pot of this over the weekend and save the leftovers for those busy Monday nights. Your Monday night self will give you a high five!

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November 18, 2013

S’mores: Homemade Graham Crackers and Honey Marshmallows

It’s November. The air has turned chilly. The farmer’s market is closed for the season. I’m no longer craving fresh salsa and garlicky bruschetta. It’s all about soups, baked apples, and bonfires. And with bonfires comes S’mores. It’s a prerequisite. You can’t attend a bonfire and NOT have marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. Kids would revolt. The planet would implode. And most importantly, I wouldn’t get my chocolate fix. …oh HELL no, that ain’t gonna happen.

But let’s kick up this pyro-loving dessert up a notch. Homemade is where it’s at. So much yummier (my husband hates that word) than store-bought and people will FUH-REEK OUT over you bringing homemade marshmallows & graham crackers to the party….”Whaaat? That’s even possible?” Yup. Dig in. This might be the best thing you do in a long time.

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July 25, 2013

Borough Market – London

Hiya, I’m back from an incredible trip to France and England! One of the must-see/do/eat places on my list was Borough Market in London. It’s my culinary mecca…and I was on a pilgrimage. I’ve read about this market and seen TV specials about it on the Food Network, but that didn’t prepare me for walking through this gastronomic holy land. There is just about every kind of food/beverage vendor you can think of selling high-quality, seasonal, fresh goods. Everything from fruits & veggies, cheeses, mushrooms (including truffles!), olives, meat/seafood, baked goods, and chocolates to cider, beer, wine, juices, and all kinds of prepared foods. The vendors are so proud of what they do and love their product so much; they are true artisans in their field. And they’re full of knowledge. Ask them questions. Ask them lots of questions! They welcome the opportunity to share their passion, and they LOVE giving samples! Score!

It’s an intensely inspirational place to be. So, if you’re ever in London, check it out! Cheers!

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June 19, 2013

CSA Week 2: Salad It Up!

We’re just about to officially enter summer. But I don’t really think of seasons as fall, winter, spring or summer; I think of them in terms of food…tomato season is my fav! But right now, it’s salad season! I’ve been making salads almost everyday with the drop-dead gorgeous veg from my CSA box and from the local farmers markets. I posted the recipe for this Orange Sesame Noodle Salad over at the Laughing Stalk Farmstead Blog, but thought I’d share it here as well. It uses a ton of veggies and the beets color the noodles a lovely shade of pink. Tres girlie!

Orange Sesame Noodle Salad:

Next is a simple salad of lettuce greens, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi and pecans with a chimichurri vinaigrette. I used the leftover chimichurri sauce from the spinach quesadillas post and turned it into salad dressing by adding more olive oil and red wine vinegar to thin it out. Uh-dic-ting! I stood at the counter and ate the whole bowl!

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June 6, 2013

CSA Week 1: Spinach Quesadillas with Chimichurri Sauce

I’m pumped. So very pumped. CSA season just started back up and my little veg head is exploding with organic veggie excitement! I may be slightly odd in that I’d much prefer to open a box of veggies than unwrap a birthday present…um, unless that birthday present IS a box veggies…and maybe it includes a bottle of gin, and some aged balsamic vinegar, or some smoked sea salt or fancy dutch-processed cocoa powder, or several jars of my grandma’s homegrown, canned tomato juice that I would totally use to make killer Bloody Marys with…whoa, settle down. Hmm, I wonder if you can register for organic veggies as a wedding gift. I’m already married, buuuuut….how freakin cool would that be to have one of those gift registry guns that you could take to a farm. I’d go nuts with the kale. Yeah, forget engraved towels…give me kale and tomatoes!

I digress. So, after some crazy weather, Laughing Stalk Farmstead is back to delivering me a beautiful box of fresh, organic fruits and veggies every other week! They started with a couple special deliveries of strawberries and rhubarb, but the full-on seasonal eating adventure has officially begun with a box that packs a powerful superfood punch…it’s a mean green veggie machine!

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May 29, 2013

Homemade Strawberry-Rhubarb Vodka

Rhubarb is one of those foods I’ve always been leery of. It kinda looks like celery, but people make pie out of it…huh? Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Are you really supposed to eat it? Or is it just one of those foods that people “back in the day” happened upon, were hungry, and had to figure out a way to make it edible. To me, rhubarb is one of those weird ingredients my grandma used, mostly in pies or crisps. But is it really necessary these days? We have so much other incredible fruit available that rhubarb seems a bit…um, old school. Plus, it’s so tart and sour you have to add a butt-load of sugar just to make it palatable (yes, “butt-load” is a technical term in my kitchen).

Nonetheless, as suspicious as I am of these odd, pale green and blush pink stalks, my culinary curiosity gets the best of me. It’s in season and starting to pop up at farmers markets and through my CSA. So, what can I make with this stuff that ISN’T pie? When in doubt, add booze! I’ve made several flavored vodkas (cucumber, peach, hot pepper) and figured that was the perfect vehicle for this peculiar, in-your-face-flavored perennial…and it’s so darn simple, plus it makes a really cool gift! Here’s the gist: wash fruit or veggies, chop, add to jar, pour in vodka, let sit for a week, strain, get drunk…I mean, enjoy!

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May 23, 2013

Grilled Spring Veggie Pasta with Blue Cheese and Balsamic Syrup

In my house, the dude is NOT the grill master, it’s this dudette (thumbs pointing at myself). Nothing makes me happier than sweating bullets in the hot Missouri sun standing in front of a flaming veggie-covered grate with my face about to melt off from the heat of the grill, tongs in one hand and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc in the other. It’s pure joy. I get so stoked when spring arrives because one of my favorite things to grill is asparagus, I could eat mountains of it…and when you combine them with grilled portabella mushrooms, blue cheese, balsamic syrup, and garlicky pasta the birds sing, rainbows beam, and fairies flutter about doing a happy dance…at least that’s what happens in my head…what, too much wine?

Ok, let’s get it on! Grilling, that is.

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