bites out of life

Chipotle-Lime Beer Can Chicken

HOT DAMN, that’s a fine looking chicken.

Beer can chicken is one of those gimmicky things that I usually avoid. The beer doesn’t really impart any additional flavor, and the whole process is messy, and frankly, a bit obscene. I’m all for violating my birds in the name of flavor, but sticking a can of beer up its butt so that it permanently looks like this? There’s a line, people!

However, it is undeniable that beer can chicken can make for a show-stopping presentation, especially when it’s charred and bronzed and beautiful like this one. Holding the chicken upright, which is basically all the can is doing, means that the chicken’s juices drip down during the cooking process, basting the chicken naturally and imparting all sorts of juicy goodness into the meat.

How Sweet Eats’ recipe took it one step further, slathering a chipotle-laced spice rub all over the inside and outside of the chicken (and you know how I love buttering under the skin) and putting whole slices of lime under the skin.

The end result is this gorgeous beauty, which was just barely photographed (thanks to a mandatory 20-minute resting period) before it was devoured in a Fourth of July feeding frenzy. …

Your Fourth of July Survival Guide

In the past few weeks, I’ve co-hosted no less than three barbecues, which, as you know, is pretty atypical for me. I live in Manhattan, which means I have zero space in general, and even less space outdoors. However, I’ve recently discovered that across the Narrow Sea (aka the East River) lies Brooklyn, and there, one can get a little patio space or even *gasp* roof access. Aside from the views, which are plentiful and gorgeous, there are also patios! And roof access! And a grill bought for $10 from a neighbor that can feed 3-4 people at a time!

So, I’ve learned a few things about hosting cookouts. And since odds are high that you’re going to either host or attend some sort of outdoor food situation this weekend, here are some of my favorite tips, recipes and thoughts to help you survive (and enjoy!) this Fourth of July.

MEAT

Last weekend, I co-hosted a barbecue for 30 people. Since our grill is pretty small, I opted to cook some of the food in the oven. (I’d highly recommend this if you’re cooking for a crowd or if you’ve got a smaller grill, since it takes the pressure off your grillers to get the fire started and feed hangry people immediately.)

These chipotle BBQ shortribs are a tried-and-true fave, and I still dream about these
oven-roasted spareribs, but this time around, I tried Smitten Kitchen’s oven barbecue chicken. She uses the same recipe that she uses for oven spareribs (her recipe, like mine, draws from Harold McGee’s NYT masterpiece), but applies them to chicken. I made 30-ish drumsticks, and finished them on the grill rather than in the broiler, and they disappeared in SECONDS.

It’s always helpful to have some hot dogs or sausages, which require prep work to cook, but I like to make my burgers by hand. My go-to (it’s blasphemous, I know) is 2 tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and a good heaping of freshly ground black pepper per pound, mixed gently into the meat. Form hockey puck-sized patties with a slight indent in the middle, then refrigerate. SALT ONLY RIGHT BEFORE YOU PUT THEM ON THE GRILL. Serious Eats explains why, but when you salt can make a huge difference in the juiciness of your burger.

Skewers are a great way to add vegetables to the menu. I love these chicken and pineapple kabobs, but in case you have some picky eaters who don’t believe grilled fruit can work with savory items (AHEM, mom!), I’ll be over your place to try Southern Living’s spicy glazed shrimp skewers, thank you.

SIDES

No barbecue comes together without a good array of sides. And surprisingly enough, my total aversion to mayo hasn’t really stopped me from enjoying summer side dishes. No globby white potato or pasta salad here! Only a bright green pesto potato salad with green beans, a rainbow-hued coleslaw that’s spicy and bright and enough grain salads to get you through summer and beyond. A few of my favorite picnic sides:

Greek-style orzo salad
Fresh corn salad (grilled corn would also be BOMB here)
Summer lentil salad
Mexican-style quinoa salad
Shrimp and avocado salad
Mango salad with black beans (serve this with tortilla chips!)
Caprese panzanella

DESSERT

Unfortunately, I’ve had to offload all dessert responsibilities on friends while hosting. Fortunately, my friends know exactly what I like. Namely easily transportable fruit-based desserts, like these:

Red White and Blue Berry Yogurt Cake
Berry Hand Pies
Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Strawberry Rhubarb Tartlets
No-Bake Macadamia Key Lime Pie Bars
PiÃ±a Colada Cheesecake Bars
Mini Berry Yogurt Cheesecakes

DRINKS

No barbecue is complete without booze. I’m sure there will be beers aplenty, but impress your guests with a cocktail or two. These blackberry brambles are heavenly on a hot day, but this champagne sangria is the real winner — a total crowd-pleaser AND you don’t have to make cocktails for a crowd.

Almond-Apricot Coffee Cake

All good hosts need an easy cake recipe in their back pocket. One that requires few ingredients, preferably ones you already have on hand. One that can be thrown together quickly, during those quiet moments before your guests wake up. One that can pass as breakfast, or as an afternoon treat, or as an anytime snack for guests to pick at between meals.

This apricot-almond coffee cake can be that cake. It’s a one-bowl mix-and-dump affair for the most part, but the combo of the sliced almonds, almond extract and jam create more complex flavors. I made this cake for breakfast while my parents were hosting ~~an alarming number of~~ a few weekends ago, and they converged so quickly that I could barely get some decent photos.

The one downside of making this cake for guests? It’ll disappear before you can even enjoy it. Cake this good deserves to be savored. …

Sizzling Steak Fajitas

Guys, I have a lot to apologize for. First, I’m sorry I’ve been so MIA over the past two months. It’s not you, it’s me — I promise. (Mostly it’s work, which is great in a lot of ways but doesn’t leave a lot of time for cooking and then writing about cooking.)

Second, I’m sorry for posting a recipe that sounds like it came from the menu of an Applebee’s. I didn’t mean to, it’s just that I really like alliteration. (And onomatopoeia: ssssszzzzzzz) (â† I should probably apologize for that too.)

But I am not sorry about these fajitas, because they are FIRE, as the youths say. They are spicy and smoky and even mostly healthy, which is always a plus. They’re also really easy to put together, which is great when you’re looking for quick weeknight dinners. (And if you’re even too ~~lazy~~ pressed for time to cut all the vegetables, pre-sliced mushrooms and the admittedly exorbitantly priced “fajita mix” in the pre-cut vegetables section of Whole Foods are a godsend. Just don’t ask me what my grocery bills are like … )

This is the kind of recipe that gets me excited to get back in the kitchen and carve out more time for cooking. I need more of these — what are your favorite quick weeknight dinners? …

White Wine-Poached Salmon

In an effort to eat more of a grown-up balanced diet, I’ve been trying to cook more fish. But a few wins aside, I’m not very good at it. When I saute, the pieces stick to the pan too much, when I bake, they dry out. What’s a girl to do?

POACH.

Seriously, poaching fish is my new favorite trick. It’s basically fool-proof: you simmer the fish in a flavorful broth until it gently cooks through. No drying out, no sticking, just a perfectly cooked flavor-infused piece of fish. It works with cod, it works with tilapia, but it works best (in my opinion) with salmon.

And my favorite way to poach salmon? In a bath of white wine (duh.), dill, salt and peppercorns. Salmon and dill are a no-brainer, and a buttery white adds a slight tang. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, and dinner is served. And since you’ve already got a bottle of wine open … …

Slow-Roasted Leg of Lamb, Mediterranean-Style

To me, food and family are inextricably linked. It’s how we show affection for each other, how we comfort each other, how we connect with each other. The dining table has been the center of every home I’ve ever lived in, where we laugh, fight, cry and share our lives. In our family, food has always been more than just calories or energy intake. Food equals nourishment.

And that desire to nourish extends beyond just the immediate family. As you guys well know, I love to host, whether it’s a dinner party, a birthday brunch, a housewarming, a Game of Thrones watch party … I could go on forever. That love came directly from my mom, who hosts 50-people dinner parties on the reg, which came directly from my grandfather, who loved nothing more than to throw cocktail parties for his friends once a month.

He passed away last week, and I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about him since then. He too loved to travel, and to go on new adventures. He also loved taking long walks, finding new places even in the city he called home for 84 years. But above all, he loved being surrounded by family and friends, serving everyone a delicious meal and a good stiff drink while sharing stories.

His favorite meal was roast chicken, but I’m sure he’d enjoy this roast lamb just fine. It’s definitely a crowd-pleaser, and would be a standout at a dinner party for any occasion. The meat gets meltingly tender during its slow roast in the oven, and the flavor from the stuffing (shallots, garlic, olives, lemon, rosemary) seeps into every part of the lamb. It definitely falls in the “nourishment” category, and I’m sure my grandfather would approve.

Lentils with Sausage and Kale

Mondays are tough. Especially gorgeous Mondays when you’d rather be outside living a “rosÃ© all day” dream than mired in the “sitting at your desk answering emails” reality. The last thing you want or need is a complicated meal that takes away from warm weather playtime.

And so, in another installment of bomb weeknight recipes you should keep in your back pocket, I present to you this recipe for lentils with sausage and kale. It’s are quick, healthy, delicious.

AND, to really get you in that summertime mindset, it requires you to open a bottle of wine (albeit red … let’s call this a transitional recipe). Voila! Your dinner plus an excuse to have a weekday glass of vino, all wrapped up in one.

Need I say more? I could, but it’s beautiful outside and ain’t nobody got time for that. …

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar Beer Sauce

Over a decade ago (probably during her visit to the U.S. in 2004), my grandmother made a whole roasted cauliflower. I don’t remember much about it, other than that it was delicious. I assume there was plenty of turmeric and cumin and coriander and ginger and chilies involved, but I can’t say for sure. I’m also pretty sure it sat in the oven for hours, tantalizing us with its smell, while the huge head tenderized on the inside and caramelized on the outside. In any case, despite thinking about it from time to time, I hadn’t had it, or any other whole roasted cauliflower, since.

Vegetables usually get shafted when it comes to “ta da” presentation moments at the dinner table. Roast birds or meat or even a whole fish get all the glory, while vegetables are shunted to the “side dish” category to languish in anonymity next to the bread. It’s a shame, because as both my grandma and Joy the Baker proved, they can be real showstoppers.

Joy’s version of whole roasted cauliflower outdoes my grandmother’s in a few ways. One: there’s a recipe, so I can remember how to actually make the thing. Two: her cauliflower takes much less time to make. And three: it comes with a beer cheese sauce. THAT’S RIGHT. Beer and cheese, reunited and it feels so good!

Let’s talk about number two for a minute. Rather than spending hours trying to roast the cauliflower, Joy gives it a nice pre-oven bath in a butter- and olive oil-laden pool, spiked with spices and so delicious that I may or may not have been eating it like soup. Boiling the cauliflower in this flavorful broth infuses it with flavor while allowing you to keep your oven time down. A hefty sprinkle of paprika all over the cauliflower and 30 minutes in the oven are all you need for slightly charred florets that are crisp-tender perfection.

The beer sauce is a perfect dip for the cauliflower, all tangy and cheesy and slightly spicy. There’s no doubt that this is a number one stunna of a vegetable dish, and until I get back to India for my grandma’s recipe, this’ll do just fine. …

Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Peas

Nine times out of ten, cooking is a matter of necessity, nothing more than a requirement for getting food into your belly. Convenience is paramount — there are a million Internet recipes with “quick” and “easy” keywords. (I’ve got a few here.)

But every now and then, I want to spend a little time in the kitchen. Nothing too laborious, but something that requires a bit of work, something that feels like “cooking.” Risotto is perfect for those moments. It’s pretty easy, work-wise: you mostly stir, and stir and stir and stir. There’s something meditative about it, and as I’ve been in a state of near constant work-related stress, there’s something calming about doing extremely simple tasks over and over, where I can shut my brain off for an hour and focus on nothing else but stirring rice in a pot. (See also: running long distances at a slow, plodding pace, which oh by the way I’m running another half-marathon at the end of May, so I’ve been doing more of … )

Risotto is especially perfect this time of year, when there are new, exciting vegetables popping up at the farmer’s market, but it’s still chilly enough to crave creamy carbs for dinner. Asparagus and peas shine here, but you could swap in anything: leeks would be delicious, as would ramps or morels or anything else that’s fresh and bright and beautiful. I had one slightly weird swap — I didn’t realize I was totally out of Parmesan until halfway through the recipe, and instead added a slightly alarming amount of Irish cheddar instead. The cheddar was tangy and lemony and worked really nicely, so it’s worth trying.

This spring risotto isn’t one of those weeknight wonders. It takes time and attention and care. It’s something to make when you really feel like cooking, when an hour in front of the stove with a glass of wine (you need to open the bottle anyway!) seems ideal. And your reward is comfort, both in the process and in the result, and what’s better than that? …

Caramelized Onion Confit

I wasn’t sure if I should make this recipe or not. I wasn’t sure what I could do with caramelized onion confit, wasn’t sure why anyone would need it. It’s not really a meal or a side dish — it’s closest to an appetizer, but only if you pile the onions on top of a toasted baguette (ideally with sharp crumbly blue cheese) and since I’m detoxing, I couldn’t do that.

But I had a few onions lying around that had seen better days, and I do love soft sweet onions, so I made them.

And then I couldn’t stop eating them. On top of steak, on top of green beans, straight out of the bowl with a fork.

Even more than the onions, the star of this recipe is the leftover caramelized onion oil, which is sweet and nutty and savory and guys, I would bathe in this oil if I could. I would dab some behind my ears and on my wrists, so I could smell like caramelized onion for the rest of my days. (Am I getting weird again?)

I’ve been using the oil to saute any and all vegetables that enter my kitchen, and tossing my grain salads with it, and when I finally broke and got a baguette for some dinner delicious (to come soon!), the oil was SO GOOD with baguette that I almost ate an entire baguette by myself.

So the moral of this story is, if you don’t think you have any room in your life for caramelized onion confit, you’re wrong. Make this today, make this tomorrow, make this until the end of days. It will make everything better. …

Roasted Carrots with Spiced Yogurt + Detox Week 2

Week two of this #SpringCleaning detox has been interesting. I’ve been a bit lax, choosing to live a little over fastidiously following every rule to a T. So, this week I had: 1 slice of pizza, 2 alcoholic beverages, 1 ounce of super dark chocolate, 1 post-run bottle of Nesquik, gluten, in the form of salad croutons and whole-wheat orzo and 1 collard green-wrapped burger with blue cheese on top. Not ideal, but not the worst cheating in the world.

I’m of two minds with this whole detox thing. Part of me feels like it’s a good thing that I’m doing, that eating well is an admirable goal, and “two steps forward, one step back” is still movement in the right direction. But I don’t feel any better. My skin is somehow worse than when I started, I still feel sluggish and a bit brain-foggy at times, my digestive system isn’t magically healed. Maybe the cheats are derailing me more than I think, but can 2 drinks really be enough to undo a week’s work?

BUT (I suppose “two minds” is actually three or four) am I just doing this for the visible results? Or is the “greater good” the ultimate goal, and can that really be measured? Is it stupid that I count out all of my weekly “transgressions” or that I can’t have a piece of chocolate when I want one? I don’t know, and I’ve spend way too much time blathering on about it (both to you on the Internet and to everyone else in person). Not ideal.

So let’s forget about all that frustrating detox stuff, and let’s focus on how gorgeous these roasted carrots are. I can’t even focus on writing right now, because they’re just so beautiful. They’re colorful and vibrant and bright. They’re almost too stunning to eat, except that they’re also delicious. Gently spiced as a balance to the sweet carrots, crunchy and crispy, with a lemon juice and paprika-spiked yogurt dressing that almost makes detoxing seem okay. And given the first two paragraphs of this post, you know that means these are some magical roasted carrots.

More detox-related posts:
Detox Day 1: Some New Beginnings
Detox Week 1 Recap (and a bomb parsley vinaigrette recipe!) …

Parsley Vinaigrette + A Detox Week 1 Recap

Week 1 of my March #SpringCleaning detox is officially over. Let me tell you, it was ROUGH. I was a cranky irritable grump for most of the week, suffering major withdrawal symptoms from sugar and caffeine (as it turns out, I need more than one cup of coffee a day). I missed being able to munch on chips while watching the latest episode of O.J. I missed the comfort of a glass of wine after a long hard day. I missed my weekly breakfast scone, the occasional chocolate after lunch and the comfort of delivery dumplings.

Rather than being a complete stickler for the rules, I’ve been somewhat flexible. Friday night, I had a few sips of a cocktail while toasting to a friend’s success. I had a small slice of cake while celebrating my aunt’s birthday. On one a particularly painful day, rife with headaches, soreness (from hitting the gym much harder than I have in a few months) and meetings, I allowed myself a bit of extra coffee. My aim is less abstemious, more sustainable: the ultimate goal is to make healthy eating a regular part of my lifestyle, rather than a punishment for gluttony. (I know this detox kind of started out that way, but I’m hoping to transition … we’ll see how that goes.)

Sunday, my body finally began to adjust to this more healthful way of life, and I no longer woke up with a headache or a foggy brain. I’m still not feeling as though I’ve metamorphosed into a beautiful toxin-free butterfly, but I no longer feel like a shlumpy caterpillar. I guess that’s progress …

And what have I been eating? A lot of breakfast smoothies, a few salads and ton of this bomb-diggity parsley vinaigrette. It’s a simple mix of lemon, garlic, parsley and olive oil, spiked with harissa for a burst of spicy, vinegar-y flavor. I used it as a dressing for a quinoa “bowl” I made, but it would be delicious on anything and everything: fish, meat, roast vegetables — hell, it’d even be a great dipping sauce for bread (tear, tear). It takes no time at all to make, which means it will be a staple in the bites out of life kitchen, detox or not. …

5 Bites From Tulum

Winter in New York is a strange thing. In early December it’s eagerly anticipated, a reason to snuggle in front of fires with mugs of cocoa (or hot toddies) and plates of holiday cookies. I’ve heard myself utter, on many occasion, “it doesn’t feel like Christmas without a bit of cold weather.” “White Christmas” is a thing for a reason, right?

By February, that wistfulness is long gone, buried under snow, sleet, slush and endless mornings of this. This year felt particularly rough (Jonas, anyone?) so I flew the coop to Mexico for a long weekend in paradise.

Tulum, on the Riviera Maya, is a small beach town two hours south of Cancun. It’s far less tourist-saturated than Cancun (though that’s rapidly changing) and has a much more laid-back vibe: think huts and hammocks on the beach, not mega-resorts with swim-up pool bars. I described it to friends as the Brooklyn of the Riviera Maya — smaller, quieter and more hip, with a boho chic scene all its own.

There are two parts of Tulum, the beach (la playa) and the town (el pueblo). The beach is lined with hotels on the ocean side and restaurants, bars and boutiques on the jungle side. Town is a 5-minute cab ride from “beach central,” and offers its own restaurants and bars, with much more local flavor. We ate like kings in both places — the food in Tulum is crazy good. Most of it is very simple, relying instead on supremely fresh ingredients (especially fresh seafood) and minimal seasoning to shine. Plus, it doesn’t hurt when this is your view.

…

Detox Day 1: Some New Beginnings*

This weekend, I took a trip to paradise, also known as Tulum. It was beautiful and amazing and I’ll tell you all about it later, but in between beachside breakfasts and afternoon swims, I also had a bit of time for self-reflection.

The first two months of 2016 have raced by in a blur. I couldn’t even tell you what I did for most of January and February, but it certainly wasn’t healthy: a lot of stressed out inhaling of comfort carbs and chocolate and wine. Coupled with a ton of quality under-the-comforters time (see: cold) and very little gym time, I hit the beach feeling a bit heavier, softer and generally blah-er than usual.

So, in March, I’m doing a little spring cleaning for my body, a month-long detox. This isn’t about weight loss. I haven’t been on a scale in years and have no intention of changing that. It’s about how I feel, how much energy I have, how my skin, hair and nails look, etc. It’s about resetting my system and rebuilding clean eating habits. Above all, it’s about health, and feeling comfortable in my body. …

Roast Chicken with Dijon Sauce

There’s something about a roast chicken that feels fancy. Just the sight of a beautifully bronzed bird elicits a hushed “ooooh” from me every time (and in case you think I’m a weirdo, it usually gets a more audible response from onlookers, so … ). And that crackling sound when you cut into perfectly crisp skin? Music to my ears.

This recipe takes the magic of roast chicken and adds a few of my favorite things. Dijon mustard. White wine. Shallots. Cream. I would drink this sauce every day. I’d slather myself in it. (It would probably be good for my skin.) I’d bathe in it. Ok now I’m getting creepy again, but you catch my drift — it’s GOOD. It’s piquant and lush, and creates a velvety bed for the juicy chicken under those crisp, crisp skins. (Ok I’ll stop now.)

At the risk of scaring you all and maybe definitely drooling all over my keyboard, I’ll stop here. But make this chicken. Make extra sauce. You won’t regret it.

FYI: I’ve launched an all bites out of life Instagram @bitesoutoflife (duh.) Add me for new recipe alerts, fun food videos and general food-related shenanigans! …

Teriyaki Salmon

As I wade further and further into the world of “grown-up,” I’m realizing that Cheetos and three-buck Chuck no longer counts as an acceptable weeknight dinner. I’ve upgraded to the occasional $10 Tempranillo in the wine department, and it turns out, I should probably upgrade what’s on my plate too.

Weeknight cooking is the bane of any busy human, and I am no exception. I know that to an outsider, my life is pathetically uncomplicated: I go to work somewhere between 8:30 and 10 a.m., leave (hopefully) around 5 or (usually) around 6, maybe head to the gym, and then head home.* No kids, no second job, no pets, and few hobbies (this blog aside). So, for all intents and purposes, weeknight cooking should be a breeze, right?

Except that it’s not. After a long day at work, even the idea of planning out, shopping for, preparing and cleaning up a meal seems too much. Obviously, the dream is to have a fridge full of freshly cooked meals, meticulously made over the weekend. But the reality is that doesn’t always happen, and then you get home on a cold, wet Tuesday and Seamless beckons with its sweet sweet promises of here-in-seconds delivery.

But let’s be real for a minute. That food never comes as fast as it says it will. And when it does, it’s never as delicious as you want it to be. Some nights, I’m so hungry and tired that I ignore this, but often, halfway through my dinner I come to the sad realization: I could make this better.

So for those nights, I offer you this recipe: teriyaki salmon that takes 30 minutes start to finish, is never too sweet or too gluey, and remains tender and flaky. It’s everything you want your Japanese delivery salmon to be, and perfect with quick fried rice and steamed vegetables on the side. It may not solve all of your weeknight cooking troubles, but it’s a solid go-to, a weeknight staple for those nights when even Googling a recipe seems daunting.

*If that sounds sad or unfulfilling to you, trust me: it’s GLORIOUS. …

Dreamy Dark Chocolate Pudding

Valentine’s Day in New York City can be a stressful stressful thing. Restaurants must be booked weeks in advance, gifts must be purchased, flowers must be delivered … for a non-planner like myself, it can be completely overwhelming.

This year, I blanked completely and have done nothing so far. (But don’t worry guys, I did remember to get the perfect card.) I panicked for a second, and then remembered that a) I can always make dinner and b) Valentine’s Day is a made-up holiday anyway, so who cares?

Cooking for your Valentine can be a fun way to avoid long wait times, snooty waiters, and (in my case a major plus) a $300 dinner bill. There’s no need to be overly elaborate — a simple roast chicken or perfectly cooked steak are easy showstoppers that happen to pair wonderfully with wine. One or two easy sides, dessert and a few candles are all the extras you need for a romantic, intimate meal to celebrate your boo.

And for dessert, what better than this creamy, dreamy dark chocolate pudding? It’s rich and luxe, but won’t weigh you down or leave you in a food coma. It’s also easy to make (4 steps, one of which is “chill!”) and make-ahead, which means you can tackle it in the morning and then ~~fret over~~ calmly plan out the rest of dinner with ease.

And you will be calm, especially if you make this dream Valentine’s day dinner — it’s foolproof, mostly make-ahead and guaranteed to leave your sweetie impressed:

To snack: Fig-Olive Jam (with Manchego and olive oil crackers)
To start: Cauliflower Soup with Parmesan Crisps (an oldie, but a so so goodie)
Your main: Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs OR Braised Lamb Shoulder OR Cast-Iron Steak
On the side: Smashed Potatoes AND Creamed Spinach

And to finish: this delicious pudding, topped with a thick swirl of whipped cream. …

Cheddar Mustard Pull-Apart Bread

Party food can be a tricky beast. You want something big enough to feed a crowd, but simple enough that you’re not slaving away over the stove while your guests carry on without you. (Hosting FOMO is real, people.) Ideally, said food would also not require forks and knives, which inhibit mingling, and are neat enough where you don’t have to chase guests with plates and napkins.

This cheddar mustard pull-apart bread checks all of those boxes, and also a few more: it’s exactly the cheesy, carby deliciousness one looks for when indulging, it pairs excellently with beer (and soaks up some of that excess alcohol you may be imbibing — see “cheesy carby deliciousness”), and it can mostly be made ahead of time, requiring only a short amount of oven time just before serving. (This means it’s also great for traveling, in case you’re looking for something to bring to a party.) Plus it takes minimal work, which means you have more time to get in #Formation.

And your reward for 10 minutes of work? In addition to the aforementioned cheese and carbs, there’s an undercurrent of tangy, garlicky goodness that I love (very reminiscent of one of my favorite party foods, beer cheese). It’s also fun to eat, even for someone who hates eating with her hands.

So whether you need a snack for your group viewing of the greatest show of 2016 or you know, that big football game on Sunday, fret not: this cheesy pull-apart bread is the answer to all your party food problems. …

Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie

January is always a hard month for me. After the gluttony of the holiday season, my head tells me I should eat greens and grains and healthful things. But it’s coooooold out, and my heart craves large bowls of carbohydrates, preferably coated in melted cheese. There’s not a lot of in-between there, at least not in-betweens that leave me satisfied. (Get your cauliflower out of my mac and cheese please!) So I yo-yo back and forth, crushing a rainbow-colored salad one day and a buttery pastry-topped pot pie the next.

This sweet potato shepherd’s pie manages to straddle the line between “healthy” and “indulgent,” proving that comfort food doesn’t always have to be a diet-killer. Shephard’s pie is a British classic, dating back to the late 18th century. Technically, what I made was cottage pie, since it’s made with beef and traditional shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb or mutton, but they’re basically the same thing: ground meat cooked with aromatics and topped with mashed potatoes.

To keep my version on the healthy side, I upped the vegetable-to-meat ratio in the filling, adding extra celery. carrots and peas. (I also swapped in sweet potatoes instead of regular Idaho potatoes, though that was more of a “what’s on sale” decision than anything else.)

The recipe takes a fair amount of work, as you really want to build flavors while making the filling. With time, the gravy becomes intensely savory and full of meaty, umami flavor, and honestly, I could eat that with a spoon all day long. The sweet potatoes balance the savoriness nicely, and the final product is so delicious I almost ate the entire skillet in one sitting. And the beauty of this dish is, that wouldn’t have left me with an aching belly or a guilty conscience.*

*Regardless, you probably shouldn’t eat an entire shepherd’s pie …

…

Musings on 6 Years(!!) of Blogging + Perfect Smashed Potatoes

Six years ago, I started a blog. It was a bit impulsive — I hadn’t really thought about what would go into it — but I figured the Internet wasn’t really the place for hard-and-fast rules and jumped in headfirst. I was 21 years old, a grad student, and all I really knew was that I really liked food and wanted to talk to strangers about it.

One day, I’ll meet the Queen. Until then, I have this to tide me over.

Since then, this space has evolved. Posts on restaurant recs and foodie events became recipes, first easy ones (like roasted vegetables and garlic bread), then multi-step, multi-day projects (like salted caramel banana bread pudding) and showstoppers like braised lamb.

I slowly began realizing how much I enjoyed cooking and how I could become better at it, one dish at a time. Now, at 27, cooking is a way to unwind after a long day at work, a way to celebrate others (and celebrate with others), a way to nourish myself, healthfully or otherwise.

Blogging can occasionally be a challenge: there’s never enough time to cook all of the things I want to cook, or write about all of the things I want to write, or photograph exactly the way I want to photograph. The past few months have been especially hard, since I’ve been extremely busy — first with running, and then with work. There have been so many ideas that have lingered in email drafts or on Post-It notes, never making it to on the page because I couldn’t make it to the grocery store. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve had to throw away ingredients that rotted before I could get to them, or when, at the end of a long day, I finally made it home, I’d throw something together so quickly that there was no time to for even an iPhone photo, much less fix lighting or worry about the correct angles for a decent shot.

But, six years in, I’ve decided it doesn’t matter. This started as a passion project, and it’s one that I’ve returned to time and again, despite multiple moves, job changes and other life happenings along the way. This year, my goal is to present you guys with the dishes that drew me to the kitchen despite a busy schedule — the dishes that were so good that they evaded every excuse.

These smashed potatoes are #1 on that list. They combine the crispy exterior of tater tots with the creamy interior of roast potatoes, and take very little effort to make. They’re so addictive that I ate most of them before I could even finish the rest of my dinner (which also featured this creamed spinach, in case you wanted a sad little window into how behind I am on blogging). I added garlic and rosemary, but you could do any blend of spices and herbs you like. This is simple food cooked to perfection, the kind of food I hope to deliver all year long.

Thanks everyone for being part of this journey! …

Shakshuka with Feta and Sausage

Brunch at home is a beautiful thing. For one, you don’t have to wear pants (or scarves or coats or any of the other million things required for this terrible weather). For two, you don’t have to wait in line, or worry about having to squeeze into a tiny corner table, or really worry about anything other than if you have enough champagne for another round of mimosas. And if you’re making this shakshuka, you don’t even have to worry about complicated recipes or a sink full of dishes.

Shakshuka is a staple in North Africa, with variations across the region but the same basic formula: eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce, usually cooked with onions, chili peppers and cumin. The New York Times’ Melissa Clark added feta and I, in a moment of inspiration, also added some sausage. Merguez would be ideal, but I used the hot Italian that had been sitting in my freezer and it was delicious.

But what really makes this dish sing is the combo of the spicy, smoky tomato sauce and the runny egg yolk. As I’ve said before, baked eggs are miraculous. No sweating bullets over the stove, trying to swirl the perfect poach or counting seconds while boiling your eggs accidentally solid. Baking eggs gives them that perfect firm-egg-white-plus-velvety-yolk texture, and as long as you check your eggs every few minutes, you’ll be set. Which means more time for you to binge another episode of Making a Murderer in your PJs … aka #heaven. …

Butternut and Spinach Orzo

Call me crazy, but I find it extremely difficult to go straight from the excesses of December to the abstinence of January. Who wants a limp pile of leaves after feasting on cookies and roasts and cups and cups of wine? (Or in my case, sweets and Kati rolls and endless street snacks during my 10-day trip to Kolkata … ) There needs to be some sort of a transition, a go-between that feels healthy but not spartan, filling but not rich, and interesting enough to satisfy a palate that’s subsisted on butter and cream.

Enter this butternut and spinach orzo. It’s somewhere between pasta and salad — there are enough vegetables to please any dieter, but a generous helping of cheese and good-for-you olive oil keeps it just on the right side of austere. Plus, the dish is endlessly adaptable. I swapped out the original recipe’s blue cheese crumbles for cubes of smoked mozzarella, but goat or feta or regular mozz would be delicious too.

And I like orzo so I stuck with it, but you could use a more wholesome grain like farro or wheat berries, or even wild rice if you’d like to make the dish gluten-free. I didn’t have any on hand, but pepitas would add a nice crunch, as would chopped toasted walnuts or almonds. It’s a forgiving meal, in addition to being a quick one: 15 minutes of prep work and 30 minutes of cooking yields something pretty to look at (those colors!) and delicious to eat.

My goal in making this dish was not diet-related — it was finance-related. After weeks of buying lunches during a very busy November and December, I made a much-needed return to packing my own lunch. And this orzo packs like a dream. The flavors meld together overnight, there’s no worry about hearing it up or keeping it warm, and there’s no mess in carrying it. It feels like a real treat, a rarity during these dark resolution-filled days. …

Lemon Snowball Cookies

If you’re looking for a last-minute cookie recipe that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser, look no further. I got you.

Buttery. Airy. Faintly lemon-scented. Not too sweet. These lemon snowball cookies are dreamy.

They have a bit of shortbread in their DNA, but using cornstarch keeps them crumbly and light, to the point where you can eat 10 of them and still have room for more. (Not sure if this is a positive for you, but it’s a huge plus for me.)

I don’t have much else to say … because my mouth is stuffed full of cookies.

Happy holidays, friends! Hope your plates are full and your hearts are happy!
…

Creamed Spinach

Amid all of the cookie-baking and cocktail-making lies a hidden conundrum: how to make Christmas dinner feel different from the feast your family ate a few weeks ago. Sure, you may not serve turkey this time around, but sitting around your roast be the same suspects: greens, potatoes, roasted vegetables, rolls … you know the drill.

Rather than offer you a respite from all of that, I’m just going to offer the best version of a side dish possible. It’s pretty good with turkey, but it’s ideal with rich, meaty roasts, the kind with a beautiful crust on the outside and meltingly tender meat on the inside. I had it with my favorite weeknight steak, but it’d be equally delicious with lamb or beef tenderloin.

The recipe, from The Shutterbean, uses frozen spinach rather than fresh, which a) saves you the trouble of buying armloads of fresh spinach, and b) skips that whole blanching step (since your greens are already cooked). A quick saute with onions and garlic imbues the spinach with tons of flavor.

The best part is there’s no fussing around with a bechamel or a roux or anything complicated. The spinach gets all of its body from cream cheese, which also adds a nice tang. It gets a further kick from Parmesan, and from a hefty pinch of nutmeg, which is a must when you’re cooking greens. Oh, and then Tracy goes the extra step and tops the creamed spinach with Parmesan and finishes it in the oven, creating a gorgeous crispy crunchy crust that I will fight you for.

Plus, the spinach-to-cream ratio is pretty high, creating a bright green side dish rather than a gloopy, all-cream mess. Trust me: you’ll definitely win Christmas dinner when this baby shows up at the dinner table. …

« Previous Page