Sausage and Vegetable Soup

It was a beautiful day, Ricky and I went to the local weekend flea market. What a colossal collection of crap! We also stopped by a nearby antique store, where I saw this fabulous old steamer trunk. They wanted $250 for it, and I couldn't get to it to see it's true condition, so I passed. I may go back for a second look, though.

It's beginning to storm outside, and what better meal during a thunderstorm than a piping hot bowl of soup? Tonight I made a soup with chicken sausage, kale, parsnips, potatoes, carrots, garlic, and green beans.
Here it is, garnished with fresh parsley and a little goat cheese. I love how the tartness of the goat cheese cuts through the heartiness of the soup. I served this with some cornbread (baked in my corncob shaped muffin pan!)
Hooray for soup!

Greatest Magazine Ever?

I believe so.

Sleeping in and making brunch.

I love Saturdays. I love sleeping until whenever I want, getting up, making some coffee and then getting to work on brunch. I wanted to make something special, since Georgia is playing tonight and there will only be a need for snacky football food.

I made a Tomato-Gruyere tart with a whole wheat crust and thyme! I fell in love with this. I love roasted tomatoes, and if you add melted cheese to roasted tomatoes... delicious!The whole shebang- Chai spiced fench toast, scrambled eggs with cream and fresh tarragon, bacon (made in the oven, not on the stovetop, always) and the tomato tart. Coffee, orange juice, and water. SO FULL! Bon Weekend!

P.S. I made some more chocolate bark today, this time with lemon zest, lavender flowers, and hazelnuts! I'm not a great chocolate photographer, and once again apologize for the blur...

Mum's Birthday!

My mother's birthday isn't until the 22nd, but I mailed her gift early for fear of waiting too long and it being late. She got it today, and called me before she opened it. This was the first time I have been able to get my mom a really nice gift for her birthday, so I was really excited and anxious to see if she like it. She loved it!
I got her this
My mom loves big purses. She loves plaid. She loves suede. What a perfect gift! She was so excited when she opened it, and that made me so happy. It's such a great feeling to give something back to the people you love, and who have already given you so much. Consider it a thank you for teaching me to cook! Happy early birthday Mum!

Pork Chops and Chocolate

I never know what I'm going to make. I leave for work at 5 am, and so Ricky usually gets some sort of protein out of the freezer when he wakes up, leaving me to figure out what to make with it when I get home around 3. I like it like this, it keeps me on my culinary "toes."

Tonight I made herb crusted broiled pork chops, Porcini mushroom risotto, asparagus, and crusty rolls. I rubbed the chops with a mixture of chopped fresh Tarragon, Basil, and Rosemary, along with some sea salt, black pepper, and olive oil. For the risotto, I used dried Porcini mushrooms, reconstituted them in 3 cups of boiling water, and added them to the rice before adding the cooking liquid (which was the three cups of new mushroom broth created from reconstituting the mushrooms!)
I also tried my hand at Chocolate Bark! Easily the simplest thing I've ever made. I do apologize for the wicked blurry photograph. This is dark chocolate bark with ginger, fleur de sel, and black sesame seeds! Weirdly good! I think I like this "adding whatever you want" thing... this combination seemed like a good idea, I'm glad it turned out well.

This year I'm inviting family to our home for Thanksgiving! I've already planned out my menu, and I'm going to order invitations with menus printed on them to mail out to my guests! How adorable! I'm excited.

Salmon, Fruit Tart, and Polaroids.

Tonight I made salmon with a honey-lime-cilantro glaze. The glaze was made with 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup lime juice and some garlic. So good! I burned my hand though, after I removed the skillet from the oven. Worth it. I made some basmati cooked in chicken stock and shallots and some roasted broccoli to go along with it. This was my favorite salmon dish to date.

See that? Yeah, I made that. It's a peach, nectarine, and plum tart with sweet whole wheat crust and a quick cream made with sour cream, an egg, and almond extract. Every tart that comes away from the pan with ease is a little life victory. I always give a loud "hooray!" when it happens. My kitchen is an exciting place.

One more quick thing, thank you Ashley Casey for showing me this awesome free software that turns your digital photos into cute polaroids. You can get it here. This is Ricky and I in Holland on October 13th, 2008, the day we got married.

Super Simple Supper

I was tired tonight. I mean, "I think I'm going to bed at 7:30 tonight" tired. Alas, that wasn't to be, for there was grocery shopping to do, and I can't hire someone to do it for me. Once we got home, I made this! I simmered mild Italian sausages in chicken stock with sliced yellow onion and some of those adorable tiny sweet peppers, along with some garlic and fennel seed. I stuffed everything into toasted whole wheat buns and baked some french fries. I don't own a deep fryer, and that's probably for the best.

This is a shot of my lovely kitchen island! Potted rosemary, lavender, thai basil, lemons, plums, nectarines, and peaches! What a sight. Honestly, when I feel stressed I just go into my kitchen and look at all the pretty things. It makes me happy. That wine over there on the left is a 2008 Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling from the Columbia River Valley in Washington. I love Washington (home) and most everything that comes out of it, so when I saw this at Publix I grabbed it. Turns out it was named one of the ten best wines under $10 by bon appetit magazine. What a good eye I have (all the better to spot tasty wine with, my dear.) I really enjoyed this, and after being in Germany for five years I was just about Riesling-ed out. Lightly citrusy, just sweet enough with the right amount of dry.
Did you know that most people are drinking wine at the wrong temperature? I read today that while most people know and accept that red wine should be room temperature and whites should be chilled, they don't know that "room temperature" means around 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average home temperature is around 71 degrees. The article suggested chilling reds in the freezer for 10 minutes before uncorking, and taking whites out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before. Serving wine too warm or too cold highlights only the alcohol, not the underlying flavors. Something to consider, though I think I'll always feel strange putting a Chianti in my LG.

Something Chicken!

Look at these! Little tiny sweet peppers! They look like little rubies... and... orange and yellow things... I like them, and shall henceforth be purchasing them for all of my sweet pepper needs.

Tonight I made chicken stir fry with broccoli, *cute* peppers, onions, celery, and cashews. Made a quick spicy stir fry sauce with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, water, ginger, and cornstarch. Served it on wheat noodles. Everything is better with hoisin sauce, I do declare.

How did this become just a food blog?

I don't know, but it happened. I'll talk about some food and then something else.

For lunch today I made ditalini pasta and some homemade tomato sauce. I actually nearly opened a jar of pasta sauce, then quickly slapped myself and started chopping tomatoes.

My pasta sauce:
3-4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
fresh herbs (I had rosemary and thyme on hand)
Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper
Dry white wine (I used about 1/4 cup of Pinot Grigio)
-Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, cook for about 8 minutes until they begin to soften and release liquid. Add the garlic to the pan, and increase the heat to medium-high. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the tomatoes. Add the herbs, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Done.

For dinner tonight Ricky wanted something with Polish Sausage. What in the hell do you do with Polish Sausage?
Enter my newest culinary creation! "Eastern Block Dinner Skillet." I parboiled some potatoes, then fried then in a large skillet with butter, salt, pepper, and caraway seed. I added some garlic, chopped onion, 2 chopped apples, and then I nestled the sausage (cut up) on top, threw in some fresh herbs, added about a half a cup of chicken stock and put a lid on it. I served it with crusty rolls and wine. He loved it, thank goodness.
On a different note, I regret to inform that my lemon tree is dying! I don't know what's going on! It's just wilting away and looking quite sad. I have a sprinkler system, so maybe it is being over watered? Too much sand in the Gulf Coast soil? I don't know, but I'm bummed.

Pork Tenderloin and Tarte Tatin

Bethany came over tonight! For snackies when she got here I cut up a wheat baguette and set it out with some German Butterkase, which is soooo good. Go get some.
I also steamed some baby artichokes and served those with some lemon mayonnaise (I cheated, I just mixed some lemon juice and salt and pepper. I used the "made with olive oil" mayo from Hellman's, not bad.) This was my first time making (and eating!) fresh artichokes, and I'll definitely be doing it again. They're time consuming to clean and trim, but worth it.

The man course was an herb roasted pork tenderloin with smashed purple and gold potatoes and steamed broccoli.

I made my first tarte tatin! Homemade vanilla caramel, Braeburn apples, and some honest-to-goodness short pastry! It took nearly 2 hours to prep and cook, but this was one of my favorite desserts I've ever made!

I was so nervous that it wouldn't turn out properly (you make it upside-down in the pan) but it slipped out perfectly! I made some sweet whipped cream with my mixer, and served each slice with a nice dollop. It was like a caramel apple, with pastry crust!

How am I not fat?

Roast chicken, cupcakes, more cupcakes, fish curry, and football food.

A few nights ago I was feeling Aunt B-ish and roasted a chicken (4 lb) for dinner. This may seem ridiculous to some of you, a 4 pound chicken for two people... and it is, so next time I'll make game hens. I stuffed this lil' sucker with a whole lemon that I stabbed a few times and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme. I love having a big rosemary plant on my kitchen island! I set the chicken on top of some red potatoes and quartered onions, and cooked it at 375 degrees for about an hour, just until a thermometer read 180. I served it with some steamed fresh Brussels Sprouts and some garlic parsley butter. Such a Sunday dinner! (on a Wednesday!)

The next night I made some Indian Fish curry. I used (once again) Seeds of Change simmer sauce, but this time I used the Madras. So good! You really get the hot pepper flavor, along with a very serious undertone of Garam Masala, something that I believe no Indian food should be without. I make my own, but you can buy it, too. It really adds that something special to dishes, and I love when jarred sauces already have that flavor.

Last night was Bethany's birthday! We all went to dinner at Osaka, a sushi/hibachi restaurant in Destin. I ordered the Agedashi Tofu and I loved it! Definitely something to try next time you're in a Japanese restaurant.
I made cupcakes! She like confetti, so I made some plain vanilla bean cupcakes and topped them with vanilla buttercream (tinted light blue with Wilton teal gel paste food coloring) and jumbo confetti. So cute!
Basic Buttercream:
1.5 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 pound powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
Beat butter until pale and fluffy. Add sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, and continue mixing until buttercream is smooth. If it is too thin, add more sugar. Use immediately.
She liked them.
Tonight was the first game of the season for UGA, so Ricky got to watch football and I got to make snacky food! My lineup:
Green Chile and pepperoni flatbread pizza

Cheddar, green onion, and bacon potato skins

My amazing buffalo wings!

Buttermilk cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and peppermint pearls!

I'll end with yet another adorable picture of Maggie May! Ricky took this photo this morning, and I love it.

Fabulous Photos

My ever-so-talented sister Jordan has finally created a blog for her gorgeous photography. I hope she sets up an Etsy store and starts selling these! They would make the best greeting and note cards. I ordered a ton of her photos from Winkflash.com, the fantastic website that lets you submit your digital pictures and order prints in whatever size and finish you want! Love it, go check her out.

Jordan Robson Photography

General Kitchen Fabulousness

This is brief, for it is late.

Sugar-free (Splenda-full) lemon cranberry cookies.

Seared Salmon on a bed of greens with pan-roasted carrots and rice pilaf, with a tomato-caper sauce. Heck yes.

Skillet chicken Parmesan with heirloom tomato sauce on top of ruffle (?) pasta with fresh buffalo mozzarella. Served with sauteed herbed zucchini.

Chocolate chip cookies, made for Ricky. These were made simply by adding semi-sweet chocolate chips to the Vanilla Bean Cookies, and replacing half of the sugar with brown sugar. They are so good! I'll never use a silly Nestle Tollhouse recipe again!