real recipes. made up people, places, and things
Eggnog Fizz Cocktail If you’re still with me after the title than you must be ready for a holiday cocktail with just a hint of nog. Cranberry simple syrup adds a bit more holiday cheer to this bubbly frothy combination that tastes better than it looks and better than it sounds because gin and egg […]
Like all the best recipes these easy sautéed mushrooms allow for substitutions and modifications. chanterelles out of season? shiitakes too darn expensive? cremini cramping your style? switch it out. just follow a few basic principles and you have a most simple, delicious, easy and satisfying side dish or garnish. Bonus points for being vegan and […]
These are the cookies that get requested each holiday season. Dark with molasses and loaded with spice, as a gingersnap should be, they warm and comfort. Delicious on their own, with hot chocolate, spiced cider, or dipped in milk. They can be soft and a bit chewy or crispy- it’s up to you. The Gingersnap […]
What’s more comforting on a cold autumn evening than roasted winter squash? Mostly savory with just a little bit of sweet, this stuffed acorn squash can be an easy weeknight meal or the centerpiece of a delicious vegetarian feast. The sweet and creamy nature of the squash is balanced with a dose of ancient grains […]
An autumn squash pie made with fresh roasted kuri squash (or your favorite pumpkin type winter squash), a not quite pumpkin spice blend of spices, and a don’t ask don’t tell one hundred percent deliciously graham cracker like honey whole wheat flaky pastry crust. Best of all this bad boy bakes up in an 8” […]
Do you know how many weird and not terrible but not particularly inspiring Campari drinks I had to consume just to get one worth posting? At last I found it. Something warming but not warm, something holiday but not heavy, a drink to have before the meal. Turns out it’s best to stick with the […]
Crisp, slightly citrus, a little nutty, and layered with a fine dusting of snow white powdered sugar. Please enjoy my non traditional take on the traditional Kourabiedes or Greek Christmas Cookie recipe. I’m such a bitch sometimes- most times. But I feel bad about it later, which, I suppose, makes me an insecure bitch. For example: […]
Spiced Apple Bundt Cake w/maple cream cheese frosting I love apple pie, and pumpkin pie (and key lime pie, blueberry pie, cherry pie, and pie! pie! pie!) but as the time of leftovers approaches I’ve come to appreciate a dessert that gets better on the second day and is still really good on days three […]
The longest night is behind us now, a foggy morning giving way to sun. Holiday lights glimmer in the afternoon’s glow, my fingers stained red from squeezing pomegranate seeds between my eager fingers. I have made no preparations for christmas, made no preparations for the new year. I am without hope and brimming with the […]
If there is any hope of posting this in time for thanksgiving I must stick to the basics. The recipe. I’m in charge of dessert again this thanksgiving. Truth be told I prefer a starter when people are still hungry because thanks blah de blah I’m in it for the praise and as few left […]
Pumpkin Ice Cream ingredients adapted from David Liebovitz 1 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 cups milk (whole or 2%) 1/3 cup granulated sugar pinch of salt 6 egg yolks 1 cup pumpkin puree 1/3 cup dark brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1/4 […]
Persephone leaves the underworld with four pomegranate seeds in her belly. Seeds of winter. She can still taste the fruit, remember how she struggled to stop at just four, licked the bright juice from her fingers, tasted the red stain on her lips. But without fall there can be no spring, without bare branches there […]
Pumpkin without the sugar and spice. Savory snacks for short days and long nights. Roast your own squash and heat up the kitchen (plus, bonus! pepitas!) I love it when a plan (doesn’t) come together. I lie. I had a vision of what I was going to make with the tiny pumpkins I’ve been growing in […]
Free up the oven for holiday meals or any time you want a quick and savory autumn vegetable side dish. Fresh Brussels sprouts cooked in a cast iron skillet are greens that actually stay green with a crisp nutty flavor complimented with a healthy bite of garlic. Pan Fried Brussel Sprouts with crispy garlic and […]
Deliciously boozy and buttery homemade orange caramel sauce takes hot chocolate to the dizzyingly sumptuous sip and sigh territory, the treat I’m willing to wade through winter for. And while I’m busy pushing the resolutions aside why not add whipped cream (spiked, of course, with even more caramel sauce)? So this is Christmas Eve and […]
Hearty yet tender whole wheat cloverleaf rolls made with holiday red ale baked both straight up and as just barely sweet cranberry swirls. A splendid combo that makes even humble dinner rolls applause worthy. Why make just one sort of dinner roll when just a few more minutes of your time yields two? Forgive the […]
When I was a little girl being sick meant Mom would bring me ginger ale and hot lemon and honey to sooth my throat. It meant staying home from school and watching Perry Mason and the Price is Right on daytime television, Mom’s cool hand on my hot forehead. Comfort. Love. Like christmas being sick […]
Peppery arugula (or rocket, if you prefer) greens lightly tossed with a festive, tangy cranberry pomegranate vinaigrette. Temper with savory, crunchy croutons and my favorite hard cheese- Pecorino Romano. Add a side of cured salami and this salad is dressed to impress. It’s Christmas Eve and I’m teetering on the edge of having some holiday […]
Tender sugar cookies that melt on the tip of your tongue: the scent of cardamom with an apple caramel chaser. Each half, now together, and greater than the sum of its parts.
Why you should infuse your own liquor When I want a twist on a traditional cocktail I look in the spice cabinet. Ginger, Pepper, Cardamom, Coffee. To add these flavors to your cocktails you have two choices, an infused simple syrup or an infused liquor. I’m fickle. Half the time when I make a […]
Primal Spice Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Perfect to make ahead and serve at a holiday party: these paleo friendly cupcakes just happen to be gluten and starch free. They are also made without refined sugars, which turns the sweet down a few notches. Your guests will love them and then you can tell them […]
Sipping on gin and juice takes on new meaning with this surprisingly delicious and simple winter warmer made with spiced apple cider and Pimms No 1. Leftovers of a different sort, wherein I root through the liquor cabinet looking for something new and discover the Pimms (inherited Pimms actually, bought because of it’s visual similarity […]
Fresh green beans and chanterelle mushrooms baked in parchment with garlic and fresh herbs. Dusted with parmesan, dabbed with butter, and drizzled with a touch of cream and white wine. I love it when a plan comes together. I came up with this idea while fighting my way through the pre-Thanksgiving crowds at the grocery […]
poached apple pie pockets served with spiced apple cider reduction Okay maybe this ingredient isn’t so secret and flakiest isn’t the exact word to describe the difference. Don’t get me wrong this crust is flaky, and easy to work with, and puffs up more than any crust I’ve ever made—but it also seems more refined, more […]
Let’s continue with cranberries. I can’t resist. I love this time of year when bags of fresh cranberries are prominently displayed at my favorite market. I’m not even making Thanksgiving dinner this year but that won’t stop me. This most simple version of fresh cranberry relish is wonderful with cream cheese on a toasted […]
Studded with fresh cranberries this delicious dessert can (and should) be made several hours ahead. Bake while dinner is on the table. Drizzle with a subtly spiced homemade butter rum sauce and there are no leftovers. But we begin as we often do with a remnant, leftovers forgotten on the middle shelf of the fridge. […]
Lying in bed predawn with only the glow of my smart phone to give color to the gloom. Did I suffer from insomnia before the internet? How ever did I fill those hours? What story remains unwritten because I just checked Facebook? What classic remains unread because of Words with Friends? Enough! Out of bed […]
“What’s that?” Her hands are covered in butter but she’s scratching her nose oblivious and the cabinet doors are also buttered and floured- ready to bake. The homey scent of apple and onion floats around her like a homespun halo. She turns towards you and repeats the question, the tip of her nose decidedly not dairy […]
I had every intention of posting a holiday specific post. Something sweet. Something heart-shaped. But that would be a lie.
Portland got its (semi) annual snow storm over the weekend so rather than brave the icy/slushy streets (nothing is plowed but the main roads and according to the internets 90% of the roads will never get plowed) we stayed home and I made cocktails with what was in the cupboard.
One of my many wonderful cousins stopped by yesterday for an early dinner on her way to an organic seed conference. As it was also her birthday dessert seemed mandatory. Fortunately I was told that butter is okay, nay- encouraged.
Spices rule the winter season. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom. Tropical heat and heady scents captured in intensely flavorful gingersnap cookies or celebratory toasts with sweet pear nectar and homemade cardamom infused brandy. Top it all with cava for a delightful winter drink After the coffee infused rum was such a resounding success I continued […]
Ah, happy accidents. I knew I wanted to make savory monkeybread. Red and green chilies for the holiday season, perhaps a cornmeal dough to compliment the southwest flavors. The recipe I decided to adapt for the dough was for rolls, I knew there was going to be way more dough than I needed. I’ll make […]
I know, I know. Homemade marshmallows are so three years ago. But gourmet marshmallows are freaking expensive no matter how pretty they look and homemade marshmallows are like a blank canvas, the possibilities are endless.
I’ve eaten more marshmallows in the last two days than I have in years. I don’t buy things like marshmallows because then I will eat them simply because they are there. But this is different. These are for gifts. These are homemade. And they are minis, so they barely count. And… These have fresh squeezed […]
