jetting off to india

(image via la petit coterie)

I'm off to India for a business trip. I'm not all too familiar with Indian cuisine, but I'm lucky to have a friend who's been introducing me to some of her favorite dishes from home. I'm sort of obsessed with naan and chutneys and the dosas are fantastic. I know I have an abundance of new flavors awaiting me, and I'm looking forward to sharing them here.

pot pie crust

What is everyone's favorite part about a pot pie? That's right, the crust. If you answered something other than the crust, you are obviously confused.

I have discovered the mecca of crusts. This is undoubtedbly the finest pot pie crust recipe ever created. It comes from none other than my beloved Smitten Kitchen.

We've made swiss chard and pancetta pies. Leftover turkey pies. We've even eaten the crust straight up with cranberry sauce. (It was insanely good, you should try it).

We made a big batch of the dough, wrapped it up tight, and stored it in the freezer. It defrosts in the fridge in just a few hours.

Just a tip: when you use this crust, it's best to brush it with an egg wash (1 egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water) to give it that beautiful golden color.

pot pie crust
makes 4 individual sized crusts
recipe from Smitten Kitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
13 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
6 tablespoons whole Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut them up and into the flour mixture until it resembles little pebbles. Keep breaking up the bits of butter until the texture is like uncooked couscous. In a small dish, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, and water, and combine it with the butter-flour mixture. Using a flexible spatula, stir the wet and the dry together until a sticky dough forms. Using your hands, knead the dough a few times into one big ball. Pat it into a flattish ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour or up to 2 days. Or wrap tightly and freeze for several months.

spicy kale and goat cheese pesto

Kale is one of those winter vegetables that makes me forget that the world outside my (very heated) apartment doors is practically tundra-like. It's so vibrant and hearty and satisfying and versatile. I almost - almost - stop reminiscing about my summer tomatoes and berries.

This past weekend, Josh turned the traditional pesto recipe upside down. What was once basil-centric, is now filled with the depth and loveliness of kale. He paired it with goat cheese to give it a bit of creaminess and finished it with a dash of vinegar and a healthy dose of red pepper flakes.

It was divine.

We made enough to feed us for days because sometimes we get a little carried away with ourselves. But it heats up just splendidly.

spicy kale and goat cheese pesto
serves 4 
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 small shallots, peeled
1 bunch kale, stalks removed and washed
1/3 cup olive oil
2 oz goat cheese
1/2 T white wine vinegar
Hefty pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Bring a pot of salted water up to a boil. Boil the garlic and shallots for approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the kale. After approximately 10 seconds, remove all ingredients with a slotted spoon directly into a food processor. Add in the oil, goat cheese, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Pulse until fully mixed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over your favorite pasta. I enjoyed this with penne rigate.

shaved brussel sprout salad

Ok. I know I just shared a brussel sprout recipe with you last week. But this one is completely different, I swear. This is the sort of every-night-of-the-week recipe. Plus brussel sprouts are uber good for you.

I could (and have) eaten this salad with my hands. Don't ever make it ahead of time and leave it on your counter while preparing other dishes. You will finish this salad off as your own private appetizer. (I speak from experience). It's rather addicting.

shaved brussel sprout salad

2 pounds brussel sprouts, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup roasted and salted shelled pistachios
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
A healthy dash of salt and pepper

Whisk parmesan, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Toss with brussel sprouts and pistachios. Enjoy!

caramel apple cheesecake bars

Want some insight into my life at this very moment? I am sitting at my desk in leggings, thick socks, a thermal, and a beanie. It is cold.

You know it's cold when your husband runs the trash out in the morning and comes back in and nonchalantly mentions it's snowing outside. 

This Californian has no idea what's coming at her in the next few months of Chicago winter.

I should have something warm to give you. Perhaps a bread pudding or even a warm chocolate cake. 

But, no, I have chilled cheesecake bars. Hold on, hold on. These bars are insane. Soul-warming good. Josh fixed them up for Thanksgiving dinner, and we could not get enough. I think I caught all members of our house picking at the leftovers directly from the fridge this weekend. I'm not even embarrassed.

Make them this Holiday season. It's a refreshing break from sugar cookies. 

The apple topping is tossed in cinnamon and nutmeg and makes your house smell lovely and Holiday-ish. You will thank me. 

The recipe calls for caramel topping. You can totally buy it from the store. I whipped up a quick batch of Smitten Kitchen's homemade salted caramel sauce. I think it added a little somethin' somethin' to the bars. Just a tip.

caramel apple cheesecake bars

recipe from Miss Paula Dean

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup caramel topping

Streusel:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup butter, softened.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bow, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or a fork) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Combine all streusel ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar with an electric mixture until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

Stir together apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Let cool approximately 30 minutes. Drizzle with caramel topping. Let bars set for an hour in the fridge. Cut and serve.

thanksgiving cocktails

With any family holiday, a bit of imbibing is necessary. I pulled together a few options that caught my eye over on the Pinterest boards. Whether you're looking for one to serve alongside appetizers, desserts, or even with dinner, look no further

(bon appetit's pomegranate-champagne punch)

(spoon fork bacon's spiced white wine sangria)

(saveur's bourbon chai)

balsamic brussel sprouts

Things have been wild around here. Just unreal. And by this, I mean totally non-stop, busy busy, on-to-the-next-thing on a list of 100 things.

That sort of wild.

But things are happening. Exciting things. Things I can't talk about just yet. But happy and fulfilling and all together just plain good things.

Something else good and wild? These brussel sprouts.

I adore Thanksgiving. I plan for it and and develop menus and scratch out those menus and rewrite menus. I just started brainstorming Thanksgiving yesterday. (I told you it's been wild). So I just know there are some of you out there without any clue of what to make for a side dish.

Make. This.

Roasted brussel sprouts + balsamic glaze + dried cranberries = candy. It's addicting really.

I learned the deep, dark secret to keeping brussel sprouts from getting bitter. It's rather straight forward, really. Don't let them get involved with water.

Now, if you're like me, and feel morally obligated to rinse fruit and vegetables, I just made sure to thoroughly dry the sprouts with a paper towel. And they were wonderful. Simply fantastic.

I made this for a pre-Thanksgiving potluck. I roasted up the sprouts in the afternoon and then wrapped them up once they cooled down. Josh (see I told you I would give you credit!) made the balsamic glaze. Right before we left, we reheated the sprouts in the oven (covered with foil) at 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. I tossed them with the glaze and stirred through the cranberries. And we were on our way.

brussel sprouts with balsamic and cranberries
recipe from The Pioneer Woman

3 lbs brussel sprouts
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt, pepper
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup dried cranberries.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Trim and clean brussel sprouts. Half the sprouts and rinse them in a colander.  Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Toss sprouts with oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place in a large baking dish and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until tender and browning. Stir sprouts every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Mix balsamic vinegar and sugar and heat in a saucepan until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium until the mixtures reduces in half, approximately 15 minutes.

Stir sprouts with balsamic glaze and cranberries.

hot dougs

(chicago dog)

Fun fact: I did not like hot dogs until I was in college.

I don't know how a person all of a sudden develops a liking for hot dogs. Moreover, I don't why a person doesn't like hot dogs to begin with. But that's me. I can be strange.

The hot dog is a point of contention in the Chicago area. There is an absolutely clear recipe for the Chicago dog, but no one can quite agree on who does it best. And then there's the gourmet dogs.

(spicy chicken sausage with duck cracklings and seaweed salad)

Hot Dougs has it all. All the traditional dogs at amazing prices ($3 and under) and then a long list of gourmet options. I had severe FOMO the entire time I deliberated over what to order. What if I made the wrong decision?

Ultimately, Josh and I agreed on the traditional Chicago dog, a spicy chicken dog with duck cracklings and seaweed salad, and the foie gras and sauternes duck sausage. They were all unbelievable.

(foie gras and sauternes duck sausage with truffle aioli and foie gras mousse)

The spicy chicken dog was my personal favorite because of the play on textures from the juicy chicken sausage and the crunchy duck cracklings. The foie gras sausage was unbelievably decadent and was an incredibly close second.

I'm dying to go back to try the "taco pork sausage with green chili mustard, elote relish, and queso asadero" or the "bruschetta, mushroom, and beer chicken sausage with pesto aioli, roma tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese."

the lakefront punch

I have discovered my absolute new favorite way of serving cocktails for a party. It's so simple. I've seen the Barefoot Contessa do it umpteen times, but it didn't click. Until now.

So you have your beer and your wine. And a carafe of water.

And then...drumroll please...you add a pitcher of a signature cocktail.

Genius. Pure genius.

Dream up a cocktail that most people will like (or just use our successful little recipe below) and then set out a pitcher and some pretty glasses. It's a serve-your-own type of situation.

It looks great on your table and all the work is done before your guests even arrive.

My sort of party.

The Lakefront Punch
makes 24 drinks

1 750 ml bottle of Rye Whiskey
4 oz Maraschino
15 oz lemon juice
Peel of 8 lemons
25-30 mint leaves
20 dashes Angostura bitters
10 dashes Peychaud bitters
2 cups of frozen mixed berries
1 375 ml bottle of sparkling wine

Puree the frozen mixed berries with the lemon juice. Place blended mixture through a sieve to remove all large pieces.

Muddle lemon peels with the Maraschino, mint leaves, and bitters. Mix in Whiskey and blended fruit mixture. Top with sparkling wine.

panzanella salad

I refuse to believe Summer is over.

I'm not above sitting cross-legged on the ground, pounding my fists, and throwing a little girl tantrum. I'm just simply not ready for Fall.

Fall means a chilly breeze and the supposed exile of all my white clothing. Fall means I'm getting that much closer to my first Midwest winter (eek!). 

So in honor of refusing the acceptance of Fall, I've prepared one last easy breezy summer salad for all of you lovely people out there.

There's a little of this, a little of that. Think of my recipe as more of a guideline. Have some extra bell peppers? Throw them in. Want some protein? Chickpeas or chicken would be divine. 

Summer salads mean stress-free cooking. So just got with it.

This salad is considered a panzanella, or bread salad. A mixture of fresh veggies, a light vinaigrette, and rustic croutons.

Panzanella Salad
makes 2 entree portions (with a bit of leftovers)

2 cups torn bread cubes (such as ciabatta, baguette, boule)
2 tomatoes-on-the-vine
1 container yellow grape tomatoes
1 hothouse cucumber
1 red onion
2 T capers
12 basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T dijon mustard
3 T red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place torn bread cubes onto a sheet pan and place in oven for approximately 10 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. Remove and let cool.

Dice the tomatoes-on-the-vine and cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Slice the red onion into thin ribbons. Mix all prepared vegetables with the capers.

Whisk together olive oil, dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar. Tear basil leaves into dressing and gently mix in. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Toss vegetable mixture with dressing. Toss in croutons approximately 5 minutes before serving.

grilled portabella sandiwches

After 5 days of road tripping, field staring, and car repairing, we made it to Chicago. I guess, more officially Evanston.

As you can see from here, there was lots of gluttony to be had on the road. Milkshakes and pizza and fast food.

And then there was the boxes and the unpacking and the boxes. So naturally there was PB&Js pretty much for every meal of the day.

And now there are gym classes and grilled portabella sandwiches and a large glass of pellegrino.

These portabella sandwiches don't mess around. They're juicy and flavorful and everything you want from a burger without the, well, meat.

We were so dedicated to making these epic guys, that we taught ourselves a new way of grilling - with charcoals. And by we, I mean Josh. But such things are typically assumed, I guess.

So these sandwiches (burgers?) are simple and to the point.

Take a portabella mushroom and clean that sucker. I like to lightly dampen a paper towel and rub off any dirt. Then I strip out the stem.

In a large plastic bag, throw in 1/2 cup teriyaki, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of dijon mustard. Mush it around with your hands. Yes, mush is the technical term. Then throw in the portabella caps and let them marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.

In the meantime, chop up 1 large yellow onion into pretty large chunks and saute until golden brown with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Throw the onions in a packet of foil, so that you can easily reheat the onions on the grill.

Next, gather some whole wheat buns, thousand island dressing, iceberg lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and swiss cheese.

On whatever grill suits you, grill the portabella mushrooms on each side until tender. For the last minute or so, cover with a slice of swiss cheese so that it gets delicious and melty.

Meanwhile, lather on a few tablespoons of thousand island on each side of the bun, then top that sucker with your cheesy mushroom, tomato, lettuce, and reheated grilled onions.

Joy. Oh, and a lovely view of Lake Michigan always contributes to the flavor. (Yes, it was quite bright at the time of the photo.)

road trippin'

We're slowly but surely making our way across the 2200 miles from LA to Chicago. Though our days have been filled with plenty of driving, we've managed to include some tasty lunch stops and mini night adventures. Some highlights have been the addictively spicy green chiles in Albuquerque, the tender slow roasted brisket and turkey in Texas, and the obligatory (but oh-so-delicious) In-N-Out on our way out from California.

--and that's Muji below. Our little road trip mascot--

one year

today is our one year anniversary. it's been an amazing year, and I can't wait to see what the rest of our lives hold for us.

j: thanks for being my happy place <3

lyon, france

morning hikes through the hydrangea gardens. basilica notre dame de fourviere. la tour rose. parc de la tete d'or. the study of baguettes. exploring the burgundy region of wine. a snack of caramel, chocolat, and framboise bouchons.