Airports are funny places. Full of emotion. I said good-bye to my sister on Monday, choking back tears as I walked through security trying my hardest not to look like that crazy pregnant lady, all the while dreaming of the day “good-bye” means “see you tomorrow”. And yet a week and a half earlier I was over-the-moon excited to head out of town to celebrate my husband’s graduation with family and friends. Bipolar emotions—airports do that to me. Read more
Five years ago, I married my best friend. We left our homes and moved to Chicago where he began graduate school. A couple months in to the journey, I started this space. He was working and studying all the time. I quickly learned a weekend outlet was necessary for me to survive blips of boredom, and cleaning the condo wasn’t cutting it. Read more
It’s that time of year when fresh produce is in abundance. I often buy far more than we can possibly use before going bad. Solution? Freeze it. Wash and completely dry your fresh produce. Chop if necessary. Place produce in an even layer on a baking sheet, being sure not to overlap. Allow to freeze completely, about three hours. Once individual pieces are frozen through, combine in a freezer safe bag or container and store until ready to use, removing as much air as possible. This process keeps your produce from freezing together in a massive clumps. I also use this technique for making scones and muffins.
I learned this tip from my friend Kimi a couple years ago—to quickly thaw frozen peas, skip the pan and boiling water and add peas to a strainer running hot water over until thawed. Take those peas and toss them in a salad or garnish your favorite risotto, etc.
The recent events and happenings of life have left me recipeless but not wordless. I had to get this out. I think it’s just as important, or more, as a good recipe.
We watch the news and shudder, once again. Our bellies tighten and we hope that the breaking news won’t be followed by more breaking news. We hope it’s an accident—an insignificant accident with no casualties and only minor injuries, if that. We hope, until more breaking news flashes across our screens. The scene is grim, in fact, horrific. It’s not an accident but premeditated—by a person, not a malfunctioning machine. It’s significant. Our mind quickly files through the catalog of friends and family we know in the area. We account for our people. And then comes the anger, the questions, the tears and the like. We hold our people tighter, thankful that it wasn’t us. This time. We seek answers. We try to explain to our children what happened. Or like me, we question why we’ve brought kids into the world. This isn’t the world I want to give them. We seek solutions. What went wrong this time? What can we do to prevent it next time? What laws can we pass in the meantime? All good questions. All appropriate questions. Read more
I’m a huge fan of the Misto, an oil dispenser with a spray nozzle. It’s just like Pam only it’s refillable and you can control the type of oil used. These days I’ve been using grapeseed oil for its neutral flavor and high smoke point. I use it for everything—whether preparing sweet or savory. However, from time to time, it will get clogged. Unscrew the device and place the nozzle in hot water to soak. Rinse and dry and you should be back in working order.
It feels like spring! Even if only for a couple days. The first batch of ice cream of the season has been churned. And since been blended into a cookies and cream milkshake. My skin is wrinkling at the corner of my eyes and my lips are stretched far across my face. Ahhh, it’s getting warmer outside! I’m all smiles. Since things are heating up around here, it’s time to do some celebrating with a giveaway. Read more
