Growing up, most kids practically live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. But not me, I was the weirdo at the table eating a peanut butter and butter sandwich. Awesome right? Well I’ve just started getting into the pb&j combo so when I saw a recipe for flourless peanut butter cookies over at Joy the Baker I knew what needed to happen. It didn’t hurt that I had some fresh peanut butter from Miss Amy that was burning a hole in my pocket.
It’s that happy time of year again here in New York when green things start arriving at the greenmarket. Asparagus is one of those gems and I decided it was time to give the little green spears a chance. I’ve tried them here and there, but they just never really did it for me. Then one day Aaron and I had lunch at Spitzer’s and we kept seeing these plates come out with the most delicious looking golden rods. We quickly ordered ourselves a plate and wouldn’t you know, I became a fan of asparagus. They were rolled in bread crumbs and sesame seeds, then fried and served with a buttery lemon dipping sauce. I mean come on, what’s not to like? With that on my mind, I decided to try my own version of the crusted asparagus to see if I had what it takes to make asparagus appetizing. Continue reading »
Have you ever had a week where Monday feels like it should be Friday? I kind of had one of those and the real Friday has been slow in coming. It’s finally here though I feel like jumping up and down. And then collapsing on the couch. That’s why happy hour this week will be a simple glass of Hudson Single Malt Whiskey on the rocks. We went to a Tuthilltown tasting a while ago and I kind of fell in love with the distiller. He has so much enthusiasm for what he’s doing it just makes me happy.
So here’s a cheers to the Friday that finally came and to a beautiful weekend ahead! I hope you have a great one!
I had a hankering for something sweet last weekend and cookies seemed like the right thing to do. I got out my cookbooks and nothing jumped out, so then I visited Martha. Although it wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I started my search, I saw a recipe for rosemary and walnut shortbread cookies that got me excited. I decided to make them, but with a few key modifications. Let me tell you, these aren’t just any shortbread cookies, they are the best shortbread cookies that you will put in your mouth. Ok, ok… that’s a little dramatic, but I think they are really awesome. Continue reading »
I love gnocchi. They’re like little nuggets of goodness. A few months ago I made my first attempt at making them and let me tell you, it was a disaster. After buying special equipment (a potato ricer) and spending a few hours of my life that I will never get back, my homemade gnocchi promptly fell apart once it hit boiling water. Heartbreak. I’ve since recovered from that incident and actually tried my hand at gnocchi one more time. I found this recipe in a lovely cookbook called Simply Organic and when the author mentioned her kids can make this I felt confident that I could too. Continue reading »
I had a sandwich recently that left me awestruck. It had honey turkey, manchego cheese and a spicy ginger fig chutney all on ciabatta bread. Each ingredient was delicious, but it was the chutney that really made the sandwich. Each bite brought forth a burst of flavor that was unlike any sandwich I had ever had. That’s when I decided I needed to recreate that magical chutney. Continue reading »
I visited the Brooklyn Flea and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The food section has expanded since last year which makes me very happy. I made sure to arrive with an empty stomach so I could enjoy some of the delicious offerings. After waiting in line for what seemed like forever I was rewarded with that tasty beauty above, a pupusa filled with pork and cheese and topped with pickled cabbage, hot peppers and hot sauce. Totally worth the wait.
As if papusas weren’t enough Rick’s Pick’s was there and gave me some hot tips on how to use some pickled jalepenos I’d picked up at the market earlier. Right next to them I stopped by Miss Amy’s booth and bought the most delicious Strawberry Jam made from local strawberries and fresh ground peanut butter. Man I love this city!
TGIF! This weekend is supposed to be incredibly nice here in Brooklyn so I cannot wait to spend some time outside soaking up some rays and exploring the Brooklyn Flea. I’m also hoping to catch up on some reading, perhaps on a blanket at the park with some nice snacks packed up.
I hope you have an excellent weekend!
tomatoes & peppers: week 9
Woohoo they’re still kickin! A few have even warranted a stick to help them stand on their own. Oh, and I added a whole new plant to the mix, a nice little sprig of rosemary. I’m still feeling pretty good about them but I do have a question if there are any green thumbs out there… I have 2 plants in some of the containers and one is bigger than the other. Should I sacrifice the smaller one to allow the bigger one to get more nutrients?