"Sunday Surprise is pretty much the best thing ever..." - AGA "Ohh my goodness, I LOVE that you're blogging about this!!" - JGL I have many things for which to thank my college roommate, JGL. Let's just breeze right by all of the non-blog-appropriate items ... scrolling ... scrolling ... scrolling ... and land on this. Land IN this? Don't ... view more
make ahead
Oat Flour Pancakes with Fresh Roasted Berry Syrup
In this crazy world we are living in, may I recommend: THIS. I enjoyed it all weekend long. And potentially will at work too this week; need to work on my commuting/storing/serving-on-desk system. I definitely had it last night for dinner. Because I have never regretted "breakfast for dinner," and neither would you. This recipe ... view more
Roasting Pan Meal: Za’atar Chicken, Broccolini, Olives, Red Onion & Oranges
2017 may be my Year of the Roasting Pan Meal. I have roasted vegetables in the oven, and I have roasted meat in the oven, but together? In the same pan? Why does this idea seem so revolutionary? And the possibilities and permutations are endless! I'm already thinking about shrimp. I wonder if this same method would work for fish filets? ... view more
Kale and Bacon Cheesy Party Dip
If there is kale in it, it’s healthy, right? How about THIS much kale? * Crickets * Ok, I will not pretend this recipe is healthy, but I will assure you it is delicious, and is a total winner for party snacks. If there are three things people are loving on these days, they are kale, bacon, and cheese. I had a few ladies over to ... view more
Italian Quinoa Breakfast Casserole
When people ask me if I could do anything instead of my job, what it would be, one of my stock answers is: "Hang out with friends in a big vacation house and make brunch and sit around and drink coffee all day." The salary on this fantasy is a bit lower than my current gig, so I reserve such activity for special occasions... ...Such ... view more
Ropa Vieja {Cuban Braised Shredded Beef}
This is a recipe I would have shied away from when I first started cooking. Several techniques, "weird" ingredients, and do I even like "Ropa vieja"? Well, let's smash the why-I-can't list with a meat mallet. Upon further reflection, the "several techniques" were just a few rotations of searing (browning in a pan), and braising (cooking in ... view more