Five-Spice Stir-Fry Chicken
Some of the best things I’ve made were the result of accidents, scarcity, and curiosity. Though I have been obsessed with cooking for almost all my life, I’ve never been to cooking school and have only taken two cooking classes. Everything I know I learned from watching TV, reading, friends, family, and experimentation. I’ve honed my craft and bent recipes to my own tastes and though some may take issue with that approach, I simply do not care. It tastes good and to me, recipes are simply suggestions and loose guidelines (except in baking, that is a totally different beast!)
This recipe is the result of curiosity and necessity. Anthony and I have been trying to finish up our house projects before I leave for the island which doesn’t leave much time for brainstorming or recipe development. After a long day of painting our bathroom and some failed attempts at plumbing and stacking our wash and dryer, we were hungry and wanted something fast.
This recipe calls for deglazing the pan with gin but if you don’t have any don’t worry! Any liquid will do. I’ve used vodka, wine, broth, even water. The objective is to introduce some liquid to the pan to get the browned bits off the pan and incorporated into the sauce.
Five-Spice Stir Fry Chicken
Ingredients
for the grape-cucumber salad
2 cups halved grapes
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 pinch sugar (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 pinch kosher salt (about 1 teaspoon)
juice of 1 lime
for the sauce
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 Fresno chili, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons fish sauce
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
for the chicken
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 boneless chicken thighs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1 pinch of salt
2 tablespoons gin (or vodka, wine, or water)
Directions
Toss everything for the salad together in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish. Stir before serving.
In a small bowl, stir together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, five-spice powder, and salt and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are softened about 7 - 9 minutes.
Just before the chicken is done, add the gin to the pan and scrape up the browned bits. Add the sauce to the pan and stir to combine. Cook uncovered until the sauce is slightly thickened. Cool slightly and serve with steamed rice and grape-cucumber salad.
Honey-Bourbon Glazed Carrots
Ah yes, the first day of spring. For Anthony and I, it marks the beginning of a perennial debate: What are we planting in the garden? Do we buy plants or start them as seeds? You see, we’re both obsessed with plants. All winter, we frequent the same greenhouses, basking in the warm glow of the winter sun among tropical plants. Our last apartment was every plant lover’s dream: huge ceilings with 8-foot windows that allowed sunlight to pour in from all angles. Since moving to our house, we’ve had to adjust our plant collection but it has continued to grow steadily, especially over the last year.
While it may be too cold in Maine for us to start planting outside, it hasn’t stopped us from planning. Much to Anthony’s distress, we will be growing quite a few lovelies from seed this year. I have a light stand, seed trays, and even a heating pad to keep our seedlings nice and warm. It’s a debate we have every year. I love growing plants from seeds and have since I was a kid. Anthony can’t stand the glow of fluorescent lights and scowls when I mention them. That being said, I know how to win him over. A couple of glasses of wine, a seed catalog, and we’re off to the races. We usually end up with a shopping cart full of seeds, many of which won’t make it to the final cut.
This year, we’re growing plants that will attract pollinators and butterflies. With the help of my cousin, Glenn, I built a garden on the island last fall dedicated to our Grandmother’s 100th birthday. The garden is in the middle of the island in full sun and along the path to the Bake area where customers pick up their meals. Butterfly Bush, Milkweed, Cosmos, Portulaca, Daisies, and more are destined for this garden. I want it to be a mix of classic cottage flowers with a few unexpected surprises Chrysanthemums that will grow 5 feet tall.
In between ordering seeds and making plans for our gardens, I’ve also been working on some new recipes. Since spring is here, it means more produce will soon become available at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. I don’t always cook in season, but I try.
One recipe I’ve been working on is these carrots. I love glazed carrots and because carrots are so ubiquitous, you can serve them any time of year. This is a fairly simple and straightforward recipe for glazed carrots using ingredients you probably have in your pantry. If you don’t have any bourbon, substitute with wine, or even chicken stock. Don’t forget to salt these at the end to make the sweetness really pop without being overpowering.
I will be posting more Spring-themed foods in the coming weeks so stay tuned!
Honey-Bourbon Glazed Carrots
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2lbs carrots, peeled and sliced to ½ inch rounds
½ cup water
½ cup bourbon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
heat the olive oil in a large skillet with a lid. Add the carrots and saute until bright orange, about 3 minutes.
Whisk the water, bourbon, vinegar, and honey until the honey has dissolved and add to the carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the carrots a tender-crisp; about 9 minutes.
Remove the lid and continue to simmer over medium heat until the carrots are tender and the liquid has almost evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Heart Beet Ravioli
Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s been cold and snowy in Maine for the last few weeks, much like the rest of the country. Personally, I love snow once it’s been shoveled and I can go play, which is exactly what Anthony and I have been doing lately. The Kennebunk Land Trust has miles and miles of trails to explore and they’re only a quick drive from our home in Biddeford.
We’ve been doing more than just hike lately too. Now that we’ve been married for a couple yeras now and together for almost a decade, we’re ready to start a family. For the unintiated, that means a lot of money, time, and patience. We’re interviewing surrogacy agencies, ivf clinics, and lots and lots of attorneys. Who knew it was so much work to make a baby.
In case you forgot, tomorrow is also Valentine’s Day. Anthony and I just happened to buy a new mattress this winter and it is due to arrive today. What timing!
Anthony loathes Valentine’s Day and I am lukewarm on it as well. I love festivity though so I usually send valentine’s cards to family and make something special for dinner. Nothing crazy, just you know, some heart shaped ravioli.
I admit this is not the most photogenic food I’ve ever made but the flavor is there and the shape is unmistakable. Even better, they are relatively simple to make and come together in about an hour so you don’t have to slave over a stove all day. I like to use a cookie cutter to get even, consistent shapes but you do you. If you want, you can cut them freeform with a knife or pastry cutter. I’ve even seen some make rose-shaped ravioli. GO WILD, PEOPLE.
The ravioli is stuffed with a simple herbed ricotta filling with parsley, mint, fennel, and a touch of goat cheese to give the creaminess some tang.
This recipe makes about 3 dozen ravioli so either prepare accordingly, invite some friends over, or freeze them for another day.
Heart Beet Ravioli with Herby Ricotta Filling
Ingredients
For the dough
8 oz beets, scrubbed and trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2½ cups flour, plus more for dusting
For the Filling
1 cup parsley (packed)
¼ cup chives
2 garlic cloves
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 oz goat cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375. Toss the beets with olive oil and salt. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. When the beets are cool enough to handle, rub the skins off with a paper towel and puree in a food processor.
Add the eggs and egg yolk to the beet mixture and process until evenly combined. Add the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and process until the dough comes together, about 20 seconds.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 5 - 10 minutes. This part takes some muscle but don’t give up! Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
While the dough is resting, make the filling. In the food processor, combine the parsley, garlic, and chives. Process until everything is finely minced. Add the goat cheese and ricotta and mix until evenly mixed. Transfer to a piping bag or ziplock bag and chill.
When you’re ready, remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, flatten the dough until it is slightly fatter than your pasta machine’s widest setting. Dust dough lightly with flour and feed through the machine. Continue doing this until you reach a thickness just less than ⅛ inch - this is 4 on my KitchenAid attachment.
Move the pasta sheet to a work surface and spread the filling over the pasta sheet in an even layer about ¼ - ½ inch thick. Place another sheet of pasta on top of the filling and gently press to smooth it all out. Using a cookie cutter, cut the ravioli out in whatever shape you want. Transfer the ravioli to a plate and repeat the process for the remaining dough.
To serve, bring a big pot of salted water to a boil and cook the ravioli until they float. Transfer to a skillet with melted butter and season with salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese.
Tikka Chicken Wings
Chicken wings are one of my many favorite foods. They are versatile and I could happily eat them every day which is what happened while I was testing this recipe.
These babies are spicy in a well-rounded way meaning they won’t burn your face off if you’re not a fan of spicy food but they aren’t drab and dull either. The turmeric and other spices balance the cayenne very well and leave you feeling warm and satisfied.
Also, this recipe uses ingredients that are probably in your kitchen already so you don’t have to make any special trips to the grocery store. The only thing you may not have is garam masala but you can easily make it using any recipe you find online (I prefer this one from Bon Appetit)
Tikka Chicken Wings
Ingredients
1 cup yogurt
4 garlic cloves minced
4 teaspoons grated ginger
1½ Tablespoons coriander
2 teaspoons cumin
1 Tablespoon turmeric
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 lbs. chicken wings
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Minced shallots, for garnish
Directions
Mix everything but the wings together in a large bowl until well combined. Add the wings and toss to evenly coat. Transfer everything to a zip-lock bag or cover the bowl and marinate for at least 30 minutes
Preheat the oven to 400 and line a large sheet pan with foil.
Remove wings and shake off the excess marinade and discard. Spread them evenly across the prepared sheet pan so they are not overlapping.
Bake the wings for 20 minutes, flip the wings and rotate the pan, bake 20minutes longer or until the wings are cooked through and lightly charred. Cool slightly before transferring the wings to a platter and garnishing with cilantro and shallots.
Note: If the wings are cooked through but don’t look charred, put them under the broiler to crisp them up. Optional, not necessary.
Braised Korean Chicken Thighs
It is getting cold up here in Maine. It’s been cold, but this weekend was bitterly cold and windy. Instead of going for the 8-mile walk, I’d planned yesterday, I only went out for about half of that distance and spent the rest of the weekend inside cleaning, cooking, and organizing.
On Saturday, I gave Erin McDowell’s Yeast Donut recipe a try. I have never made donuts until now and I have to admit, the process is MUCH easier than I would have thought. These are yeasted donuts so they need time to rise, a lesson I learned with the first batch. I made the dough Friday night and let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight but didn’t let them rise long enough in the morning so they came out a little dense at first. I took a break from frying and came back a couple of hours later and the dough was puffy and light. A few minutes in boiling hot oil and voila!
The week ahead will come and go like any other for us. We don’t have many plans these days thanks to COVID. It is both a blessing and a curse. The upside to being isolated like this? We’re saving money we would otherwise be spending at restaurants and bars. The downside? We haven’t seen our friends in over a month and I’m feeling restless. Fortunately, we have a house that needs fixing up.
I’m thinking I’ll make this Braised Korean Chicken this week. I went through a phase for a few years when all I wanted was Korean chicken. There’s something about the sweet, spicy, umami flavors that I just couldn’t break from. While I haven’t been cooking with Gochujang as much as I once did, I still have a nice fat jar of it in the fridge, begging to be whipped out.
I revived some sourdough starter over the weekend. Before I left for the island last spring, I divided my existing starter in half. One half came to the island with me while the other was dried and bagged for safekeeping, just in case the other half didn’t make it through the summer. And guess what? That starter that came to the island with me didn’t make it after all. As it turns out, running a restaurant, in the middle of a pandemic, while living with my entire family under one roof is not a good time to try making sourdough bread.
To revive this starter, I took some, ground it up in the food processor, and soaked it in warm water until it dissolved. I then fed it equal weights of water and flour for a few days until some bubbles appeared. We’re on day 3 as of Monday morning and it is looking bubbly and smelling pleasantly sour. Success, I think.
I’m working on some other recipes this week as well. Red Beans and Rice, Flank Steak Spring Rolls, Blueberry-Ricotta Pancakes, and maybe a special cookie of some kind.
Aside from food, I’ve been working on renovating our kitchen and have reached the point of no return. It is time to start doing some demolition work. I’d normally jump right in on a project like this but because it is our kitchen, I have to be strategic about how and when I do demolition work; who wants drywall dust in their yogurt? We’ll see how this goes.
Braised Korean Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
3 T Honey
3 T gochujang
1 cup chicken broth
¼ C soy sauce
1 T fish sauce
1 t sesame oil
1 T minced ginger
1 T minced garlic
6 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
lime wedges, for garnish
sliced green onion, for garnish
toasted sesame seed, for garnish
Directions
Combine the honey, gochujang, chicken broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste and place, skin-side down in a cold, Dutch oven.
Cook the chicken thighs over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer the thighs to a plate and set aside.
Add more oil, if necessary, and sauté the onion until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet and add the honey-gochujang mixture. Cover and simmer, turning occasionally until the cooked through, about 25 – 30 minutes
Remove the chicken and reduce the sauce by 1/3.
If you want to crisp up the skin, place the thighs on a cookie sheet and briefly broil on high.
Garnish the chicken with sesame, lime, and green onions.
Curried Cauliflower and Farro Salad
As January continues to chug along at its strange, tense pace, I’m trying to remember that nourishing myself with good food is a great response. It’s true, nothing we do can undo what has been done but eating food like this salad might make it more manageable.
We all know what’s happened in DC and what continues to happen across the country. That doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate the small victories and moments. For me, that meant getting all of my upper cabinets painted in our kitchen. This is a project we’ve been working on for almost a year, and still have a long way to go, but finishing that task felt great.
Last week was consumed by what the past administration and leadership incited. It was yet another collective trauma for us all. While it will take time to heal from that trauma, this week is all about new beginnings and opportunities. We will have a new president sworn in on Wednesday and that gives us an opportunity to heal on a national level. On a personal level, maybe there are areas where we can heal ourselves.
Acts of love and nonviolence don’t have to be limited to others, we can practice on ourselves. Accepting ourselves for all our strengths and weaknesses, superlatives and flaws is a huge act of nonviolence and self-care. This practice, as cheesy as it may seem, pays off down the road. When we’re able to accept ourselves as we are, at this moment, we can do the same for those who may be different than us or our tribe.
It’s Monday morning. We have the whole week ahead of us and we’re so lucky for that. I hope you make this salad sometime and I hope you find small victories to celebrate this week.
Curried Cauliflower and Farro Salad
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1 onion, halved and sliced in 1/2 inch slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
salt to taste
4 cups loosely packed spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 shallot, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 Fresno chili, minced
2 cups cooked farro
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 and toss the cauliflower and onion with olive oil, curry powder, and salt. Spread the mixture evenly on a large baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil and lemon juice, shallot, parsley, and fresno chili. Add the spinach and gently fold in. Add the the cauliflower mixture and cooked farro and stir until evenly mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Spiced Sesame Noodles
Keep this recipe where you can access it quickly because it is THAT good. These noodles have become a staple in my house over the last year. Reminiscent of Dan Dan Noodles, these are noodles are meaty, hearty, and spicy. Like most things, this recipe started as one thing and evolved with time into its present version. Don’t be afraid of the amount of chili paste this recipe calls for, though it does pack some heat, the other spices, and sugar mellow out the fire so it lingers gently without burning your head off.
Spiced Sesame Noodles
Ingredients
¼ cup sambal oolek
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
2 tablespoons Brown sugar
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
8 oz dry spaghetti
Fresh cilantro, for garnish
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the sambal oolek, through the balsamic vinegar. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved and set aside.
Add the beef to a large, nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and shallot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring until fragrant - about 30 seconds. Add the sambal mixture and stir well.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta as instructed on the box. Reserving some of the pasta water before draining. Add the cooked pasta to the beef mixture and toss until well mixed. If necessary, use the reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce so it coats everything.
Cover the noodles and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes. To serve, sprinkle sesame seeds and cilantro over the top.
Winter Salad with Citrus, Avocado, and Beets
Anthony and I got home from Ohio last night where we have been for two weeks celebrating with my family. We quarantined for weeks prior to leaving and took every precaution possible to make sure nobody got sick on our watch. As is the case every year, we ate more than our fair share of sugar, butter, beef, cream, and everything else that comes with the holiday season. By now, I’ve had my fill and I’m ready for something light and refreshing. Enter, my Winter Salad with Citrus, Avocado, and Beets.
I’ve been making this salad for years, to the point that some friends have dubbed it “Ryan’s Salad”. It is great this time of year because it takes advantage of citrus, which is in peak season during these cold months ahead. I’m not a nutritionist but this salad is full of great stuff. Hearty greens, vitamin C rich citrus, high fiber beets, warm toasted almonds - all good things to nourish your body.
While I’m not a fan of cleanses and cringe at the “New Year, New Me” mentality, I do believe in taking stock of where I am every year and figuring out how I can become a better, healthier, and happier version of myself. This means paying attention to how my body feels, examining what has worked for me in the last year and what hasn’t. Shaming ourselves into thinking there’s something inherently wrong with our bodies and saying “I’m going to lose 20lbs because I’m a fatass” isn’t going to help in the long run. Big changes have to start from a place of love and desire. So instead of the guilt and shame, I think about how much better I feel when I eat my fruits and veggies versus when I’m eating sugar and butter. Cookies are great and deserve to be a part of every diet (because #treatyoself) but for me, I feel better and function at a higher level when they are a treat and not a staple.
Whatever your goals, intentions, or resolutions are this year, I hope they help you become a happier, healthier, and more fulfilled version of yourself.
Winter Salad with Citrus, Avocado, and Beets
Ingredients
Salad
4 medium beets, trimmed and scrubbed
1 T olive oil
1 head radicchio, torn
1 head Boston lettuce, torn
2 C arugula
½ C parsley, coarsely chopped
1 grapefruit, peeled and cut into wedges
1 naval orange, peeled and cut into wedges
2 avocado, pitted and cubed
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ C slivered almonds, toasted
Dressing
1 C freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 small shallot, minced
1 C olive oil
¼ C white wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400
Lightly coat the beets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the beets for 1 hour or until tender. Set aside to cool.
When the beets have cooled, remove the skins by rubbing them with a paper towel. Slice into beets into ½ inch wedges.
Make the dressing. Combine the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the liquid is reduced by half, remove from heat, and allow to cool.
In a small mixing bowl combine the olive oil, shallots, salt, pepper, vinegar, and orange juice. Mix and set aside.
Combine the radicchio, lettuce, arugula, parsley, grapefruit, orange, avocados, beets, and onion. Toss to combine and top with almonds and serve with dressing.
Lemon Pecan Sugar Cookies
Christmas is 5 short days away and after the year we’ve all had, some merriment and celebrations are what we all need. This season will look different, it certainly does for us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t think about what gives our lives color and depth.
I was listening to Brene Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us, and she was speaking with Emily and Amelia Nagoski about burnout and the stress cycle. It was a great interview and I highly recommend you listen to it. What caught my attention was an analogy they shared about being chased by a hippo.
“You manage to run away from the hippo because hippos actually don't have a lot of stamina. So you run all the way and somebody waves you in through their door and you you shut it and the hippo gives up and is like “nevermind” and just runs away and you look at this person who just saved your life and you feel this rush of exhaustion, and this joy to be alive and it seems like the sun is shining brighter and you love your friends and family and you're so grateful to be alive.”
It's easy to think that it is the hippo going away…that relieves the stress but its acually the person who opened the door.
It’s easy to overlook this simple concept that people are what relieve stress, not the absence of stressors. How many times have we learned that this year? When we first locked down, we were all terrified and unsure of what the future held. What did we do? We banded together and took care of one another. We wore masks, donated food, called friends, had zoom cocktail hours, zoom holidays, and stayed home. We did what people do in times of need, took care of each other. We are each other’s safe harbor in the storm.
My wish for you this holiday season, whoever you are, is that you recognize those safe harbors in your life. There will always be storms in our lives, there will always be the metaphorical hippo chasing us. All we can do is rely on each other and open the door to each other.
Lemon Pecan Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1 ½ C sifted flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ C butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon lemon rind
½ c finely chopped pecans
Directions
Sift all the dry ingredients and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, lemon juice, rind, and pecans and mix until evenly mixed. Add half of the dry ingredients, mix, and mix the rest until a soft dough is formed.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Shape the dough into 2 long rolls, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper, and chill overnight.
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 375 and slice the logs into ¼ inch rounds. Place the cookies on baking sheets, dust with extra sugar if desired, and bake 8 minutes or until golden around the edges. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
Chocolate Glazed Tahini Cookies
What could be better than cookies with chocolate glaze? Nutty, salty, and sweet all in one bite. I based this recipe on a cookie recipe I found in my mom’s old recipe tin. The card was folded and stained - evidence of their popularity. If you’re unfamiliar with tahini, it is a paste made from sesame seeds that tastes similar to peanut butter, only better. If you can’t find tahini, sub any nut butter you want.
Anthony and I have been running around like madmen over the last week, trying to get Christmas presents together, cards sent, and the house decorated. Every year we say we’re going to take it easy and make life simple but somehow we end up doing more than the year before. I bragged in November that I had finished most of our holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, only to rest on my laurels until now and it is a mad dash to get things together in time.
Ingredients
for the cookies
2¼ teaspoon yeast
2 tablespoons warm water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
½ cup tahini
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup shortening
1 ½ cup flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
for the glaze
1½ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Dissolve the yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Mix in the sugars, egg, peanut butter, butter, and shortening until smooth.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart. Press down with a fork to create a criss-cross pattern and bake for 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.
While the cookies cool, make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients until smooth, adding additional milk, ½ teaspoon at a time until the desired consistency is met.
Dip the top of each cookie in the glaze and sprinkle with sea salt.
Roasted Cabbage Salad w. Pomegranate, Almonds, and Tahini
Cabbage is an often overlooked vegetable. When most of us think of cabbage, images of limp, boiled leaves, runny coleslaw, or kimchi come to mind. It is considered smelly and boring. I am here to challenge your old impressions of this reliable, nutrient-dense vegetable. Roasted cabbage is delicious on its own. All you need to make this affordable vegetable shine is some salt and olive oil. The caramelized leaves take on unexpected flavors that are rich without being overindulgent.
This salad builds on that umami-rich roasted cabbage base. Tart pomegranate arils bring a bright flavor. To give the salad a full-bodied flavor, I threw in some almonds and creamy tahini dressing. If you're feeling extra fancy, you could even use red cabbage like I did in the photograph.
Roasted Cabbage Salad w. Pomegranate, Almonds, and Tahini
Ingredients
1 head cabbage, washed and quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup olive oil
⅓ cup tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup pomegranate arils
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
½ cup chopped parsley
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425
Rub the cabbage quarters with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a cookie sheet and roast for 15 minutes, flip, and bake another 15 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the cabbage is tender.
While the cabbage cooks, make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, mustard, water, and sesame oil. The dressing should be smooth and runny, if it is too thick, thin it with a little water until the desired consistency is reached.
Assemble the salad by placing a cabbage wedge on one plate, drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with pomegranates, almonds, and parsley.
Coconut Thumbprint Cookies
‘Tis the season to go digging through the tin of recipes my mom gave me a few years ago! I have an old recipe tin that belonged to my great Aunt Ruth, full of old family recipes from my great grandmother, grandmother, great aunt, and friends of the family. I love it and though I don’t cook from it often, I do reach for it when I think of cookies. Sadly, I never met my biological grandmother or great-grandmother but I do have their recipes and all the family lore to go with them. Gladys, my great grandmother, lived on a farm and had a ritual of baking cookies every Sunday for the week ahead. As a result, I have cookie recipes for days.
Thumbprint cookies happen to be one of my favorites both because they satisfy a sweet tooth but also because they are so easy to riff on. For example, this recipe called for strawberry preserves, which I used, but I also swapped in some other jams I had laying around. Cardamom Blueberry jam? Done! Orange-Apricot Marmalade? Yes, hunty.
These cookies are pretty straight forward and simple. Nothing elaborate, no resting, no rolling. Just mix it all together, form the dough into balls, bake, press, bake, fill, enjoy. The coconut in the cookies opens the possibilities up to all kinds of fillings. Maybe something with lime? Or something creamy with a touch of rose? Go wild!
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1 package yellow cake mix
1 T water
2 eggs
1 1/2 C flaked coconut
1 C favorite jam, jelly, or preserves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375
Cream the butter in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer until soft, creamy, and light.
Add half the cake mix, water, and eggs and mix. Add the rest of the cake mix and beat until smooth. Stir in the coconut.
Roll the dough into small balls using a tablespoon. Place the balls about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and make a small indentation using either a teaspoon or your thumb. Bake another 5 minutes longer or until the bottoms are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Place about 1 teaspoon of jam, jelly, or preserves in the center of each cookie.
Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
For today’s post, I’m sharing a green bean salad I made for friends a few weeks ago. After a long, strenuous summer on Cabbage Island, and a sudden loss of a close cousin, I needed a way to heal my battered soul. Gathering with a few close friends and cooking all day seemed like it would do the trick. We drank wine, ate things like Honey-Ricotta Bruschetta, and this green bean salad with blue cheese and walnuts. It’s a simple salad, really, but the flavors are big, whole, and comforting. As far as preparations go, the recipe is straight forward and simple.
With the holidays approaching, I’m thinking about what we’ll have at the table. There will be turkey, sweet potatoes, and stuffing. For Christmas, there will likely be beef tenderloin, greens, and scalloped potatoes. But what matters to me, no matter how cliché this may sound, are the people around the table. After losing my cousin Glenn, I’ve had time to reflect and think about the importance of being with those you love. Certainly, this year will look different for everyone. Some of us may not be coming home for the holidays, some may be alone. I do hope that wherever you end up for the holidays this year, that you think of those you love with warmth and tenderness.
Green Beans with Blue Cheese and Walnuts
Ingredients
2lbs green beans, washed and trimmed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 shallots, finely sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Toss the green beans, garlic, shallots, and olive oil in a large bowl and spread evenly on a large cookie sheet. Season with salt and pepper and bake 20-30 minutes or until tender with a slight bite.
Remove the beans and scoop them into a bowl. Toss the walnuts onto the same cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes, or until fragrant and toasted.
Toss the green beans with the vinegar and blue cheese and walnuts. Serve warm or room temperature.
Roasted Grape Crostini with Ricotta
Sweet, velvety, and elegant. Roasted grapes are an easy to prepare and unexpected addition to a cheeseboard. Easy to prepare and so good you won't have any leftovers, these are a surefire way to impress friends and family this holiday season.
I love simple things. Simple clothing, simple math problems, simple recipes. This is just that. The name may be a little misleading and everyone I talk to does a double-take when I say “roasted grapes” but these apps are truly amazing. They are prepared with nothing more than a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. A little char from the oven, some creamy ricotta cheese, and crusty bread and you’ve got yourself an appetizer that will surely impress any holiday crowd this year.
Ingredients
4 cups red grapes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400.
In a large bowl, toss the grapes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt until evenly coated.
Spread the grapes on a large baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the grapes are wrinkled and slightly charred.
Serve the grapes with ricotta cheese and toasted crusty bread.
Honey Ricotta Bruschetta
Appetizers don’t get much easier than this. Perfectly toasted baguettes with creamy ricotta cheese, sweet local honey, crushed red pepper flakes, and a little salt are all you need to make these Honey Ricotta Bruschetta. If you’re in a pinch and need an appetizer for cocktail hour, Thanksgiving, or eating while you binge Netflix, this is it. In fact, this is such a simple recipe that it’s hardly a recipe at all, merely suggestions.
If you have access to local cheesemakers like I do here in Maine, go with that. The quality of the ricotta will be far superior to what you can buy in the store. If you don’t have a local creamery, don’t sweat it - nobody will be the wiser!
Ingredients
1 baguette, sliced 1-inch thick
olive oil
1lb ricotta
honey
pinch salt
pinch red pepper flakes
Directions
Preheat the broiler to high and position an oven rack in the upper half of the oven.
Arrange the sliced baguette on a cookie sheet in a single layer and brush generously with olive oil on both sides. Toast under the broiler until golden brown, flip and toast the other side. This will not take long so pay attention.
Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
When the bread has cooled, smear about a tablespoon of ricotta on each toast, followed by a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of salt and red pepper flakes.
Note: You can prep the baguette earlier in the day or up to the night before, just seal it in an airtight container.
Artichoke-Caper Bruschetta
This time of year, nobody wants recipes that are ten million steps long or require special tools, equipment, or skills. Frankly, I think we should be like this all the time. Who wants to spend all their time in the kitchen when there is life to be lived?
This recipe, very similar to a few other bruschetta and crostini recipes I’ve posted lately, is so easy I can barely call them recipes. This took less than 10 minutes to prepare and can be made in advance so you don’t have to worry about a thing. Throw everything in a food processor, or simply chop it with a knife, stir, and you’re done. Easy as that. This recipe also lends itself well to embellishments like the addition of hot peppers or maybe even toasting it with some parmesan. Personally, I love having leftovers of this that I can toss with pasta, smear on a sandwich, or bake atop some chicken breasts.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts
1 C green olives
1 Tablespoon capers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
toasted rustic bread or baguette
Directions
Combine everything in a food processor and pulse until the artichokes and olives are roughly chopped. Stir to combine and spoon onto the toasted baguette.
Tip: Use the oil from the jar of artichokes when you toast the baguette, it will deepen the overall flavor of the dish.
Cranberry-Bourbon Meatballs
Make these cranberry-bourbon meatballs and win #friendsgiving. They are sweet, tangy, and SO easy to make! Simply dump it all into a crockpot and walk away for a couple of hours. The best part? You’ll probably need to buy a whole bottle of bourbon which means you’ll have leftovers! Cheers!
But seriously, these meatballs are SO easy and use ingredients you probably have in your house already. If you’re unfamiliar with sambal oelek, it is a red chili paste readily available in most grocer stores. I don’t find it overly spicy and all the other ingredients really mellow it out.
You’ll notice I used frozen premade meatballs for this and that’s because around the holidays, I try to keep things easy. Could you make your own? Of course! For some, however, the idea of making meatballs in addition to everything else this time of year brings is just too much, so grab your favorite bag of meatballs and let the crockpot do the work.
Ingredients
1 bag cranberries
1/2 c bourbon
1/4 c orange juice
1/2 c ketchup
1/4 c sambal oelek
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 bag frozen meatballs
Directions
Combine everything but the meatballs in a crockpot set to high. Stir well and allow the sauce to cook for an hour before gently mashing the berries with a wooden spoon or potato masher.
Add the frozen meatballs and stir to coat evenly. If the sauce looks too thick, add a little liquid (water, broth, or bourbon). Cover and allow everything to cook for another hour or until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are hot throughout. Serve immediately or keep warm.
Roasted Butternut Squash and Orzo Salad
I love this salad. Sweet butternut squash, peppery arugula, funky gorgonzola, and crunchy pumpkin seeds. In about 30 minutes you can make this seasonal and fresh salad.
The real perk of this recipe is its versatility. You can swap the butternut squash for any other winter squash such as acorn, buttercup, or delicata - in a pinch, you could even use sweet potatoes. Swapping the arugula for another green like spinach, kale, or swiss chard is also acceptable, just make sure its tender. If you don’t like gorgonzola, skip it or add goat cheese. The dressing is also straight forward and totally riff-able. Add or subtract any flavor you choose, spicy, herby, sweet, get wild!
Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed 1/2 inch
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orzo
4 c arugula lightly packed
4 oz gorgonzola crumbled
1/4 c pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 T rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375
Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast the squash on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes, stir and roast 15 minutes longer until tender and browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook the orzo according to the instructions on the box, strain, rinse with warm water and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the arugula, squash, orzo, and remaining ingredients until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Sugar Baby Carbonara
One of the most ubiquitous signs of fall is the pumpkin and squash. Whether you’re carving it, baking it, or using it for decorating your front stoop, pumpkins are everywhere. Sugar-baby pumpkins are the best for cooking. These little guys are small, about 10 inches in diameter. and can be found anywhere - the grocery store, Lowes, farm stands, you name it. When roasted, the meat of this pumpkin is soft, sweet, and creamy, making it ideal for pie or pasta sauce.
This recipe calls for roasting a whole pumpkin but if you don’t have time, the canned stuff will also work. Carbonara is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is very simple and uses ingredients you most likely already have - bacon, eggs, and cream. Due to its simplicity, it is also easy to riff on, such as adding mashed pumpkin. If you’re unfamiliar with carbonara, you might questions the use of raw eggs but hear me out, the hot pasta will cook the eggs just enough to make it safe but retain that creamy goodness.
Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!
Ingredients
1 sugar baby pumpkin
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
5 oz diced pancetta
1 large shallot, finely minced
1 teaspoon thyme
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 C heavy cream
4 cups baby spinach
1 box bow tie pasta
Directions
Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, stem, and end. Cut into 1" cubes and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast the pumpkin for 25 minutes, stirring once, until the pumpkin is soft. Cool slightly, then transfer to a bowl and mash with a potato masher or spoon.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, reserve 1 cup of pasta water, and keep everything hot.
Cook the pancetta in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crispy, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat and add the shallot, cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the thyme and remove from heat.
Mix the mashed pumpkin with the egg, egg yolks, and cream until smooth. Add the spinach, pancetta, and hot pasta. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water.
Apple Cider Roasted Chicken
This is a simple, straightforward way to get tender and juicy chicken that tastes like fall. With simple ingredients, this recipe is an accessible crowd-pleaser.
This dish uses two spices that you may not have in your pantry, Five-Spice Powder and Ancho Chili Powder.
Five-Spice is a blend of cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, and cloves commonly used in Chinese and some Vietnamese cuisine. I keep it on hand and use it for all kinds of recipes through fall and winter. The warm flavor is very similar to apple pie seasoning, just a little better.
Ancho Chili Powder also makes an appearance in this recipe. Unlike regular chili powder, ancho chili powder is simply one type of pepper, poblano, dried, and ground whereas chili powder is often a mix of several peppers along with things like garlic and salt. In a pinch, chili powder will work, but try to get your hands on some of the good stuff if you can.
Apple Cider Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
3 apples, sliced 1/2” thick
1/4 c apple cider
1 chicken, halved
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375.
Fill the bottom of a roasting pan with the sliced apples and add the cider.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, five-spice, and ancho chili powder. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 25 more minutes or until the chicken is 165*.
Remove the chicken from the oven, cover with foil, and allow it to rest 10 minutes before serving.