couldawouldapica: recipe

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make this now

i hate doing dishes.

i'll seriously clean bathrooms before i do dishes. least favorite household chore.

that's why one-pan meals are so awesome.

this delicious, satisfying healthy meal is perfect for chilly fall evenings. and it's foolproof.

first things first: mise en place aka get your shit together. chop up one onion, peel and dice one sweet potato and prepare the kale. that means rinsing, removing the tough middle rib piece and chopping.

next, cook about a pound of ground meat. i love turkey thigh because it's flavorful without being fatty. but this recipe is so versatile, so forgiving, that you could use anything: beef, chicken, even seitan or another meat-free alternative.

back to the recipe. when i cook ground meat, i turn the heat up to medium-high/high for about two minutes to get the pan nice and hot. then i add just a dribble of olive oil, and dump the meat in the non-stick pan. THEN DON'T TOUCH IT.

just let it cook for a few minutes WITHOUT MOVING IT and it'll caramelize nicely and get some of that delicious golden brown color on it. at this stage, you should add about a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.

once the meat is cooked, drain off the fat if you need to and set aside in a bowl.

now it's time to cook the prepared veggies.

add a bit more olive oil to the pan, let it heat up for a second and then add ONLY the onion and sweet potato. season with another teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of pepper. cook until the onions are translucent and the potato softens, about five minutes.

once they're cooked, add the meat back and season the entire dish with two teaspoons of curry powder. any curry powder works. if the curry you're using is mild, you may want to add a few small dashes of cayenne.

once everything is back in the pan, toss in the kale. i used one large bunch here. it will look like a lot, but it wilt.

and that's it! give it a taste for seasoning and you're done! dinner is served. you could even throw a poached egg on top, but that's another dish to wash. your call.

this is one of those feel-good dinners. it's filling, inexpensive, warm and super good for you. make this and you can check dinner off the list for tonight.

thigh school

i'll admit it.

i was a boneless, skinless chicken eater for most of my life. that's what i'd buy every time i'd go to the store. and most of the time, i'd do something pretty boring: bake it, fry it, grill it.

i don't remember exactly when i got turned on to the wonderfulness that is chicken thighs but it's truly one of my favorite things to have for dinner. there's a lot to love, really: they're super cheap (for real you guys. check the price next time you're at the store), delicious and can stand up to lots of different flavors and cooking techniques.

here's three of my favorite ways to cook them. these are recipes i've made at least five times so i know the recipes are legit and you're likely to have a successful time making these dishes.

ginger lime | white bean + tomato | fried

as tends to happen when you cook a recipe a lot, i do have some tips for you though:

for the ginger lime recipe, unless you're actually using the recommended 8 pieces of chicken (we usually cook four or five at a time), USE HALF THE AMOUNT OF SALT FOR THE RUB OR YOU WILL DIE. ok. you won't die. but it's crazy salty otherwise.

for the white bean recipe, i find that i like the taste of dried oregano better than fresh.

and for the fried, the recipe actually refers to these as "pan roasted" and i suppose that's kind of what you're doing here. but the result is a lot more in the fried category. you just use way less oil than your typical fried chicken recipe and get the same crispy results.

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i hope you'll give thighs a try sometime. i actually don't love chicken skin (except for the super crispy fried kind) but i love using bone-in, skin-on thighs. the skin keeps the chicken from drying out and the bone adds a lot of extra flavor.

short days

making muffins on snow days

yikes

park time!

if you love s'mores as much as i do, make these tonight.

tuna tartare tacos that were super delicious

lucy hates the cold

yummy breakfast burrito and an even better latte here

man the amount of daylight hours are really dwindling. this winter hasn't been so bad but i won't be sad to wave goodbye to these days of darkness before five.

i'm still out on maternity leave and i'm so grateful for this extra special time with my little man. it's cool spending time together and just hanging out.

at the end of this week, we're all headed to charleston for a week. i've been keeping my eye on the forecast and see some temps in the seventies. i would be so happy to ditch the coat for a second.

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hope you all had a great weekend!

stems

update: so i took a bit of an unplanned/unannounced break from blogging after my son was born. i had planned to write and then schedule all these fun posts to go up after he arrived, but somehow i lost my camera's memory card that had pictures to go along with those posts. bleh.

i didn't feel like going back and re-shooting everything i'd done, so i decided to give myself a little break from blogging. but i'm back!

i still haven't found my memory card though.

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today i wanted to talk about using the part of broccoli that usually gets thrown away: the stems.

we eat broccoli a lot in our house--in salads, roasted, sauteed--but it always bothered me that we were wasting the stems (stalks?).

so i found a super easy and delicious way to turn that would-be trash into a great side dish.

there's not much to it: just peel the stems to remove the rough outer part, cut into bite-sized pieces and pan fry with a little bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if you want heat.

add a dusting of fresh parm and you're ready to eat.

these would also be tasty with a little garlic or some toasted pine nuts and a bit of lemon zest.

enjoy!

going rogue

i'm a recipe follower.

i like to know that i'm making something exactly right. usually when i decide i want to try a new dish, i google or search pinterest to find a recipe that works for me. but last weekend, i went out on a limb and i winged it with this soup.

i had some stuff in the fridge i wanted to use before it expired and a butternut squash we hadn't cooked yet. i've watched enough food network over the years to know that soup isn't all that difficult to make. it also helped that butternut squash is in season. we got ours from the columbia heights market and it was such a pretty shade of orange.

i didn't make my own stock or anything like that, but this turned out to be delicious. so i wanted to share. in recipe format. just in case there's any faithful recipe followers out there like me.

p.s. if you wanna know how to peel and break down a squash, i did a step-by-step post with photos on that last year.

we ate this with some gruyere grilled cheese sandwiches and it felt like fall exploded.

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if you're looking for other seasonal dishes, check out the archives here.

dinner time

even though i have grocery shopping down to a science, planning meals for the week still feels like a task. i hate sitting there, trying to remember what our go-to meals are and hoping to use up any odds and ends left in the fridge. i hate throwing out food.

to help jog my memory, i bought an spiral-bound index card packet from cvs and started writing down meals we make at home frequently. it has 100 cards and i only came up with about 40 meals, so there's room to keep adding to it as new recipes become regulars.

on the flip side of each card, i wrote the ingredients. that way, we can easily check our pantry/fridge situation to see whether we already have stuff and don't go buying duplicates at the store. i didn't include things like salt, pepper and parmesan since i almost always have those things on hand.

so here's what mine looks like.

i can easily flip through this when we're about to make a grocery store run and get meal ideas for the week. i find that it helps me avoid getting stuck in a rut and making the same meals all the time.

oh and if you want that carbonara recipe, here it is. so fast and so easy. healthy? not so much.

success

sometimes i like to relax on the weekend but i always feel awesome when i get a ton of shit done. that was this past weekend for me.

we have this closet in the basement bedroom that's pretty much our closet of doom. you know, the one you keep throwing stuff into, vowing to go through it one day but you never really do?

i finally tackled it. and my husband installed a closet organizer in the soon-to-be-nursery. we also hung a few wall shelves and gave the house a super thorough cleaning.

i feel tired now, but it was so worth it. i can't even tell you all the stuff we managed to throw out or donate.

recipe for this incredible pie

i feel proud of myself because going through that stupid closet was the last thing i felt like doing, but i forced myself to just do it dammit. once i got started, i was on a roll, but for an admitted procrastinator like me, getting started is always the hardest part.

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we're going to florida at the end of the week for a long labor day weekend.

on a side note, if you're looking for a summery dessert, you can't go wrong with that pie. it's the perfect combination of tart and creamy goodness. mmm. mmm. mmm.

hope your monday's off to a great start.

pump up the flavor

yummy quinoa.

i promise it's not an oxymoron.

it exists. if you've ever tried it and wondered why someone boiled up some cardboard for you, i'm going to share a few tricks for making it flavorful and delicious.

1. toast it. before you cook it, dump the quinoa into a dry pot and toast it over low heat, stirring often, for about five minutes. toasting quinoa, like nuts, really gives the final product a deeper flavor.

2. rinse it. after you've toasted it, empty it into a fine mesh strainer and run cool water over it until the water runs clear.

3. boil it. but not in plain water. use chicken (or vegetable) stock and it'll be so much tastier. just follow the directions on the package for cooking times, etc.

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that's it!

you can also add a bit of salt if needed, but i usually don't since the broth is salted.

and here's two really yummy recipes i've tried and enjoyed where quinoa has a starring role:

warm quinoa, spinach and shiitake salad

and

quinoa fried "rice"

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enjoy!

pinterest wins

i've found that finding recipes through pinterest is pretty hit or miss.

there have been a few dishes i've tried that haven't ended up as favorites, but today i wanted to focus on the winners.

below are three categories: super easy, super yummy, and super desserts.

the first three can be prepared so quickly, they're perfect for nights when you don't feel like doing much of anything. these second (duh), are just really delicious meals. they take a bit more effort, but i've had great success with all of them. the last group are some of the best desserts i've found through pinterest. the sugar cookie bars (middle) are my new favorites. they're ridiculous.

above all else, these are all incredibly satisfying meals. they'll leave you with a smile on your face every time. and i wanted to pass on some of those good vibes to you today.

easy: 1 | 2 | 3
yummy: 1 | 2 | 3
desserts: 1 | 2 | 3

enjoy! and have fun in the kitchen.

scrambled

if we have them in the house, eggs are usually on the menu for a weekend breakfast.

when i was a kid, i was somewhat loyal to scrambled eggs when asked how i'd liked mine cooked. whenever i'd go visit my grandparents, they'd make these fried eggs with the runny yolks and i started liking those also. as an adult, i tried my hand at poaching and that became my favorite method for a while.

scrambled eggs were still good (and definitely the quickest), but they were always a little blah to me. not bad, but not the star of the plate by any measure.

then, i discovered tyler florence's method for cooking eggs (also endorsed by ruth reichl although hers are a little too buttery for me) and it's become my favorite once again. the eggs are neither runny nor well cooked. they almost take on a mousse-like texture that's perfect for spreading on buttered toast.

here's what you need to do.

just remember to cook on your stove's absolute lowest setting. i've eaten these plain a lot, but lately, i've been adding spinach and dusting with parmesan and a lot of red pepper for a take on eggs florentine.

try this method out sometime. it's a unique texture that's just delicious.

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p.s. if i can pause for a vanity break, the hand pictured is my husband's not mine. ;)

i see you, pea

i'm not a picky eater. when i go out to eat, i always have trouble with the menu because i want everything on it. there's not a lot of foods i won't try and very few i dislike.

peas happen to be one of those rare foods that just aren't my favorite.

but since they're in season now, and they're such a pretty shade of green (my favorite color!), i thought i'd give them another shot by making them into a spread.

here's what to do:

1. remove the peas from their shells

2. boil the peas for a minute or two until they're more vibrantly green (not pictured) and then dump them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

3. dump the peas into a food processor and add approximately 1/3 cup of cream cheese (or goat or feta), a sprinkle of salt, pepper, red pepper and garlic powder and a few squeezes of lemon juice. you may need to add a touch of olive oil to help move things along. blend until smooth.

4. empty into a serving bowl and serve with baguette slices, tortilla chips, pita. your call.

i have to say that i really enjoyed this. adding the cream cheese made it, um, creamier (duh) and took away some of that pea taste that isn't my favorite. and the lemon and red pepper added a brightness and kick that i found delicious.

oh. and i used the leftover pea shells for a side dish at dinner. just chopped them up a bit and sautéed them with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper.

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enjoy the produce this time of year. check out what's available at your local market and see what looks good. you might even surprise yourself like i did.

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looking for more seasonal eating recipes? check out the archives here.

s'more goodness

s'mores are one of my favorite things about summer.

there's just something extra awesome about topping off your bbq with some roasted marshmallows, gooey chocolate and crispy graham crackers.

so when i came across their cookie equivalent on pinterest the other day, i was dying to try them out.

i already strongly endorse these amazingly soft chocolate chip cookies made with vanilla pudding and these gooey butter cookies my grandma used to make are a classic favorite for me, so i was curious to see whether this new recipe would be awesome enough to become a favorite.

omg.

these cookies are amazing.

for me, one of the biggest must-have characteristics for cookies is softness. i know some people like a crunchier cookie, but those people are crazy. ;)

i like them soft. and i like them to stay soft long after they've cooled down.

the original recipe used cinnamon graham crackers, but i went the traditional route since i'm a s'more purist like that.

i can't say that they truly capture the feeling of holding a warm s'more in your hand, but it's a less-messy alternative that i'm going to be making again soon.

you should too.

gooey butter cookies

if you like to cook or bake, you probably have a few recipes in the arsenal that just work for you. they win every time.

these cookies that my late grandmother used to make are on that list of go-to recipes for me.

they're easy to make, they're light, fluffy and moist and have the best flavor.

i made these for a mother's day bbq my husband's family had last weekend, and i decided i should share the wealth.

these cookies are the truth.

i like to cook these on my silpat. i usually end up baking mine for just about 10 minutes and thirty seconds. that seems to work for my oven. they might look a little jiggly if you pull them out that early, but i promise they'll harden up once they cool. and i really prefer these cookies on the less done side. lightly golden brown on the bottom and soft all the way through.

yum.

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edited to add: the cream cheese and butter must be at room temperature. forgot to add that!

crunchy apple slaw

the other day, i had a chopped moment.

the boy and i had these little fish nuggets we'd planned to use for tacos, but we didn't have any slaw. i like some crunch with my tacos.

i'd made my own slaw using cabbage before, but cabbage isn't an ingredient we usually have laying around. all we had was some iceberg so i decided to use that as a substitute.

turns out?

this is my new favorite cole slaw.

crunchy, tangy, bright with a little bit of heat.

and because it has apples in it, you KNOW i added acid. the next time you find yourself with some unadorned fish tacos or a desire to add some mayo-free slaw to your pulled pork sandwich, try this recipe.

admittedly, i'm still getting used to owning a food processor. we got one as a wedding present, and i've been trying to use it more and more. but, as you can see in the picture, i sliced the apples using the wrong blade. i shoulda used the shredding blade, but it still worked out.

lesson learned for next time.

but this slaw makes a pretty killer addition to anything that needs a little extra crunch. it's also dairy-free and vegan.

i was so happy we were able to use that leftover lettuce in a new way. and because there's just two of us, i only used half a head and half an apple. but doubling the recipe would also work if you have a crowd.

weekend weather

winter has the most dramatic sunset silhouettes

taking advantage of the warm weather

i feel partially responsible for drybar's dc arrival ;)
can't wait to go.

in traffic

the trees don't even know what to think

making a modified version of this recipe

the weather!

everyone in dc is talking about it, but even for our roller coaster winters, this is warm.

we babysat our one-and-a-half-year-old nephew this weekend, and it was great to be able to spend some time outside at the park with him.

and considering how insanely cold it was for inauguration four years ago (i'm the mummy on the right), it would be pretty nice to have some mild temperatures for that event next week.

here's to a great week!