Meatless Monday: my weekend with Ina

Hey all! Happy Monday:)

After some careful research, all three of my comp. sections and several of my colleagues all agree that we have the February blues. Let's face it: in the Mitten, it is now officially, really winter. (I know, with all this 50-degree nonsense, we've turned into such babies!) And, it is also that time of the semester when everyone starts to get sick. Ugh. So, it's no surprise that everyone showed up to campus today feeling like they were wearing plaster boots.

Good thing I broke up my grading marathon this weekend by making ridiculously large batches of two of my favorite Ina Garten comfort recipes!!! (yay, leftovers!)

Pasta Aglio e Olio. (Ina calls for spaghetti in particular, but I've been known to use all pasta shapes).One of the easiest dinners to make. EVER. You basically cook the pasta, and while it boils you saute a bunch of garlic in olive oil. Add a dash of red-pepper flakes, some herbs (Ina uses parsley) and Parmesan cheese. Bam. (This weekend, I threw in a couple tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes and capers--yum!)

But, what's that, you say? You have a sweet tooth? Say no more.

My go-to sweet munchy (at least, this past weekend): peanut butter frosting. Deb makes one with cream cheese (!) which looks just scrumptious. I use my trusty Ina tome to create the classic, and then I've been injecting the situation with some healthiness--sliced Pink Lady apples to dip in the creamy, peanut-buttery clouds.

Hope these meatless treats inspire you to conquer any Monday/February blues you might have!

birthday treats~cheese

As I contemplate how to celebrate my looming birthday, I can't not think about what I'd like to eat. I'm just so in love with food, you see, that I think about it all the time. Like a lover. It really is one of my greatest pleasures in life...so how could I possibly celebrate without carefully considering what to nosh on?

I couldn't.

And one of my favorite foods in the. whole. wide. world. is cheese.

Michigan cheese

 

For my birthday, I would love to stick a candle in a wedge, like Jo's hubs did for her. What a jaunty little substitute for birthday cake!

I would absolutely want my birthday cheese to be chosen for me by Madame Fromage. She has the best, um, taste in cheese, and her blog always makes my mouth water. Plus, she is a fellow writing prof (I saw her food-writing presentation at the Conference on College Composition and Communication last year), so, solidarity. PLUS, how could you not immediately love and trust a woman who has designed a Downton Abbey-themed cheese board??

The answer is you must absolutely love and trust her. Obviously.

But, I don't have to go across the pond to get scrumptious cheese! I would love to savor some of my favorite Mitten-made favorites, like the peppery Bridgewater or the Great Lakes Cheshire from Zingerman's Creamery, or a creamy, velvety Raclette from Leelanau Cheese.

Of course, this does not in any way preclude enjoying chocolate or cake as well. Just so we're clear.

:)

What about you? What is your favorite treat (birthday or otherwise)? Do tell.

book talk: accessing my inner french woman

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I've attempted it before. This time, it seems different, somehow. In the past, it's been abandoned due to to distraction, crushing food-guilt or just plain non-French-ness. But now, reading Mireille Guiliano's now-classic opus of French eating "tricks" and pleasure-willpower balance, I feel like I'm sitting at the feet of a wise oracle. 

Have you read it? If you have, what do you think? On this, my third attempt, I think I'm finally in the right head space to embrace my French heritage and cultivate my own je ne sais quoi.

Meatless Monday: zucchini

Hey all! Happy Monday. I feel like I've been going one-hundred-miles-an-hour today. How 'bout you?
I'm ready to unwind in my little kitchen, making some meatless grub for the hubs and myself.

What do you say to some zucchini pancakes? (or fritters, some people call them fritters.)

I'd almost forgotten about these yummy and quick-to-whip up little guys. I first fell for their charms when we first got married, and I discovered Ina's recipe for them. They were so delicious, and surprisingly comfort-food-esque for being made mostly of vegetables. I rediscovered them this weekend, flipping through my trusty new Moosewood cookbook.

Deb has a lovely (of course) post about them, and I think I'll definitely steal her ideas for condiments--especially the pinches of salt, the plain yogurt and the bit of minced garlic!

Hope you are warm and dry this Monday afternoon! (anyone making any yummy meatless meals this week?)

Meatless Monday: just bake it!

Over the holiday weekend, I found myself cooking up a storm. One of the things I ended up making was a "big batch of macaroni and cheese, following a recipe in FOOD similar to this one, but slightly different. There are a few suggestions for what to do with the giant pot of mac-and-cheese that ensues, and one of 'em is dinner tonight.

But for the life of me, I can NOT find this recipe online, anywhere. All I can tell you, is that the picture looks sort of like this...but imagine using already-made mac-and-cheese, a can of diced tomatoes (I'm thinking of using salsa), and maybe some cream to help keep everything moist? Anywhoo, it looks delish, and it's already half made. Dinner = done. Well, in my head, at least.

gird your loins

It doesn't feel like the holidays, yet. The Mitten is sunny, the grass still fairly green. No snow, really. And, I know I'm not alone in my slow-building "holiday spirit."

But, ready or not, here they come. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (!) and about three days after that, it will be Christmas.

I do love Thanksgiving--a time to eat food, reconnect with family, watch football, and reflect. I am always gratified by the communal attention we give to just plain being grateful, for big and little things. Our church has an annual Thanksgiving service that is basically an open mic--whoever comes can step forward and talk about what they're grateful for. It is my sister's and my favorite service. It can be, by turns, heartwarming, hilarious, serious, thoughtful...and it is secretly the Thanksgiving tradition that the two of us keep with each other. We both show up, ready to share our gratitudes and enjoy the bits and bobs our small congregation shares. Our own private, sister-tradition.

Here's another sweet Thanksgiving tradition (via You Are My Fave) that seems like it would be fun to start.

Wouldn't it be great to pass these little cards around to your family each year, and then collect them somewhere--in a small book, say? What an amazing record!

But before we get to the dinner, there are the appetizers. For the first time ever, my Mom is hosting the appetizer-portion of Thanksgiving dinner (we'll then walk next door to Grandma's for the main event). I'm going to make 3-cheese gougeres that hopefully look as cute and puffy and splendid as Martha Stewart's...

...and taking inspiration from Madame Fromage (as I often do), I will make her super-easy Maple Balsamic Pecans with Sea Salt (though I'll add some walnuts, too). You're welcome, Dad.

After all the feasting is concluded, I will not be shopping. I mean, I will eventually, but I am a hard-core anti-black-Friday-ite. Also, this year I want to be extra-thoughtful about gifts (i.e. carefully budgeted), which is why I so appreciated this budget sheet and this one-day shopping strategy.

What about you? Do you have any favorite (or groan-inducing) holiday traditions? Do tell.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Meatless Monday: sweet....potato

Happy Monday! Today, sweet on a certain kind of potato.

Think I'll make this pasta dish for dinner tonight. It combines the lovely sweet potato with bell pepper and goat cheese. (let's face it, though: I'd eat just about anything with goat cheese!)

But for sheer comfort, I'd have to go with this sweet potato gratin. I mean, doesn't it look like a healthier, more delicious version of mac n' cheese?

What about you? Any meatless recipes you're loving these days?

meatless monday: comfort food

Ok. I'm gonna be straight with you: I have exactly half-a-hormone left this month. In the past week, I have had a couple of mini-freak outs and an amazing craving for baked goods. If it contains pasta or cheese, I am making it this week, calories be damned!

This is one reason why I'm so grateful to Martha Stewart: she has an entire article on her website entitled "Meatless Comfort Food." I want to make this baked ravioli soon, so I can eat it. 

But, very soon after I eat the ravioli, I will need to make this stovetop mac-and-cheese. Omg.

Believe it or not, cottage cheese is one of my comfort foods. For this reason, my mouth almost instantly started watering when I saw this snack on Real Simple's site. I've also been enjoying cottage cheese with ripe nectarines for breakfast. 

What are your go-to comfort foods these days?