twigs in a blanket » eats

what’s cookin’

lucia — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 05:32:51 +0000

Cooking for two in a tiny apartment kitchen can often turn out quite delicious, even if it’s by accident and without any counter space. I do a lot of improvising and never measure. Eyeball. Guesstimate. Taste test.

Typically the week we go grocery shopping I end up cooking every day that week, minus a takeout here and there. The following week we eat like crap. All of these images must have come on a shopping week unless I had to fight off starvation with our slim, barely stocked pantry and got creative.

Omelet with heirloom tomatoes, ham and basil. / Baked eggs with cream, sun-dried tomatoes and chives.

Cheesy chicken tortilla soup. / Asian dumpling soup with mushrooms.

Roasted cod with lemon, chives and fingerling potatoes. / Pistachio-crusted scallops with white wine cream sauce.

Baked potato bar with all the fixings. / Quinoa stuffed squash.

Pasta carbonara with peas and chicken sausage. / Frontera Red Chile Mole Chicken with brown rice and asparagus.

Caprese skewers with prosciutto. / Clementine pound cake with vanilla ice cream and raspberries.

I should really stop taking photos with my iphone. I know. Thanks!

know your greens

lucia — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:58:56 +0000

This winter I signed up for a produce share from the adorable people at the Green Grocer right by my office. Its not a CSA, but it is all organic. For something like $15 a week I’d get enough fruits and veggies to last David and I all week, maybe more. Not only did it force us to really eat more fruits and vegetables, it has got us eating produce (and different recipes) we normally would not.

Recipes like: beautiful rainbow chard with roasted chickpeas.

Kale and White Bean Soup. I highly recommend baked Kale Chips as well. They are amazing!

Steamed artichokes have been a Keller favorite since childhood.

Beets. Beet greens. Arugula. Love it!

And shaved fennel, which I thought I hated but now is one of my new favorites thanks to this Shaved Fennel, Celery, McIntosh Apple and Bacon Salad recipe.

(I gotta apologize for the bad iphone photos. Does not do all the great produce justice.)

Easter

lucia — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:55:00 +0000

I hosted my first holiday! And despite my cold, I’d say Easter 2011 was a success.

It was Kellers only. The original four, plus one face-licking ball-o-fluff.

There was ham and a savory bread pudding (recipe here).

Showed the rents all my local favs. A late brunch at Toast. A good run around the dog park. People watching in Wicker Park. Sushi dinner at Coast. And drinks at the Charleston.

Have you ever had a Moscow Mule? Vodka, ginger beer, and lime. I’d say its my new favorite.

NOW DANCE!

Summer Dreamin’

lucia — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:41:26 +0000

A few of the many reasons summer can’t come soon enough…

Farmers markets.

Tomatoes.

Caprese salad.

BLTs.

Fish tacos and cold beers.

Are you ready?