Recipe Shout Outs!

So my friend Jill has been bravely venturing into the cooking world.  I sent her a few of my favorite recipes, and then realized I should just put them all in one place in case anyone else is looking for some new dishes!

These are my easy, tried and true recipes I've been making for years.  They are the recipes I make when I want a surefire home run with the hubs, and anytime I want something yummy but am not quite sure what to make.  Here you go:

First up- the best broccoli EVER.  I'm not kidding.  Don't argue, just make it and thank me later.  Do it.
I usually skip the basil, just out of laziness.  It also works without the pine nuts, if you don't have them on hand.  For me, the real keys are the lemon, garlic, and parmesean.  Honestly, it really doesn't matter what you make to go with this broccoli.  Chicken, whatever.  The broccoli is the real star here.  I've tossed this with penne and a little extra EVOO and butter to make it a complete meal, and it was awesome.  I've also made a whole batch of this for myself and just eaten the whole thing by itself for dinner with a giant glass of pinot gris.  But who's keeping track.  Bottom line- make it.  

Ina Garten's Parmesean Roasted Broccoli 

Next up- an easy, fun meal for any day of the week.  It's so yummy, bright, and creamy all at the same time.  And you can kind of toss it all together, throw it in the oven, relax for minute, and dinner is ready! Sometimes I'll make a little cucumber salad to accompany.  This is from Cooking Light, which by the way, I love.  It's just filled with easy meals, and they include the nutrition information for every recipe, which makes it super easy to count calories.

Basil Shrimp with Feta and Orzo

Ok, going on- The following recipes mostly have to do with food, but also with dating a little bit... so singletons, listen up.  And Clement- earmuffs!

Here is the recipe I've made for boys (and anybody, really) when I want them to be super impressed with my MAD SKILLZ but don't have a lot of energy or time.  You will be shocked at how easily this comes together.  And your guests, boyfriend, whoever- will truly be impressed.  I promise!  This recipe is from Jamie Oliver's The Naked Chef Takes Off.  It's an awesome book, even aside from the minor (MAJOR) crush I have on Jamie.  He has a real passion for simple food and beautiful ingredients.  And looking beautiful.  Never mind- get back to cooking!

Salmon Wrapped in Prosciutto with Herby Lentils

Here's another recipe I've made for several, well, suitors.  Give them this, some corn bread, a beer, and they won't leave you alone!  I make this every year for New Year's Day, and just any time I need a little cozy food or want some extra cuddles from the husband!  This is also from Cooking Light.

Black-Eyed Pea Stew

For the grand finale... Martha Stewart's Mac and Cheese!  I swear to this day that this is the meal that made Clement fall in love with me.  I made this for him on his birthday a few weeks after we met, and a week later he said the big "L."  You do the math.

Perfect Macaroni and Cheese 

So there you go!  Just a few of my favorites- all fairly easy and well worth any trouble!  These are all so delicious and impressive, too- so make them for your honey and they will think you are amazing!  

XOXO,

Kaiti

  November has been great! Matt came to visit, and we had a great time walking around with him and enjoying some great food. Gotta say I'm a bit jealous of the sweet hat he picked up for himself at a haberdasher in the French Quarter.
  I also got a new job as a teaching assistant at Success Preparatory Academy. It's a great school where they work hard to excite the kids about going to college one day. The classrooms and halls are decorated with university pennants and flags, so I've email PSU, U of O, and other NW colleges for free stuff to get some hometown spirit in there. Another benefit of my new job is finally having a regular schedule. It's been great having real weekends with Kaiti, and I've been enjoying having the whole week off for Thanksgiving.
  Kaiti's in the kitchen right now, making Framboise cranberry sauce! It only needs a little so we're drinking the left overs. It's just the two of us this year, enjoying a quiet dinner, but not skimping on the food. More leftovers that way. Tomorrow we'll go out for her birthday and have moule frite at a cute little wine bar we like. We're also celebrating by watching a bunch of Meryl Streep movies that Kaiti hasn't seen yet. So far we've watched the silly "Death Becomes Her" and are still deciding what to watch tonight and tomorrow.

  Hope you're all having a great Thanksgiving! We miss and love you all!

Food and Holidays!

It's Kaiti here!  

Holy cow, this year is flying by.  Clement is going to post soon, I promise.  I'll make him.  He is happy and has a great new job, but I'll let him tell you about it himself. 

I've been in rehearsals for Candide at Loyola, and also got a role in the original production of The Money Box, a 60's style musical by Ricky Graham and Jefferson Turner.  I'm so excited about both shows!  

There are a million things I could tell you about... but like a good German girl, I'll just focus on the food.  Matt Q came to visit, and among the many awesome things we did, we ate at Besh Steak!  DELISH.  John Besh also visited Clement's work, and he gave us an autographed copy of his new cookbook!  It's a huge book with beautiful photographs.  

WE SIGNED UP FOR A CSA!!  It has been quite a transition moving from a city that is so focused on fresh, local, organic, and humane food to, well, Louisiana.  I love New Orleans, but they have not figured out the fresh produce thing.  And while we're on the subject, the recycling thing.  Don't even get me started on the recycling.  

Anyway, we found this cute little farmers market pretty close to our house.  They source local seasonal produce from nearby farms and do a weekly box!  They even deliver it to our doorstep.  We got our first box on Sunday, and I felt like a princess!  I've been sorely missing beautiful fresh food, and all of a sudden there is a nice guy bringing boxes of it to our doorstep!  

Here's our loot:

We got a giant bunch of green onions, collards, mustard greens, broccoli, arugula, cherry tomatoes, crimini mushrooms, turnips, sweet potatoes, a cabbage, grapefruits, oranges, and satsumas.  All beautiful and fresh, and so tasty!  The cherry tomatoes tasted like real ones fresh from the garden.  I had almost forgotten what tomatoes from the garden tasted like.

I really had no choice but to temporarily break my pasta ban and make this:

Homemade spätzle with brandied mushroom gravy.  Accompanied by cherry tomato and arugula salad with garlicky lemon vinaigrette.  

We still don't really have a respectable source for meat, except for the occasional pound of shrimp we buy off the back of a guy's truck.  It's legit, don't worry.  Turns out shrimp from the backs of trucks are the best shrimp.  Now you know.  

Thanksgiving is this week, and we are spending our first married Thanksgiving at our place just the two of us.  We are cooking a turkey breast and all the sides we can't live without, and found a nice Oregon pinot to have with dinner!  And, I'm not going to lie- I plan on enjoying a fair amount of bourbon.  We are in the south, after all.  

This might sound super cheesy, but I'm seriously so thankful for Clement.  He is a rock star of a husband.  He is so supportive of me, and makes me laugh and feel loved every single day.  I actually married the nicest guy in the world.  I don't know how I found him, but I thank my lucky stars every day that I did.  What are you all thankful for?

Friday is my birthday!  Clement is taking me out for my favorite dinner, moules frites, and of course plenty of wine.  The good stuff.  Anyway, 28.  ...I'm not afraid (yes I am).  But I did decide I need to make a 30 list- a list of things I have to do before the big 30.  I'm not quite sure what's on it yet, but I'll let you know.  What do you think should be on my list?  Should I scratch an item off the list on my birthday?  

Happy Thanksgiving to all y'all!  Tell us what your turkey plans are, what you are thankful for, and what you think should be on my 30 list!  

Lots of love and kisses,

Kaiti and Clement