Category: Cooking and Eating

For April’s “Menu of the Month” I got to do something I have not done very often before, host a brunch!

My lovely Sister-In-Law requested a fun and comforting brunch of Huevos Rancheros which I had never tried- much less cooked before, and let me tell you I was missing out. Crispy fried tortillas, beans, homemade ranchero sauce, eggs and lots of cheese and cilantro- it was hearty, flavorful and comforting, perfect to pair with (several!) Mimosas.

I’m pretty much a savory breakfast person, but when I go out for brunch, I firmly believe in a “waffle for the table”, because everyone wants a bite or two of something sweet to go with their bacon and eggs, so I couldn’t help but to serve some churro style waffles along with the Huevos Rancheros. I got the recipe from Half Baked Harvest– and they were simple to make, easy to keep warm in the oven and SO delicious- fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside waffles that I brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with A LOT of cinnamon sugar and served with caramel sauce to mimic the fluffy, sugary, crispy vibe of a churro- they were the perfect addition.

And, to offset the large quantities of cheese, butter, sugar and champagne I added a large, tropical fruit salad which we sprinkled with Tajin- another ingredient I’d never used before! It was a revelation and I snacked on fruit and Tajin for the rest of the week.

I am still getting used to be able to have gatherings after a year of being apart- and this one was a special celebration! A few weeks before our brunch, my brother and his wife shared with the whole family that they are expecting a baby in October! It’s the most wonderful news and I am already so obsessed with my little nephew I can hardly stand it. So while my Sister-In-Law will have to stick to plain orange juice until October, I am thrilled to have yet another wonderful reason to celebrate and be together!

I can’t believe it’s already March in Michigan! I also can’t believe how unseasonably warm and pleasant it has been this week. Usually March in Michigan is still pretty miserable, so I was so excited to be able to get into my garden for a little while yesterday and start clearing away some of what winter left behind.
Like most months, I spent what I am hoping was the remainder of winter cooking. I decided at the end of 2020 that I would continue my “Menu of the Month” dinners because they brought me so much joy- especially during a year when joy was sometimes hard to find, but for 2021 I have decided to change things up. I will still be having family and friends over for a special dinner once a month, but this year, I have assigned them all a special task. Their job is to select a dish- any dish- that they love to eat, and I will learn to make it for them and a guest or two, and have them over to enjoy the menu they picked out.
I ask my family and friends all the time what I should make and the answer is pretty much always “whatever you want!”, but this year, it’s all about what they want (don’t worry- I’ve saved a month or two for myself!). I’m hoping to expand my repertoire and make a few things I may not have thought to try. I’ve already had the opportunity to try out a few new dishes and techniques I hadn’t tried before, and so far the results have been delicious.

My mom was the first to claim a month and a dish, and in January she requested Mushroom Risotto. She had some on a trip to upstate New York and honestly, had asked me to make it a few times before. Still trying to rely on my ever growing collection of cook books for as many recipes as I can, I turned to “Cravings” by Chrissy Teigen for not only the risotto recipe, but for an amazing marinated steak recipe to go with it. Technically, it seems the steak recipe belongs to her Grammy winning Husband, John Legend, but the two dishes made a perfect combination. The steaks were marinated over night (I LOVE a recipe that I get to tackle at least partially the day before) and my mom, dad, younger brother and I hung out in/near my tiny kitchen and drank wine while I slowly and carefully added stock to the risotto, stirring all the while. I had heard risotto was difficult and fussy, but honestly- I really enjoyed it! I love babysitting something on the stove or in the oven so it didn’t bother me one bit. Although, if you don’t love to hover over your stove all night while your guests have all the fun in the next room- don’t worry! The fussy stirring part really only lasted fifteen minutes or so.

I made a simple arugula (my mom’s all time favorite salad green) and parmesan salad which really, there is no recipe for, and berries with Limoncello Cream by Ina Garten (we were craving something “light” for dessert after the holidays) and it was probably one of the most elegant meals I’ve ever made. We all agreed that mom made a good pick.

In February, my little sister made her pick and I definitely saw this one coming- she requested Pad Thai. She loves Thai food, especially the amazing takeout we get from the little place in our neighborhood so we were all excited to try a homemade version. Like the risotto, I had heard that Pad Thai was difficult mainly because it supposedly consisted of a thousand hard to find ingredients, but it really wasn’t complicated at all! I found a simple recipe online and only had to order one ingredient (tamarind paste!) online ahead of time. So, my sister, her boyfriend and I had a great time eating Pad Thai, and a simple cucumber and sweet chili salad which I will absolutely be making again. For dessert, she requested key lime pie ice-cream which I served with graham cracker crumble (because everyone knows the best part of a key lime pie is the buttery graham crust anyway!) and some little coconut drops from my Sister Pie cookbook. Then we drank a bunch of red wine (my little sister and I tend to do this together…) and for some reason danced to a lot of Phil Collins?

Side note- I also made the most amazing cocktails on this night! A week or two before, I ordered something called a “Lotus” at a local restaurant and loved it so much I went back a week later to order another one and ask the bartender what was in it. It was a combination of gin (my favorite), elderflower, blackberry and lemon. I made a bunch for my guests during cocktail hour and they were so pretty! But also so tasty that we never stopped sipping long enough to take a picture, so I guess I’ll just have to make them again!

I’m already pretty much “booked” through May, and I am looking forward to some of the dishes and menus I am going to get to try!

A lot of my family and I have been lucky enough to receive the COVID vaccine and are starting to be able to safely spend more time together- so between that, some delicious meals and some warmer months, I feel like I have so much to look forward to!

August is the Sunday of summer. There is such a sense of something coming to an end and, as a teacher, just like I get the “Sunday Scaries”, I tend to get a pretty bad case of the August blues. I knew that going back to school this year was not going to be the same. I’ve been bummed knowing that I wouldn’t actually get to “see” my students this year, and stressed knowing that we’ll be implementing fully online instruction for the foreseeable future. So, in my truest form, I combatted the end of summer anxiety by cooking and hanging out with my family. We did a handful of small, but very fun dinner parties through the end of August and into early September and it certainly helped beat the blues.

In August, I had my mom and dad over for dinner, just the two of them. They are my best friends, my greatest supporters and deserve a special dinner every single night and I was so glad to spend the evening with them.

I made Lamb Curry, Corn Pudding and Green Beans Amandine from “Jubilee” and of course, everything was amazing. Again, the lamb was great for entertaining because most of it was done beforehand, so my house smelled great while the curry simmered on the stove and we sipped cocktails.

Early in the month of August, I “casually” mentioned to my siblings that I might really like to own an ice-cream maker. A few days later, one appeared on the front porch and I have been making ice-cream non-stop ever since. Seriously, I’ve made at least one batch pretty much every weekend. I started with simple vanilla bean and chocolate which I served to my parents with homemade salted caramel sauce. Next I made chocolate brownie and fudge swirl (with chunks of Granny’s homemade brownies mixed in!), chocolate peanut butter cup swirl, salted caramel and heath crunch and cookies and cream. I can’t wait to try lavender, lemon, peppermint and pumpkin spice. I have been told by more than one reliable source that the ice cream I make is the best they have ever had. It is so fun and easy to make that it’s dangerous.

One weekend, we also had my grandparents over for a casual back yard picnic at my parents’ house. I made really easy chicken kabobs that I marinated in store-bought pesto and a simple corn salad. Then my Granny brought her delicious old-fashioned curry rice salad which we have all loved for years. I made cornbread muffins that I may have made…a little too big. We had a choice of a few different flavors of ice-cream for dessert and sat around the fire eating it while the temperature dropped a bit (which I love).

And then, after the first week back at school, we were all pretty exhausted and honestly, I didn’t really feel like putting on a super formal dinner party. Instead, we repeated our back yard picnic vibes and I made macaroni and cheese, curried meat pies and honey soy glazed chicken wings all from Jubilee. Everyone wore jeans and hoodies and we sat around the table in the backyard until as late as we could. Everyone feel asleep very full and very early.

So now I’ve been back at school for I think…four weeks? While the first weeks were pretty insane, I am hopeful that eventually, things will start to calm down and I may adjust to a new normal. The temperature has dropped signaling my absolute favorite time of year. I got out a few extra blankets and hung some mums in the front yard. I am so ready for fall. Fall is my favorite time to cook and eat and I can’t wait to start making cozy comfort food and burning many, many pumpkin spice candles.

For July’s “Menu of the Month” dinner I continued working my way through “Jubilee” by Toni Tipton-Martin and made the most delicious, comforting and easy-for-entertaining meal for my younger brother, his girlfriend and my little sister too!

We started with a special cocktail this month which was extra fun. “Jubilee” has an entire section of exciting cocktails and other beverages including something called “Calypso Coffee” which I’m dying to make once the weather here in Michigan starts to cool off (my absolute FAVORITE time of year!). In the meantime, we made many (many) champagne cocktails which included grapefruit juice, grenadine, a dash of bitters and a cherry- very festive.

The menu included Caribbean Roast Pork, Red Rice, Maque Choux (or fried corn with green peppers) and Buttermilk Biscuits!
For dessert I made a super old-fashioned pound cake with strawberries and whipped cream. Something about this cake was absolutely insane. It was soft and moist and rich in the middle, but the outside, especially the top, had this crispy, crackling, sugary crust- a large portion of which I picked off the bottom and ate before turning it out onto my cake plate. It was so. good. This meal was really just what everyone needs right now- comforting.

I was so long in writing this post! Truthfully, I’ve spent most of this summer worrying. I worry about the state of our country. I worry about COVID and trying to make sure I do my part to help end the spread and keep my loved ones and community safe (wear a mask!), but mostly, I’ve worried about going back to school. We are only just beginning to hear what that may entail. It’s so difficult to plan for my students when there are so many answers that we simply don’t have.

In the meantime, I’ve continued to try to do something good- share some positivity and happiness in the best way I know how when I can’t be in the classroom. I’ve cooked for the people I love. I just had my parents over for dinner last night for “August” and it was just like every recipe I’ve tried from “Jubilee”- comforting, calming and good for the soul. I’ll share that menu soon- but until then, enjoy what is left of summer 2020, and continue to be hopeful and keep faith that this time next year, the world may be happier and healthier than it is right now. At the very least, pick out some recipes you’re dying to try in case we are still in quarantine (there are QUITE a few here 😉 )!

My issue of Bon Appétit Magazine was a little late in the month of June. I kept waiting and waiting for it to appear in my mailbox as usual. I was so excited when it finally did, I read the entire issue in one sitting and quickly picked out the recipes I wanted to make for my older brother and his lovely new wife when they came over for dinner on the last night of June. The very next day, casually scrolling through Instagram, I learned that the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit had stepped down after receiving extreme backlash and criticism because of a photograph of him that was discovered online. In the photo, he appeared dressed in a “costume” that was racist and offensive. Immediately after, chefs, developers, contributors and many other employees of Bon Appétit and Condé Nast began to speak out, sharing that the photograph was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to the racism, hostility, injustice and inequity that went on at Bon Appétit and Condé Nast as a whole. All of this was, of course in the wake of recent, and widespread instances of violence and racism all over the county. I say “recent” but I suppose that’s not completely accurate. I have been saddened, enraged, worried and sickened as I learn more and more about the deeply embedded and complex racism that I know has always plagued The United States. As I observed protests and movements against racism, violence and inequality taking shape, I wondered what I could, and should be doing to address how I, personally, may have ever contributed to such injustice. As I was reading, donating, talking and learning, I was provided an opportunity, by Bon Appétit Magazine to step out of my very white world and examine what I don’t know or understand about the experiences of those who suffer deeply as a result of the ingrained racism of the U.S.

I decided that I could not cook from Bon Appétit for the month of June. I could not, in good conscious support a publication and company that was perpetuating racism, inequality and injustice. Still wanting to host my brother and sister-in law for a special meal, I stepped into my kitchen and examined my cookbook collection instead. I noticed instantly, and for the first time, that I did not own a single cookbook by any chef or author who was not white. And so, along with the other research and learning I was doing, I began to research black chefs, cooks, authors, bloggers and writers. I wanted to learn about and support BIPOC professionals within the food industry knowing that many are rarely afforded equal opportunities for success within the food world. One title I came across the most was “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook” by author and food journalist Toni Tipton-Martin. After reading some reviews, looking at some of the recipes and exploring Toni Tiption-Martin’s webpage, I ordered the book and waited anxiously for it to arrive. “Jubilee” is a wonderful cookbook, and the recipes are delicious and exciting, however the book also contains sections of text that teach the reader about the development, history and roots of each recipe. It celebrates the complex and diverse roots of African American cuisine across time and geography. It provides vivid and engaging descriptions and stories of each dish. It is the kind of “history book” I wish I could have read in high school (I loved cooking and food, even then). It was a joy to cook from. And so on the last night of June, my brother and his wife came over to my house for my “Menu of the Month” dinner. Many things were the same. I spent the whole day playing music and pacing in my kitchen. I stirred and baked and steamed my tablecloth and created a time line of dishes going in and out of the oven. I bought lots of wine and my whole house smelled amazing. However, this time I was honored to be cooking from such a special book. I am glad to have (just barley) scratched the surface of learning and and awareness and allyship and recognition of my own biases in regards to race.

I have already to begun to worry about school in the fall. I know that my role as a teacher is likely the one that will allow me to have the greatest impact as I aim to educate my students about injustice, diversity, compassion and humanity. It is a daunting task, and I have begun learning as much as I can about how best to approach these important topics in a high school special education classroom as well. So while I have a while to prepare for addressing these important topics at school, I am glad to have begun to think about racism, inequality and, my own personal biases as they apply to another important part of my life; cooking for my family and friends; now.

I don’t know what is going to happen at Bon Appétit. I have read a handful of posts and statements from BA staff calling for action at the company, expressing their knowledge of a need for, and willingness to change. I hope that one day, that change can happen. In the meantime, I am already trying to decide on a few new recipes from “Jubilee” for my July dinner. There are SO MANY delicious looking dishes, I’m having a hard time choosing. I look forward to continuing to expand my instagram feed, bookshelf, cookbook collection and repertoire of dishes to include and represent more knowledge and wisdom from BIPOC writers, authors, chefs…and am looking for recommendations! What else should I be reading, listening to, researching, cooking and eating?

While I take my time determining next month’s menu, please PLEASE take a look at the amazing recipes from “Jubilee” that I’ve made so far; Coffee Scented Short Ribs Braised In Red Wine and String Beans À La Creole along with a Coconut-Lemon Layer Cake- delicious.

I have dreamed about having a home of my own where I could host as many dinner parties as I wanted since I was a teenager. Every time I have special guests for dinner, my heart is so happy to look around the table and see who is sitting there, enjoying the food that I made, at the table in my home. Feeding someone is how I show them how much I love them and it’s always something I love to do, but I have to say, last night’s “Menu of the Month” dinner felt extra special. For some reason, it usually takes me several days- if not longer, after my “Menu of the Month” dinner to upload and edit all of the photos, sit down and write the post and share everything here, but this month, I just couldn’t wait! I am sitting down to write this less than twenty-four hours after serving this month’s menu and I have to say, this one was my favorite.

I am lucky to have a small, screened in porch on the front of my house constructed almost completely of giant windows that frame the view of the lake (sigh…). For a while I’ve wondered if one of the large plastic party tables my parents keep in their basement (I told you- we have lots of parties!) would fit in that space to serve dinner al fresco. Most of the month of May in Michigan was either pouring rain, lightning and thunder or eighty-seven degree heat, so when I saw that the weather forecast for the last weekend of the month was called for sixty-eight degrees and sunshine, I dragged my little wicker sofa from my porch, replaced it with one of my parents’ giant tables and set it for six.

The table and chairs fit perfectly and eating on the porch provided the BEST atmosphere. I got to use my grandmother’s beautiful white embroidered table cloth and some fun blue and white dishes. I gathered lots of pretty soft green Lamb’s Ear from my back yard, strung up some patio lights and lit tall white pillar candles and it was MAGICAL. All of the trees and grass on my street right now are so green and fresh and my house is surrounded by yellow wild roses, lilacs, the first hot pink peonies and of course, the lake. Once the sun started to go down just a little, we snapped some of my favorite pictures in the golden light.

And that doesn’t even include the food! I made Tri-Tip Steak with Tiger Bite Sauce , Charred Peppers with Lemon Ricotta and Cucumbers (although I replaced the peppers with zucchini because I couldn’t find them) and a sort of retro Curry Rice Salad that is a recipe of my Granny’s and an all time family favorite. It’s a very nostalgic dish for my siblings and me and it was fun to pair it with some new recipes. Dessert might have been the best part. I made Salted Pistachio Crumbles with Berries and Vanilla Ice Cream, which I made almost entirely ahead of time and then INHALED. This morning, I wished so badly that I had saved some of the dessert because I would have taken no issue with eating a huge second helping for breakfast. Does anyone else eat last night’s dessert leftovers for breakfast more often than they’d like to admit? No? Just me? Liar.

Anyway, this meal was my personal favorite so far (I think a few of my guest agreed) because it felt so perfect for summer. The best part was every dish was perfect at room temperature. I was able to get the steak to the table medium rare and hot despite a momentary grill snafu (thanks Dad!) but I might say the second helping devoured at room temperature long after the sun had gone down was even better. Both of the salads were perfectly fine to sit out while we lingered around the table late into the night and the dessert involved store bought ice cream which meant I spent more time on the porch with my family. My sister and I sang too loud to Taylor Swift. We sat and talked and let the candles burn just about all the way down (without a single drop of wax on Grandma’s table cloth!) and my mom told a few pretty classic stories.

The views were amazing, the table was beautiful and I have to admit I was pretty proud of the meal but the best part was, and always will be the people I did it all for. I cannot WAIT to do it again.

Brunch on porch anyone?