the Eve {and stollen}

Happy Christmas Eve! Hopefully at this point, none of you is working.   You’ve traveled to your families (or maybe they came to you!) or are getting there today, just in time.  We were lucky to travel to Dave’s parents’ in PA on Wednesday morning.

the best cornbread, seriously

I know that this is a strong statement, but this is seriously some awesome cornbread. I don’t know where you live right now, but Chicago is currently getting sacked with a windy, blowing snow storm.

My high-rise apartment is creaking in almost disturbing ways, and I am making due with the limited amount of groceries currently in my apartment. Thankfully, I had a bag of black eyed peas and some leftover smoked chicken to use up so I threw that into a pot with some onions and celery and some ground chipotle pepper for good measure. But, black eyed peas are just not worth eating without a nice hunk of cornbread on the side.

fall everything quick bread

How often when you are reading a blog during a break at work or thumbing through a Food and Wine during your morning commute, do you see a recipe and wish that you could go home to your kitchen and make whatever it is right now?

black and spotty

Isn’t it interesting that some things in life are better off absolutely fresh:  a perfectly plump red strawberry in a pint at a Saturday farmer’s market in June;  a french baguette that is still just a little warm to the touch; pan roasted brussels sprouts topped with some shaved parm; a mug of french press made with Intelligentsia beans that were roasted just the day before.  But bananas?  Give them to me black and spotted and just this side of being truly rotted.

perfect pizza

This post might be a little controversial here in Chicago. You see, I like my pizza thin, cut into normal triangle slices. None of this deep dish business. Or deep dish places making thin crust pizza (which just is never that good) and slicing them up into little squares. Deep dish has its place and it can be very delicious but it truthfully is more like pizza casserole.

nibbly thingies

Holiday season is upon us.  The Salvation Army bell ringers have set up on Wells by my apartment.  Christmas decorations fill the stores.  Thanksgiving Menus are being finalized and shopping lists created.  For the first time in my life I am getting to enjoy the holidays without finals looming, outlines to write and papers/memos to finalize.  Needless to say, I’m feeling the holiday cheer.  I’m sure that you have read about people’s turkey methods, pumpkin pie masterpieces and creative uses for the cranberry.  However, I am hear to tell you about a simple recipe that you could whip up to have as munchies in the kitchen while cooking your feast.

packed full

Can I let you in on a little secret?  My current kitchen obsession doesn’t revolve around my KitchenAid, or my growing collection from The Spice House, or gearing up for the Holiday cooking season.  My obsession lies with my freezer.

a homemade life’s banana bread

Have you read “A Homemade Life” yet?  If you haven’t, add it to your Amazon wish list and buy it as soon as you can.  I have been slowly enjoying Molly Wizenberg’s memoir over the past few months and I am just one chapter away from the end.  I almost don’t think that I can explain how truly lovely and beautiful this book is.  Molly has filled her book with stories and memories of her father, how she met her vinegar-loving husband through her blog Orangette, getting her heart broken in Paris and everything in between.  At the end of each story is a recipe or two inspired by the story.  They range from her father Burg’s potato salad to Little Corn Cakes w/ Bacon, Tomato and Avocado which she served at her wedding.  I have many recipes tabbed and listed in my “must make this as soon as possible” list.  

Memorial Day Baking

This was a necessary three-day weekend. After the whirlwind of law school graduation with families in town and much celebration, I immediately jumped into a week-long, full-day intro to the multi-state portion of bar review and ended the week exhausted. Then I woke up early on Saturday to run 10 miles. All I could think about yesterday was baking. After buying The Bread Baker’s Apprentice and finally getting over my fear of yeast, I really find baking bread over the course of a Saturday to be very relaxing.

Banana Date Bread

Andrea was right, this really is some of the best banana bread out there.  I was lucky enough to have my first loaf sent by Andrea herself, but thankfully, I have been able to make a few loafs on my own.  This recipe is also pretty healthy since it uses applesauce instead of oil/butter and sneaks in some white wheat flour.