Gather ye friends and gather ye enemies because if there is one thing we can all rally around, it is tacos. That's right, October 4th is National Taco Day in the States. National Taco Day seems a little redundant. Even the concept of Taco Tuesday™ (Yes, it is an actual trademarked phrase!) makes me laugh... […]
Farmshare Chronicles: Place Your Bets...
No, no, we're not placing bets on horses or at a poker table in Vegas. We're placing bets on how well I can keep up with this season's farmshare deliveries. That's right. The 2016 farmshare season has arrived! And... I'm already two weeks in, BUT so far nothing has made it to the compost pile. […]
March Cravings : Asparagus
Spring = Longer evenings (yes!), warmer days (yess!), and ASPARAGUS (YESSS!).
Honey-Nut Whole Grain Pancakes
There's really nothing that screams weekend more than pancakes. You've got more time, less distractions, and more energy in the morning for something other than cereal or a cup of yogurt. You could probably even have the kids help or put them in charge (at least eventually). Growing up pancakes were one of the first things […]
Corned Beef Meatloaf with Stout Glaze
Today is the day many of you have (or had) corned beef cooking in your slow cooker. Tonight you'll have a lovely dinner with cabbage, potatoes, soda bread, and some Guinness to balance out the meal (I mean, duh.). It's a darn good meal and one I make sure to plan for each year. After that, though, is when it's time […]
Bacon-Cheeseburger Skillet Pasta
I don't recall eating Hamburger Helper much growing up. Though it's possible I've just been blocking the memories out all of these years. I did make a good run with HH, and its sibling, Tuna Helper, my senior year of college though. At least, when I wasn't mixing frozen vegetables with ramen and calling it […]
Kate's Brooklyn
Ah, Brooklyn. Beloved home to hipsters and cool kids. Flannel and beards. And, well, that's all I think I know about Brooklyn. I'm no frequent flyer, so my real-life experience of Brooklyn is pretty limited, but honestly, I'd probably love it. However, my cocktail experience is a bit less limited, so let's talk about those instead, […]
Porter, Caramelized Onion, & Beef Stew
/> Wily Winter - Why You Need This Stew Last weekend it was sunny, balmy, and beautiful out. This week? Cold, snowy, & blustery, but I can’t complain all that much because it really has been a mild winter. [Knocks on every single piece of wood in the house.] However, just because it’s been mild […]
February Cravings : Citrus
Welcome to my new monthly column "Cravings" where I'll be sharing the current foods and flavors that I'm craving. Congratulations, everyone! You have (mostly) survived February! February, the shortest, but longest month of the year is almost over and now we can really get to thinking about spring. Of course, spring is a bit mischievous. […]
Kate's Take: Denver-style Breakfast Biscuits
A few weeks ago my mom gifted me with some canned flaky biscuits. Now, I rarely buy canned biscuits because I have a habit of eating the entire can at once. One fresh out of the oven. Another while you cook. A few more with dinner and suddenly they're gone. So, yeah, no biscuits for […]
Philly Cheesesteak Fries
Ok, can I say something before we get into explaining the deliciousness pictured here? By now you've realized I like food. [I mean, if a food blog isn't evidence enough...] But often what I cook isn't, well, a completely "authentic" recipe. Sometimes I take shortcuts (like using a seasoning packet). Sometimes I recreate a restaurant […]
Chopped Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
I know a salad doesn't totally jive with my recent recipes, but trust me (no, really!) this one is damn delicious and worthy of inclusion here. Ok, fine, I'll shut up and tell you about it now. A few years ago a friend's girlfriend suggested we pick up this salad to go with some pizzas from a (now defunct) take-and-bake […]
Savory Bacon Pot Roast
Remember last week when I mentioned I'm all about comfort food? Well, we're gonna stay right in that zone for another week with some Savory Bacon Pot Roast. Yup. Bacon. Pot roast. It's a cheap way to entice you, but I'm betting it worked, right? Here's the deal, I know slow cookers are praised as the […]
Spicy Potsticker Noodles with Soy-Sesame Sauce
Spice up your night with a warm bowl of Spicy Potsticker Noodles. Soy, sesame, ginger & garlic make these a knock-out bowl of deliciousness! I know it's January and I'm supposed to be focused on wellness and clean eating, but the thing is, It's still cold here in the midwest. Salads (as much as I […]
Cocktail Remix: Spicy Blackberry Tequila Fizz
One major bonus of living near Chicago is a vibrant cocktail (don’t make me say mixology) “scene”. You can find anything to fit your particular whim of the day, whether it’s whiskey, tequila, rum, or gin. The curse of all that cocktail creativity is that menus will change seasonally and you'll find yourself lost and […]
Farmshare Chronicles: End of Summer Bucket List (Roasted Zucchini Wedges)
Here we are in the middle of August already! My facebook timeline is full of pictures of new shoes and backpacks and shiny-faced 1st day of school pictures. I looked out the window the other day and realized that, all too soon, fall will arrive, the trees will flame in to their fall plumage and […]
Farmshare Chronicles: Cuke-Aid 2015 (Cucumber & Herb Gin Cooler)
No, there are no famous singers or bands at Cuke-Aid 2015 (Hi, Willie, Neil, & John!). Just me, myself, and 12.7 pounds of cucumbers. That's the total amount of cucumbers I've gotten this season. I know it’s 12.7 pounds of cucumbers because I am absolutely that person who weighs her farmshare produce. This way I […]
Farmshare Chronicles: The Humbling (and Tzatziki)
On Sunday my sixth farmshare bag was delivered, which means I’m "just a bit outside" the proper posting schedule. So this week I’m cramming like it’s finals week and putting weeks 2-6 into one post. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to take part in a farmshare aka CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), you’re likely familiar with […]
Farmshare Chronicles: Cloudy With a Chance of Greens
2015 - Week 1 Ah, summer. The weather warms up, the sun shines, the days get longer, and farmers all over start delivering their bounty.* Well, at least two of those are true right now. It’s been rainy, gray, and mostly cold in Chicagoland the last few weeks, so one of the few fun things […]