Herb Ricotta Agnolotti with Sauteed Vegetables and Brown Butter and Sage Sauce

Seasonal Pantry (1314 9th Street, NW Washington, DC) is a new local food shop in the heart of Shaw.   They're known for incredibly fresh products and offer seasonal clubs, such as an ice cream club and even a supper club.  During September, they offered a Pasta Club with several types of pasta.  My favorite is the herb ricotta agnolotti.  It's flavorful and delicious and perfect for fall.

A walnut pesto was provided with the pasta, but I'm slightly allergic to nuts and in observance of safety, decided to make a brown butter and sage sauce with sauteed butternut squash, carrots, string beans and yellow squash.  The result?  A warm, healthy meal with a savory edge.

Making the Most of What You Got: Soft Taco Night

There are times when you know you're making a great dish, and other times you just have to wing it.  Thursday night was one of those nights.  I had a random assortment of items in the kitchen and wanted to use all of them because I'm taking a mini-vacation in Kiawah Island, SC, this weekend.  I opted to make soft tacos since I had fresh wraps from Whole Foods that were sure to go bad and a bunch of cilantro.  So, here goes nothing...

My Partner in Crime

My cat, Peter, is my official partner in crime in the kitchen.  He is fascinated with anything I do in there.  He isn't begging...he is simply observing the action.  Maybe he'll start his own blog some day :)

Back from El Salvador, Back to the Kitchen

About a week and a half ago, I had the privilege of traveling to El Salvador for work.  It was a whirlwind of a trip - I found about about 5 days before departure that I would be traveling to the country to train the USAID Mission on the Google Apps Suite.

El Salvador is a gorgeous country.  Gorgeous people.  And, of course, gorgeous food.  Unbelievable food at that.  Everything I had, from filet mignon, to pupusas, to fruit, was fresh and flavorful.  I attribute this to most of the food being local.  The idea of "local" is something that is preached here in the United States, but I think that local food is the norm in El Salvador.  Perhaps it's because of the climate, the vast farmland, the type of jobs available, or a mix of all three, but it was truly a treat experiencing the local cuisine of the country. 

As you can guess, it took me be a while to get back into the swing of things, and tonight (9/18/11) I'm finally back in the kitchen cooking a homemade meal.  I'll post about it soon...glad to be back!