Following Tradition: Cream Cheese Potatoes

Whenever I think of the meals served during the holidays, Cream Cheese Potatoes is the first that comes to mind.  The main dish may vary, as well as other side dishes, but this potato casserole has been the staple of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter meals for as long as I can remember.  They are flavorful but not overpowering, and taste better over time, so they can be made a day or two ahead and reduce the stress so often found during the holiday season.

Side note:  If you're traveling, I recommend cooking these potatoes in two smaller Pyrex dishes as opposed to a large dish.  This allows the food to be reheated quicker and is easier to manage as oven sizes may vary.

From my family to yours... :)

White Bean and Rosemary Spread

It looks like I'm on a total Sheryl Crow kick these days, because this recipe comes straight from her awesome cookbook, If It Makes You Healthy.  It's super simple - all you need is a food processor and several kitchen staples and you'll be on your way to making a fantastic white bean dip that's perfect for easy snacking or even a holiday party.

I might be speaking too soon about kitchen staples; I think the most important ingredient in this recipe is smoked paprika.  This particular type of paprika is most commonly found in specialty food stores.  If you're local to the Washington, DC area, you might want to check out The Spice and Tea Exchange at 1069 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, although it looks like they have locations all over the country.  They have an amazing selection of specialty spices and teas.  However, I'm sure regular paprika will work in a pinch.

Sweet Potato and Parsnip Mash

Sheryl Crow once sang out "this ain't no disco, this ain't no country club either..." well, whenever I think of this Sweet Potato and Parsnip Mash, which is made in a way similar to mashed potatoes, I want to sing out "these ain't no mashed potatoes".  While both potato dishes are delicious, this particular mash puts a flavorful spin on the more traditional white potato mash.

Perhaps my horrible singing is a reason to stop cooking alone, but all joking aside, these potatoes are quite good.  Maybe it's the sweetness of the dish, or the kick of the ginger, but the flavor combination has been a hit among many of my friends.  Just don't be fooled by the healthy ingredients; this dish is cooked in heavy whipping cream which negates any health benefits but joins the plethora of yummy treats served during the holidays.

Guest Bloggers: Michelle & Steve with Bison Sweet Potato Chili

My dear friends, Michelle and Steve, are amazing cooks.  They've made fajitas that make even the best Mexican restaurants envious - among other incredible dishes - and I always look forward to dinner at their apartment.  That's why I'm thrilled they fully documented their most recent kitchen adventure:  Bison Sweet Potato Chili.  While I haven't tried this recipe, the ingredients list is fresh and bursting with flavor.  I'm sure this chili would be perfect on a crisp Sunday afternoon watching football. 

P.S.  The good news is that this dish doesn't discriminate between the Redskins (Michelle's favorite team) or the Ravens (Steve's favorite team).  :)


Michelle & Steve being adorable.

Lemon and Fennel Risotto Balls

My last post on the Lemon and Fennel Risotto was a bit negative, I'll admit.  The risotto was delicious but not a quick dish; however, it completely redeemed itself when I made these Lemon and Fennel Risotto Balls with the leftovers!  Nothing like getting two meals out of a fairly complicated first round.  I especially enjoyed the risotto balls because they still contained the tartness of the original recipe while gaining the crispy fried outer layer from quickly searing them on a cast iron pan.

To make this into a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, I placed the risotto balls over a bed of fresh spinach with avocado and red pepper slices.  While I'm not sure these will be a regular in my kitchen due to the total time it required to make, I'm sure I'll be using the general technique with other rice-based dishes looking for a quick pick-me-up.

Lemon & Fennel Risotto

Ah, risotto...you have such a spotty reputation:  on one hand, you're delicious and flavorful; on the other, you're time consuming and patience-testing.

And this lemon and fennel risotto is no different.

For years, I've only heard negative feedback on making risotto and because of this, I've steered clear of ever attempting it.  In my opinion, it falls in the same category as roasted beets - good in theory, but perhaps not worth the effort and should be left to the professionals.  In any case, I was making a special dinner one night and decided to take the plunge and make risotto.  The result?  As expected...but it complimented a roasted herb salmon dish and even yielded a second meal of risotto balls.

Parmesan Kale Chips

Searching for another way to get your greens?  Look no further than these crispy parmesan kale chips.  They're actually quite versatile - they're lightly salted like a snack food but made out of healthy kale ensuring you get another serving of veggies for the day.  And, a light topping of fresh parmesan cheese makes for a unique twist that just can't be found on the shelves of your local grocery store.

Give them a try - it's a quick and healthy treat that's sure to be in regular rotation.

Sweet Potato Soup

Well, my faithful blog readers, I've returned to the blogosphere in (hopefully) full force.  I've been traveling a ton and that's had a huge impact on my cooking.  Let's just say that my meals have been average at best but I'm looking forward to an uneventful October to get back on track.

I work in downtown Washington, DC and, every Friday, my building hosts a fantastic farmer's market with tons of seasonal produce.  I picked up five sweet potatoes and wanted to make a soup instead of the more traditional mash or casserole.  Plus, I just bought a Cuisinart immersion blender and what better way to try it out than to make a creamy soup?

Food Photography and Thoughtful Communication

Ahh, something I love to hate:  photos of food.  With an iPhone.  I'm completely guilty of it; every picture on this blog is taken with my iPhone 4.  So convenient and so simple...why use anything else?

With the advent of instant communication, it's easy to advertise what you're doing, where you are, and who you're with.  Technology is continuously changing to satisfy our urge to flaunt our personal lives and many Facebook or Twitter posts seem to be without intent or purpose beyond in-the-moment satisfaction.  I'm guilty of it.  My friends are guilty of it.  But at what cost?

As I've gotten older, technology and social media have evolved to capture every moment, every feeling, every encounter.  Nothing is personal or private; our world is getting smaller but it's naive not to consider whether these developments are actually driving us apart.  Since joining Facebook in 2004, the product has changed from being a place to connect with friends both new and old to a haven of our best foot forward. As much as I'd like to consider myself a happy, confident and able person, I've found that it's nearly impossible not to compare my life with others.  I've been very fortunate in many facets of my life but I'll gladly admit that the constant infiltration of "perfection" on my Newsfeed has, without a doubt, taken a toll on my romantic relationships and, perhaps more importantly, my own self worth and values.  I want what others have even if it's not in my best interest or if the timing is off.

Technology and social media beg us to walk the fine line of staying connected or feeling devalued in our own reality.  Instead of focusing on our own journey, our own path, we see the paths of others and it becomes a life of the have and the have nots.  The simple solution is to power down, sign off, and generally disconnect from the world, but with that comes the risk of losing relationships.  Of course, old school options of communications exist, but quick, instant connections reign supreme.  I'm still trying to strike the balance between maintaining relationships in an online world while being comfortable in my own skin.

But, I digress.  This is a food blog and the intent of the post is to reflect on our obsession with food photography.  I don't believe that food photography is a new development; we've documented food for centuries in artwork, as a means of peace, and as a way of separating the have and the have nots. However, the major difference between past and present day food is the change in medium and the intent in which it's documented.   Just like any other post showing happiness or perfection, it's all in the message and I believe it's crucial for us to actively consider what we're posting before it goes live, such as what is the intent of my message?  Why am I posting this?  Is it to spread happiness to others or to merely show off the happiness I've found?  I'd like to believe that with strong, more identifiable and obvious intent, comes meaning and thus a more satisfactory life, whether it's with food or anything else.

I'll leave you with a fantastic quote from Stephen Furtick:

The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else's highlight reel.

Soft Pretzels

It's not very often I make snack food (although the Crescent Rolls were a bit hit) but when an event as special as watching the women's Olympic marathon rolls around, it's time to turn on the oven and cook accordingly.  A few friends and I got together to do what only nerdy runners do - record an entire marathon and swear off Facebook,  Twitter and the news for the day to avoid learning results - so I made these soft pretzels to help celebrate this special occasion and/or lack of internet contact.

I always crave a good soft pretzel, whether it be from my personal favorite Dayton Farmers Market in the Shenandoah Valley or the more commercialized Auntie Annie's version, they've always had a special place in my taste bud's heart.  Surprisingly, these soft pretzels aren't very difficult to make.  They're time consuming, yes, but oddly simple considering the warm fuzzy feelings they elicit.  Give them a try - you'll be very pleased with the results.

Fun with Marshmallow Fondant

I'm going to start this marshmallow fondant recipe with a disclaimer:  it makes a mess and it requires upper body strength.

If you're okay with that...proceed.  I've never worked with marshmallow fondant before, but my friend Cat suggested we make a special cake for our friend Liz's bridal shower.  Decorating with fondant takes some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you can let your creative juices flow.  I'm already thinking of reasons to make it again...in someone else's kitchen ;)

Pretty Lizzie cutting her cake

Coconut Rice

Yes, yes, I know I've referred back to the Chicken Yakitori dish several times in my recent posts (in addition to the actual post) but a lot of working and learning went into it, and since then, several other dishes have been based on the ingredients of that effort.  However, the coconut rice served as a side dish required minimal work in comparison but really completed the meal.  It's flavorful but doesn't require a plethora of ingredients - something I'm sure you'll appreciate.

And hold tight - there's one more recipe from the Chicken Yakitori/coconut rice extravaganza coming soon...

Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Sesame Ginger Dressing

I like to think of this Cous Cous with Roasted Vegetables and Lemon Sesame Ginger dish as a very lucky result of acquiring a random assortment of co-op veggies and Asian flavors from my dish last week...and, of course, goat cheese.  It's a power play of nutrients:  beets, sweet potatoes, red and green peppers, red onion, yellow squash and zucchini over cous cous that is sure to replenish and reenergize.

The dressing is spot-on.  It adds a certain sweetness to the dish and is easily complimented by goat cheese crumbles.  All in all, this dish is a quick, fresh meal that is sure to please for days to come.

Guest Blogger: Liz with Challah Bread French Toast

You may remember my dear friend Liz from a few posts back:  she is marrying a wonderful guy named Sal and we celebrated their engagement with Crescent Rolls with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Cream Cheese and Crostini with Seared Strawberries.  Now, it's Liz's turn to share a recipe.  She and Sal made me this delicious french toast dish after wedding dress shopping and a long run - as you can guess, it was well deserved and loved.  Take it away, Liz:

"Inspired by the French toast served at our favorite local brunch spot, I decided to try this recipe one weekend, and it has since become our go-to weekend breakfast. From lazy Sunday brunches to cooking for overnight guests, it is sure to impress. The slightly sweet challah bread and taste of caramelized sugar and orange liqueur are what set this recipe apart. It’s quick, easy, and pairs perfectly with classic sides such as scrambled eggs, sausage or seasoned pan-fried potatoes. Enjoy!"

Cooking with Friends: Guy Fieri's Yakitori Chicken

Last Saturday, I hosted eight friends for dinner and served an Asian-inspired meal.  Two of the dishes were straight out of Guy Fieri Food, one of my favorite cookbooks.  The main dish, Chicken Yakitori, was another labor of love as it took my friend Justin and I over two hours to prepare, cook, and garnish.    The second, a Thai salad, was much more straight forward but flavorful in its own right.  I'll share the recipe soon.

Back to the Chicken Yakitori:  one thing I've learned about Guy Fieri since owning his cookbook is that he loves to pack a punch, and, as a result, his recipes include many ingredients to bring the flavor he's known for.  The Chicken Yakitori is no exception:  without having Justin as my right hand man, this recipe could have easily taken the better part of the afternoon to prepare, but with a second set of hands and his expertise, we were able to complete the dish in just over two hours.  The result?  Absolutely delicious - we both agree that this is the best chicken dish either of us have ever made.

Justin and I celebrating a meal done right.

The World's Most Expensive Foods

Would you eat a $1,000 bagel at the Westin in NYC?  What about a $12,000 pizza in Italy?  Check out all of these extravagancies and more on Business Insiders 10 of the World's Most Expensive Dishes.

Guest Blogger: Joanne with Quinoa with Chickpeas, Garden Vegetables and Lime

I'd like to welcome my dear friend Joanne, author of Three Languages: What Happens When You Combine English, Spanish and Portuguese, who provided this delicious recipe.  Joanne makes a great meal with items she already had at her house, showing that you don't need to shop for hours for a healthy, flavorful dish.  Take it away, Joanne!

"First off, I am thrilled to be guest posting on Peace Out, Mac and Cheese. I’ve been an avid reader of the blog since last fall, and have been inspired by Lauren’s new twists and creations of recipes. Not only are they tasty, they are easy to make, which is something necessary for me, ashamedly a current mac and cheese eater.  

With some spare time this summer I have made it my goal to eat different, healthier foods. I am guilty of eating pasta with marina sauce almost daily, and have realized that it is crucial to expand my gastronomical repertoire. In anticipation of this healthy lifestyle I bought some quinoa and chickpeas last week, and today, after a rigorous strength training session at the gym, decided I should make myself a protein packed lunch. I knew I had the chickpeas and quinoa, but didn’t have a specific meal in mind. After scouring Peace Out, Mac and Cheese’s chickpea recipes, I realized that unfortunately I did not have all of the essential ingredients, so, I turned to Google for some research.  

After a few minutes I stumbled upon the perfect summer chickpea and quinoa recipe on allrecipes.com. With a few adjustments, I made it my own and it turned out splendidly! The recipe only calls for tomatoes and chickpeas, but I added some yellow squash, and you could probably add any vegetable that you have in the fridge—red bell pepper, asparagus, spinach, etc. I also used Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend of couscous, orzo pasta, and red quinoa instead of just plain quinoa. No matter the alteration, this summer chickpea and quinoa dish is sure to please.  Enjoy, and don’t forget to check out my blog about life in Spain, Brazil, and the USA, threelanguages.wordpress.com. Happy eating! J"

Crostini with Seared Strawberries, Fennel and Pistachios

All I have to say is:  make. this. recipe. NOW.  It's fantastically delicious and provides a bite-size burst of flavor.  And, more importantly, I made this for my dear friend Liz's bridal shower, making this the second post of the food served at the party.  It had rave reviews and I'm just waiting for an opportunity to make it again.

I found the original recipe on DCist but made a few alterations along the way.  First of all, the recipe calls for toasted french bread, but I found that it's much easier to eat on untoasted bread.  Besides, once the goat cheese and strawberry topping soaks through the bread, it becomes soft anyway.  Might as well skip a step, right?  Secondly, I'm allergic to cherries so I substituted with strawberries.  I'm sure this dish is great with either fruit but, naturally, I'm partial to strawberries.  Other than that - smooth sailing!

Crescent Rolls with Asparagus, Prosciutto and Cream Cheese

These crescent rolls with asparagus, prosciutto and cream cheese are the first of several posts of special dishes served at my friend Liz's bridal shower.  I'm the Maid of Honor for her wedding - she is marrying a fantastic guy named Sal - and planning her shower was a ton of fun and gave me an opportunity to experiment with new dishes and cook for almost 20 people.

The crescent rolls are surprisingly easy to make.  They're simply made of the Pillsbury-brand Crescent Rolls from the refrigerated section of the grocery store.  However, keep in mind that because they're filled with cream cheese, prosciutto and asparagus, they'll take about 15 minutes longer to cook than the rolls alone.  I recommend keeping an eye on them after about 20 minutes of cooking to ensure they're becoming golden brown but not burning.

Fish Out of Water, Into the Melon

A special post from my dear friend Peter Cilento, presented without comment: Watermelon Slice, Cheddar Goldfish Topping, Generic Wax Paper Plate, 1st July 2011.

Roasted Beet Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette

Beets are among my favorite foods but they're an item I rarely cook.  First of all, they're messy (see photo example after the jump) and they take quite a bit of time to prepare.  As such, I typically leave my beet consumption to the pros; but every so often I willingly risk stained hands and countertops for earthy goodness.

The salad I prepared earlier this week is fairly traditional - roasted beets, thinly sliced red onion and creamy goat cheese served over fresh spinach - but spiced up a bit with a tangy pineapple vinaigrette.  It's fresh, perfect for summer and worth the prep time - just be sure to invest in a pair of rubber gloves.  

Barbecue Galore!

Well, after a three month hiatus from the food blogosphere I'm back with several fantastic barbecue recipes just in time for summer.  I'll be honest - I haven't been cooking very much over the past few months.  There's been a bunch of travel and lots of nights out to eat that I just haven't had the time or motivation to cook anything of note.  And, yes, I may or may not have had macaroni and cheese a time or two.  Life gets busy!

Anyway, I have three sure-to-please recipes that will certainly make you look forward to weekend bbq's (as if you needed a reason, anyway).  Here we go:

• Pull Pork with Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce
• Beef Brisket with Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce
• Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

And, for kicks, here's a link the Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce.  I just can't get enough of this stuff!

Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Looking for a quick, easy, and flavorful side dish now that you have recipes for both pulled pork and beef brisket?  Try out these spicy sweet potato fries - they're the perfect compliment for any southern meal.

Pulled Pork with Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce

Okay - ready for round 2 of the glorious Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce?  This time, I made it for my parents over Memorial Day weekend in NJ with pulled pork and a traditional mustard-based coleslaw.  I mean, nothing welcomes summer like a down-home southern dish north of the Mason-Dixon line.  Well that, or a Snooki sighting but we just can't have it all, can we?

Anyway, the pulled pork turned out better than the beef brisket I made a few weeks earlier.  This is definitely a direct result of my parents far-superior cooking facilities and supplies; and perhaps getting minutely better at navigating the vast world of barbeque.

Beef Brisket with Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce

In my last post, I raved about the Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce that I'd been waiting all year to make.  Well, I've made it twice so far and the first time was for a dinner party with my dear friends Michelle, Steve, Peter, Chris, and Sarah (who make up five of my 16 loyal followers).  The sauce was used with beef brisket and I must say that the meal was very well received!

Like all barbeque, this dish takes time.  My brisket was made with a stovetop/oven combo but I'd highly recommend using a crock pot, if such luxuries are available, for two reasons:  (1) my brisket was a bit tough, perhaps it was cooked a bit too long, but I believe the crock pot helps in this arena; and (2) you won't have to stay in the house on heartbreakingly beautiful days like I did.  Either way, brisket is a real treat that we should indulge every once in a while...

Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce

Last spring, my coworker Lisa gave me a bunch of rhubarb from her CSA.  It was the first time I'd ever seen the stuff up close and I had no idea what to do with it.  Sure, I've heard of rhubarb pie but I'm not much of a baker so I set out to find ways to use rhubarb outside of the dessert world.  Thanks to my favorite cooking site, Food 52,  I found this fantastic Rhubarb Red Wine BBQ Sauce that complimented pulled pork so well that I've been daydreaming about the day rhubarb hit the shelves of Whole Foods (it's only available in late spring and early summer).

The sauce is easy enough.  I've tried it on both pulled pork and beef brisket and its unbelievable on both.  My only advice is for you to RUN (don't walk!) to the nearest grocery store and pick up some rhubarb before it's too late...and try this dish!

A Labor of Love: Ricotta Chive Gnocchi

Disclaimer:  DO NOT,  I repeat, DO NOT, attempt this recipe on a work night/before going out/any time you have a show to watch but TIVO isn't working because it takes hours.  I'm really bad at reading recipes all of the way through prior to starting them, so take warning.

However - if you do have a lot of time of your hands - this recipe is SO worth it.

Or, you can just cut the recipe in half. 

Regardless, back to the good stuff:  I've seen this recipe on the Food 52 website and often wondered if homemade gnocchi was that much different than store-bought.  In my opinion, it isn't drastically different but if you really get the basics down I think it'd be easy to experiment with different flavors that you most likely wouldn't find in a store.  The funny thing about this ricotta and chive gnocchi is that it doesn't necessarily get its flavor from the primary ingredients.  The flavor really stems from the frying at the end - but isn't that always the case?

Guest Blogger: My Mom (Roasted Acorn Squash)

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I'd like to welcome my mom as the first of (hopefully) many guest blogger appearances.  She made Guy Fieri's Roasted Acorn Squash recipe and highly recommends the dish and also offers tips to make this meal a success!

For my birthday this year, my beautiful daughter Lauren gave me the new cookbook called "Guy Fieri Food, Cookin' It, Livin' It, Lovin' It".  I was very excited to try a recipe from Guy's book.  I am a big fan of his show "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and decided this past weekend to tackle a recipe. The book has beautiful pictures which I love and after much reading I decided to make Roasted Acorn Squash with Turkey Sausage, Peppers and Goat Cheese. It sounded delicious, easy and somewhat healthy. All was true but I had a few mishaps on the way.  

My first challenge was cutting the acorn squash. Lesson here is to make sure you have very sharp knives something I do not have unfortunately! After struggling with that the next step was to clean out the seeds from the squash and save them to roasted in the oven. Guy suggests to rinse the seeds well which I did and dry them with a paper towel. Sounds easy except the seeds stick to the paper towel and were difficult to get the off the paper towel. The next step was finding the correct pan so the squash could in and a pan for the seeds to get roasted in. Again sounds easy except if you have a small oven as I do. After much juggling I finally was able to get everything to fit and start the cooking of the squash for 35 to 40 minutes. The next step of preparing the vegetable and turkey went smooth again probably better if I had that sharp knife but I did succeed! 

The results of my first recipe from Guy's book was great. Both my husband and I enjoyed it and I would make it again. In fact, I will probably make it for Lauren on her next visit home. Best part is the recipe had leftovers so guess what we will have the following night...which is just fine by me. Bon Appetit!

 Thanks Mom!!

Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce

Over the past few months, I've been making a very conscious effort to cut back on my meat intake so, as a result, beans have become my new best friend.  I'll admit that I still crave meat but not nearly as often as I used to, and it hasn't been completely eliminated simply because I'm still training myself on how to have a complete meal without it.  As a distance runner, I fear low iron levels, etc so hopefully more research and education will make the transition easier.

Anyway, this baked bean dish isn't entirely vegetarian as it has bacon which, in my opinion, adds immense and much needed flavor.  (This is an example of my lack of knowledge on swapping out this for that - how does one make a solid baked bean dish sans bacon?).  The dish is very filling and serves as a meal, and the measurements themselves makes a TON so be prepared for eating beans for dinner...beans for lunch...and so on. 

Roasted Vegetable Quiche

The Roasted Vegetable Quiche is the round dish in the bottom left.

I've made this roasted vegetable quiche on two separate occasions:  the first for a "Long Run Sweaty Brunch" with my track team here in DC, and the second just a few weeks ago for a tea party with friends.  So, it goes without saying that this quiche recipe was good enough to make not only once, but twice, over a year apart. 

I think what makes this dish just delicious is the roasted veggies - the crispness against the soft egg fill is nicely balanced and the blue cheese, well, that speaks for itself. However, keep in mind that when chopping the vegetables, it's going to seem like way too much to fit into the pie crust.  However, trust that it works out fine in the end.

Coconut and Chickpea Stew over Quinoa

Over the past few years I've seen many recipes calling for coconut milk and I never understood the hype.  It reminded me of the days when my mom and I would make virgin pina colodas before watching TGIF, and of course, 20/20 with Hugh Downes and Barbara Walters.  Turns out that the drink calls for the classic Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut while the popular food dishes call for coconut milk.  My bad.

Anyway, I found this recipe on The Kitchn and adapted it to what I had in my actual kitchen and with items I could quickly pick up from the grocery store (i.e. coconut milk).  The result was a somewhat spicy, flavorful meal that yielded several servings that got better over time. 

Veggie Lovers Soup

A couple days ago, I went to Whole Foods without a shopping list.  I don't consider myself a very organized person - I'm totally that person who only picks up clothes off the floor when guests are visiting - but I'm truly committed to planning out my meals for the week and buying only what is needed.  This is necessary for managing my time but also prevents me from buying gourmet cheeses, desserts, and other temptations at Whole Foods.

Anyway, I went a little crazy in the produce section and ended up with a ton of veggies.  Because this was unplanned, I had that "oh sh*t" buyer's remorse moment when I had no idea how I'd consume so many of them.  Luckily I had a few staple items in the kitchen, such as vegetable broth and canned tomatoes, and realized that I could make a pretty dynamite soup without having to make another (unplanned) trip to the store.

The other cool thing is I've made enough soups to not have to follow a recipe this time around...ahhh...progress.

Just a small portion of what I was working with...

Can't forget these guys!

Pasta with Basil Avocado Pesto and Julienne Vegetables

Not too long ago, the idea of making a pesto seemed complicated and almost foreign.  I'd only known it to come either in a jar or in specialty packages from Whole Foods, almost as if the difficulty of making such a flavor encouraged the simplicity of buying pre-made.  Looking back, I probably should have just opened a cookbook to see that pesto is simple to make yet can have such a complex range of flavors - just like this creamy avocado pesto I made this evening.  And, true to form, this dish has complex flavor but only took about 30 minutes from the chopping board to table top.  Sounds good to me :)

Pumpkin Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Dressing (A White House Recipe)

This pumpkin cake recipe is straight out of the White House Pastry Kitchen - how lucky am I?  This dessert followed the Beef Bourguinon I made for dinner on Christmas Day.  I can only hope that Barack, Michelle, Sasha, and Malia were enjoying this cake while on their Christmas vacation in Hawaii.

Anyway, as you can imagine, this cake is legit and might become a family tradition for years to come.  If you decide to make it, I'd recommend checking the cake while it cooks to ensure it's not over cooking.  While the recipe calls for baking for an hour at 340 degrees, mine was a bit over cooked.  I'm sure it has to do with the oven, and of course it still tasted wonderful, but I think it can be improved over time.

Christmas Eve Dinner: Beef Bourguignon

For me, Christmas Eve is one of those rare nights when all seems right with the world.  It's peaceful, spiritual and a time when I feel love is all around.  The last few months have been particularly difficult for me but I'm quite fortunate to have parents who support and comfort me through the best and the worst of times.  I wish I could return the favor to them tenfold - and while it's a lot to live up to - I thought making a meal that requires a lot of love would be a good place to start.  That's where the Beef Bourguignon comes in.  It may seem silly to think that a meal could even begin to equate to my family but, really, it's just a small token of my gratitude.

Also, some background:  This dish isn't as daunting as it sounds.  Just know it must be made over a span of two days; unless, of course, you're willing to wake up at 4:00 a.m. to start the process.  I love cooking...but not that much :)