Winter Veggie Cobbler

Cobbled Together
I’ll bet you any amount of money that the first thing you think of when you hear the word cobbler is peaches. Peach and cobbler are two words that are almost always used together. Imagine my surprise when I came across something totally different.

When it comes to vegetable side dishes, I tend to struggle to not make the same things over and over. When it comes to veggies, it’s easy for me to get into a rut. While looking for something else, I found this recipe for a Winter vegetable cobbler, and I must admit I was immediately intrigued. I have rarely seen a cobbler that wasn’t sweet, and I was skeptical that this was just a pot pie in disguise. It’s not. It is a legitimate vegetable cobbler that is great on its own and equally as good as a side dish.

Give this Winter Veggie Cobbler a try some night when you need to use all of the vegetables in the fridge and want something hearty and comforting.

Winter Veggie Cobbler Recipe
Adapted from Saving Dessert
Yields 8 servings Read more…

Coffee-Braised Short Rib Pasta

Comfort Me With Coffee
Even though it is still rather warm out, you can tell that the seasons are changing. It’s cooler at night and darker when I wake up in the morning. These changes have me craving sweaters, slow-cooked dinners, and rich and meaty pastas.

Over the weekend, we found ourselves in Berkeley for the Old Time Music Festival (my daughter was in the fiddle competition) which, happily, was right next door to the farmer’s market. During a break, we scouted the market to find some snacks and something to drink. As we were walking past a pasta vendor my daughter mentioned that it had been a while since we made fresh pasta and offered to make some for dinner that night. Since I am no fool, I said yes.

My tomato plant is currently going crazy so we ended up making a creamy fresh tomato and basil sauce for her beautiful pasta, but it got me thinking about this recipe for Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce which I absolutely love. It can be eaten with polenta or mashed potatoes, but I prefer to serve it over some fresh buttered pappardelle.

This, in turn, got me thinking about short ribs in general which are a favorite of mine and a must order for me anytime we go out to dinner. You just can’t go wrong with slow-cooked beef.

In an effort to branch out and try something new, here is a promising recipe for Coffee-Braised Short Rib Pasta. It’s similar to my favorite one but I love tasting what the coffee does to the flavor.

Coffee-Braised Short Rib Pasta
Adapted from Feast Magazine
Yields 6 servings Read more…

Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam

The Evolution of the Crawdad Lunch
In our family, we have a phenomenon known as the Crawdad Lunch. Crawdad Lunch does not, in fact, include any crawfish. Crawdad Lunch was born on the shores of Lake Tahoe when my nephews and my kids refused to come back to the beach to eat a sandwich because they couldn’t tear themselves away from fishing for crawdads off the pier.

An authentic Crawdad Lunch consists of salami, crackers (usually Ritz or Wheat Thins), and some sort of sliced cheese. On a good day, some fruit would have also been consumed. But, you know how that goes.

The Crawdad Lunch has evolved over the years. But, each and every kid still eats it to this day—parents too. The Ritz crackers will make the occasional appearance. But, lately, all the components have become more sophisticated. Though let’s be real, a lot of what goes into making the perfect crawdad lunch depends on what you have on hand.

Salami is still a staple. But, prosciutto, Coppa, or even a lovely little country pate will work. The sliced cheese has graduated from your basic Colby Jack to some tangy Irish Dubliner, a nutty Toma, or a creamy Brie. Bonus points if you get the snack-sized Brie. Fresh mozzarella is also a great choice. Fruit or veggies are no longer optional. I like the crunch of grapes or apples, but cold cucumber slices or carrots can bring the same satisfaction.

Lately, I have been adding some spreads to my crawdad lunch. Sometimes a little fig jam and other times a little pepper relish, or, my favorite, some pimiento cheese. Essentially, Crawdad Lunch is your own personal charcuterie board. And, I love me a good charcuterie board. Crawdad Lunch is just how I justify not sharing….

This recipe for Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam is easily adapted for a Crawdad Lunch. You can slice some brie and put it on a slice of toasted baguette or a cracker. Or, for the truly unapologetic cheese lover, just dollop a little bit of the jam on the brie bites and shove it all in your mouth…heaven!

Brie Toasts with Bacon Plum Jam Recipe
Adapted from Taste of Home
Yields about 30 toasts Read more…

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies

What’s The Tea?
I lived in the Pacific Northwest during the early 90s when the Starbucks mania was just getting rolling. And, I embraced it with abandon. To say I like my coffee would be an understatement. It is a daily routine that I find non-negotiable to start my day on a good note. The days when it doesn’t happen are rough…for everyone. My favorite part of camping, when we go camping, is the ritual of making campsite coffee. And, frankly, coffee never tastes as good as it does at the campsite.

However, if my back was to the wall and I had to make a life-or-death choice between coffee or tea, I would pick tea. Every time.

I love my coffee, yes. But I can’t drink a lot of it. I have one coffee a day. Two at the max. Why? Because the way I take my coffee is not conducive to good health. I like my coffee with quite a bit of cream. 2% doesn’t cut it. And while I like my coffee sweet, I do not like it super sweet. And, I do like it with a bit of vanilla flavor. In other words, my coffee is high-maintenance.

My tea is a different story…

I will drink my coffee in the morning. And, for the rest of the day, If I am not drinking water, I am drinking tea. I like it hot. I like it iced. I like it black, and I like it green. I like it freshly steeped or right out of the bottle.

What don’t I like? Sugar. I do not like sweet tea which is fortunate because it makes it easy to grab a mug of hot water, toss in my favorite bag of tea, and get on with my afternoon. Full disclosure, most of the time I am drinking a decaf version of tea or something herbal. Given the amount of tea I drink, if I always drank high-octane tea, I would be a jittery maniac.

Earl Grey is my tea of choice either way. I blame my grandmother. She always had a cup of Earl Grey with a slice of lemon at night. No sugar. I guess that is where I got hooked. Although, I do leave out the lemon. I’d rather have a cookie or two than the lemon. But, that’s just me. But, if you can combine all three into a convenient package like these, so much the better!

Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Adapted from Sugar and Soul
Yields 36 cookies

Crisp and buttery, these Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies have just five ingredients plus an easy lemon glaze. They are great for parties, tea time, and they make a delicious snack. And, The longer these cookies sit, the more intense the flavor will become. Read more…