Curried Sheet Pan Broccoli with Peanuts and Tahini

This sheet pan dinner is all about adaptability. Caramelized and deeply-roasted broccoli is my favorite base, but don't limit yourself. Feathery leaves of Brussels sprouts make a great substitute, or(!) tiny cauliflower florets. Even better, do a mix of vegetables (the blend in the photo is mostly broccolini with a few handfuls of shredded brussels sprouts). The creamy, under-dressing is tahini based, but almond butter or sunflower seed butter work nicely as well - all in the spirit of using whatever you have on hand.

One of the magic elements of this recipe is the pop of sweetness you get from using a bit of roasted dried fruit, don't skip, seriously. I like using golden raisins because they plump up, ooze a bit of sugary juice, and then caramelize where the juice hits the baking sheet. But if sourcing them is a challenge, just go for chopped dried apricots, or chopped dates. It all comes off one sheet pan, plated on a single, family-style platter.

Alison Roman has a brilliant version in her Dining In cookbook using cauliflower florets and dates. That was my starting point months ago, and this is where we ended up. A greened up third cousin of sorts.

You can see (above) I serve the broccoli platter alongside simple soba noodles tossed with a splash of olive oil, seasoned with a pinch of salt, and sprinkled with a mix of seeds. I boil the soba noodles while the vegetables are roasting, and it makes for a nice meal.

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Calamansi Beer Cooler

I'm excited about the Super Bowl for a single reason. It gives me an excuse to post this recipe. It's a beer cocktail. It's two ingredients. And you're going to need to make a trip to Trader Joe's to procure the special ingredient - calamansi juice cooler. Calamansi is a fragrant, bitter-in-the-best-way citrus, and when you combine the juice in a glass with some good IPA, over ice, it's going to be your new favorite thing. Pick up a 6-pack (I use Lagunitas) while you're calamansi shopping, and you're all set.

I thought I was going to have to wait until summer to share this, or maybe drop it closer to spring break, because beer cocktails in the dead of winter? Who wants that? I've been sitting on this for a while already, it was starting to make me antsy. Long way of saying, I feel like I have my window here, and THIS needs to be your two-ingredient Super Bowl beverage. Or, just skip the football game, and focus on the beverage. ;) I'm not typically about the hard sell, but this combination is greatness in a glass. If I owned a bar, with a beautiful outdoor patio overlooking the sunniest part of the California coast, and there was a Trader Joe's nearby (#notsponsored), this would be on the menu.

More importantly, remember this combo come summer, and consider this a practice run. I promise its a combination that can rival frosé, or even the best slushie cocktails....all the best aspects of easy-going, not too strong, daytime drinking at its best. Do it, and report back! xx!

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10 Beautiful Pictures That Will Make You Want to Reboot Your Kitchen

I've been putting it off for a while, but I think its time to refresh our kitchen, maybe this summer? Nothing too major, nothing structural, just a bit of an aesthetic update. It might be as straight-forward as a cabinet facelift, and rethinking the kitchen island situation. New paint color? Not sure yet. I think changing those two or three things could change the space dramatically, for the better. So, I'm starting to mull it over, and there are some considerations. Our kitchen has a cozy footprint, and dramatic high ceilings. The building is a historic Victorian built in the 1890s, which impacts what will work, and what won't. Like, no crazy terrazzo ;) Generally speaking, I'm thinking clean lines, but not cold. I like some of the fresh and trendy color-blocking and materials, but probably wouldn't commit to anything permanent - tile, counters, etc. I think we'd rather bring in those elements through easy elements like plates, planters, and paint. So! Some current inspiration:

1. Beautiful, distinctive marble island surrounded by white cabinets. Love this. Blakes London kitchen.

2. This Peter Ivens kitchen. I love the cutting board extending straight from the countertop, brilliant. Also, the contrasting natural materials, and the marble open shelving, really beautiful.

3. I love the flush cabinets, and the mix of open / closed shelving in this Mason St. Peter kitchen. Also, all the natural tones.

4. White on white on white with a kiss of metallic - featured on Design*Sponge. When you pull back you get an excellent pop of green as well.

5. I love the plush, color-pop elements of the SHUGGA bar stool and then the chairs in the Massimo Adario designed kitchen. In both cases, a bit of softness in the kitchen (which is often all about hard floors, hard counters, and hard angles)...

6. I love the idea of putting new fronts on our existing cabinets. Have a look at these shots featuring Custom Fronts. You can put their fronts on Ikea wardrobes, cabinets, and the like...

7. I love this Rose Uniacke designed kitchen from her Pimlico House restoration. The scale and layout of the space is very similar to our kitchen, with the same window and natural light. I like to refer to this photo because it helps me imagine our kitchen in a different way, even though the main elements are very similar.

I also spotted this version of the same space (pre-renovation?), minus the island - showing an alternative take on how the kitchen might feel minus the architectural element of the central island.

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Slow Cooker Miso Ghee Corn Chowder

I love recipes like this, dead simple and adaptable. You're looking at a creamy, delicious, slow cooker corn chowder. If you have a bag of frozen corn, an onion, and a few potatoes, you're well on your way. Wait, don't nod off! There are a few bright spots beyond the basics. In this recipe, you sauté the onions in ghee, but(!) clarified butter or olive oil will work nicely as well. And you season the chowder with miso, but(!) salt and pepper, or even soy sauce, ponzu, or a curry paste like this or this could take things in an entirely new direction. Try the miso version first, just because its so good. I guess all I'm saying is, don't let it stop you from making the chowder if you don't have one the miso or ghee on hand.

The recipe is an adaptation of the Miso-Ghee Corn Chowder from Slow Cook Modern by Liana Krissoff. I boosted my version with yellow split peas, for some extra diversity, and protein bump. Making it more of a one dish meal. She tops hers with a beautiful tomato-furikake salad, and uses fresh corn on the cob, perfect for summer when it comes. I've got mine topped with chunks of olives, and walnuts, and thin whispers of watermelon radish. And lots of chives.

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Slow Cooker Miso-Ghee Corn Chowder

I love recipes like this, dead simple and adaptable. You're looking at a creamy, delicious, slow cooker corn chowder. If you have a bag of frozen corn, an onion, and a few potatoes, you're well on your way. Wait, don't nod off! There are a few bright spots beyond the basics. In this recipe, you sauté the onions in ghee, but(!) clarified butter or olive oil will work nicely as well. And you season the chowder with miso, but(!) salt and pepper, or even soy sauce, ponzu, or a curry paste like this or this could take things in an entirely new direction. Try the miso version first, just because its so good. I guess all I'm saying is, don't let it stop you from making the chowder if you don't have one the miso or ghee on hand.

The recipe is an adaptation of the Miso-Ghee Corn Chowder from Slow Cook Modern by Liana Krissoff. I boosted my version with yellow split peas, for some extra diversity, and protein bump. Making it more of a one dish meal. She tops hers with a beautiful tomato-furikake salad, and uses fresh corn on the cob, perfect for summer when it comes. I've got mine topped with chunks of olives, and walnuts, and thin whispers of watermelon radish. And lots of chives.

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