Things I Love Thursday // 5.27.21

A Jolt of West Coast Love

My girlfriend, Jillian, scored an incredible deal on a flight out to Charlotte from San Diego last week and I couldn't have been happier to see her and to have some time together to catch up! Jillian and I met in grad school way back in the day. When we first moved to Charlotte, she was the only person I knew and she did an amazing job welcoming my family and showing me all the best spots! A couple short years later, Jillian took new job teaching at the University of San Diego and off she went (who could blame her?). It was fun switch roles a bit this week and take her to a couple of Charlotte's new destinations. The city has exploded in the few years she's been away! Cheers to our next visit, I already miss you! (And she heard about the flight deal through an app called Hopper.)

Yard Updates/Refresh

This yard project is so overdue. The easement beside our lot is missing a sidewalk. The city just never put one in. Over the years, the grassy area has been encroached upon by neighboring fescue seed (that's competing with our zoysia) and it's basically an eyesore. Additionally, the ivy (NOT planted by me) is out of control and taking over everything all around the yard. You all know I love my houseplants; however, yard work/pruning/weeding is not my jam. Unfortunately, the landscaping around this house has suffered from our own neglect and mismanagement. We are finally addressing a few of the more problematic areas and I'm very excited to share the progress with you. Here's just a small sneak peak of what's coming: 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

OMGoodness. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a book I've had on my "to-read" list for YEARS and I finally got around to picking it up. Geneva had it checked out from the library and recommended I not put it off any longer. I read it in a day --at the expense of everything else I was supposed to accomplish. Some books are like that. This was one of them. My friend, Tracie, says the movie is one of her all-time favorites. It's directed by the author of the book so I have high hopes. Have you read the book? Seen the movie? Both??

Knock Off Birkenstocks

The first time I saw the yellow suede pair of Arizona Birks on my friend, Laura, I wanted a pair of my own. However, the holidays were coming and I was making a real effort not to buy myself anything so I waited. Of course, they sold out and have never become available again (unless you want them lined in shearing  --which I do not). Anyhoo... flash forward to last week when I was INFLUENCED on Instagram into checking out the Amazon knock-offs. They're really kinda great! However, I will say, like actual Birkenstocks, these also take a little time to break in. The bonus is they have a nice cushion under the heel --which the real ones lack. They come in tons of colors and are true to size. 

Cauliflower [Florets] with Chipotle-Cashew Sauce

The recipe, from Milk Street Magazine (November/December 2019), actually calls for cauliflower steaks --but I'm super lazy and subbed prepared cauliflower florets from the bag instead. Wow. This dish was packed with flavor and I loved every bite! Whether you use 2 pounds of steaks or florets, you'll toss in olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper and roast until fork-tender in a 450º oven 20-30 minutes (flip halfway if you're doing steaks). Here's the magic: To make the sauce, stir together 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 finely grated medium garlic clove, 3/4 cup chopped roasted cashews, 1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (mined), 2 tablespoons adobo sauce, 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup neutral oil (I used olive oil), and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon over the warm cauliflower. Prepare to be wowed. 

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Recipe Review | Voltaggio Brothers' Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette

I know, I know… you hate brussles sprouts. But wait! You haven't tried these ones yet. Yo, that's BACON and tart apples up in there (smokey, crunchy, sweet). Yum. 

If you watched Bravo's Top Chef Las Vegas (season 6), then you're already familiar with these two. They are Michael and Bryan Voltaggio and both found themselves in the top 3 finale. Ultimately, Michael won the competition and his brother took second place. Good stuff!

Here's their recipe for a delicious and satisfying veggie dish (+ bacon). 

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Dijon Vinaigrette 

(via Cooking Channel)

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What you need for the Vinaigrette:

8.5 ounces of canola oil

6 ounces of olive oil

3.5 ounces of sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

What you need for the Sprouts:

2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved

8 ounces double-smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium yellow onion, julienned

2 tablespoons butter

2 green apples, peeled and sliced (I cubed mine to ensure more crunch with the final result.)

3 fresh sprigs of thyme

freshly ground black pepper

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What to do:
1. Mix all of the Vinaigrette ingredients in a blender until fully incorporated, set aside.
2. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil; salt generously (until it tastes like sea water). Separately, create an ice bath by filling a large bowl with half ice and half water. (You will "shock" or stop the cooking process with the ice bath.)
3. Add the brussels sprouts to the boiling water and cook until tender (only 2-3 minutes!); remove the sprouts and place them directly into the ice bath. Leave them in the ice bath until they are cool, then remove them from the water and set aside.
4. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy (about 7 minutes).

5. Add the onions and cook until softened (another 5 minutes).
6. Melt the butter in the pan and then add the apples and thyme. Toss to coat. Cook another 2 minutes.

7. Add the brussels sprouts, salt and pepper. Cook until the sprouts are golden brown (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally.

8. Remove the thyme sprigs and discard.
9. Drizzle half the Vinaigrette and toss. Serve the remaining Vinaigrette on the side. (I encourage you to serve a hefty glass of chilled Chardonnay on the side as well!)

***To stretch the leftovers, I tossed them with cooked fettuccini noodles and then used the leftover Vinaigrette as a light sauce for a hearty pasta dish.

Cheers and enjoy!

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Recipe Review | Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Quinoa + Cranberries

When Thug Kitchen posted this recipe to Facebook on Thursday I knew I would make it right away. I've been obsessed with Quinoa lately (cauliflower too, I'm told) and I had all of the ingredients on-hand. I'd also been planning to make a Balsamic Pork Roast and this seemed like a terrific side dish. Getting back to the subject of obsessions, if you're not offended by extremely foul language, you MUST check out Thug Kitchen. TK offers legitimately creative, healthy, delicious, and often vegetarian/vegan dishes in an "unconventional" voice. I personally cannot wait for the cookbook to come out. One thing is certain, I'll need to ensure the book doesn't fall into any little hands around here! Having said that, these same little hands were busy Friday night scooping bite after bite of this tasty dish. I hope you try it. In my opinion, it is Thanksgiving worthy.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Quinoa + Cranberries
(via Thug Kitchen)
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What you need:
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cup water
pinch of salt
1/3 cup toasted almonds*
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (I used flat-leaf parsley because I like it better)
1/8 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
(for the dressing):
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon olive oil
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What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Toss the brussels sprouts with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes on a shallow baking pan, turning halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring the quinoa, water, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes until the water is fully absorbed. Place the roasted sprouts and quinoa in a large serving bowl.
3. Whisk your dressing ingredients together and pour over the sprouts/quinoa. Mix well.
4. Add almonds, cranberries, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix again.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

* To toast nuts, place them in a nonstick pan over medium heat and stir frequently. When the nuts begin to brown and become fragrant, remove them to a cool dish. Be mindful--nuts burn easily and burnt nuts can ruin a dish.

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Recipe Review | Roasted Green Beans + Mushrooms + Cauliflower

Here's an easy and delicious side dish I recently pinned. I adjusted the recipe slightly because I had half a head of cauliflower on-hand and wanted to not let it go to waste. I'm sure the recipe would be just as delicious without the cauliflower. In addition, it would be tasty with other veggies subbed or added as well (asparagus, broccoli, red onions, carrots). I served these roasted veggies on the side of mini meatloaves (that I've loved making lately in my cupcake tin). You could easily prep the dish ahead of time and leave the ziplock in the refrigerator until you're ready to roast.

Roasted Green Beans + Mushrooms + Cauliflower
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What you need:
8-10 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick (I used precut crimini)
1 pound green beans, trimmed (I used pre-trimmed french beans)
1/2 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1.5 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 1.5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
(The original recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. I forgot to add this. The result was quite tasty without it.)
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What to do:
1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Place your veggies in a gallon-sized ziplock bag.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together your oil and vinegar.
4. Pour the vinaigrette into the bag and seal. Shake and move the veggies around until coated.
5. Spread the vegetables out on a rimmed baking sheet.
6. Roast 20-30 minutes, turning halfway through and testing for doneness at 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper (add the parmesan at this point).

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Recipe Review | Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas with Mustard + Parsley

The following recipe is from Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook,  It's All Good. You may or may not be aware that I have a somewhat serious addiction to cookbooks and cooking magazines. I love them. This book is particularly gorgeous--filled with beautifully styled "food porn" (aka, amazing pictures of food) and fresh, "candid-feeling" photos of Mrs. Martin both with and without her children, cooking, relaxing, eating, and generally looking fabulous and healthy. 

Roasted Cauliflower + Chickpeas with Mustard + Parsley

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What you need:

A 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed, drained, and dried in a kitchen towel

1 head of cauliflower, outer leaves removed and discarded, cut into bite-sized florets

Extra virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon seeded mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley 

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What to do:

Preheat the oven to 400F and set the rack in the middle.

Toss the chickpeas and cauliflower together in a large roasting pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Roast, stirring now and then, until everything is dark brown and the cauliflower is quite soft, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the mustards, vinegar and 1/4 cup of olive oil with a big pinch of salt and a few healthy grinds of black pepper. While the chickpeas and cauliflower are still warm, toss them with the mustard dressing and the parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Delicious as a satisfying side dish, I would also enjoy this for lunch with a slice of crusty French bread (and maybe a glass of white wine). 

Piper declared it a winner by summarizing this way, "Some people might look at this and think that it will not taste very good. But it really does taste very good, Mom." My guess is that by "some people" she meant other 6 year-olds--because I thought it looked beautiful and tasty!

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