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Good (Food) Reads

June 1, 2016 By Holly 3 Comments

Well, with Memorial Day now complete, Summer is (unofficially!) here, right? Summer is such a great time to be a home cook. With an abundance of inexpensive, fresh produce and weather that encourages grilling and fresh, simple preparations of food, this season is a wonderful time to try out new recipes and find some favorites to add to the family playbook. This week’s Good (Food) Reads is a collection of the recipes I’m inspired by and can’t wait to try in the next few weeks. What summer time bites are you itching to make?

The picture above is a quick and easy dinner from the geniuses over at Dinner: A Love Story. It’s Roasted Salmon with Yogurt-Mustard Dill Sauce and it’s fantastic and comes together in less than 20 minutes! A total weeknight winner.

Barbecued Red Onion Chutney. Just in time for Grill Season! (via the New York Times)

Smokey Lime-Chile Dipping Sauce. Another NYT feature great for the grill. I can’t wait to try it with grilled shrimp skewers.

Love this breakdown of the mason jar salad phenomenon from Cook Smarts. Perfect for summer picnics or to shake up a work lunchtime routine.

Honey Mustard Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Salad. I’m not sure with all of that goodness it should count as a salad, but hey! who am I to discriminate? This dish will be happening ASAP in my house.

Roasted Carrots with Tequila Lime Yogurt Sauce from Against All Grain. Danielle always has such great grain free options. I love the addition of tequila to the yogurt sauce. Seems like a great way to get the men in your life to eat more vegetables!

Grilled Romaine and Tomato Salad with Bacon and Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles. Talk about a recipe that combines the best of summer – fresh produce and the grill. Oh, and don’t forget the bacon. Seriously.

Crack Broccoli. Enough Said.

Roasted Broccoli and Lemony White Beans with Bacon from Heartbeet Kitchen. Amanda’s blog is so beautiful, it makes me want to make one of everything. This fabulous recipe is next on my list! I’m thinking it might be a great take to work salad for those days when I need a little pick me up.

Tunisian Chicken with CousCous and Green Harissa Yogurt Sauce via Feasting at Home. Feasting at Home is a new to me blog that I am absolutely loving. I can’t get over how beautiful the green harissa sauce against the spiced chickpeas. I really love that she provides a vegetarian option as well. I’m filing this one away for a meatless Monday!

Until next week…enjoy these Good (Food) Reads and send us your favorites!

Good (Food) Reads

May 25, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe it’s already time for another Good (Food) Reads! This week is cruising by and it’s almost time for Memorial Day Weekend! The unofficial kick-off to summer is always a great weekend to try out new grilling recipes and party foods. What are your foodie plans for the holiday weekend? Perhaps some of this week’s Good (Food) Reads links will inspire you to try something new! So, here we go…

Revel in the Bounty of Spring: An article about one of my favorites, Yottam Ottolenghi. Featuring this gorgeous recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Caper Salsa and a gorgeously rustic Celebration Cake. These would be perfect additions to any Memorial Day party!

Blackened Salmon Burgers with Herbed Cream Cheese. Because I still can’t get over everything on Half Baked Harvest! I can’t wait to try these for a summer BBQ in place of traditional burgers. Wouldn’t they be great with sweet potato fries?

An interesting look at a darker side of the Farm to Table movement. I love the idea of supporting local growers and eating in a more responsible way, but has the food industry taken advantage of people’s excitement over the movement? Food for thought.

Lemon Olive Oil Cookies from A Calculated Whisk. These look so great. I recently picked up a bottle of Blood Orange Olive Oil from The Queen Creek Olive Mill (an Arizona favorite!) and may have to adapt the recipe to use my new treat. Oh, and bonus! The cookies are gluten/grain/dairy free!

General Tso’s Cauliflower. A twist on a total Chinese take out classic, from Pinch of Yum. It’s not exactly what I’d call “healthy” food, but man, does it look good!

Panzanella with Marinated Chickpeas and Chimichurri via How Sweet Eats. You guys, this is SALAD with BREAD. And chimichurri (Lane – another one for you!). Making immediately.

Salt and Vinegar Potato Hash. I can’t even tell you how excited I am to make this dish. Mostly because I have a serious salty-tooth (is that a thing?). Salt and Vinegar anything and I’m in. Especially when it involves carbs.

Finally, this is not at all a foodie thing, but if any of you guys are on Snapchat, you need to follow the Everest No Filter account. It’s amazing. You’re welcome.

Until next week…

Good (Food) Reads

May 18, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

Oh you guys, there are soooo many goodies for this week’s Good (Food) Reads that I think we just need to dive right in!

This recipe is for Lane, who LOVES a go0d chimichurri! Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri from Half Baked Harvest. I’ve really been loving Tieghan’s blog lately and am blown away by how young she is and how great her site is. Definitely check it out!

Loaded Greek Quinoa Salad (also from HBH). I told you guys that I was really loving this blog lately. Can’t wait to make this one for a healthy, colorful dinner. I love to make a big batch of quinoa in my pressure cooker for the week and this would be a perfect excuse to double it up.

Crab Cakes, Baltimore Style with Remoulade Sauce. A cajun take on an east coast classic from the NYT. I am really particular about my crab cakes (I’m obsessed with the crab cakes at Legal Seafoods in Boston. They are THE BEST.) and these seem like a fun take on the original.

Throw away all of those articles on how to clean your sheet pan. Check out this article on epicurious on why we should be embracing those seasoned old pans. The lazy girl in me loves stuff like this!

Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Kabobs from local favorite, A Farmgirl’s Dabbles. I’m always looking for summer grilling recipes and this one is right up my alley. I will probably skip the pre-seasoned chicken and use organic free range chicken with some lemon pepper seasoning but otherwise, what an easy option for a weeknight dinner!

Arepas!!! As mentioned in the post, Minneapolis has fallen in love with these South American treats thanks to local cult favorite, Hola Arepa. Lindsay from Pinch of Yum takes on my new obsession here.

I’m super intrigued by this recipe for Slow Cooker Lo Mein from Damn Delicious. Has anyone tried it? Do the noodles get mushy?

Well, that’s what we’ve got for you this week. Send us your foodie favorites on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

Good (Food) Reads: Cinco de Mayo and More

May 4, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

It’s Wednesday and time for another Good (Food) Reads. The internet was particularly full of foodie riches this week so grab a cold beverage, cozy up, and get ready to find your foodie inspiration!

First, excuse the less than quality iPhone photo above but have ya’ll made Smitten Kitchen’s Sesame Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Smashed Chickpea Salad yet? Do yourself a favor, go here and order her cookbook if you don’t have it already and make this dish immediately. SO. Darn. Good. It’s a staple around here and I’m having a major craving for it right now.

Herbed Avocado Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches from Simple Bites. What a great addition to a ladies lunch or just perfect excuse to add avocado to your egg salad sandwich!

There are so many things I love about spring, but the fresh crop of asapargus is definitely near the top of that list. I love to eat it roasted or grilled with a simple dressing of olive oil, salt and pepper. Here, Half Baked Harvest serves it up in a gorgeous Panzanella Style Caprese Asparagus Salad. Can you say yum?!?!

In another drool worthy entry from Half Baked Harvest, there is Crockpot Mexican Chili Lime Chicken. I think this sounds perfect for a week night dinner. And since tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, it would be a fabulous festive but easy themed dinner!

DIY Chicken Burrito Bowls a la Chipotle from Ambitious Kitchen. I have a serious Chipotle habit so might have to try these as a home made alternative. Maybe it will keep me from those darn chips!!

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, these Grapefruit Jalapeno Margaritas. You’re welcome.

Tiramisu Brownies from Broma Bakery. Two of my favorite things in one gorgeous dessert. I’ll definitely be making these this weekend.

Creamy Baked Sausage Risotto. I know risotto seems more of a wintery recipe, but I still occasionally want some comfort food after a long day at work. I love risotto but don’t love all that standing over the stove and stirring. This recipe from The Clever Carrot seems like a great alternative!

Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad on Honey Butter Biscuits. Say what? Yup, a whole bunch of southern yumminess in one adorable little biscuit sandwich. I can’t wait to try these for a fun take on a classic.

Pickled Radishes. I know, I know Radishes are a controversial vegetable. I happen to love them (fresh from the garden, sliced with butter and coarse sea salt) and I think these quick pickled gems would be great on the burrito bowls from Ambitious Kitchen or as a topping for your Cinco de Mayo tacos!

Well, that’s it for this week’s Good (Food) Reads. I’d love to hear what new recipes or foodie articles you’re reading and making right now. Email, tweet, or send us a message on FB or Instagram!

Good Food Reads

April 27, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

Well friends, it was another good food week here on the old internet. Maybe I’m just really hungry, but I’m finding foodie inspiration and Good (Food) Reads all over and can’t wait to share some of my favorites. So, let’s get on with it:

Sometimes I really love a table full of healthy foods. And sometimes, all I want is a cupcake. Today, I want these Twix Cupcakes from The Foodwright. I’m not a huge candy bar person but the mini Twix bars around Halloween get me every time.

Another guilty pleasure in my life: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from Potbelly. I don’t know what they do to those things to make them so addicting, but man are they good. One of these days I’m going to attempt to recreate them, but until then, I’ll be trying these Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

I’m not Jewish, but I have a special place in my heart for matzo ball soup. Growing up in Minnesota, my dad used to take me to The Lincoln Del almost anytime we were in the Twin Cities, and I fell in love with their Matzo Ball soup. The restaurant closed more than 15 years ago and I still randomly crave it at times. As we are in the midst of Passover, there are a lot of kosher recipes floating around right now and I was particularly intrigued by a recipe Molly Yeh posted for Chickpea Flour Matzo Ball Soup. I have no idea if it’s a kosher recipe or not, but it sure sounds yummy!

As we are rolling into garden season, I’m always on the lookout for zucchini recipes to use when the inevitable bumper crop arrives. These Roasted Curry Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini have been bookmarked as a must make!

Speaking of garden bounty, I’m hoping for a huge number of basil plants this year and can’t wait to try this 20 Minute Basil Cashew Chicken. Yum, yum, yum!

Finally, an article from Bon Appetit about the rising industry of foodie “influencers” on Instagram. It’s a Good (Food) Read and definite food for thought.

Good (Food) Reads

April 20, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

(My fave macarons from Laduree in NYC.)

Diving right in to this week’s Good (Food) Reads with a little love for Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook, It’s All Easy. I picked it up at Costco the other day (is it just me, or is anyone else nearly incapable of leaving Costco without a new cookbook?!?!) and have been loving it. The mix of simple foods with fun flavor combinations is perfect for busy foodie mamas like myself. I’m having her take on cacio e pepe, made with zucchini noodles. While it’s definitely not a classic italian pasta dish, it is a great everyday (and healthy!) alternative and I’ll be making it again. What new cookbooks are you loving these days?

Speaking of classic Italian pasta dishes, I’ve had a real thing for meatballs lately. As an ex-vegetarian, it’s a little outside of my wheelhouse, but just so darn comforting. Broma Bakery featured some Sunday Meatballs this week and I think they’ll be just the thing for a cozy dinner tomorrow night. While my waistline would definitely appreciate them being served with zucchini noodles, I think I’ll stick with classic spaghetti for this one!…

Good (Food) Reads: Hungry Girl!

April 13, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

(My daily snack: Fresh pears, cottage cheese, brown rice crackers. Yum!)

I don’t know if it’s the weather (spring is FINALLY here!) or what, but I am HUNGRY this week. Like, can’t stop, won’t stop, hungry. Which means I’ve been trolling the old internet for new recipes to try and foodie inspiration. Which means, we have a Good (Food) Reads chock full of inspiration this week. So let’s get started, shall we?

First, I dug out my copy of Gwyneth Paltrow’s first cookbook, My Father’s Daughter (and before you scoff, it’s actually really good!), and have been eating her Italian Chopped Salad all week. It’s fresh, with plenty of heft from the bocconcini and green beans, and easy to make. Total winner! Looking forward to checking out her new cookbook It’s All Easy….

Good (Food) Reads: Quick and Easy

April 6, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time yet again for another Good (Food) Reads. The last week has been a bit of a whirlwind around here and that has had me on the hunt for quick and easy recipes that the whole family will love. With that in mind, here are this week’s Good (Food) Reads:

Do any of you have an Instant Pot? I got mine last summer on super sale as part of Amazon’s much (over) hyped Prime Day. Since that time, I’ve heard countless people rave about the amazing – and quick! – meals they’ve prepared courtesy of their IPs. Sadly, until now I’ve only used it as a glorified quinoa cooker. Last night I tackled this recipe for Instant Pot Honey Bourbon Chicken. Now, before you guys go nuts, I know there is no bourbon in the recipe. It was a super quick recipe that produced really flavorful, tender chicken in about 20 minutes. I served it with steamed broccoli and Trader Joes’ Organic Brown Rice. I will say that the chicken was a little sweet for me (though my toddler and husband loved it!), so next time I’ll cut the honey down a bit, add a little more soy sauce and may sauté in some actual bourbon at the end….

Good (Food) Reads: It’s Finally Spring!

March 23, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

One week later and I’m even more excited about spring! It’s officially here (well, at least according to the calendar, if not the actual weather) and this week’s Good (Food) Reads is going to celebrate that with recipes and articles for the new season. We are forecast for some snow here in the good ole midwest, so I’m going to freshen up my kitchen with salads, bright desserts, and a few Easter goodies. Here. We. Go.

I have a longstanding obsession with Yotam Ottolenghi. His recipes can be a little involved and sometimes call for some less-than-standard pantry ingredients, but they are absolutely worth it. His Turkey Zucchini Burgers with Spring Onion and Cumin are one of my spring and summer staples and a great way to use the garden abundance of zucchini each year. The NY Times is featuring a recipe for Baby Spinach with Dates and Almonds that sounds amazing. It does call for sumac, which can be hard to find, but you can order it at Penzey’s, or I’ve also found some at Cost Plus World Market….

Good (Food) Reads

March 16, 2016 By Holly Leave a Comment

I’ve spent the better part of the last week in the beautiful Arizona desert (seriously, the desert is gorgeous – especially in spring when everything is blooming!) and it has definitely colored my picks for this week’s installment of Good (Food) Reads. I know St. Patrick’s day is just a few days away and I should probably be posting green cocktails, Guinness cupcakes, and corned beef recipes, but it is to think about other things when you’re surrounded by great tamales, prickly pear lemonade, and (just being honest) In-and-Out Burger. With that in mind, here are this week’s Good (Food) Reads. Enjoy!

Let’s get the shame out of the way first, shall we? I’m not much of a fast food gal, but when I’m in AZ, I always stop at In-and-Out Burger for a cheeseburger animal-style with extra crispy fries. Yum. If you’re not familiar with the not-so-secret-secret menu at In-and-Out, here’s a little cheat sheet to help you on your next visit….