Ever since our trip to Puerto Rico in November, I haven’t been able to get Caribbean food off my mind. While I’d love to drop everything and jump on a plane (again), eating tropical food is the closest I can get to a(nother) tropical vacation at the moment.* Perhaps it’s because of the winter weather—while this winter has been relatively mild in Michigan, I certainly wouldn’t pass up the ...
Entrées
White Chicken Chili with Mozzarella Biscuits
Earlier this month, Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his burrow without a shadow in sight, prompting the prediction of an early spring, although here in Michigan, we didn’t need a groundhog to guess as much. It has been an unusually mild winter—I have yet to see negative numbers on the thermometer, but there have certainly still been some below-freezing days ...
Chickpea Couscous Paella
When I was in high school, my Spanish teacher required all of his students to participate in a certain number of designated, off-campus “cultural events” each semester. Unfortunately, Señor (as we called him) completely dropped the ball on scheduling these events, and by the end of the year, he had only offered a fraction of the number we were supposed to attend. ...
Roasted Red Pepper and Hazelnut Pesto
Okay, enough is enough: I’ve been stalling on sharing this recipe with you, because I simply could not describe this roasted red pepper and hazelnut pesto in such a way as to do it justice. I mean, if I just told you, “It’s really good and you should try it,” would you be convinced? Probably not. (If, however, you are convinced by that alone, you are wonderful and I love you for trusting me so ...
Wild Rice and Sweet Potato Salad
After several weeks of plying you (and myself) with holiday treats, I figured we could all use some extra greens. I know, I know…most people don’t want to hear about salads until January, when the cold reality of New Year’s resolutions sinks in, but hear me out, because this wild rice and sweet potato salad is about as cheerful and celebratory as they come! ...
Chicken and Sweet Potato Tamale Pie
I hope I’m not alone in being completely taken by surprise at how quickly Thanksgiving arrived this year! Just over a week ago, the boyfriend and I were in Puerto Rico, and since it was my first real vacation in over five years (and certainly the first since starting grad school), I’d forgotten/not realized how many things there are to take care of both before and after a trip…and now all of a ...
Curried Broccoli Cheese Chicken Casserole
Later this month, many college freshmen will make their first trips back home for Thanksgiving, and I’m sure that they’ll be eager for some of their favorite home-cooked meals. While I never traveled home for Thanksgiving in college, I was lucky enough to swing by for a single night in the middle of my first term, since I was in the marching band and we were traveling to an away game near where my ...
One-Pot Pumpkin Ale Mac and Cheese
Once upon a time, I had oodles of time to cook well-planned, lovingly-prepared meals several nights a week. Or that’s how I remember it, at any rate. I’m no longer even sure when (or if) these culinary golden days took place. Maybe during my senior year of college? Maybe during the summer months of grad school when classes weren’t in session? The details are hazy. ...
Lighter Swedish Meatballs
Swedish meatballs were on my radar (and my plate) long before I ever set foot in an IKEA. My mom got the recipe from her sister-in-law, who has Scandinavian ancestry, and it has been a part of her cooking repertoire for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until I started living in an apartment and furnishing it with Klobos and Fjellses and Börjes, however, that I realized that my family does ...
Campanelle with Basil Walnut Pesto and Roasted Broccoli
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m feeling a bit rough around the edges after this holiday weekend. While we still technically have another week or two of summer, school is now back in session, the campus is flooded with undergraduates again, and I’m fairly certain I have never before started an academic year feeling this haggard and un-refreshed. It’s like that feeling when it’s ...