Nov 26, 2013
First, what the heck is crème fraîche anyway? In a word: Awesomesauce. In reality? It’s a “fresh cream” that is naturally soured (not quite as much as sour cream), and contains 30-40% butterfat (yes, I looked it up). The texture is thick, and it has the most AH-MA-ZING, velvety, buttery taste (thanks to the butterfat). I happened upon this recipe by accident – I had some creme fraîche in the fridge and just thought it might be a good addition to mashed potatoes. As it happens, I was right!
So, just in time for Thanksgiving, I share with you my new go-to recipe for mashed potatoes:
Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes
(serves 4-6)
6-8 Yukon gold potatoes
1/3 c. creme fraîche (plus more to taste if desired)
chicken stock
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh chives (or dried chives) for garnish
Wash the potatoes and cut them into cubes. (You can skin the potatoes if you prefer, but I like the skin, so I just peel off any dark/hard spots).
Fill a large stockpot half full with water, throw in a Tablespoon of kosher salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Add the cubed potatoes and reduce heat to med-high. Boil until potatoes are cooked through (approximately 20 minutes). Drain and pour the potatoes into a large mixing bowl.
Use a masher to break up the potatoes (just don’t overdo it).
Add the creme fraîche, gently mixing with a large spoon. Add chicken stock, a Tablespoon at a time, until you reach the consistency you desire. I like mine fluffy, but still with a little texture and small clumps. Add salt and pepper to taste, and top with chopped chives as garnish.
The creme fraîche is so rich and buttery and smooth, I think it makes mashed potatoes even better than adding butter and cream. If you give it a try, let me know what you think!
Nov 16, 2013
It’s no secret, I’m a soup lover, and Toscana soup is definitely in my top three favorites right now (the other two are Chicken Noodle and Egg Drop). It’s a go-to pretty much any time of the year (if you like comfort in a bowl like I do). I first fell in love with “Zuppa Toscana” at Olive Garden, but over the years have developed my own recipe (and used it pretty loosely). It’s one of those recipes that I’ve made so many times I don’t actually measure anything. Sometimes I add more cream, sometimes I use half and half instead… sometimes I use ground turkey and add fennel (to make up for that loss of flavor of the sausage). Even though the “meat and potatoes” are usually the star of any dish, my favorite ingredient in this recipe is the kale. It cooks quickly, so when you add it at the end, it turns this beautiful, bright green color – hey, the eyes DO feast first – not to mention it’s a superfood (and oh-so-delicious).
Toscana Soup
16 oz. package of Italian sausage ( I use the Owens brand)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery ribs, sliced into half moons
2-3 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1-2 medium russet potatoes, diced (I don’t peel mine because I like the peel, but you can)
4 c. chicken stock
2 c. water
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 bunch of kale (about 6 cups, loosely chopped with center vein removed)
extra virgin olive oil (maybe)
First, add the sausage to a large stockpot and brown on medium-high. Once cooked through, transfer to to a paper-towel lined plate.
Add garlic to the pan (without cleaning it), supplementing with extra virgin olive oil if necessary (so it’s not so dry that it burns). Cook for about 1 minute (until fragrant).
Add chopped onions, carrots, and celery to the pot, stirring occasionally. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes.
Slowly add chicken stock, water and potatoes over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to med-low. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until potatoes are cooked through.
Add heavy cream and stir well.
Add kale and stir occasionally. It will turn bright green when it’s al dente (my favorite).
Add pepper to taste (usually I don’t need to add salt – the sausage and chicken stock will add a lot of saltiness to it) and serve with crusty bread slices (optional).
There you go! A hearty soup that’s perfect for winter (or anytime of the year for me)… Hope you enjoy!
Nov 8, 2013
I’m not really a fan of bread in the morning. I don’t care for donuts or muffins or pancakes – don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat them if that’s what’s available – but it’s not my first choice. My first choice will always be eggs. If I could only eat eggs for breakfast, I would… but I’ve found that it’s just not enough to get me through my busy mornings. So lately, my favorite breakfast has been toast, topped with avocado (either smeared or sliced, depending on the ripeness) and a runny egg on top.
It’s delicious, savory, and the toast helps fill me up for a little longer.
See? Now isn’t that just yummy? Believe me, it is. And simple. And I’m all about that in the mornings!
{Want to know how I cook my eggs? Find out here.}
Nov 5, 2013
Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that all of my best ideas seem to happen when I’m in the shower. I’ve tried a variety of ways to document them -from jumping out of the shower to jot them on a notepad, to writing on the shower door with “bath crayons” to hanging a dry erase board in the shower. All of those failed.
I had resigned to the fact that I would spend my entire shower repeating ideas in my head… until I got to a chapter titled “CHANGING YOUR ENVIRONMENT: GET NEAR WATER TO WRITE” from the book, Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anne Klauser. I thought this chapter was especially interesting because I read it while I was fly fishing with my grandparents in Missouri for the weekend.
When I got to this part, I did a victorious fist punch in the air – ” A workshop participant who is a diver once told me that the got so many good ideas in the shower that he hung an underwater clipboard in there to record them. You can get one yourself at a dive shop for under ten dollars.” Hallelujah, I am not alone! Such a simple and yet genius idea! The day after I returned from my trip, I went to a local dive shop and purchased this little beauty (kind of surprised that there even IS a dive shop in West Texas, to be honest).
Attached with a suction cup hook, it’s perfectly handy. Yes, I know how nerdy it sounds, but I’m SO excited to have this useful tool in my shower now. You know, to record those genius ideas I’m sure to have… (write it down, make it happen, right?!)
What about you guys? Anyone else have their best ideas in the shower?