Quick Meals Upon Landing: Asparagus and Mushroom Tart

I'm flying home on Wednesday this week (very exciting!!) and based on my mental audit of my fridge's contents, I'm planning to recreate these Asparagus and Mushroom Tarts for dinner.  I made them for an Easter appetizer previously, and they are delicious and easy.  The only potential hold up is the puffed pastry being in the freezer, rather than the fridge.  I found some posts on how to quickly defrost puff pastry, but their definition of "quickly" might be different from mine.  I think if I can get the pastry unfolded in thirty minutes, I'll be good to go.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Cooking Class: Learning Tapas in Houston

A couple of weeks ago, I got a break from travel and worked from home for three weeks.  It just so happened to coincide with my mom's visit back to the States.  It was glorious!  We had such a nice visit together, and one of the best things we did was round up two friends and take a tapas cooking class at Sur La Table.  The four of us made up more than half the class, and I really think had more advanced skills than the class was designed for, but we had a ball nonetheless.  We made simple Blue Cheese and Almond Stuffed Dates, Steamed Mussels with Fennel, Manchego and Piquillo Pepper Tortilla, and Patatas Bravas.  The dates and mussels were so simple, we wouldn't need a recipe to recreate, but the tortilla and potatoes were more complicated, so I'll share the recipes here.

Home Detox: Peanut Butter Sriracha Toast

I read about Peanut Butter Sriracha Toast in Bon Appetit, and my immediate reaction was "Y-E-S."  This is the kicking peanut butter sandwich I have been waiting for.  Peanut butter and jelly is too boring.  Peanut butter and bananas is too squishy unless I can make it on really crispy toast and eat it immediately with honey.  And I want everything I eat burning hot anyway.

Home Detox: Smoked Salmon and Avocado Toast

I usually leave on Monday mornings, but this week I'm heading out on Sunday midday.  It's not my favorite.  I made this quick lunch before heading to EWR, making good use of some leftover salmon and a very ripe avocado.  If I have to leave on Sunday, at least I'm eating well!

Delicious Destination: New Orleans, LA

It's the first weekend of Jazz Fest, my sister's favorite holiday of the year. Neither of us are there this year.  I can hardly believe it!  To make up for it, I thought I would put together a post of my favorite NOLA treats to take me back.

Edible Events: Pasta Throwdown Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

What happens when three competitive business ladies discover they have the same pasta maker?  They plan a pasta challenge, obviously.  And in this case, two of them nominate their husbands as competitors. Then what happens when word gets out that a pasta throwdown is happening?  Fifteen hungry judges turn up.  And the pressure is on!  We ended up not having an actual competition, because the pasta was so good that it was clear everybody won, including the judges.  My worthy competitors made fettucine with pesto and fettucine alfredo, and I combined the three recipes below for ricotta ravioli with brown butter walnut sauce.  

Cooking Therapy: Shrimp with Fennel and Breadcrumbs

When my mom comes home from Africa, we have a system.  First things first, we eat Mexican food and catch up.  Next, we go to Central Market and Canino's and load up on everything that looks good and she doesn't have access to in Angola.  Then we cook, cook, cook.  And drink wine.  It's cooking therapy for two. 

Food Souvenirs: Shrub Drinks Drinking Vinegar

A few weeks ago, I reunited with dear friends in Austin for a girls weekend. We shopped South Congress, strolled Town Lake, hit the Austin Farmers Market, watched movies, and cooked and ate in. It was good for my soul.

Home Detox: Kale and Herb Salad

Flying is dehydrating.  Flying and drinking is double-dehydrating.  And don't get me started about eating airplane food while flying and drinking.  I think you know.  After traveling late on Thursday night, all I wanted for lunch on Friday was a giant glass of water and some fresh vegetables, and the last thing I wanted was to go to the store.  I headed out into the backyard with some scissors, grabbed what was growing in my garden box, mixed it with a few things I had in the fridge, and voila!  Friday detox lunch.

Weekday Lunches: Homemade Hummus and Crudite

Hummus is my friend.  We are very close and spend a lot of time together.  I like store-bought or restaurant-made hummus, but I love homemade hummus.  I prefer no garlic (which is hard to come by commercially), lots of lemon, and heavy on the tahini and spice.  Paired with fresh, crunchy crudite, this makes for a perfect lunch on the road, especially during the weeks when we are eating big team dinners out.

Travel Treats: LA's Infamous Cronut

A cronut is a cross between a croissant and a donut.  Like a liger is a cross between a lion and a tiger.  Both are rare, infrequently sighted, almost mythical.  The original cronut was born in Manhattan, but knockoffs abound.  Lucky for me, DK's Donuts in Santa Monica is making seemingly authentic cronuts at a discount price, with a line often stretching around the corner, but moving fast!

Food Souvenirs - Sally's Gingersnaps

Food souvenirs are my favorite.  I love bringing home a unique ingredient I learned about on a trip, or getting a taste of a friend's adventure through a local product.  The only problem with food souvenirs is they bring out my secret inner hoarder.  Sometimes I hold onto them for so long, waiting for a special moment, that I never wind up using them because I save them past their prime.  What foolishness!

Home Detox: Jalapina Juice

Sometimes after a long week of eating out, working late, and traveling hard, I just want to juice for a couple of meals to give myself a break and get my system back on track.  Lately, I've been making a juice inspired by Austin's Soup Peddler & Juice Box.  Their jalapina juice has the sweet side I crave, plus the tart zing of citrus, followed by the spicy burn of jalapeno that I crave.  And thank goodness for me, since I no longer live within sprinting distance of this wonderful place, I can recreate this vacation in a glass myself.

Weekday Lunches: Udon Utopia

My current favorite go-to lunch to pack on Sundays and enjoy during the week is Udon Utopia.  My recipe differs week to week based on what's on hand, in the garden, and sounds good, and after much experimentation, I think below is the perfect balance.  I can prep it as the weekend winds down, close it in tough plasticware, and enjoy it from the client site on Monday or Tuesday.  Usually Monday.  Because it's my current favorite.

Quick Meals Upon Landing: Bucatini with Spicy Shrimp

After a week on the road, I am happy to get back home to my kitchen, and hungry to make dinner happen quickly.  Traveling via Newark means I land at 8:00PM and arrive home at 8:30PM, and want dinner on the plate by 9:00PM.  This time pressure means I need shelf-stable bases, quick thawing protein, and vegetables from the fridge or garden.  (Obviously no time to shop, unless its Hudson News in EWR Terminal C).  Spicy shrimp bucatini is one of my favorites.