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DIY Yule | Natural, Minimalist Decor for Winter Holidays
Holiday decor is not my specialty. Decor in general is not my strong point. But the ritual of creating natural decorations as a part of my celebration of the seasonal shifts? That is absolutely my forte. In 2019, I know “the holidays” for most people are a break from work and the rare time of year when they see family. And while those both have applied to me on different years, my celebration is typically a much more personal one. And it lasts much longer than a singular day or weekend. The making of these garlands and wreaths and ornaments are the celebration. They’re the therapeutic acceptance of change and…
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Hearty Lentil Stew with Smoked Pork Hock
I had to pull up the last garden carrots today. If I’d mulched, I’m sure they could’ve stayed in the beds a while longer, but there weren’t many left and I wanted a few different colors in this lentil stew. There’s a heavy blanket of snow on the ground now, and it looks as though it’s here to stay a while. As much as I love the winter holidays, I think I’m not quite ready this year. Last summer had such a late frost that a lot of the plants were just reaching maturity. My green thumb is still itching for a harvest that will never come. Regardless, there’s not…
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns with Date and Walnut Filling
With fall in full swing, and Halloween and Samhain only a day away, it’s time to break out the pumpkin spice buns. Now, I’ve made plenty of sweet breads on the blog before ( pumpkin chocolate babka, cinnamon walnut challah, and orange and cardamom sweet rolls to name a few), most of which are heavily spiced and heavily festive. This one is no exception. I like what I like, okay? This recipe, however, is the first on the blog to feature the look, technique, and texture of a classic cinnamon roll (think Cinnabon). While it’s nothing fancy, it is something that can be tricky to get just right, especially when…
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Beets & Cream Ice Pops with Strawberries
It’s officially fall, and beets are in season! But depending on where you live, you may still have a few warm days ahead. Here in Montana, we’re enjoying the second wave of in-season, and wonderfully inexpensive strawberries. But with summer winding down, this will be the last of them. SO. It’s time to make the last cold treats of the year, and do so colorfully. Popsicles in general are very easy to make, and the recipe is much more of a general guideline than anything else. I wanted these to be sweet enough to make the beets palatable, but not quite dessert-sweet, if that makes sense. So if you haven’t…
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DIY Foraged Fall Wreath & Autumn Decor
Before we talk about decor, I want to talk about clothes. I think many of you who read this may not be young enough to relate, but my sense of sartorial style was entirely formed on Pinterest. Those of you under 25, you’re probably in the same boat. During my teenage years, I was exposed to literally millions of images that showed me exactly what my wardrobe was lacking. I was completely unsatisfied with what I considered to be my fashion sense, despite dressing pretty much the same as most of my peers, … because I saw what I was missing. As creative as I was with thrift store finds,…
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Risotto with Pink Oyster Mushrooms and Cinnamon
It hasn’t stopped raining for two days. My soul is waking up a little bit, and in some ways, it’s an uncomfortable transition. I think a lot of Busy People Who Don’t Like Being Busy can probably relate… but when I’ve got too much on my plate, I sort of turn down the volume on my emotions, relationships, and the things I tend to enjoy. Which, go figure, makes the work I’m so flooded with, a bit boring despite its creative nature. I’m glad it’s changing. I’m glad I’m slowing down and coming back. And pink mushrooms instigated that change. I’d gone to the market for some pretty heirloom tomatoes.…
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Japanese Dinner Party | Chashu (Braised Pork Belly) with Cold Soba & Cucumber Salad
Chashu, i.e. Japanese braised pork belly, is Japan’s gift to the world. Most Americans may be familiar with its place atop a steaming bowl of tonkotsu ramen, but the dish is much more versatile than first glance implies. The thin slices can be individually frozen and stored together in the freezer for months (we ALWAYS have some in our freezer). And while you can absolutely pop a few pieces into your instant ramen for a 5 second glow-up, they can also be used in stir fries, with dumplings, or on a simple bowl of steamed rice. If you thought bacon made everything better, get ready for a life upgrade. Now,…
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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Shiitakes and Vermouth
If you’ve ever made martinis at home before, chances are you have a bottle of vermouth sitting in the back of your fridge, slowly turning to vinegar. Well, maybe you don’t. But I did! And that’s what inspired this recipe. Even a quite dry vermouth is going to be a sweet alcohol compared to most, and I had a lot to get rid of. So I needed some extremely earthy, savory flavors that could ground all of that sweet tanginess. And boy, did this do the trick. I started with a base of my “creamy” chicken broth (which is just my regular chicken broth at a rolling boil instead of…
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Simple Cherry Galette
The reason this cherry galette recipe only has three pictures is because, well, it wasn’t supposed to be a blog post. I was wanting a picture with some purple/maroon hues to add to the portfolio, so I threw this together and took the shots, only to realize afterwards how DELICIOUS it was. I’d made an extra rough pastry for the sake of visual texture, and halved fresh cherries instead of using canned pie filling so it wouldn’t look too soupy… but the result was unintentionally amazing. I had one bite and then ran upstairs to my office to type up what I could remember of my impromptu recipe and I…
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The Best Banana Nut Muffins {Ever}
The Best Banana Nut Muffins (Ever) For the Batter: 1 1/3 c. all purpose flour 1/2 c. packed brown sugar 1 t. baking soda 1/2 t. salt 1/3 c. coconut oil, melted 3-4 overripe bananas, mashed 1/3 c. Greek yogurt 1 egg 3/4 c. finely chopped walnut or pecans 1 t. cinnamon (opt) For Streusel Topping: 1/4 c. butter (cold and cut into small cubes) 1/4 c. flour 1/3 c. brown sugar 1 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts or pecans To make streusal topping: Add all streusal ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a fork or with your fingers until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. Set…
ADVENTURES IN FOOD, TRAVEL, AND PHOTOGRAPHY
