celery root and apple puree (courtesy of Ina).

Check out this episode of barefoot contessa for delicious ideas for Thanksgiving dinner. I myself am planning on making the celery root and apple puree (minute 7:16 in the video). YUMMY. It sounds and LOOKs delectable.

2 days!!

Taking on Thanksgiving...

photo from: Closet Cooking

This year Meg and I are hosting Thanksgiving at our apartment!

I know my mom and Grammy will probably be helping a LOT, but I've been doing a little research on what I can contribute to the meal. Ina Garten and Martha Stewart have been supplying me with plenty of ideas, now it's just about deciding what to do!

I'll keep you updated!

What are your plans for Turkey Day?

Bon Appetit FEAST.

I DID IT. I really truly did it.

I, AEB, made Boeuf Bourguignon a la Julia Child.

It was laborious and it was time consuming.

But also, it was DEVINE.

A true masterpiece.

YUM.

First, I had to go to three (yes, three) grocery stores to gather all my ingredients. I probably could have accumulated everything I needed in two, but only Trader Joes sells wine (a STAPLE ingredient) and I could not find pearl onions at either Stop and Shop OR Whole Foods. Tragic. I had to go with the cute little boiling onions and luckily, they worked just fine.

After gathering the goodies I set to work...

First, I placed one tablespoon of olive oil into my glorious new dutch oven.

How adorable is this measuring spoon? (THANKS Aunt Heidi!)

Then, I cooked the bacon. MMMMM BACON.

Bacon is like home to me. That smell just takes me right back to Saturday morning in the Cuse. Chocolate chip pancakes anyone? Yes please.... OH WAIT. Sorry. Where was I? Oh yes, the Boeuf.

Anyways, before you actually cook the bacon you need to simmer it for 10 minutes in 1.5 quarts of water (that's 3 cups in case you ever decide to take on this expedition yourself). This was a little strange to me... seeing the bacon floating free in all that water, but I went with it. What Julia says, I do.

After the bacon was fini I set forth drying the meat. I patted that meat as dry as it would go with about a zillion paper towels.

And then after I had finished off at least one whole roll of paper towels, I browned the meat in the leftover bacon fat. YUM.

Next came the carrots and onions. Julia says to use only one carrot but I say PISH to that. I LOVE carrots! I didn't want to stray too much from the directions though, so I used two. A worthy compromise I thought. And then one onion. Chopped and thrown into the pot.

And then, everything goes back into le creuset at 450 degrees for 4 minutes.

Then take it out. Add a little salt (1 tsp) and pepper (1/4 tsp). Add a little flour (2 tbsp). Back to the oven for 4 more minutes.

Then comes the wine. Loads and loads of wine.

3 cups.

That was almost the whole bottle.

Almost. The remainder I happily had in a glass.

The dutch oven then went into the oven at 325 for just about 3 and 1/2 hours. A nice simmer to soak everything together. Simply delicious.

While the meat and veggies were immersed in a wine bath via the oven, I tackled the mushrooms. You know what Julia says about this one: "Don't crowd the mushrooms!". And so that's exactly what I didn't do. I let my mushrooms breathe. And they bubbled and browned just perfect.

Then I cooked up my boiled onions in butter and olive oil and let them get soft for about 10 minutes...

Until they were oh so tender and soft...

And now, for the very final picture...

Put it all together aaaaand... VOILA!

(Julia says to discard the carrots here, but I left them in for taste and texture.)

BON APPETIT!

I served mine over egg noodles and it was just perfection.

A long days work but well worth it.

YAY!!

And for dessert we had peanut butter and nutella pillows. My own twist on Joy the Baker's creation. But that post will be for another time...

Au revoir! Good night!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Oh so very soon I am going to make my first dish in my new dutch oven. OF COURSE, I am going to make Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon. She was the reason, after all, that I became obsessed with getting a dutch oven in the first place. It seems only right that this be my first endeavor. I'm so excited.

I hope it's as delicious as I'm dreaming it will be!

Lead me, Julia.

Show me the way to bon appetit.

Happy Birthday to ME.

For my birthday my fabulous, one-of-a-kind, wonderful mother bought me.....

TADA!

My very own, state-of-the-art, adorable blue, practically perfect, dream-come-true LE CREUSET dutch oven.

"The classic, everyday cocotte is perfect for soups, stews, sauces and other one-pot favorites. Painstakingly sand-cast and finished by hand, timeless enameled cast-iron French oven distributes and retains heat beautifully. Safe for oven, stovetop, refrigerator and dishwasher. Made in France since 1925."

When the box came from Sur la Table I could hardly contain myself. I was giddy like a school child at recess. An absolutely terrific surprise.

THANKS MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Click here to visit the dream world of Sur la Table.

One time I stumbled upon the shop in Soho and I nearly keeled over with glee.

A happy happy birthday for sure!!

Please be mine.

please by mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine. please be mine.

PLEEEEASE!!!!

Yummy Pizza

Lauren made these SUPER yummy pizzas for dinner tonight. They tasted so good, and they're good for you too! She found the recipe in this month's Women's Health. Tasty, tasty.

Individual Pizzas with Gruyere, Caramelized Onions, and Apples

Hands-on Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes

4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 medium red apples, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
4 whole-wheat tortillas (8-inch)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Gruyere cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450°F.

2. In a large skillet, warm 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions and toss to coat. Add 3/4 cup water, bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes longer.

3. Add apple slices and cook until apples are crisp-tender, onions are golden, and liquid has evaporated, 7 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mash beans with remaining 2 teaspoons oil, lemon juice, salt, rosemary, and 3 tablespoons water.

5. Place tortillas on 2 large baking sheets. Spread beans evenly over tortillas. Top with the onion-apple mixture, cheese, and pecans.

6. Bake about 5 minutes, until pizzas are piping hot and cheese has melted. Serve hot.

Makes 4 pizzas.

Last night's dinner.

Last night's dinner

57% local (from the farmers market)

Pasta Dish

Local Squash

Local Zucchini

Chicken Pork Sausage

Rainbow Rotini

Salad

Local lettuce

Local tomatoes

Homemade salad dressing

Easy. Delicious. Success.

Eating Local.

I want this book.

I want to eat local foods every day and every night.

I want to be Barbara Kingsolver and have my own garden and raise my own chickens and have a husband who bakes bread daily and a daughter who cans tomatoes and I want to be able to make my own cheese.

Mmmm. Maybe someday.

For now the only things local I am eating are Zan's strawberries and some veggies from the farmers market. I feel so busy and too overwhelmed to commit myself to eating only local foods, although it's something I would love to do. Plus, I have absolutely NO land to call my own. Grass hardly exists on my street.

Luckily, there are so many farmers markets in Boston that there is no excuse for me not to eat mostly local this summer. Summer is, after all, the time to do it (winter is the hard part). I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes. Who's with me?

Farmers markets around Boston

Brookline Farmers Market

Coolidge Corner, Center Street

June 17th-October 28th

Thursdays, 1:30-dusk

Copley Square Farmers Market

St. James and Dartmouth Street

May 18th-November 23rd

Tuesdays and Fridays, 11:00-6:00

Prudential Center Farmers Market

800 Boylston Street

May 20th- October 28th

Thursdays, 11:00-6:00

SOWA Open Market/Farmers Market

Harrison Ave, South End

May 16th-October 31st

Sundays, 10:00-4:00

Allston Farmers Market

N. Harvard Street and Western Ave

June 18th-October 29th

Fridays, 3:00-7:00

There are SO many FM in and around the Bean! Click here for a farmers market near you.

And if you want to read a good book about Animals, Vegetables, and Miracles (like making your own cheese) check this out. It's one of my favorites!

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingslover (also a favorite author of mine).

www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

Scrumptious Corn Chowder

Today I made the most scrumptious corn chowder via my Crockpot.

It's super easy and super delicious. Very simple, which was exactly was I was looking for in tonight's dinner. Here's the recipe for you (from my very trusty Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook):

Corn Chowder

Makes 4 servings

6 slices bacon, diced

1/2 cup chopped onions

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

2 10-oz pkgs. frozen corn

16-oz can cream styled corn

(I used 2 16-oz packages of frozen corn and one 8oz container of heavy whipping cream. They don't carry creamed corn at Whole Foods just FYI.)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup water

Directions:

1. In skillet, brown bacon until crisp. Remove bacon, reserve drippings.

2. Add onions and potatoes to skillet and saute for 5 minutes. Drain.

3. Combine all ingredients into slow cooker. Mix well.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.

5. ENJOY!!

Grapefruit

I love grapefruit. Tart and tangy and the perfect breakfast for late spring/summer. Grapefruit is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, potassium, and fiber. I like to eat it plain with a spoon, but it's also especially excellent with a touch of sugar sprinkled on top, honey, or cut up and put into a fruit salad. YUM!

Here is another delicious way to add some grapefruit to your life:

Try a summer salad!

BBQ Pork Salad with Summer Fruits and Honey Balsamic Vinegarette from allrecipes.com

"A festive, colorful salad with the fresh flavors of summer fruits and sliced BBQ pork dressed with a spicy honey balsamic vinaigrette. A tasty one-dish meal for summer." - National Pork Board

Ingredients

4 cooked pork chops, sliced

8 cups mixed greens

2 nectarines, cut into 12-wedges each

1 grapefruit, segmented

2 avocados, cut into wedges

16 cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon salad oil

2 tablespoons slivered, toasted almonds

salt and black pepper

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3/8 cup salad oil

Directions

1. For the Vinaigrette: In a blender, combine all ingredients except oil. Blend at medium speed for one minute. Next, with blender at medium speed, pour oil very slowly into blender. Add salt and pepper.
2. For each serving, toss 2 cups greens with 2 tablespoons dressing, top with 4 cherry tomatoes, 1 sliced pork chop, 1/2 avocado, sliced in wedges, 1/2 nectarine sliced in wedges, 1/4 grapefruit segments. Drizzle with more dressing and sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serve immediately.

Kitchens of Interest

I started looking through the House Beautiful website yesterday. Because I love looking at interior design but really mostly because I was procrastinating on my work. I came across some of the most beautiful kitchens. I am such a sucker for kitchens. I can't tell you how much time I've spent decorating my own kitchen and I only live in an apartment! Here are some of my favorites. They are all so gorgeous:

Dream Pot.

How much do you want me to win this gorgeous Le Creuset dutch oven?

I realize I am over obsessing on the dutch oven but I don't care.

I want this to be mine.

And since I like you, I'll give you the link to enter to win it too.

Tasty Kitchen Giveaway

You're welcome.

YUMMY Cookbooks

I was in Barnes and Noble a few weeks ago and was perusing through the cookbook section. SO FUN. This is something that I do often (read: at least twice a month). I love cookbooks. They just make me wish I was a real cook. Like Giada, for instance. LOVE Giada. I don't ever really buy cookbooks though. I'm more of a "google search a recipe" kind of girl. I just don't plan my meals far enough in advance. I'm more of the "last minute/what am I going to make tonight?" type. It's all good. Also, cookbooks are expensive. And I try not to do expensive whenever I can help it.

However, if I did buy cookbooks these are surely the ones I would buy:

Goat Cheese

Oh wow. Imagine all the possibilities.

Sushi: The Beginner's Guide

I really like this one. Zan and I like to have sushi parties. They are so fun and delicious.

Lobster at Home

Yes, siree! I'll gladly have lobster at home.

How to Cook Everything

Almost everyone I know has this cookbook or some version of it. This makes me want it too.

And lastly:

The Pioneer Woman Cooks

I LOVE PW!!!! This book is fabulous because each recipe has great photography of the food to help you with each step. Plus, Ree Drummond is just so seriously AWEOME. Someday this cookbook will be mine. Someday soon I hope.

get me a grilled cheeeeese pleeease.

Who loves grilled cheese? I love grilled cheese.

That warm and cheesy heaven

Buttery and delicious.

I am seriously in LOVE with grilled cheese. All kinds of delicious, buttery grilled cheese. It's 11:00 on a Friday night and I can't stop wishing I was eating a grilled cheese. I'm sad though, because I have no bread. And I have no cheese. BUMMER. I know what I'm doing first thing tomorrow. I will buy that bread and cheese and I will make one killer grilled cheese for lunch. It'll be insane. YUM.

Good night. I'm off to dream of some mouth watering grilled cheeeeeeeese.

(This ridiculous post is a result of my empty stomach. My apologies, GNIGHT!)

Goat cheese baguettes with lemon chicken.

Two weeks ago or so Zan and I created our own bruschetta. It turned out FAB. It's not your typical tomato and basil bruschetta. Oh no, ours had goat cheese and caramelized onions. You heard me-- GOAT cheese (my favorite) and deliciously sweet caramelized onions (I give myself a big pat on the back for that one). I also added some grilled red, orange, and yellow peppers to some of the bruschetta. To make a long story short Zan is trying the Eat Right For Your Type diet (for health reasons) and there are a lot of restrictions on what he can't eat. I've been trying to get creative, thinking of yummy dishes he can try while still following the diet. This recipe was a hit. We made it again tonight with lemon chicken (chicken marinated in straight up lemon juice) and couldn't have been more please with the meal. Topped it off with some red wine and 2 episodes of LOST and I say we had a pretty great night.

Kitchen fun.

I have been obsessed with accessorizing my kitchen lately. There are just so many adorable items to be had! And practical items too, of course. I'm especially interested in getting a dutch oven, only right now I simply don't have the funds! Recently, while in NY, I discovered Sur la Table. Oh heavens. I think I could spend the night in that store. A nice little sleepover with all the cookware.

As far as accessories go, I've been adding small touches here and there with items from anthropologie. I've also found some really cute things at Marshalls/Home Goods. What a great store that Marshalls is.

For Christmas Meg wanted to give me this:

Only anthropologie messed up the order and this came instead:

It's fun, except for I already have this:

You like, right? Me too.

So I returned the mix-up butterdish and got myself the cutest little measuring cups I ever did see:

Did you follow me through all that? Oh good. I hoped you would. And do you like the measuring cups?? I had a feeling you might like those too. If you come visit me, I'll make you a delicious dinner and maybe use the measuring cups. OR maybe we could bake cookies and then we would definitely use the measuring cups. Just let me know when you're coming. I'll be ready.