Tag Archives: comfort food

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Caraway

Somebody hold me…  Because in nine days, it’s time to say goodbye to The Office.  Forever.  I don’t know if I’m ready yet.

(And the lines between TV talk and food talk blur once again…  Bear with me?  If you want?)

Critics say the U.S. version of the show overstayed its welcome, to which I respond: duh, and it’s all because of unsophisticated ding dongs like me, who kept watching no matter what.  Sorry, serious legitimate critics and Comic Book Guys (and Ladies) of the world.

What can I say?  I’m loyal.  And I, for one, am glad the show stuck around as long as it did, despite the peaks and valleys.  Here’s why:

1.  Its success practically spawned Parks and Recreation, which we can all agree is literally amazing, sharp television, no?
2.  It exposed the world to the girly genius of Mindy Kaling.
3.  The Office at its worst was still a thousand times better than Two and a Half Broke Whitneys or whatever.
4.  If it took that long to take Pam and Jim from nauseatingly perfect to real-life perfect, I’m okay with that.
5.  Finally, if we had to tolerate a weak season (or a few) to get an epic a capella showdown involving Stephen Colbert (can’t find a clip to link, so sad), I’m game. 

In short, I think this is a good time to give our insides a big old hug with springtime comfort food.  That’s not as weird as it sounds…  I don’t think.

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French Onion Soup

Pop quiz!  You know what’s wack?

Right now, it’s 37 degrees in Juneau.  Here? 19.  I don’t know what is going on, but my guess is that Alaska is some kind of witch.  I’m onto you, Alaska.  If I weren’t so busy staying very still under this pile of blankets, I’d getcha good.

Yeah…  It’s cold.  Really cold.

In other news, I am such a big baby.  What’s wack in YOUR world?  I want to know, because complaining about the weather is majorly boring and I’m being majorly boring.  So, tell me.  We can all be in this together…  And then we should eat soup.

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Vegan Posole

Guess who spent basically the entirety of last Friday watching prison gang documentaries and knitting?  Yeah…  Let’s consider that my tribute to Martha.  (Hey girl!)

It was the kind of day that makes the next one super productive.  FUN productive.

I’m talking long hikes in crisp late-fall… crispness, and a big pot of something warm, red and wholesome for when we’re done.  And if it happens to be vegan, well, how’s that for clean living?  Bacon jam, cinnamon-maple ice cream, cheesy fruity waffles and boozy milkshakes will still be there tomorrow.  Today is all about eating plants, leaving no trace, being one with nature, and maybe I should be a better person and not make jokes at M-Stew’s expense even though I have a feeling she’d be a good sport?  I don’t know, you guys.  Let’s eat.

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Tom Ka Gai (Laotian Style)

So, I don’t think I’ve ever waffled quite as much about the title of a dish for a blog post.  I have never been to Laos.  I don’t know anyone from Laos.  I don’t think I even know anyone who’s been to Laos.

All I’m basing this on is that I read somewhere, at some point, that in Lao cuisine, dill and mint are used much like cilantro is in its more famous culinary neighbor, Thai.  Needless to say, I was intrigued–I love cilantro, but I really love dill and mint.

The internet was uncharacteristically unhelpful when I began to wonder if I could attempt a Laotian take on Tom Ka Gai, a Thai chicken and coconut milk soup that happens to be a favorite of mine.  Turns out, there aren’t many resources on Lao cooking out there, and therefore, I feel like I can’t be faulted if this is wrong or inauthentic or, you know, stupid.

But in that case, I preemptively ask anyone who comes out of the woodwork to yell at me: where were you, and why aren’t you on the internet teachin’ kids how to cook good and do other stuff good too?

Hmm?  Derek wants to know.

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Marcella Hazan’s Minestrone alla Romagnola

If you’re not hopelessly nerdy like me, you probably won’t like this post and I’m totally sorry.  There is a fantastic (not bragging, because it’s not mine!) recipe for minestrone soup if you scroll down.

So, it goes like this: When I was juuust starting to cook as a thing–a hobby–I picked up Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and started to read it as if it were a novel.  It’s a serious book for serious Italian cuisine, and soon enough, I came across this: “The least acceptable method of preparing garlic is squeezing it through a press.”

Uh oh.  I totally had (and used) a garlic press.

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Blood Orange and Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding

Hey, guys.  Meet my mental health doctor….  It’s me.  Hey.  After this week, I prescribed myself the following:

-An extra day off.  A long, icky week deserves a long, non-icky weekend.
-Lots of sleep… With a pillow under my waist for maximal spine-straightening comfort.  Side- or stomach-sleepers, try it!  Especially if your bed sucks.
-Half a bottle of wine, a new knitting project, and Wet Hot American Summer streaming on the Netflix.  ”It’s my gurnal.  I write my thoughts in it every day.”
-A bunch of 80s music, impulsively purchased on iTunes after consuming said wine.   Plus, ABBA.  I will never stop loving ABBA.

My boyfriend is my assistant mental health doctor.  A resident, if you will.  He prescribed (and provided) a Dutch apple pie from the incomparable Ikeda’s.  It’s just the best ever.

And if I were up for cooking (and didn’t already have a pie), this is what I would have made for myself.  Warm, creamy (really, really creamy) rice pudding, dotted with citrusy zest, specks of vanilla bean, and cool, bright blood orange segments.

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