Ridiculously Easy Chicken Kebabs

This is another recipe Don used to woo me when we first started dating; it's great for a large crowd and easy enough for a kid to make, not to take anything away from the deliciousness of it! Use whatever meats and veggies your heart desires and serve with any bbq-worthy side dish. This time I went with jalepeno-smashed potatoes.

Read more »

Mussel Bar

Last night we ventured to the hip new Bethesda joint Mussel Bar to see what all the hype is about. We got there at 7pm on a Thursday and there was an hour wait, which luckily we had expected and planned for, having told our third dining companion to meet us there at 8pm. We put our names in and went next door to the new American Tap Room for a drink. This isn't a review of that place, but I'll just say that while the decor and live piano music are really cool, I'm skeptical of the food. I mean, light-up menus and check holders?? Cheese-tastic. Anywho, after a beverage (one Stella and one house Sauvignon Blanc), we went back to Mussel Bar to check on our reservation. Our table was ready and only 40 minutes of the hour had passed! Woot!

The Mussel Bar owners did a great job of transforming the former Levantes into a dark, woody, Belgian tavern. The only way to recognize that it was once the light and airy Levantes is by the location of the bar and kitchen. Everything else is completely different. We were nestled in a table next to the open-air kitchen and behind a giant refrigerator-wall of beers that separates the main dining area from a separate little enclave of tables. It was very loud due to the bar crowd, but that didn't prevent us from being able to hear each other. In fact, I forgot about the noise as soon as I got my menu.

Read more »

Asian-Style Seared Scallops

The more I cook, the more I learn to trust my instincts, and for the most part it works in my favor. There are always some disasters (remind me to tell you about last week's caramel apple cake fail), but I'm glad to report that this one was a success! Usually I'm reluctant to cook without a recipe to at least guide me, but I went out on a limb and threw this together completely sans recipe for dinner the other night. Searing the scallops was a little nerve-wracking since it requires such high heat and for you to leave the scallops alone to sear for a few minutes, which is quite difficult to obey. My instinct tells me to constantly make sure they aren't sticking by moving them around a bit, but this is counter-productive, since letting the scallops sit untouched will create a lovely brown crust that allows them to be scooped off the pan with barely a fight. I am learning! For the incredibly simple recipe, see below.

Read more »

Spiced Chickpea Stew with Feta Toasts

I'm never very happy about the end of summer, but the one thing that makes me feel better about chilly weather is the resurgence of soups in my weekly dinner repertoire. I started the fall soup season out with a delicious middle-eastern spiced chickpea stew served alongside decidedly mediterranean feta bruschetta toasts. While both components of the meal go together quite well, I wouldn't hesitate to make either on its own!

Read more »

Pork Chops and Fattoush

As discovered on one of the many food blogs I frequent, fattoush = Lebanese salad with pita chips and sumac. I recently learned of the existence of a spice store called Penzey's, and I'm pretty sure life will never be the same. Man, it's hard to not buy everything there! One of the many things I bought during my first trip is a spice mix called za'atar. It is a very popular condiment throughout the middle east, served with almost every meal. The blend is always different depending on where you buy it from or whose grandmother made it, but it usually contains at least sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. za'atar became the secret ingredient in my version of fattoush, which we served with grilled pork chops. The pork chops were rubbed with olive oil and Arizona Dreaming, a southwestern spice blend (salt-free!) purchased at Penzey's. For the salad recipe, see below.

Read more »

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tartlets

A couple weekends ago we jet-setted to Amherst, MA for July 4th Part Deux with Don's family, since Part Un was with my fam in the Catskills. We spent all day Saturday on a big river water-skiing, jet-skiing, party barging, and basking in the gorgeous weather. To replenish ourselves from all the playtime, we had plenty of great food cooked by different family members. I love potlucks! I wanted to make something relatively easy that wouldn't steal me away from the merriment for very long, so decided to try out a tart recipe from Ina Garten I bookmarked a while ago that uses the ever-simple frozen puff pastry. Her recipe makes 4 main-course tarts but I thought it would work just as well to cut into appetizer-sized tartlets. To make things easier, I cooked the onions in the morning then assembled everything right when ready to throw in the oven.

Read more »

Jam Out With Your Clam Out

A couple weeks ago I had one of Don's brothers and my sister over for dinner. Such an occasion calls for a special meal. I love trying out new recipes when I'm entertaining. I know some people say that you should cook something you know is a hit when cooking for others, but where's the fun in that? Gets boring. With my recent mussel success, I decided to try my hand at clams. This recipe calls for them to be cooked in a similar way to mussels; steamed in the broth in which they will be served. The tomato-based broth swims with chorizo, greens, and the clams. Serve on top of polenta with a side of crusty bread, and you're good to go!

Read more »