This was a very merry married Christmas, indeed. Nick and I put nearly 1,300 miles on the Civic and spent the holidays with both sides of our family and many of our best friends. It was our third Christmas together, and our first as husband and wife. We enjoyed family traditions and created new ones. And we were reminded on... Read more
This is not your typical chocolate chip cookie. It’s soft, dense, chewy, and chocolatey. In other words, it’s dangerous. Sister-in-law Megan introduced us to these “monster cookies” during our Christmas trip to Michigan. In fact, we enjoyed them so much that Nick helped to make a second batch on our third day there. Enjoy them warm out of the oven... Read more
We decided to be adventurous this Christmas Day and added duck to our classic ham and turkey menu. It was our first taste of home cooked duck and my first attempt at gravy. The dark duck meat was surprisingly decadent (though in short supply), and the orange gravy was the ideal flavor enhancement. The stuffing is a bit dry on... Read more
Here’s a versatile, sweet, and savory recipe for your favorite root veggies. Try it as an accompaniment to the mustard-baked chicken with pretzel crust. Ingredients 2 Tbsp butter 6 Tbsp maple syrup 2 Tbsp EVOO 2 Tbsp chopped sage 2 small bunch turnips 2 small bunches carrots 2 parsnips salt and pepper Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel carrots.... Read more
Thanks to Maggie for this most delicious recipe recommendation! Hard pretzels and mustards of all types are two of my favorite things, and so this dish is a total winner in my mind. We served it alongside maple and sage roasted turnips and carrots — ideal for a Sunday supper in December. Ingredients 1/2 pound hard pretzels, coarsely crushed (4... Read more
I hope you all had a lovely holiday! We spent ours in Pennsylvania and Michigan. There was lots of quality time with both sides of our family, special gift giving, many hours spent playing trains and puzzles and Wii with our nephews, and an incredible amount of cooking and eating! We’re heading east again today to ring in the New... Read more
What makes a place a home? Currently we live in a one bedroom apartment above an eye doctor’s office. It’s located in a college town and is surrounded by fraternity houses. Sometimes the party music and clicking heels keep us up at night, but the ceilings are high and the window sills are wide. It has character. And, more importantly,... Read more
Nick tracked down this family recipe and served it to his hungry wife last weekend. The recipe comes from the Lawn Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary cookbook, which was given to Nick’s mother by her grandmother over 30 years ago! According to Nick, Great Grandma Irene Eckert was a spunky lady with red hair. (She dyed it until the day she... Read more
“Everything happens for a reason,” is what we’ve heard from both of our mothers this week. On Monday Nick prepared to interview for a job we were confident he would get — a job in the place we want to be. On Tuesday he got the offer! Right after they changed the location. On Wednesday we walked through every possible... Read more
Nick always substitutes sweet potato fries for regular fries when the option is available. In fact, he loves all varieties of the sweeter and healthier potatoes — baked, roasted, candied. This recipe from food52 combines sweet potatoes with spicy cumin and cayenne. We ate them three nights in a row, which should be reason enough for you to try them.... Read more