spaghetti with braised kale

This picture isn't that great. It shows the meal reheated the day after. Normally I wouldn't even bother taking its photo let alone post it, but I had to share this recipe. It was so so so good. I will probably be making this once a week for a while. In fact, I may actually make it again tonight.

spaghetti with braised kale via Bon Appetit, Oct. 2009

Ingredients
1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound spaghetti
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I added a lot more)
Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

cakewalk updates!

cakewalk has an improved look to the website, including.....

wait for it, WAIT for it!!!....



a drop down menu!

as well as some highlights from the wedding we shot recently. Check it out. Please.

no meal

I will go grocery shopping soon. I will go grocery shopping soon. I will go grocery shopping soon.

Brown rice and soy sauce = no meal.

souper bread

Woah. Woah woah woah. Just because I haven't been posting doesn't mean I haven't been cooking. Let me tell you a thing or two about a thing or two.

First of all- I got a freaking bread maker. And I made me some damn good french loaves today. I'm too excited to write more about it right now. Just know that you should probably be jealous of me.

Second- the soup. Creamless creamy tomoto soup. Super easy and sooooo yummy. And not too bad for you either.

Creamless Creamy Tomato Soup (via Cooks Illustrated)

Ingredients

1/4	cup extra virgin olive oil
1	medium onion, chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
	Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1	bay leaf
2	(28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice
1	tablespoon brown sugar
3	large slices sandwich bread , crusts removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
2	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4	cup chopped fresh chives

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and their juice. Using potato masher, mash until no pieces bigger than 2 inches remain. Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf.

2. Transfer half of soup to blender. Add 1 tablespoon oil and process until soup is smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and repeat with remaining soup and oil. Rinse out Dutch oven and return soup to pot. Stir in chicken broth and brandy (if using). Return soup to boil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve soup in individual bowls. Sprinkle each portion with pepper and chives and drizzle with olive oil.

apple a day

lots of this going on lately. I'm hopefully going to a pumpkin patch/orchard this weekend, so hopefully the apple train won't be stopping any time soon. tooot tooot!

from grass to cheese

So this is about food, and also it's awesome. I can't wait to see the finished product.
Way to go Milk Products. I'm proud to know ya.

round two

I have tried it again! Thank you Claire and Sarah for your advice. I put the stove on looooow heat and shredded the cheese and it turned out much better- not perfect, but better. And, turns out, I don't think I really like grilled cheeses. They kind of hurt my stomach for not much payoff. So I think I'm just going to let this one go; we'll call it a draw.

And yes, that is a giant jar of mayo in the background. I mean, come on. Why not?

meh.

I thought this recipe was going to be awesome, but really it was just bland. Hopes were up, then promptly crushed.

scalloped potatoes (and hot dogs)

My boyfriend and I went to Wisconsin a couple of weeks ago. On the way back we stopped in Shullsburg to load up on cheese. I picked out (among others, of course) a smoked sharp cheddar and have had cheese belly ever since. So I made this scalloped potatoes recipe to try and use up some of it. After pulling it out of the oven and letting it cool, I anxiously bit into it.... and all I could taste was hot dogs. You see, my dad used to make dinner sometimes and it would generally be a box of scalloped potatoes with some sort of chopped up meat- hot dogs, ham, turkey ham, etc. And while I love my dad for trying, it seems to have ruined this meal for me.

Anyway, you'll probably have a different experience. Matt tried it and vouched for it not actually tasting like hot dogs. So if you're not a Runchey child, you'll probably like this.

p.s. - the dressing on the salad is whole mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. I'm pretty into it lately.