Beets – people either love ’em or hate ’em. I happen to love them, while other people think they taste like dirt. I actually kind of get that, but I still love them. They taste fresh, hearty, and healthy, and have such a great, vibrant color. When I finally learned a good method to cook and peel beets (included below) that eliminated the frustration of waiting for them to finish roasting in the oven (they always seemed to take 5 times longer than any recipe would direct) and minimized the stained clothes and hands, I became even more interested in finding dishes that incorporated the veggie. This is a recipe for roasted and mashed beets with sweet potato and apple, and it hits on all the points I mentioned. With its vibrant color, this would be a lovely side dish for a Valentine’s Day dinner.
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January 2015 archive
Leftover Leisure
I tend to try new recipes when entertaining, which I did a fair amount of over the holidays. But since my normal cooking repertoire is pretty boring, that means I also tend to stock up on some ingredients that I only use once and end up tossing the remainder a few weeks later. What recipe uses a full quart of buttermilk? When do I foresee using semolina flour again? So if we liked something over the holidays, I’m making an effort to whip it up again with the extra ingredients for Trevor and I to enjoy. No need for fun snacks and sips to be limited to holidays or entertaining guests. Why not have something fun to look forward to after the kids are in bed? It’s a long and cold winter – perhaps “happy hour at home” will become a regular “Leisure” post. For this pairing, Ceci with Garlic and Sage (a repeat from New Year’s Eve) and a Fresh Cranberry Cosmo (recipes are included at the end of this post).
The garbanzo bean recipe includes an overabundance of rice coating that you need to prepare (as you can see in the picture below), as well as the aforementioned excess of buttermilk, making it an easy recipe to duplicate.
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Camel Cape
It’s been a while since something in a window truly drew me in to the store and resulted in the purchase, but this camel cape did just that. Darker and richer than beige, which I don’t wear well, I had been looking for a camel colored coat for a while but wanted something a little different than a classic overcoat. This fit the bill nicely, and provides an easy way to bring some interest to an otherwise basic black outfit. Plus, my regular puffer coat just doesn’t provide an appropriate backdrop for the bag, a lovely and over-the-top Christmas present from a dear friend.
ECHO Design cape and gloves | Banana Republic Sweater | Anthropologie pants | Ralph Lauren boots | MARC JACOBS handbag | Anthropologie earrings | Kate Spade sunglasses | Pelago bracelets (not available online)
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