Is it just me or are the titles of my recipes getting longer and longer? I guess I could have just called these buffalo burgers and left it at that; but how could I not mention the amazing pesto that really makes these burgers jump off the plate? Well if you can think of a shorter name that encompasses all these flavors, let me know. Because I can’t…and I’m the one writing this post, not you.
Filed under Buffalo, Burgers, Contests, local produce, Pesto
I was not about to make the same mistakes I made with my very first Daring Baker challenge. I had most definitely learned my lessons last time and applied them whole heartedly with this new challenge. So on a Friday night before going to bed, I fully read the recipe, jotting down each time the dough required chilling. This helped me to calculate the total time needed to make this bread. I made out a bit of a schedule, made sure I had all the ingredients and set off on my baking adventure the following Saturday…during a fucking heat wave in DC.
Filed under Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Daring Bakers Challenge
I’m hooked on the book Heat by Bill Buford; so much so I spent most of Saturday with my head buried behind the bright yellow cover. For those of you who don’t know about the book, it chronicles Bill’s time working as a lackey in Mario Batali’s kitchen at Babbo. What’s so extraordinary about this premise you may ask? Bill isn’t a young chef straight out of culinary school. No…he’s a middle aged writer who got a hair up his ass and decided to throw himself at the mercy of Batali’s kitchen. I was unabashedly hooked from the moment I picked it up, so when my stomach started grumbling Saturday night, I wanted something fairly quick but delicious. And what’s a better dinner on a Saturday night than pancakes
I don’t want to hear anything about the fact that I was home with a book on Saturday night. Trust me, I get enough of it from my friends (the term “old lady” has been thrown around to describe me…my love of the Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote don’t help my case). But sometimes my party clothes can be so binding (major points for anyone who can identify that line), so I stay in and enjoy the company of a great book. Who are you to judge me?
Filed under Breakfast, Brunch, Pancakes, Strawberries, Syrup
Blame Michelle over at Thursday Night Smackdown for this recipe. I was perusing through the many food blogs I have bookmarked at work (during lunch…yes, that’s it, during lunch) and stumbled upon her most recent edition of Cheap Ass Mondays…which included fresh pasta made by hand (yes ladies and gentleman, she didn’t even use a pasta roller or maker). The thought of making fresh pasta was stuck in my head the rest of the day, so as soon as I got home, I pulled out the Babbo Cookbook and immediately fell upon the recipe for black pepper pasta dough. Hello luvah!
Filed under Pasta, Pesto, Presto Pasta Nights
Have I mentioned lately how much I love belonging to a CSA? What’s not to love about a box filled to the brim with new potatoes, swiss chard, zucchini, fresh rosemary and basil, scallions and various other goodies? Oh yes, I am totally in love with Star Hollow Farm and am not ashamed to admit it.
Filed under CSA, farmers markets, Fast Food, Potatoes
One of my favorite food blogs, For the Love of Food, hosts a monthly event called Taste & Create. The concept? Nicole randomly pairs up two bloggers and they must select a recipe from their partner’s blog to make. Not only does it help you to discover new blogs, it may even force you to cook outside of your comfort zone. This is my first Taste & Create event and I was partnered with Bombay Foodie, who shares my love of warm bread and a hot cup of tea. So this weekend, I perused through BF’s blog and came upon these lovely shortbread cookies! Yes, I’m excited about shortbread cookies…
Filed under Baking, Cookies/Biscotti, Fast Food, Taste and Create
I know I have talked about Tim Russert’s passing a few times on here, but I had to share this photograph with everyone. I snagged really great seats for the Friday night Nats game against the Texas Rangers and during the game, a tribute to Tim was aired on the big screen. I managed to capture this final shot and I think it says volumes.
By the way, the food funk is officially over as I spent a majority of the weekend in the kitchen. So much so I had to (sadly) turn down a kind offer of a free ticket to the Pearl Jam concert. Uhhhggg! I know, I know how could I say no? Trust me, I didn’t want to but as usual Shaw Girl’s time management skills were working against her. The fruits of this food frenzy are forthcoming…
Filed under Tributes
The Local Food Project at Airlie and 7th Street Garden have teamed up for a film and food event to help benefit both groups. The Local Food Project is an excellent program established by the Airlie Foundation to promote the ideals of sustainable agriculture, something I support wholeheartedly. And the 7th Street Garden, a fixture in my stomping grounds of Shaw, brings together the ideals of sustainable agriculture, community cohesion and environmental responsibility. So it seems only natural for the two to team up for a collaborative fund raising event! The event is a screening of the film The 11th Hour (a movie that is on my “must see list”) and will be held on Tuesday June 24th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Come out and mingle with other supporters of local food programs and enjoy delicious food and wine! Tickets are $20 and you can reserve your spot by going to the 7th Street Garden’s event page.
This Saturday and Sunday marks the 16th Annual Safeway National Capital Barbecue Challenge. The event will take place on Pennsylvania Avenue in full view of the Capital building. Besides the barbecue smackdown, the event also has 3 stages of musical acts (including one of my favorites Jimmie’s Chicken Shack) and cooking demonstrations from local and nationally known chefs (including Virginia Willis). Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for the little ones and can be purchased online. There will be free samples galore, so bring your appettite!
Over 13 wineries are participating in the Great Grapes! Wine, Arts and Food Festival starting this evening in Cockeysville, MD. For the price of admission ($18 for advanced tickets, $22 for on site ticket purchases…and a special rate for designated drivers – but who wants to be the DD at a wine festival?), you are treated to unlimited food and wine samples, cooking demonstrations, local artist displays, performances and a souvenior wine glass. This is billed as the only Baltimore area wine festival and is in its sixth year.
Food Matters, a unique dining experience in Alexandria, is hosting its second annual rosé tasting on Sunday. The event includes a tasting of four roses, along with food, and is only $15 per person. I have yet to dine at Food Matters but have it on good authority (and by authority I mean people whose palettes I completely trust) that the food is fantastic and the premise (using local, in season ingredients highlighted by quality ingredients and the amazing culinary talents of its staff headed by Tom Przystawik) is inspired.
For more information about local food events in the DC metro area, head over to The List, Are You On It. Have a good weekend and don’t worry, I think Shaw Girl’s food funk is out the door!
Filed under Food Events
I’ve really been in a bit of a funk lately, which means no inspiration to cook or write. In fact, I have even ordered Chinese take out for dinner…twice! So this post is from a dish I made almost two weeks ago with my fabulous morels. Luckily there are a slew of recipes I made and photographed just in case such a funk hit…yes, I’m a planner…
Filed under Mushrooms, Pasta, Presto Pasta Nights
I woke up on Sunday early because I knew I wanted to whip up something special to eat while watching the Meet the Press tribute to Tim Russert. I cannot count how many times I’ve gotten up and made a breakfast befitting Sunday in time to watch Tim’s engaging yet informative interviewing style. He made me think, he made me laugh but most importantly he brought his passion of life to the world of politics. So today, I pulled out a recipe I’ve been meaning to try for a while in honor of such a journalistic giant.
Stumble It!
Adventures in Shaw 
