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November 15, 2017

Something about the cold weather makes me want to spend all my time in the kitchen. When the air gets chilly, all I want is to snuggle up with a good book and put yummy things in my belly. I recently found a new (old) favorite comfort food combo: grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup! And I can’t stop making it. I crave it daily and have never had so many large 28 oz cans of tomatoes in my pantry. Not only does this meal combo essentially require only six ingredients altogether, but they’re all things that keep pretty well so you can cook it up whenever it strikes your fancy.

I was inspired after thumbing through The Magnolia Journal, which encouraged readers to have simple soup gatherings. I could tell they were really trying to hammer in the message that it’s not so much about making a big fuss with lots of food, but just enjoying good company with a warm and comforting meal. Even if that meal is just a pot of soup. Comforting doesn’t have to mean fussy, and I tried to take that message in and allow myself the possibility of serving a one (!) course meal with friends over. Could I really do it? Just soup? Would people feel like it wasn’t worth the effort of coming over if it were… just soup? Hm.

I can’t really see myself doing it, but it wouldn’t be too hard to throw in a grilled cheese sandwich. And I’m pretty sure no one would be complaining if I did it the way the magazine recommended (in a different section)- literally grilling the cheese on the skillet first. Ohhh yeah. I tried it last week and just KNOWING my cheese got some of that crispy browned cheesy crust from my seasoned cast iron made me feel like I was eating something special. I also looked up an easy tomato soup recipe to go with it, and found a one of those awesome recipes that is not only easy (and essentially 3 ingredients!), but SO DELICIOUS. As one person had commented on that site,

…this is the best homemade tomato soup that I have ever had, at my age (old) I have a lot! Add to its simplicity and the reason for its winning nature, no flavor competing and muddying the pot, becomes clear. Simply delicious is pure decision. Thanks to you for this final and only recipe in my tomato soup ‘collection’.

That was the comment that made me commit to this recipe, and turns out it was so true! This soup wins because of the simplicity of the recipe- no sugar, spices, herbs or cream. This allows the tomato flavor to truly stand out! It’s delicious. I made it for my husband and left the house before he had a chance to eat. He wolfed it down and promptly texted me, “Lunch was amazing” followed by “!!”

That made my day!

So I have and will make this again and again. Who wants to come over? Sunday lunch anybody? 🙂

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June 9, 2017

We love salmon. A lot.

We like it raw. Baked. Pan-fried. Poached. Pretty much any way you can imagine! The other night, as we dinnered over mirin glazed salmon and napa cabbage, I remarked to Ben, “You know, I think I’m always going to cook skinless salmon fillets this way.”

“Really? I really like your panko-crusted salmon, though!” he said, afraid I was nixing one of his favorite dishes.

“Me too! But it’s a totally different flavor and feel- and you have to have salmon skin on for that one to really shine. So if I have skin-on salmon fillets, I think I’ll keep making it that way. But if it’s skinless, like these, then I think something delicate like this Mirin glaze is the way to go. And if it’s salmon steaks, then I like it best cooked with lemon and garlic the way you do it.”

Ben makes the best lemon and garlic salmon steaks. (Recipe below.)

Ben: “That’s an interesting point. Different ways to cook salmon depending on the cut. You should blog about that.”

Me: “Okay.”

So here ya go! Three of our favorite ways to enjoy salmon, depending on what cut you get: fillets with skin, fillets without skin, and salmon steaks! Yum! Feast on, friends.

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May 4, 2017

I’ve always thought of bread as a labor intensive process, or at least a time consuming one. I remember early attempts of bread making that involved creating warm spaces, punching dough, kneading, and a lot of setting timers… only to be met with a lot of, “Meh, I can get a much better loaf for a lot less effort at the bakery.”

So I decided to leave the crusty bread loaves to the experts. I would stick to cookies and brownies in my bakery.

Then my friend Sandley shared an exciting find on her blog: Jim Lahey’s no-knead dough. As convincing as her bread story was, it was the photos that did me in. That, and this line: This bread has a wonderful crusty exterior, soft air-punctuated interior, and looks amazing.

Well, then.

Last year, she moved away (sniffles!) and left me with the rest of her instant yeast. There was a lot, so I decided to give the recipe a go, and I haven’t looked back since. Actually, I have looked back a lot. I have looked back at her blog and the recipe many times and decided it’s time to get this well-loved recipe onto MY blog for ease of use (and to share with all of you!). It is now a staple at our dinner table and is perfect for sopping up sauces or enjoying alongside a carby pasta dinner.

Some other things this recipe has going for it:

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March 1, 2017

In the beginning…

It all started at Alinna’s house. She inspires me to try new things a lot, like CSAs, hosting friends more frequently for dinners, baking bread, co-op preschools, and Dorie Greenspan. This visit was no exception. They had us over for dinner, and on the menu: grilled pizzas. By the time we left, I was determined to learn how to make artisan pizza at home, too.

When this family does food, they do food, and their pizza was no exception. Their sourdough pizza dough recipe came straight out of The Cheese Board Collective and I wouldn’t be surprised if they grew the kale in their own yard. I mean, they already have chickens back there.

Ben liked the pizza so much I decided I was gonna learn how to do it. Pizza nights were gonna be a thing in our house. I would sit back and drink some wine while the pizza baked, and we would have something DELICIOUS at the end of it. So I asked Alinna my 131 questions, studied as she built her pizzas, and tried to figure out how I was going to replicate this without a grill in the backyard.

Long story short, after much research and many rounds of improving my oven version, I am ready to share my Friday Night Pizza routine with you!

It does not involve sourdough starter.

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January 17, 2016

I never thought I’d write about vegetables.

I never imagined I’d buy a cookbook focused completely on vegetables.

I never thought I’d buy my best friend a cookbook about vegetables as part of her birthday gift.

But look! Here I am, writing about vegetables because I got this cookbook on vegetables which I liked enough to buy for my BFF for her birthday! To be fair, I also gifted her some of my favorite chocolate products, but… vegetables. I’m sure she didn’t see that coming.

Because I like pastries. And chocolate. And coffee. And milk tea. And bacon. And fried stuff. And usually, vegetables don’t fall under any of those categories (except veggie tempura and onion rings, I guess, but does that really count??).

If you really think about it, though, it totally makes sense that I should get a cookbook on vegetables. Veggies are my relative cooking weakness, so why shouldn’t I turn to an expert who LOVES them and get advice on how she prepares them? I mean, if I wanted to make more delightful desserts, I’d look to the greats like David or Thomas or Dorie. So when it comes to veggies, I now look to Susie. BTW, this is not a sponsored post. Susie Middleton does not know I exist. I just really like this book and I’m glad someone told me about it, so I figured I should pass the info on to you. Cuz that’s what friends do.

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October 29, 2015

It’s officially autumn and even though it’s still hitting the 90’s here, I’ve decided it is definitely soup-making time again! Who am I kidding, I make soup all summer, too. It’s just such a delicious way to get in those veggies! Here are three of my all-time favorite soup recipes. I can’t say I like any one more than the other– it’s really just what you feel like. I WILL say that these are all pretty simple to spin together, and have always been a highlight with any meal I serve it with!

#1: Butternut Squash Soup.

easy peasy butternut squash soup! so delicious!!!

This recipe should be a staple in your soup arsenal simply because it is SO easy to make and SO satisfyingly delicious. Everyone’s tried it, most people like it, and after you make your own version, your family is sure to love it! I personally like to brown my squash and onions a little longer for a roasted flavor and keep mine on the thin side with a little more broth, but you can adjust it however you like! TRY IT IF YOU HAVEN’T! You won’t regret it! (And if you can, go for the Costco or Trader Joe’s pre-cut squash. Saves a lot of work and time!)

#2: Creamy Zucchini and Garlic Soup

Zucchini garlic soup

This stuff is so addictive. You won’t even believe you drank the equivalent of a whole zucchini when you down a bowl of this soup- it’s SO TASTY, creamy, and delicious! I can’t even describe to you what it tastes like– you really just have to try making this yourself to believe how good it is. The process for making this is pretty much the same as the butternut squash soup (i.e. saute, simmer, blend), except whole zucchini is easier to work with and you use a lot more garlic. If you serve this to guests, they’ll swear you added a cup of cream to it, and you can proudly tell them that no, this creamy concoction is indeed cream-less. (Okay, there’s a little bit of butter in there, but not enough to make it feel unhealthy!). This one is a staple because zucchini seems to be pretty plump and available year-round, so I can throw this soup together any time I feel like fancying up our dinner menu!

#3: Roasted Cauliflower and White Cheddar Soup

Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Soup

This is a combination I would never have dreamed up, and I have the Internet and probably Pinterest to thank for one of my favorite new flavor combinations. If you’re like me, cauliflower soup just doesn’t sound all that appealing, but I BEG YOU– give this a try and let me know what you think!! IT’S SO SPECTACULAR. I know I just said this about the zucchini soup, but I think I mean it doubly for this one: you just can’t really imagine how amazing these flavors taste together until you try it! I mean, I think roasted cauliflower is pretty good. And who doesn’t like some cheddar? But when these flavors are roasted and melded together, it’s heavenly. Seriously. For a shortcut, get some pre-cut cauliflower from Costco, whirl this together and just try and tell me with a straight face that you didn’t love it. Mmm so cozy comfy heart-warmingly good…

If you have an easy and go-to soup recipe you love, please send it my way! I’m pretty happy with my top 3, but always happy to try others! 🙂

July 21, 2015

Lord, help me. It’s been one of those weeks. I’m so. tired.

Sorry, blog,I have no energy for you right now. I’ll be back soon!

Garlic Lemon Aioli Recipe (4)

In the meantime, here is something I’ve been meaning to share for a long time: Giada’s Garlic Lemon Aioli recipe. It’s fanTASTIC. It’s my own little “dirty sauce” that I love to spread on anything, especially on paninis or for dipping veggies in. It’s the extra MMM you’re looking for to bring your sandwiches to the next level, and seriously pairs wonderfully with so many things. I mean, lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper– can’t really go wrong there, right?

Garlic Lemon Aioli Recipe (1)

Mix…

Garlic Lemon Aioli Recipe (2)

Yum!!!

Garlic Lemon Aioli Recipe (3)This is our favorite panini setup right there with focaccia, pepperjack, arugala, tomatoes, pastrami, and some garlic lemon aioli.
I sprinkle some salt on top before grilling them and mm-mmm they always hit the spot! 

Anyway I’m way overdue to get this on my blog, because I reference my own blog for frequently used recipes and I always tell myself “I really need to get the aioli recipe on there!” So here it is. Enjoy!

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May 5, 2015

late night diapers2

Last weekend, my friends and I threw a super fun ocean themed baby shower for my friend Kim (and Dan)! Even though I helped to coordinate the event, I actually had to miss it because I came down with the flu  :*(. SO SAD. But I am still so proud of how things turned out, and wanted to share some of my favorite ideas from the party!

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March 26, 2015

SONY DSC

This one is lookin’ mighty good for an Easter brunch. We’ve actually never had one, since we’re always at a long church service that morning… but if we did, this would be on the menu! Mm-mm. This is GOOD STUFF.

My husband is a lover of all things salmon, and all things egg, so this is right up his alley. He also loves appetizers, so it pretty much makes his day when this is served up! The egg salad is just perfect– slightly creamy, with a hit of mustard and dill, which complements the smoked salmon so nicely. Whether you’re having a brunch or a bridal shower (smoked salmon won’t do for pregnant mommas at a baby shower though), this is a beautiful, perfect little finger food to serve up!

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March 13, 2015

Mashed potatoes are delicious. Fried food is delicious.

Which explains why smashed, fried potatoes are AMAZING.

IMG_7004

Amazing.

If you share in my love for savory, crispy things,

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