the arugula files

In Season: Blueberries

Blueberries are in season and I already made my annual trip to Butler's Orchard.  I picked 7 pounds, which was 3 pounds short of my goal.  For the most part, blueberry picking is an easy task, but the heat can really wear you down, and it tends to stifle even the most ambitious (and greedy) blueberry pickers.  Somewhere in the near future, I will make a blueberry pie and some blueberry infused vodka.  Meanwhile, here are a few blueberry recipes that will make your skirt twirl. 

Honest Blueberry Jam

Violet Beauregarde Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry and Crème Fraîche Ice Cream

Blueberry Margaritas

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus, Peas, and Sugar Snaps (Plus Why I always Liked Bon Appetit better than Gourmet)

A friend made this dish for me a few weeks ago.  It includes some of my favorite ingredients: Israeli couscous (which is not really couscous at all, but by my standards qualifies as pasta), asparagus, peas, snap peas, lemon, and parmesan cheese.  It's a great summer side and can serve as a substantial meal (or breakfast the next day, just as I ate the leftovers my friend gave me to take home).   The recipe is from Bon Appetit.

And now I'm going to say something controversial: I always liked Bon Appetit better than Gourmet, and I do not miss Gourmet at all.  In fact, if I had to choose between the two magazines, as Conde Naste did, I would have axed Gourmet and saved Bon Appetit, just as they decided to do.  There are two reasons for this.  First, Bon Appetit includes recipes I want to cook that don't require 17 special ingredients and, second, because I love Molly Wizenberg's monthly column.  There I said. 

When Life Gives you a Watermelon (Watermelon, Feta, Pickled Onions, and Mint Salad)

"Watermelon and onions? No thank you."  That's what Marcus said before he pushed this lovely plate back towards my end of the table. 

"Just try it."

"Nope."

I coaxed.  I pleaded.  I even did cartwheels across our living room. (Obviously that's an exaggeration). But he never did give in.  Now the question is: will you? Yes, I know watermelon, cheese, and onions make an unlikely combination. But they come together quite nicely.  This recipe is from Paula Deen and it has the distinction of being the only recipe I've ever seen from that woman that doesn't include deep frying or 5 sticks of butter.

I thought the salad was light and refreshing.  I loved the mint, especially.

What else are you going to do with the entire watermelon on your counter?

Food Blogger Happy Hour: July 7 @ the Passenger

Unfortunately, I missed the last food blogger happy hour.  What a drag.  But I'm not going to miss the next one.  I haven't yet been to the Passenger, but I've heard the buzz, and it's on my list of bars to frequent.  Whether you are a food lover or a food blogger, come out and meet someone who enjoys talking about last night's dinner as much as you do.

 DC Thrifty Cook is the “hostess with the mostess” this month, so make sure to say hello to Sylvie when you arrive.  She's one of the coolest, nicest bloggers I've met in DC .  RSVP on the food blogger facebook site and don't forget to become a fan.

See you there.

I'm in a Cookbook, For Realsies (55 Knives)!

 

Blogger extrodinaire, Nick from Macheesmo, has published an amazing e-cookbook called 55 knives, with recipes from, you guessed it: 55 bloggers.   55 bloggers, 55 recipes, and 55 stories to go along with the recipes.  And I'm one of the bloggers with a feature.  Exciting, isn't it?  55 knives puts the spotlight on some of my favorite DC bloggers, like Mango and Tomato, the Bitten Word, Not Derby Pie, and Modern Domestic, Plus there are many more bloggers from around the country that I would like to get to know a little better.  The Salty Cod, Sprouted Kitchen, Good Life {eats}, I'm looking at you!

Chorizo Tacos with Pickled Onions and Cilantro

Chorizo, Mexico's spicy, fatty, pork sausage, is the perfect filling for fresh flour tortillas.  Add a bit of cilantro, a squeeze of lemon, and some pickled onions, and you have a tasty meal that comes together in ten minutes.  I find that while I may not be able to replicate the pork or beef  tacos at Taqueria Distrito Federal, I can certainly buy some chorizo and come to close their version of chorizo tacos.

Pickling Onions: One Jar at a Time

Someone failed to send me the memo that I could pickle onions one jar at a time and, more importantly, that they could be ready in less than a few hours.  Hello, how did I miss this?  Pickled onions can make the difference between a lackluster meal and a memorable one.  Take our dinner the other night as an example. I was planning on making chorizo tacos, which sounded ok until, after some online searching, I figured out I could pickle onions and have them ready for dinner.  Now we're talking.

Carrot Cake (Plus, what are cake strips?)

I never thought of myself as a person who owns a cake stand.  As you can see: things have changed.  Since I am the new owner of a cake stand (one which I requested on our wedding registry; one that a nice, generous friend purchased for me), I have to become something else I'm not: a person who knows how to make cakes.  I thought I would start off with a carrot cake.  I selected carrot cake as the inaugural cake in my baking cakes curriculum, one, because it's Marcus' favorite cake, and, two, because cream cheese frosting speaks to me in hypnotizing ways.