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All posts tagged easy recipes

A reason for messes: 10-minute strawberry jam

Strawberry Jam4

I could talk on and on about the value of simplicity — simple ingredients, simple work, simple living — but sometimes, I can honestly say you just have to make a royal mess of things to appreciate a job well done. Last night, while I scrubbed a few dishes and Jared helped tend to a bubbling pot of fruit and sugar, I thought to myself how lovely and simple the evening felt compared to the past few weeks. The thought barely escaped my mind when, quite suddenly, that bubbling pot turned into a red hot spring of craziness, spewing very boiling and very staining liquid from one end of the kitchen to the other.

Strawberry Jam6

Now I don’t know if it’s because I was watching 19 Kids and Counting at the time (the Duggars have a strangely calming effect on me) or because I slept a full eight hours the night before, but rather then send me into the typical stress-filled cleaning frenzy, this volcano of sticky preserves only fueled my satisfaction in the entire jam-making process. What is jam without the mess anyway? A sugary fruit mash at best. The real secret is in the chaos.

Strawberry Jam

Oh, and good croissants. The other secret is good croissants. Few things are more delicious than homemade jam on bakery-made pastry, and we’re fortunate to have an awesome German bakery nearby. Next time you’re cruising around Durham, be sure to check out Guglhupf. And order a few extra cherry Danish to take home because, well, you need no excuse.

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So back to the jam. This super simple recipe, which I happened upon while browsing one of my sister’s Pinterest boards (hey, gurl!), is a mere three ingredients long and takes little more than a bit of active stirring to get the job done. Yes, it might leave an impressive mess in its wake, but as noted earlier, that’s part of the process. It’s all worth it. Of course, it’s entirely possible that I was cooking with some exceptionally fervent strawberries, and perhaps the tamer varieties are less likely to bubble so enthusiastically. But I’m no scientist. Just a girl who’s a few splatters short of a clean kitchen.

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Simple Strawberry Jam
From Martha Stewart

• 1 ½ pounds hulled strawberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Place the strawberries in a food processor, and pulse until they’re coarsely chopped. Transfer the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to a large skillet, and stir until combined.

Cook the strawberries over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the jam is thickened and bubbles cover the surface, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the jam to a jar (or two small jars), and allow it to cool to room temperature. Jam may be kept sealed in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Strawberry Jam2

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In case it helps put the flavor or texture into perspective, my mom says this strawberry goodness sounds a lot like the freezer jam my grandma used to make all the time. It’s sweet but not overly sweet like the store-bought stuff, and there’s plenty of zing from the generous bit of lemon juice. And we’re just jumping into strawberry season, so now’s the time to jam away! Just don’t forget those croissants!

XO,
Katrina

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6 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on May 9, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on May 9, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/05/09/a-reason-for-messes-10-minute-strawberry-jam/

The missing zing: Balsamic-glazed penne with roasted asparagus

Balsamic Penne

I love balsamic vinegar. Like, really love it. I add it to pasta, salad, rice, almost any savory dish that seems a little lacking in flavor. And I add it in quantities that would probably make most people shudder. Jared certainly likes it well enough, too, but any time I’m cooking and he sees me reaching for the balsamic vinegar bottle, I can tell he’s getting nervous. A little goes a long way, he likes to remind me.

Balsamic Penne5

So yes, I have a reputation for excessive balsamic vinegar usage, which is probably why Jared reacted the way he did as he watched me measure out a full two-thirds cup of it into a saucepan while putting together this recipe. Whether you use a lot or a little, balsamic vinegar likes to show you that it’s there. The second it hits the heat, it lets out a wonderful sizzle and a swoosh of steam that fills your nose if you’re standing too close. I lean in a smidge. Jared jumps back.

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In most cases, two-thirds of a cup is definitely a lot of vinegar, and you might feel as if you’re basting yourself in it when you first begin this recipe. But by the end, once it’s simmered down into a beautiful, syrupy sauce, and it’s tossed in with the pasta, butter and roasted asparagus, that pungent zing is replaced by a smooth, rich glaze that coats the penne perfectly and makes you happy with every bite.

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Jared was skeptical, but now he’s a believer. Balsamic vinegar knows no limits.

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Balsamic-Glazed Penne with Roasted Asparagus
Adapted slightly from Food and Wine

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and then cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 pound whole-wheat penne
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into ¼-inch cubes
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the cut asparagus on a large, rimmed baking sheet (lined with foil for easy cleanup). Drizzle the olive oil over top, and sprinkle on ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss until the asparagus is evenly coated, then spread it back out in an even layer. Roast until the asparagus is tender and its ends begin to get slightly brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing partway through.

In the meantime, put the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and simmer until 3 tablespoons remain (you’ll know it’s reduced enough when the vinegar coats the back of a spoon). Stir in the brown sugar and remaining ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Remove from the heat.

While the vinegar is reducing, cook the penne according to package instructions. Drain the pasta, and toss it with the butter and vinegar until it’s well coated. Add the asparagus, Parmesan and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and toss gently to combine. Serve with the extra Parmesan.

Balsamic Penne4

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Funnily enough, this was actually the very first recipe I pinned on Pinterest at least two years ago, and I finally got around to making it last week. We all love it, and I can’t believe it was just sitting on that board for so long, waiting to be tried. Now, it’s officially added to the rotation. Woot!

Have you tried any great new recipes lately? Are there any fellow balsamic vinegar lovers out there with delicious dishes to share? What are your favorite flavors that you could eat by the cupful (even if you know you shouldn’t)? Do tell!

XO,
Katrina

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by Katrina Tauchen on April 17, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on April 17, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/04/17/the-missing-zing-balsamic-glazed-penne-with-roasted-asparagus/

Out of the rut: Barley risotto with spinach and sweet potatoes

Barley Risotto3

New baked goods are a regular occurrence in our house, but when it comes to dinner, I get stuck in a rut so fast. Try as I might, I just don’t get as excited about savory dishes as I do about sugar. Or butter. Or whipped cream. You get the idea.

I know, I know. A family cannot subsist on dessert alone, and I promise we’re fairly moderated in our consumption even when the oven triumphantly produces four new cookies in a week. Despite my fallback habits for the evening meal, we still eat fun things. We just tend to eat the same fun things over and over again, assuming that they’re relatively quick and easy. Weeknights are bananas sometimes.

Which brings us to this meal. Risotto is a favorite across the board for us (this spinach and mushroom risotto is our favorite among favorites!), but it takes so long. And it’s not just that it takes so long; it takes a lot of hands-on time — hands that are in high demand for puppy feeding and baby chasing and other miscellaneous hullaballoo come 6 p.m.

But this one is so easy! With barley instead of Arborio rice, this dish is not only handily finished off in the oven (woo hoo!), but it’s also healthy. I dare say it’s pretty foolproof, too, and tastes just as creamy and satisfying as the stuff that takes an hour over the stovetop to prepare. Now just think of all the cookie dough you can whip up with your hands free for those 40 minutes of baking! 

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Barley Risotto with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
Adapted from Real Simple

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 onion, chopped
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pearl barley
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (I used vegetable broth, but either works.)
• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 6 ounces fresh baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a Dutch oven or large oven-proof saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, sweet potatoes, salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Stir often to keep things from burning.

Add the barley, and cook for another minute, this time stirring constantly. Add the wine, and continue cooking until the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the broth, and bring it to a boil. Cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven to bake until the barley is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes (Note: The first time I made this, I used quick-cooking barley instead of pearl barley. It was good but definitely already a little past done after only 25 minutes. If you’d prefer to use quick-cooking barley for a faster meal, make sure you give your sweet potatoes a little more time in the sautéing stage so they’ll be tender after about 10 to 15 minutes in the oven.)

Stir in the butter and Parmesan, then stir in the spinach. Serve with an extra happy sprinkling of Parmesan.

Barley Risotto

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I’m planning to try out a spinach and mushroom version of the barley risotto over the weekend to see how it compares to our beloved favorite. I’ll let you know how it turns out!

Happy weekend to you!

XO,
Katrina

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by Katrina Tauchen on April 5, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on April 5, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/04/05/out-of-the-rut-barley-risotto-with-spinach-and-sweet-potatoes/

Like living in a pancake: Maple yogurt pound cake

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake6

Imagine waking up to the smell of maple permeating from all corners of the room. It’s faint enough to not overwhelm you but strong enough to conceal the slow-cooked curry next door. As you roll out of bed and greet the morning (a bit bouncier than usual, of course, as maple is a wonderful incentive to start the day), you smile because you know good things are on the horizon. The sun seems shinier, the birds sound chirpier, and the whole day already feels sweeter. That’s life inside a pancake, my friends. And it is awesome.

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“It’s like we’re living in a pancake.” Those were the exact words uttered in our house at that magical moment when the smell of what was baking escaped the oven and reached our senses. It’s been a while since I’ve been so excited to try something based on smell alone.

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake

But that’s how baking is supposed to be, right? It’s the smell that draws you in; it’s the flavor that makes you stay. Luckily, this maple yogurt pound cake lives up to its fragrant hype.

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I suppose I should also note how super simple the recipe is. A bit of sifting and stirring is all it takes. And so long as you butter your loaf pan liberally to avoid any pesky stick-the-the-sideness, it’s sure to emerge golden and lovely.

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And it’s so, so delicious. Actually, I baked this pound cake two days in a row last week, not because I botched the recipe the first time but because it’s totally true what they say: Once you’ve lived inside a pancake, it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else (or something like that).

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Maple Yogurt Pound Cake
Adapted just slightly from Rivka, Food52.com

• ½ cup grade B maple syrup
• ¾ cups plain yogurt (I used regular yogurt, but Greek would work, too.)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• zest from ½ lemon or orange (I’ve tried both ways and honestly liked it equally.)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8 ½-by-4 ½-by-2 ½-inch metal loaf pan.

Mix together the syrup, yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla and lemon or orange zest until well combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking power, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir gently to incorporate. Add the oil, and gently fold it into the batter until it’s completely absorbed.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, place the pan on a baking sheet in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center just comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Maple Yogurt Pound Cake2

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What’s your favorite breakfast to wake up to? Are there any recipes that have won you over with their scent alone? Do tell!

XO,
Katrina

17 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on March 26, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on March 26, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/03/26/like-living-in-a-pancake-maple-yogurt-pound-cake/

Spring, salad and photo shoots

Orzo Salad-new

Except for a few sporadic drizzles, it’s been absolutely gorgeous here the past few weeks. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and our puppy and toddler are both filled with more energy than usual. Hooray for spring around the corner! I’m a winter girl through and through, but being a mom makes me appreciate the warmer days at a whole new level. Our Beany needs to run. And run and run.

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We’ve been taking full advantage of the longer days and loads of sunshine lately. I’ve been itching to get springy photos of Beany for weeks now in hopes of capturing an Easter card-worthy shot, and we turned it into an impromptu family photo shoot. I suppose I shouldn’t say impromptu because we actually had the forethought to buy a $15 tripod from Target before heading to our photo destination. Why we waited so long to get such a handy tool, I have no idea.

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Family Photo-blog

The process for getting the family shots was actually pretty hilarious. I’d stand in the designated spot with Beany sitting a few feet to the side and playing in the grass, Jared would focus the camera on me and set the timer, then he’d run over to Beany, making monster noises along the way, pick up our laughing girl and throw her into the air before settling in the frame next to me, just in time for the light to flash and photo to take.

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Kat and Beany-blog

Beany was amazingly cooperative. And boy oh boy, is she getting aware of that camera. I laugh every time I look at some of these. What a silly girl.

Jared and Beany4-blog

To go with our sunny weather and outdoor shenanigans, we noshed on some springtime salad for lunch that day. My salad-making seems to rise exponentially when the weather gets warmer, and this zucchini orzo salad is a zippy, filling, pretty-in-the-bowl recipe that’s super simple to throw together and incredibly forgiving if you change the ingredients here and there. Perfect for a picnic or barbecue or I-need-to-feel-springy afternoon.

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Orzo Salad2

Zucchini Orzo Salad

Adapted from Real Simple, June 2010

• 10 ounces orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 small zucchinis, cut into thin half moons (cucumber could easily be substituted)
• a handful of grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 8 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Cook the orzo according to package instructions to al dente. Drain and run the pasta under cold water to cool it down.

In the meantime, whisk together the oil, vinegar, red pepper, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the zucchini and tomatoes, and toss to combine. Let that marinate for 20-30 minutes.

Add the cooked orzo to the zucchini along with the Feta and dill, and toss to combine.

Note: This salad could be easily switched up depending on what you have on hand. Kalamata olives, green onions, roasted corn or grated carrots would be yummy additions as well. Also, I tend to prefer zingy dressing over oily, which is why my oil-to-vinegar ration is 1:2. Feel free to adjust it to suit your taste.

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How are you enjoying the springtime weather? Any fun new recipes? Fun outdoors? I’d love to hear about it!

XO,
Katrina

6 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on March 15, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on March 15, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/03/15/spring-salad-and-photo-shoots/

Forget the French fries: Salt and vinegar potatoes

Vinegar Potatoes3

I love recipes that take a bit of work to put together, the kind that use a ridiculous amount of kitchenware, loads of ingredients and a fair amount of time before they even reach the oven. There’s something so satisfying about all that work, both in the finished dishes you’ve created and the chaos they leave behind. In cooking and baking, you take the good with the bad. And fantastic flavor is almost always worth a fantastic mess.

Although it’d be great to have the time and energy to cook in a mess-filled fury on a daily basis, life is a busy thing, and sometimes I’m just too exhausted to battle the flying flour and grease spots a remarkable meal might bring. For those days, I’m thankful for recipes that strive for awesomeness despite their simplicity. And if one of said recipes only takes a bowl and a foil-covered baking sheet to get the job done, then, whew. You had me at foil-covered baking sheet.

Vinegar Potatoes

I promise I’m not exaggerating when I say these potatoes are amazing, and I love that it takes so little work to get them there. We’ve had them three times in the past two weeks, and though the first time I made them I went sans foil and was left with a miserably messy baking sheet afterward (it was a long day, so my mess appreciation was probably lacking its usual gusto), I’ve since gone the foil route with no sacrifice to the wonderfully crisp texture that only screaming hot roasting can achieve. Jared suggested we try them again with spicy Cajun seasoning in lieu of the thyme and rosemary, so that’s going on the docket soon.

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Salt and Vinegar Potatoes with Rosemary and Thyme
Adapted slightly from Savoring the Thyme

• 1 pound baby Yukon potatoes, washed, dried and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Add the potatoes and stir until the potatoes are well coated. Let the potatoes marinade in the olive oil and vinegar for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F, and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Add the rosemary, thyme, salt and olive oil to the potatoes and toss to combine. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet, and arrange them in a single layer (more breathing space makes for crispier potatoes, so if you’re doubling the recipe, be careful not to overcrowd your pan). It’s fine if some of the extra marinade makes it onto the baking sheet when you’re transferring the potatoes, but don’t add more than what comes through the spoon.

Roast the potatoes for 20 minutes, then give them a quick toss on the baking sheet. Continue roasting for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Vinegar Potatoes8

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What are your favorite no-nonsense, low-mess, whip-them-up-in-a-snap recipes? Have you had any truly amazing messes to contend with recently that brought along even more amazing meals? I’d love to hear about them!

XO,
Katrina

4 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on March 5, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on March 5, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/03/05/forget-the-french-fries-salt-and-vinegar-potatoes/

Life without a microwave: Brown butter Rice Krispies treats

Brown Butter Rice Krispies

We have no microwave in our home, and we haven’t since we moved here a year and a half ago. As apartment dwellers, we’ve spent the past five-plus years relying on the appliances our rentals provide, and when we moved here, there was no microwave. Gallant folks that we are, we decided to trudge on without one.

Funnily enough, the people our no-microwave situation seemed to affect the most were our respective moms. Both offered their condolences at our lack of a microwave, both offered suggestions as to where in our tiny apartment we might house one, and both even offered to buy us one should we decide the void was too great. They were sweet to offer, and zapping leftovers is a convenience I do miss on occasion, but the truth is, we made adjustments and are getting on just fine without one (though I will admit that I have yet to find a reasonable means of reheating my mom’s coffee when she visits, after she tops it off with a healthy glug of milk. Hmm…).

This no-microwave backstory is important to this post because it is precisely how my mom came to accidently invent something awesome. While she was staying at our house for a few weeks after Beany was born, she volunteered to make a batch of Rice Krispies treats (a family tradition that we can eat by the tray-full — seriously). She ran out to Target, bought all of the ingredients and was in the kitchen ready to whip them up before my post-pregnancy brain remembered we had no microwave in which to make them. No bother, she said. She’d make them on the stove.

Brown Butter Rice Krispies3

Long story short, we got to chatting, the butter got to bubbling, and it wasn’t until we heard it sputtering from the stovetop that we realized what was going on. After considering starting over, my mom decided to take her chances and finish the batch anyway. And it was from that near disaster that our first batch of brown butter Rice Krispies treats was born. When I’m 100, I’ll still think of it as one of my mom’s greatest culinary achievements. She made them for us at least two more times that visit.

For a good 15 months I’ve been crediting my mom as the inventor of brown butter Rice Krispies treats and the greatest accidental dish of all time, but just this weekend, while flipping through The Essential New York Times Cookbook, I found a nearly identical recipe. Craziness! I suppose what this really means is that my mom was inadvertently rolling with the culinary big dogs. Top Chef, watch out.

The recipe shown here is a hybrid of the NYT version and my mom’s. Although they aren’t the typical gooey treats you might remember from school, they make up for it with a rich, caramel-like flavor. They’re super chewy but pretty crunchy as well. I suggest cutting them into small bite-size squares for easy snacking.

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Caramelized Brown Butter Rice Krispies Treats

Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Amanda Hesser, p. 708)

• 1 cup salted butter, plus more for buttering pan
• 1 16-ounce bag of marshmallows
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces Rice Krispies cereal

Butter an 11-by-17-inch baking dish or rimmed baking sheet, and set it aside. Melt 1 cup of butter in a large pot over medium heat. Once it melts, it will start to foam. Stir occasionally as the butter turns to a clear golden color. It will then start to turn brown and smell nutty. Watch closely, and continue to stir often.

Once the butter is evenly browned, stir in the marshmallows and vanilla. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture turns pale brown. Then stir constantly until it is lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat, add the cereal and mix until well combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press down lightly. Let the mixture cool, and then cut it into small squares.

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Have you had any wonderful kitchen disasters lately? Botched recipes turned awesome? And is anyone else out there trucking on without a microwave? Do tell!

XO,
Katrina

6 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on February 27, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on February 27, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/02/27/life-without-a-microwave-brown-butter-rice-krispies-treats/

Poetry and cookies: Sweet citrus shortbread

Citrus Shortbread9

As I’m sure I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion, all of my best ideas, particularly the writing-related ones, seem to come while I’m taking a shower. Basically, a lovely line emerges from the steam, then bounces around for a while, rephrased and repeated until it’s written to memory. It’s a Darwinian twist on the writing process I suppose, with only the strongest, most poetic words lasting long enough to make it from shower to keyboard. Of course, much like modern art, the greatness of any shower poet’s work is debatable. I once spent a luxurious 20-minute shower writing a ditty about how “feet, feet feet are so neat” for a then 4-month-old Beany. It got rave reviews. From 4-month-old Beany.

Citrus Shortbread4

This Valentine-friendly cookie recipe came from that same familiar think tank. It was shower on, aha moment, followed quickly by: “Blurg! My hair’s all sudsy! I can’t write it down! Repeat, repeat, repeat!”

Citrus Shortbread3

By no means am I claiming that these cookies are poetry, though citrus does tend to dance across the tongue in a rather lyrical fashion. Really, it’s but another vision from the shower, dreamed up in a place where words come to either exist or perish (in this case, most likely in the hour before lunchtime, as a hungry stomach invents more recipes than a full one).

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With so many super sweet treats floating around on Valentine’s Day, I like the idea of a cookie that’s not so over-the-top sugary. These guys are just sweet enough, just zingy enough and, like any good shortbread, plenty buttery enough. Cut them into hearts, and they’re edible Valentines! Now that’s poetry to my ears.

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Citrus Shortbread2

Sweet Citrus Shortbread

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt and orange zest. Set aside.

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and orange juice, and mix to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until dough just begins to form.

Turn the dough onto a large lightly floured piece of parchment paper, and pat it into a disk about 1 ½ inches thick. Wrap the dough, then chill it for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the cookies out with a 2- or 2 ½-inch cookie cutter, and place them on a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until edges turn golden. Remove them from the sheet as soon as you’re able, and cool them on a wire rack.

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How’s Valentine’s Day shaping up for you? Date night? Party with the kiddos? The DVR and lots and lots and lots of ice cream? All excellent choices, I must say.

Happy Valentine’s to you!

XO,
Katrina

8 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on February 13, 2013  •  Permalink
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on February 13, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/02/13/poetry-and-cookies-sweet-citrus-shortbread/

Rise of the Monday: Asparagus and egg bake

Asparagus Egg Bake-main

Oh, Monday, you poor little thing. You’re always so punctual, always predictable. Never once have you forgotten an appointment or stood us up simply because you were too tired, cranky or preoccupied. And how do we repay you? Too often, it’s with grumbling and complaining I’m afraid.

The truth is, you deserve better. And better you shall have it! Although work, school and those pesky weekday responsibilities might preclude a lot of us from rolling out a takes-all-morning-to-bake kind of breakfast, that doesn’t mean we can’t greet the start of the week with a little weekend-inspired fare. It can be delicious, it can be fancy, and — best of all — it can be quick.

Monday, let’s do this thing.

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Asparagus Egg Bake2

Asparagus and Egg Bake
Adapted slightly from Kitchy Kitchen

• butter (just enough to grease the baking dish)
• a handful of thin asparagus
• one egg
• 2-3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• crushed red pepper flakes
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Preheat the oven’s broiler, and butter a small baking dish.

Trim your asparagus to fit lengthwise across the baking dish, and arrange it in a single layer. Crack the egg over the asparagus so the yolk balances on top. Drizzle on the cream, and sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Then add crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Bake under the broiler until the egg white is set, about 2-3 minutes (the yolk will still be runny). Serves 1

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Happy Monday!

XO,
Katrina

8 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on February 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
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Posted by Katrina Tauchen on February 11, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/02/11/rise-of-the-monday-asparagus-and-egg-bake/

Worth a second chance: The meatball sandwich

Meatball Sandwich

While surfing Pinterest on Saturday afternoon, I came across a DIY tutorial for turning a men’s collared shirt into a super cute women’s top, complete with an adorable bow around the neck. Like many pins, it came with the overly enthusiastic sell, something like: “SO TOTES EASY! Turn your man’s shirt into a cute weekend look for you. This is AMAZING! Pin now, read later.” Apparently, I’m an easy sell. That, or I was simply wooed by the promise of a chambray polka dot blouse. Either way, I showed the pin to Jared, who was sitting on the couch next to me. “Um, OK,” he said, less than enthusiastically. “But where are you supposed to find a guy’s shirt like that?” Alas, albeit for a few spotted ties, the man does not dress in polka dots.

I’m a sucker for second chances, and though I probably wouldn’t have actually broken out the scissors even if Jared did have a polka dot chambray shirt hidden away in the back of the closet, I do love the idea of putting a new spin on an old favorite. My mom spent most of my childhood transforming secondhand furniture into amazing new pieces with little more than paint. And my little sister could probably wear the same outfit five days in row with no one the wiser simply by wielding her accessorizing super power. If paint and necklaces have taught me anything, it’s that sometimes it doesn’t take much to make you feel — and look — brand new.

sandwich4

With neither shirts to deconstruct nor furniture to paint this weekend, I turned my attention toward the kitchen, which, suffice it to say, is always looking rather hollow by the end of week. There were a few handfuls of spinach, provolone cheese and meatballs leftover from Friday night’s spaghetti. “Make it work,” Tim Gunn said. No, wait, that wasn’t Tim Gunn. That was low blood sugar. The characters of my hunger-induced delirium are always rather bossy.

Real or not, I think Mr. Gunn would be proud. Jared ran out and picked up a few rolls from our favorite Durham bakery, Guglhupf. Then from the confines of our humble supplies, the meatball sandwich was born.

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sandwich1

The Meatball Sandwich

• meatballs (see recipe here)
• marinara sauce
• provolone cheese
• a handful of fresh baby spinach
• freshly ground black pepper
• good bread

Heat the meatballs until they’re warm enough to serve. Layer a bed of spinach, three or four meatballs, a bit of marinara sauce and a thin slice of provolone on a piece of good bread. Pop both halves of the bread (the layered piece and the empty topper) under the broiler until the edges begin to brown and the cheese melts. Add some freshly ground black pepper, put the sandwich together, and enjoy!

sandwich2

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What’s your take on new spins? Do you reinvent recipes? Outfits? Décor? I’d love to hear about it!

XO,
Katrina

4 Comments
by Katrina Tauchen on January 29, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Fresh from the oven
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Katrina Tauchen on January 29, 2013

http://splashofsomething.com/2013/01/29/worth-a-second-chance-the-meatball-sandwich/

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