Tag: cornbread

Weekend Finds 2:2:14

I’m writing this weekend finds quickly as I bake my cornbread for the Superbowl party. This past week was a busy one! It included 3 really good meals (chile rellenos for Grandma’s birthday, steak with balsamic reduction sauce, and cleanse chicken), and lots of new adventures. This morning, I also had breakfast (at The Sugar Cube, one of my favorite places) with some lovely Portland bloggers, specifically Rachel from Love, Rachel, Brooke from Babbling Brookelyn, Spencer from 12 oz Beehouse, Sarah from Will Run for Pasta, Erika from A Tiny Rocket, and Erin from Bakery Bingo. I love slowly getting to know more people in this community I am now a part of – everyone is so friendly, and it’s really nice to be able to talk shop with some of these ladies. Here are some of my discoveries from this week:

1. Superbowl

Superbowl food madness on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
At least I’m not making a stadium out of deli meats…

What are you making? I gotta say, I wasn’t really wanting to attend a Superbowl party, but then the restaurant decided to close (notoriously one of the slowest days of the year), and now I find myself making cornbread to take to a friend’s house. What a bizarre day that is just as much about football as it is about food.

2. Sarah Illenberger

Sarah Illenberger on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Three of my favorites of Illenberger’s work.

I love her imagination and use of food! I WILL have one of these in my kitchen one day. I swear. You can buy prints of her work here.

3. Kayden + Rain

Kayden + rain video on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
This Kayden + rain video is the sweetest. My new go to for when I’m feeling down.

I know this has nothing to do with food, but this video is perhaps the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever seen. A little reminder to enjoy the simple things in life.

4. Cleanse Chicken

Cleanse Chicken on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Beautiful cleanse chicken, roasted to golden perfection.

Jonah made this cleanse chicken, and it was really really good. I think we decided that next time we’d add a little salt and minus a little cayenne, but the long marinade (we went for close to 48 hours) made it so incredibly moist.

Weekend Finds 11:24:13

It has been an interesting week. Jonah has been in Buenos Aires since the 16th, and on Tuesday, I will pick him up at the airport in Seattle, where we’re spending Thanksgiving/akkuh. I spent a few days in Seattle with my dad and Darla doing some belated birthday celebrations, which was incredibly fun. Lots of eating and adventuring. Which leads me to the weekend finds. Getting ready for the holidays, plus a little adventuring.

1. Pumpkin Chai Bread

Pumpkin Chai Bread from Adventures in Cooking // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Pumpkin Chai Bread from Adventures in Cooking

I’ve been waiting to venture into the land of pumpkin flavored things, though I’m not sure why. This pumpkin chai bread made an appearance tonight for commune dinner. It was a big hit. I definitely recommend it for a sweet but not too sweet dessert.

2. Jaipur Avenue Chai

Jaipur Avenue Chai // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Jaipur Avenue Chai

When I go to my dad’s house (which I did this past week while Jonah was gone), they almost always have at least one box of Jaipur Avenue Chai in the cupboard. This chai is so rich and delicious, and I love the flavor profiles. Saffron is my favorite! I’ve been able to find it at a store in my neighborhood called Foster & Dobbs, but my sister, who lives in Berkeley, has been ordering it online. It would make a great host/ess gift for the holidays!

3. Jalapeno Cornbread and Buttermilk Biscuit Stuffing

Jalapeno Cornbread and Buttermilk Biscuit Stuffing from Local Milk // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Jalapeno Cornbread and Buttermilk Biscuit Stuffing from Local Milk

While there are a lot of ingredients in this jalapeno cornbread and buttermilk biscuit stuffing, and you’ll have to make two other recipes before you can even start on the stuffing itself, this looks absolutely incredible. A delicious southern twist on traditional stuffing.

4. Not-your-normal Hanukkah treats

Frittelle Di Riso // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Frittelle Di Riso

I’ve been so focused on Thanksgivukkah that I’ve almost forgotten that Hanukkah lasts for eight whole nights, meaning lots of opportunities to try some different oil-laden delicacies. This article from the Kitchn has some neat suggestions, but I am particularly interested in trying frittelle de riso.

5. Bar Sajor

 Bar Sajor // Weekend Finds, Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Bar Sajor

This was (one of) my birthday surprise dinner(s) in Seattle. It’s one of Matt Dillon’s restaurants, a spot I’ve been wanting to go for a while now. The space was just beautiful, the staff was amazingly friendly and helpful and fun, and the food was spectacular. I can’t decide if my favorite dish was the chicken liver pate with delicata squash and chestnuts or the caramelized butter ice cream with chocolate chip cookies.

Restaurant Review: The Sugar Cube

The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

Not too long ago, The Sugar Cube was a little pink and brown cart, sitting outside Lardo’s eastside location. It was good, but you couldn’t do too much in the space of that cart. It was smaller than most that you see around Portland, and I certainly can’t imagine trying to frost a cake in there.

Now, The Sugar Cube has taken over a small, bright space on NE Alberta. (Warning: my grainy, dark iPhone pictures don’t quite do it justice.) There aren’t a lot of seats, but it seems to be enough, and coming here on a weekday morning to meet a friend for coffee and pastries, when it’s relatively quiet, makes you feel like you’re in on a very delicious secret. I was more than excited when my friend Elaine suggested it for coffee and pastries.

The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The Sugar Cube // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler

The best part of their new shop is that the kitchen is twice the size of the front room, meaning pastry master Kir Johnson now has the space to make sugar sing. And boy, does it hit some high notes. I was there for breakfast, so I didn’t get any chocolatey or dessert-y treats, but I did indulge in the spiced buttermilk cornbread.

More like a slice of spice cake, but with the perfect notes of cornbread, it was doused with a unique salty molasses butter, which balanced out the sweetness perfectly with some more spice and salt. Elaine had the savory strata with mushrooms, heirloom tomatoes, and both goat and cheddar cheese. Delectable. And of course I brought Jonah home a couple of jammers – one was oat filled with strawberry rhubarb jam, and the other was poppyseed filled with a lemon curd.

Next time, I’m going for the sweets no matter what time of day it is. The ultimate brownies with olive oil and sea salt look too good to pass up.

Weekend Finds 9:29:13

Well, it has been officially windy and rainy in Portland this week (downing trees and outing power and everything!), so the time has come to hunker down, put on those shawl collar sweaters, and bring some of these weekend finds to life.

1. How to Make a Good Crockpot Meal

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Crockpot tips from Bon Appetit

First and perhaps most importantly, let’s revisit slow cookers as it gets colder. I never know which recipes on the internet to trust, but one resource I always listen to is Bon Appetit. This is a great little reminder of the do’s and don’t’s of crockpotting.

2. Pumpkin Time!

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Pumpkin pumpkin everywhere!

Portland is certainly getting into the fall swing of things, as many bakeries are featuring pumpkin on their menus. This article from Portland Monthly tells you who’s falling for what fall treats. Pumpkin streusel muffins, pumpkin caramal ricotta tart, pumpkin cupcakes with molasses butter cream… how can I decide? It’s also inspiring me to revisit some of my favorite pumpkin recipes

3. Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Cinnamon Raisin Bread from A Subtle Revelry

Ok, admittedly, all of these breads from A Subtle Revelry look beautiful, but the cinnamon raisin loaf really stood out to me. I grew up eating cinnamon raisin bread, toasted, slathered with cream cheese. I remember how good it would make the kitchen smell in the morning before I went to catch the bus to school. Imagine how heavenly the house would smell if you made a whole loaf. From scratch.

4. Leif

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Beautiful Agate platters from Leif.

This online shop has some beautiful tabletop items. I’m particularly into the dip dye place mats, the dipped mini bowls, and the agate platters, which would make for an AMAZING cheese spread, and you know it.

5. Buttermilk Bacon Grease Cornbread

Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Buttermilk bacon grease cornbread from Local Milk

I can’t even. This buttermilk bacon grease cornbread from Local Milk sounds so effing good, I have a feeling that once I make it I’ll hide it from everyone else and eat the whole dish, still warm, slathered in butter and honey. Ok, maybe not, but I’d like to do that. There’s another variation for Coconut cornbread in her post that also sounds scrumptious.