Tag: the Kitchn

Weekend Finds 2:16:14

It’s time for weekend finds! It has been a quite a week – the snow melted, I made a trip to the coast with friends where I baked some delicious food (more testing and then a recipe to come). And then… it was Valentine’s Day. We visited Expatriate after I got off of work, which I had been wanting to try for a long time! And now I’m baking for Carmelle’s birthday – details in find #1!

1. Ice cream cake

Ice Cream Cake on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Ice Cream Cake! Photo from Not Without Salt

I’m making ice cream cake for my roommate’s birthday tonight! Her birthday was on Friday, but today was the first day I’ve had to bake her something. We’re going to the Amos Lee concert tonight with her (her boyfriend got her tickets for Christmas, and I got Jonah tickets for his birthday), so we’ll eat it after listening to an evening of sweet crooning. It’s kind of a mixture of a bunch of recipes, including chocolate wafers from Smitten Kitchen and fudge sauce and assembly tips from Not Without Salt.

2. Interview with Rachel Cole

Rachel Cole Interview from The Kitchn on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Rachel Cole Interview from The Kitchn

I’ve never heard of Rachel Cole before, but after reading this interview with her on The Kitchn, I am loving what she has to say about food and eating. I particularly like what she says about having your compass needle point towards pleasure, fear of food, and the importance of fresh food.

3. Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Homemade Cocoa Mix from Food 52 on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Homemade Cocoa Mix from Food 52

I love hot cocoa, and I love the convenience of hot cocoa packets, but I don’t love that I don’t always know what the ingredients listed on the packets are. I am really into making this homemade cocoa mix, especially to go with the vanilla marshmallows I got for Christmas!

4. Miso Roasted Vegetables

Miso Roasted Vegetables from Food 52 on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Miso Roasted Vegetables from Food 52

More, I say, more! Remember when I told you about those miso and harissa roasted vegetables? And how amazing they are? This seems like another great recipe to try, and I love the addition of the maple syrup and rice vinegar.

5. DIY Puff Pastry

DIY Puff Pastry from Food 52 on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
DIY Puff Pastry from Food 52

Ok, so making your own puff pastry takes a lot of time, many hours of rolling and chilling and rolling and chilling, but wouldn’t it be cool to make it yourself instead of buying it at the store in the freezer aisle?! I don’t know when exactly I’m going to try this puff pastry recipe, but I’m going to try it, darn it!

Weekend Finds 2:9:14

This edition of weekend finds is full of seriously useful articles and tips. Not just fun restaurants to try, but things that are actually good to know. Also, the polar vortex has hit Portland. Let’s get to it.

1. How to prep lemongrass

Lemongrass prep tips from Bon Appetit on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Lemongrass prep tips from Bon Appetit

This little tutorial would’ve been helpful a couple of weeks ago for that slow cooker Asian pork. Is it time yet for a second attempt?

2. How do you send back a dish?

How to send a dish back, from Food Republic on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Also, when I did a google image search for “how to send a dish back at a restaurant” this was the hilarious picture I found.

I don’t know that I’ve ever sent back a dish at a restaurant. Members of my family, who will go unnamed, definitely have. I honestly don’t know if I could have the gumption to do it! But now that I work at a restaurant, I realize how often it happens, simply via miscommunications and misunderstandings. Let me tell you, your server will be way nicer, and is way more likely to comp you a dessert or something, if you are kind about sending a dish back.

3. Keep your pan on the stove to clean it

Best way to clean those tough pans from the Kitchn, on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Get all the bits from the bottom of your pan with this cleaning tip.

Jonah and I have recently become big fans of this method of cleaning our pans (though we usually take the food out of the pan first, and sometimes even add a little soap to help with the really nasty ones). It makes such a big difference in cleaning our stainless steel pots and pans, and saves us time and elbow grease.

4. Butter chicken recipe/Indian food blog

Butter Chicken recipe from Quick Indian Cooking on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Butter Chicken recipe from Quick Indian Cooking on Weekend Finds

I have long been looking for a good resource for Indian food. I’ve been hurt (only emotionally) by internet recipes many times in my search for a Murgh Makhani recipe that mildly resembles the heaven that Swagat makes (if you haven’t been, I recommend it). Not only does this Butter Chicken recipe look good, but a lot of her recipes look good. Maybe it’s time for another try?

5. What wine to bring to a dinner party when you have no idea what’s for dinner

What wine to bring to dinner? From the Kitchn on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
I have spent far too long in the wine aisle at the grocery store staring blankly at all the bottles.

This is a serious issue. Very serious. Everyone experiences it. You’re going over to a friend’s house for dinner, you ask what you can bring, and they say, “Oh, just bring a bottle of wine!” And then you want to text or call and say “What are we having?” “Red or white?” “Do you like Riesling? Dry or sweet?” But then you’re pestering them while they’re slaving away making you dinner. I don’t know that I would ever bring sparkling wine over for dinner, unless it’s a special occasion, but I love these recommendations for what wines go with most things. And as far as lighter reds go, this Underwood Pinot Noir from Union Wine Co. in Oregon is one of my (very affordable) favorites right now.

Weekend Finds 1:12:14

I am writing this at 10 pm on Sunday night. I am failing at weekend finds. Oof.

But hey, my mom and sister were here this weekend (we had a fantastic dinner at my place of work, Firehouse), I celebrated Jonah and our roommate Johnny’s birthdays, and worked. So you know what? It’s ok that I’m writing this at 10 pm on Sunday. That’s just fine.

1. Note to Selfie

Note to Selfie article on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The picture that will always remind me of my friend’s New Year’s Eve wedding in Seattle.

I really liked this article about documenting our lives by John Dickerson on Slate. I feel like people get and give a lot of flack (including myself, all the time) for tweeting/facebooking/texting/instagramming, and while I understand a lot of the point – those people who are on their phones for an ENTIRE MEAL are ridiculous – there is something to be said for allowing people to observe and think and be present in their own way. I often feel embarrassed about photographing food, and very judged for it, but I want to remember those little moments, and sometimes a picture of a croissant reminds me of a frosty morning with my family.

2. Where the locals eat in Portland

"Where the Locals Eat in Portland" on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Eat like we eat.

A short article with a short list of “where the locals eat in Portland” from USA Today. I’d call it correct – I love all of these places. Specifically, if you haven’t been to Ned Ludd or Aviary, go sooooooon! (Also see cheap eats in Portland under $10.)

3. Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream

Cardamom Roasted Plum Ice Cream on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Doesn’t this make you want summer, too?

Is it summer yet? Ughhhhh. I want to make this ice cream from Fork Spoon Knife. Right now. Now now now.

4. 10 Best Budget Bourbons

10 Best Budget Bourbons list on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
It’s time to get my (budget) bourbon on.

I think, tentatively, I have become a whiskey drinker. These days, I prefer bourbon, and while I’d love to go buy some really nice stuff to drink, I’m still a beginner. And cheap. So I’ll stick to this list of budget bourbons over on Serious Eats, thanks.

5. Grown up tater tots

Grown Up Tater Tots on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Yum grown up tater tots!

These grown up tater tots look really wonderful. Tom Douglas serves something similar at one of his restaurants (maybe more than one, I can’t remember) in Seattle, Lola. I’ve always wanted to try making a version, and this might be my ticket. Also, I love their suggestion of pairing this savory, garlicky snack with a sweet beverage like cocoa.

Weekend Finds 1:5:14

Wow, I had trouble writing that date. I think around New Year’s my brain has trouble figuring things out, and reverts back to whatever year it was two years ago. In this case 2012. Oof. Weekend Finds! This week, free of holiday treats for the first time in a long time.

1. Galette Des Rois

Galette Des Rois from David Lebovitz on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Galette Des Rois from David Lebovitz

Jonah’s birthday is tomorrow (!!!) and I thought it might be fun to try this traditional French Epiphany dessert for him (our plans also include dinner at Apizza Scholls with friends, then hopping across the street to Sapphire Hotel for drinks). Plus, it doesn’t even look that hard. And David Lebovitz is a genius.

2. SE Asia here we come!

Southeast Asia on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Southeast Asia trip planning

It has been confirmed, we are going to SE Asia at the end of March/beginning of April. I think we’ve decided what region we’re going to, but I’m going to wait to tell you. I wouldn’t want to jinx or spoil it! More details to come!

3. The Importance of Acid

The Importance of Acid on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
The Importance of Acid

Whenever I am asked to taste a dish and see if it needs anything (by my parents, Jonah, roommates…), my answer is almost ALWAYS acid (second most popular response is salt). It is really incredible what difference a squeeze of lemon can make, which is why I like to always have a few laying around the kitchen.

4. Getting thyme off the stem

Thyme Tips from the Kitchn on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
Thyme Tips from the Kitchn

I recently made  more of the sea salt, thyme, chocolate chunk cookies (for a cookie exchange at work before the holidays), and while I love love LOVE those damn cookies, taking the thyme leaves off the stem is such a royal pain in the patootie. And I generally feel this way about thyme. I love the flavor of it, I love using it, but it’s so annoying. So I was pretty excited when I came across this little tip to make it easier to use thyme.

5. New Years Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler
What are you New Year’s Resolutions? Watch more fireworks?

I have a few. 1) Cook more new things! 2) Drink more green smoothies, they’re delicious and healthy. 3) Start painting again. 4) Learn more about my readers. Who are you? Where are you from? What do you like to cook? Is there something you’d like to see more of on my blog?