This is my go-to recipe for making potatoes in the summer – it’s easy, it doesn’t dirty many dishes, and I can use the same technique for sweet potatoes if I cut the pieces into the same sizes I would the baby reds. The best thing is that the cooked potatoes can sit in the foil (and stay warm) while you finish up other dishes, making it easy for the meal to come together.

To change things up, you can substitute extra virgin olive oil for the butter, and add some chopped rosemary to the potatoes while they cook.

Grilled Potatoes
adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

1 pound baby red potatoes
pat of butter
salt
pepper

Heat grill to medium. Cut a piece of aluminum foil about four feet long and fold in half.

Clean potatoes; cut small potatoes into halves or quarters, cut larger potatoes into fourths or eights. Place cut potatoes in the center of foil. Fold up edges of foil to make a tight pouch. Place potatoes directly over flame for 10 minutes, then flip over for another 10 minutes. Leave potatoes in foil until ready to serve.

Toss potatoes with butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.

I love, love, love curried couscous, but in the past I’ve often cheated and bought the boxed stuff. But in my attempt to cook as much as my own food as possible, I dug out this Barefoot Contessa recipe that I mentally bookmarked a few years back. I’ve made a few changes based on my personal preferences, and I’m happy with the results.

This recipe is simple and relatively quick to make, and I have to admit I have no excuse to not make this dish from scratch every time.

Curried Couscous
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

1 ½ cup couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cup boiling water
¼ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 ¼ teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup sliced almonds
2 scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup small-diced red onions

Place couscous in medium bowl. Melt butter in the boiling water and pour over couscous. Cover tightly for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Whisk together yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over fluffed couscous and mix well with a fork. Add carrots, parsley, cilantro, almonds, scallions, and red onions. Mix well and taste for seasoning.

I first started playing with choux dough back in college. At the time, my idea of cooking involved a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and a sauce packet. My roommates and I would cut up chicken, then stir-fry the chicken, add the veggies, add the sauce, and let it simmer for a bit. Whomever wasn’t involved with the stir-fry would take care of making rice. It was several steps up from boxed pasta dinners and ramen noodles, and we felt quite virtuous when we made those meals.

When I baked, however, I brought out my cookbooks and started to really have fun. My first experience with choux resulted in chocolate éclairs. As you might imagine, those went over rather well in an apartment occupied by three young women. Next up was a lemon curd filling, with the finished puffs tossed in powdered sugar.

I never ventured to the savory side while in college, and it wasn’t until two or three years ago that I first made gougéres. I had high hopes, but I was a little overzealous with the eggs and cheese, and they didn’t retain their shape. I also used a recipe that utilized the food processor; that extra step keeping my hands away from the choux resulted in my not paying close enough attention to the dough; as with any dough, you really can’t blindly follow a recipe and you must pay attention to how the flour absorbs moisture. Since that kitchen embarrassment, gougéres have been on my To Do List to make again.

I’d promised to focus more on actual French recipes this year, though admittedly I’ve gotten off to a slow start. Because many of the recipes are more time consuming, I decided to start simple: gougéres. These instructions are fairly detailed and explain how to avoid the sunken cheese puffs I made a few years back. Definitely use the wooden spoon and forget about the food processor – it takes some muscle to work the dough, but then you won’t feel quite so guilty about eating the puffs!

Gougéres
recipe adapted from The Country Cooking of France

1 cup water
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup flour
4 to 5 eggs

4 ounces shredded gruyére cheese
1 egg, beaten with ½ teaspoon salt, for glaze
¼ cup shredded gruyere

Heat oven to 400*F and line baking sheet with parchment.

In a small bowl, beat 1 of the eggs and set aside.

Heat the water, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring just to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball. Stir in one egg at a time until the mixture has completely absorbed the four eggs. Add just a little of the reserved beaten egg; continue to stir vigorously until the mixture has absorbed the moisture from the egg. Continue adding a little egg at a time until the mixture can absorb no more moisture. Do NOT add too much egg, or the puffs won’t hold their shape when baked. Stir the pan over low heat for 30 to 60 seconds to dry out the dough. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.

With a pastry bag, two small spoons, or a small ice cream scoop, spoon or pipe 1 ½ inch mounds onto the baking sheet. Brush each with egg wash then top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and crisp. The puffs should remain crisp on the outside and slightly soft inside.

Enjoy warm from the often, if possible, or reheat in a low oven. The puffs can be stored in the freezer.

Did you know there are only five states in the US that grow cranberries? Besides my homestate, Wisconsin, cranberries are grown in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, and Oregon. Because cranberries are native to Wisconsin, I’m able to get local cranberries every year.

For the holidays last year, I wanted to try something new in my gift baskets. Putting on a brave face, I tried canning for the first time with this recipe. Since I kept a couple of the jars for me, I can say that I absolutely loved this, but it’s probably not for everyone. The flavor of the spices really shines through, so if you love the taste of holiday spice, you’ll just might love this as much as I did.

I served this over slices of orange pound cake, brioche French toast, waffles, and even used it as a topping for plain yogurt.

Holiday Fruit Preserves
adapted from this recipe

4 cups Bartlett pears, peeled & diced
3 cups cranberries
2 cups raspberries
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp orange zest, finely grated
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 tbsp orange liqueur

Bring all ingredients up to a simmer in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepot, stirring often.

Simmer for about 15 minutes, until pears are tender and cranberries have popped. Pack into sterilized jars and seal, or store refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Holiday Fruit Preserve can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 8 cups.

First, I have a confession to make. I’ve never made very good salsa. Fresh, cooked, it doesn’t matter. I’ve always happily left salsa up to the pros, until I tried the salsa that my friend’s mom makes each year. It’s good stuff – not too hot (I’m a wimp like that), but not too mild. During a sneaky raid by my friend’s dad, I got the recipe. Or something masquerading as a recipe.

At any rate, when my mom and I decided to make salsa this summer, we decided to try this recipe of sorts. We made a few minor adjustments, and though I would choose to tweak things a bit next time, we’re happy with our first attempt.

Our salsa is very mild. My mom grew a pepper plant this year, but when she bought it, it was only labeled as “salsa peppers.” I had no idea what that meant but thought perhaps they were peppers that packed a little heat. When I arrived at my parents that day, I took one look at the plant and realized my theory was wrong: they were poblanos. Now, I love poblanos. I love the flavor, I love the deep green color, and I suppose I love that they don’t set my mouth on fire. They are a great choice for making salsa, but if you want yours to pack some punch, add a few jalapenos to the batch (it’s up to you if you want to keep or remove the ribs and seeds).

Mild Salsa

3 cups tomatoes, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces tomato paste
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup diced poblano peppers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil; simmer for 30 minutes and process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. See Canning 101 for additional tips and tricks.

I’m in denial. Though it certainly still feels like summer, I want to believe that autumn is here. I mean, the leaves are starting to turn, my mums are blooming…it looks like fall.

And then the warmth inside my condo yanks me back into reality. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t still pretend, just a little, that autumn is here. Today I kept up the charade by focusing on a flavor profile associated with autumn: sweet potatoes, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon.

Last night I went to bed with a headache; by morning it was threatening to turn into a full-blown migraine. I simply did not have the energy or brain-power to cook, so I went with one of the easiest options in my kitchen: a package of sweet potato ravioli that has been stashed in my freezer for way too long. (The headache still lingers, so if my writing doesn’t make much sense today, there’s a reason for it…) But plunking those ravioli into boiling water and browning a little butter was so easy, even I could handle it today. The combination is so ridiculously delicious that I had to photograph it and share the recipe with you. For those of you who can’t do the pasta thing (like I shouldn’t be doing), try drizzling the spiced brown butter over a baked sweet potato, or even pieces of roasted sweet potato. Butternut squash or pumpkin would be great substitutes.

And for those of you who noticed the second picture included some shaved parmesan…I tried that at first but ultimately decided the cheese fought with the rest of the flavors, and I completely forgot to take another close-up picture. I told you this headache is evil.

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Spiced Brown Butter
serves 2

9 ounces package of sweet potato ravioli*
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch of salt
toasted hazelnuts, if desired

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter starts bubbling, stir frequently, scraping the bottom to loosen any brown bits. When the butter smells nutty and looks like it is just shy of starting to burn, remove it from heat. Stir in spices, salt, and brown sugar.

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Add a generous sprinkle of salt to the water, then a small pour of oil (the oil will help keep foam to a minimum). Add the ravioli and cook for about four minutes, or until the ravioli are all floating at the top. Remove the ravioli from the water with a slotted spoon and add to the brown butter. Stir to coat.

If desired, garnish with toasted hazelnuts. (To toast, place hazelnuts in a dry frying pan and heat over medium-high, occasionally giving the pan a gentle shake. When nuts become fragrant, remove from pan to a bowl to cool. This only takes a few minutes, so don’t walk away – they can go from toasted to burned quite quickly.)

*I get my ravioli from a local pasta company that distributes to the grocery stores. You may also be able to find a similar ravioli (fresh or frozen) in your local grocery, or a specialty gourmet shop.

This was the first loaf of bread I baked when I started my 30 Day Challenge. Because I had planned on making a BLT, I wanted a bread that was both tasty and hearty, something that would stick with me to keep me satisfied.

At first I really liked it. It had the honey wheat flavor that you’d expect, but then I noticed it left a bit of an aftertaste. Now, I’ve had my whole wheat flour for awhile now, and because of a major lack of space in my refrigerator…well, the flour has been in the pantry. All summer. The strange aftertaste could very well be my own fault for not storing the flour properly.

Even so, I did really enjoy this bread toasted in the morning, topped with a little butter and some jam. The bread has enough heft to deliver a satisfying breakfast that will keep you going for hours.

This is a very simple bread to make, so if you haven’t mustered up the courage to tackle a yeast bread, I’d encourage you to try this one.

Whole Wheat Bread
recipe from King Arthur’s Flour

1 packet active dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Traditional Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup nonfat dried milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients and stir with a dough hook until the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on medium-low, knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it begins to become smooth. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy, about 60 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board, and shape it into an 8-inch log. Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap, and allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it’s crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350*F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake the loaf for twenty minutes. Tent with aluminum foil and bake for another twenty minutes. Test for doneness by tapping the top of the loaf (it should sound hollow) or by inserting an instant read thermometer (it should read 190*F) into the center of the loaf.

Cool the bread for fifteen minutes, then remove from pan to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing and store wrapped in plastic.

Fragrant and sweet, local melon is hands-down one of my favorite things about summer. So when I arrived at the farmers’ market this weekend and was greeted by the perfume of melon, it was difficult to contain my excitement.

I could tell by the aroma that this melon wouldn’t last long; I could tell it was ripe, but it was almost bordering on overripe. In other words, it was perfect at that moment. To extend its life just a bit, I decided to turn it into a salad by adding the strawberries I picked up from the market, and some blueberries I had in the fridge. The mint came from my own garden, and the rest? Well, the rest of the salad simply came together by looking through my cupboards and fridge.

When I say this salad is simple, I’m not kidding. But I firmly believe that when you have superior produce, it does not need much adornment.

Simple Fruit Salad

Ingredients
1 medium cantaloupe
1 pint strawberries
1 c blueberries
1 tsp orange zest
2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
1-2 T runny honey (to taste)
2 T spiced rum
pinch of salt
2 T mint, cut into chiffonade

Instructions
Using a melon baller, cut the melon and place pieces in a large bowl (you can also cut the melon into chunks). Half or quarter strawberries, depending on their size, and add blueberries to the salad. Add the orange zest and juice to the bowl.

Run the bottle of honey under hot water or microwave for 5 to 10 seconds. Pour honey and rum over the fruit, and add a pinch of salt. Stir carefully to mix. Garnish with mint.

Oh. My. God.

Those were the words going through my mind as I took my first bite of these onions. Unable to speak, I let out a long “Mmmmmmm.” And perhaps a little moan. Yes, these are really that good.

Actually, they’re better. If you’re familiar with the term Food Porn, well, these qualify. If I were to pick my final meal, brown braised onions would be a part of it. Instead, I will eat them now, and eat them often. Even if you don’t usually like onions, I would be large sums of money that you’ll like these.

I’ve wanted to make these for awhile, but the thought of peeling all of those onions put me off. But since Julia recommended this particular dish as a side to Beef Braised in Red Wine, I decided to go ahead and peel all of those little suckers. It was completely worth it, and I will be making these again…and again…and again.

Brown Braised Onions
Oignons Glacés à Brun
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients
18-24 peeled white onions, about 1 inch in diameter
1 1/2 T butter
1 1/2 T canola oil
1/2 c brown stock or beef bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
Herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 small bayleaf, tied together with twine

Instructions
Heat butter and oil in 9-10 inch sauté pan over medium heat. When bubbling, add the onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions around the pan so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins, but don’t expect to brown them uniformly.

When browned, pour in the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowrly for 40-50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet.

Roll the hot onions around in a tablespoon of softened butter, if desired. Sprinkle with parsley.

I hadn’t originally planned on making carrots as part of my Weekend with Julia, but they were a suggested side dish to Beef Braised in Wine, and I had all of these extra carrots lying around from making the beef, so I thought, why not?

This is a really basic carrot recipe with the flavor reminiscent of glazed carrots, but without the heavy glaze. I will definitely be making these again, as this simple recipe turned some sub-par carrots into a very tasty side dish.

Carrots Braised in Butter
Carottes Étuvées au Beurre
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs carrots, peeled and quartered
1 T sugar (to develop the flavor)*
1 1/2 c water
1 1/2 T butter
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper

Instructions
Combine carrots, sugar, water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil. Cover and boil slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the carrots are tender and most of the water has evaporated. Correct the seasoning.

*I used brown sugar, as it was all that I had on hand.