Well a kitchen flop happened. Womp, womp. But it’s okay…it’s okay! These things happen from time to time, just a part of trying weird stuff in the kitchen.
A sweet ombré situation was attempted yesterday, unfortunately the situation didn’t result in utter deliciousness. Not to worry ’cause it will…oh it will! I’m determined. Tweaks will be made, adjustments will happen here and there. Maybe an all around color change? I’m thinking red to pink to white, instead of blue to turquoise. Thoughts…?
Let’s think of this like a group recipe testing situation. Collaboration between you and me! I like this!
In other news, I figured it was time to dig deep down into the archives of A Cozy Kitchen and break out some summertime recipes. Like any normal person, I definitely play favorites. Let’s explore!
[click to continue…]
I’m doing this thing–not sure if I told you–where I cook alongside Bravo’s new show, Around the World in 80 Plates (which airs each Wednesday at 10pm/9pmc on Bravo!!). Wherever they go, I go…kinda sorta.
Each week they’re in a different international city cooking away and competing, stressing out and being judged, while I stay home, turn on some music, make a dish (corresponding with each city), all while intermittently checking Instagram and texting away–it’s fun!
This week’s show takes place in the gastronomy capital of the world, Lyon, France. Um…this location had my brain in knots because it’s like the equivalent of someone letting me loose in fifty combined Chanel boutiques and saying, You can have whatever one thing you like. Too many options! Too much pressure!
I had lots of elaborate dishes on my brain, but I kept circling back around to my favorite salad ever: Salade Lyonnaise. This salad is everything. There’s frisée tossed in a bacon mustardy vinagrette topped with a perfectly poached egg. And sprinkles of salt and pepper make it extra pretty. Nothing fancy. Total simpleness at its best.
I now welcome you to the sandwich version…
[click to continue…]
We’re flirxting with summer. By the way, “flirxting” is a technical term.
I’m so ready to do a canon ball in a pool; definitely not ready to be in a bathing suit in front of other humans. Ugh.
I’m looking forward to old movies in the cemetery whilst eatin’ cool snacks; not ready to need air-conditioning.
I can’t wait to bake up elaborate pies with fresh berries; not ready for fruit flies. They loooove my kitchen in the summer.
I’m excited for crazy salads (I can’t believe I’m saying that!), but when it’s hot outside all I want to eat are piles upon piles of grilled vegetables. I’m so not ready to sweat. There’s nothing adorable about the act of sweating, am I right?
[click to continue…]
Some of the best stuff isn’t planned. And today I present you the most delicious accident that’s happened in a loooong time.
You’re actually supposed to be staring at cute little baked oatmeal cups. I pictured you whipping them up for a Mama’s Day brunch and setting them alongside blood orange mimosa, iced coffee and super pretty flowers. But I failed you. SAD! I failed to bring the cuteness, I think. But that’s okay, because as I sat there pondering why and how the baked oatmeal cups went wrong, I started spooning it straight out of the muffin tins…and found myself repeating this act over and over and over. My accident was delicious!
So, rather than trying to make something cute, I decided to remake the dish–tweaking a few things here and there–and just throwing it all in a casserole dish. Sometimes tasty trumps cute, you know. And that sometimes is riiiiight now…
[click to continue…]
Welcome to project: Adrianna & Peas Fresh Peas: A Love Story.
I was a picky eater as a child. I think that’s normal, right?
I wasn’t nearly as picky as my friends, though. I knew kids who couldn’t have their foods touch. Like, their parents would have to make sure the mashed potatoes didn’t touch the carrots and the carrots didn’t touch the roast chicken and the roast chicken didn’t touch the mashed potatoes. You get it…
I like to think–as a parent–I’d put my foot down and tell my child to stop acting like a such a psycho, but I dunno, I think sometimes parents just want peace and quiet.
In my seven-year old brain, peas were totally tantrum worthy. I got super psycho over peas on my plate. Oh and I let my mama know! Whenever the poor woman would put peas in a dish, I’d do one of those passive aggressive flip-outs and just pick every. single. one. out. A small mound of them would end up on the edge of my plate. I was sending a message. A very strong one, you know?
I’ve gone my whole life disliking peas, picking them out of various stews, hating how chicken pot pies ALWAYS include them, and completely dismissing dishes highlighted them. But, I now realize I actually don’t hate peas. I just dislike the starchy, frozen, gross peas. I don’t like them mushy. And I don’t like them overcooked and olive-colored.
I like my peas fresh, brilliantly green. I like ‘em perky, straight from the pod.
[click to continue…]
Biscuits are rarely dessert. WHY? They’re too delicious not to be dessert, amirite? Of course I am.
I decided to take these unjust matters into my own hands and make biscuits more like chocolate cake, but still biscuits. Do you see what I’m doing here?
When I set out on this journey, I figured I’d just make chocolate biscuits, smother them with butter, say it’s breakfast/dessert and call it a day. But then I peeped in the fridge and spotted some near-dying strawberries and whipped cream that was flirting with its expiration date, sooo…it became quite clear that I just needed to make a chocolate rendition of Southern strawberry shortcake.
This is typical of how kitchen awesomeness happens for me: a mishmash of refrigerator stragglers just trying to find a place in this world.
[click to continue…]
My lady doctor gave me strict instruction that I need to start taking vitamins. I’ve put this off for a really long time because I’m a gigantic baby and suck at taking pills. I do that melodramatic thing where I fill up my mouth with water and then stick the pills in my mouth and then swallow. Sometimes I do like a little gag reflex thing…and then realize there’s no one around to feel sorry for me. Womp womp.
Anyway, I heard through a friend-of-a-friend that Trader Joe’s is the place to get those adult edible vitamins, so I went and she was right. And they’re not just “edible,” they’re deliciously edible! You mean I can take my daily vitamins in form of a gummi bear? Even though it was “candy,” I still expected it to be sort of disgusting. But whoa, before I knew it I ate, like, half the bottle. I’m sure this is awful, right? The bottle said take one…I took 10? Maybe 15?
I’m not sure what’s worse: too little vitamins, or too many. And I also did this on an empty stomach, but it was perfect timing because the batch of the carnitas that was on the stovetop was done, so I assembled two of these things and I felt a little better. Overly vitamized…but better!
[click to continue…]
I’m in the mood to talk about ice cream…so we’re gonna do that.
Ice cream flavors. So many to choose from! They can say so much about a person, am I right? As a kid, what was your go-to flavor? Let’s dicusss…
Popular flavor #1: Bubble gum ice cream. That was usually the girly-girl. I always considered it a stupid flavor. Very ill-conceived. The gum gets all hard and unchewable, too sweet and a lil’ too pink. If Barbie was a real life living girl, I’d bet she’d order bubble gum ice cream.
Popular flavor #2 & #3: Vanilla and chocolate. Straight, narrow and safe. But you know, sometimes you want something delicious and basic. Almost like a great pair of fitted jeans or the perfect white tee. Basics are cool. I feel like the straight-A student went with vanilla and chocolate. (I’m totally putting people in boxes right now!! Ice cream boxes!!)
Popular flavor #4 & #5: Mint chocolate chip and cookies n’ cream. These two flavors are totally interchangeable. They’re practicality the same thing: vanilla ice cream with oreos or refreshing chocolate. All of my friends ordered these flavors. Solid choices. For the record, I respect these ice cream flavors.
Weirdo flavor #1: Pistachio. Ahhhh yea! That was allll me. I was the strange 6 year old asking for pistachio. I think some adults liked to think I had fancy taste, but really it was just the light green color that I loved so much. And, I liked rebellious ice cream flavors. Pistachio ice cream is like the ugly mutt of the ice cream world.
[click to continue…]
This avocado hummus is delicious. And I know I say that a lot, but I really rilly like this one. It’s a good one!
In other related news, why are avocados so expensive? I get that they’re delicious, buttery, fatty (in a healthy way!), pretty, and again, delicious.
No but really…
[click to continue…]
I’ve hated eggplant since infancy, I swear, so the fact that you’re seeing little baked/fried matchsticks of eggplant right now is just crazy business. But here we are…just looking at eggplant.
The shift happened a few weeks ago when I went to my favorite vegan restaurant, which I sort of hate. I like/hate this restaurant. I sort of hate it and I sort of love it. This place is like no other restaurant I’ve ever been to. Each dish is an affirmation. Hold the phone, let me explain.
Every dish’s name is an affirmation. A vegan BLT isn’t just a vegan BLT, it’s actually a “I Am Humble.” So, in order for you to place your order you have to look at the server and say, “I would like the ‘I AM GORGEOUS’” and then the server looks at you and says, “YOU are gorgeous.”
This is when I vom. After you’re done ordering they tell you the philosophical question of the day. This is when (internally, of course!) I’m all like, Dude, listen, can you just give me my damn cashew cream, raw cold-ass vegan enchilada thing without talking to me about my inner spirituality and positivity or whatever, because seriously now I AM ANNOYED.
Okay so, why do I go back? Because it’s the best vegan food I’ve ever had. Ever! They served me an eggplant sandwich, which I ordered out of pure curiosity, knowing very well I hated the stuff. I figured if anybody could prepare an inherently gross vegetable in an awesome manner it was them. And I was soooo right.
[click to continue…]
