Great British Baking Show

The Great British Baking Show has become embedded in my TV watching, I can't remember how or when I first found it.  All I know is, it's been a lifesaver.

Whenever a new season is released, it's like Christmas, doesn't matter what time of year I watch.  Knowing there's more bakes and more Brits on the horizon makes my heart happy.  When I found out about this new season on Netflix in late 2020 during election season?  Manna from heaven.

Watching the show has inspired me to bake more (G is a big fan of this outcome).  A friend of mine gifted me a baking cookbook years ago but only a few pages have been dogeared.  The brownies, the muffins, some holiday quick breads.  I've seen the bakers on GBBS bake some of the items I've only read about in that book.  Florentines, fougasse, pavlova.

One of my new year's resolutions was to create some bakes I'd seen on the show.

I've tried jaffa cakes.  Fun with gelatin!

Bakewell tart. I always love an excuse to use my pie weights.

Millionaire's shortbread.  A definitive winner.  Tastes like the ultimate candy bar.

I'm not quite sure about the new host this season.  Only one kooky guy in the tent is enough and Noel fits that perfectly.  Noel as the straight man?  Not so much.  I am sure about the next bake in my kitchen though:  chocolate babka.

Anger Management

I've been so upset this week.  By headlines.  By the virus.  By people who do not do the right thing.

Tonight I had it and lost my temper.  Raged against the machine. 

Instead of moping about it and stewing about being so angry, I grabbed my apron and went to the kitchen.

I looked in the fridge and decided to make cottage pie topped with colcannon.

I took rage and turned it into dinner.  I think that's a step in the right direction.

Art Smith's Homecomin'

Gregg had to attend a work conference in Orlando.  Mid-January in Chicago.  I was not going to be left behind.  Tagalong has become my middle name.

I took the free shuttle from our hotel to Disney Springs almost everyday.  I walked and walked and soaked up the sun.  Occasionally, I stopped for some great eats.

My favorite stop was at Art Smith's Homecomin'.  I am a sucker for Southern cuisine.  However, I was still trying to eat somewhat healthy so I ordered the Harvest Salad without cheese.  I left on the hush puppies.  I mean, come on, I'm not going to pass up hush puppies.  I'm not crazy.

Mixed greens tossed with fire-roasted red peppers and corn, shredded white cheddar cheese, heirloom cherry tomatoes and house-made balsamic dressing. Topped with grilled chicken, avocado, and hushpuppies

Soup's On!

I'm sitting here writing this post as I eat my lunch and listen to Yola's Walk Through Fire album.

On the menu:  roasted butternut squash soup.  I'm having difficulty devoting myself to my typing.  I'd rather just hold my little crock and slurp my soup.

I sliced a butternut squash, scooped out the seeds, and slathered it with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper.  I roasted it for about an hour and fifteen minutes at 400 degrees, until it was easily pierced with a butter knife.

While the squash cooled, I sautéed half of a chopped red onion with a giant garlic clove.  Then I added smoked paprika and powdered ginger (I was out of fresh ginger.)  My ginger jar is missing its plastic cover with holes, so I put more ginger in the soup than I'd anticipated.  I crossed my fingers it wasn't too much.  Then I scooped out the squash into the pan with the spiced onion and garlic, added a can of coconut milk and simmered it, lid on, for 20-30 minutes.

I used my handy dandy immersion blender to finish the soup and tasted it...it still needed something, but I lucked out. The ginger flavor was great.  I added some salt, pepper, and cayenne.  Perfect.

I'm always about the garnish so I topped the soup with diced cilantro and scallions and sprinkled some pumpkin seeds on top.  Healthy, satisfying, and comforting on a cold winter's day.

Happy New Year!

The Christmas season is over which means the I'm-going-to-eat-all-the-cheese-and-all-the-cookies-and-drink-all-the-holiday-cocktails season is also over.

Moment of silence, please.

To reset, G and I are going to do the Whole30 program.  Thirty days of meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruit, and natural fats.  (You see what I did there?  I listed the foods we CAN eat, as opposed to the list of all of the fun foods we CANNOT eat.  Me = trying to embrace the positive.)

G and I have tried the Whole30 program a few times.  Usually I don't get through the whole month.  He does and loses up to twenty pounds.  That's not annoying at all.

This time I want to commit.  I want to commit to a lot of things this year, so this will be my first challenge.

If you have any recipe or meal ideas, please share in the comments or email me!

First up for us, various salad and burrito bowls with roasted chicken or pork, sweet potato hash for breakfast, and tea instead of coffee.

Sigh.

Gratitude moment:  making gougères for New Year's Eve 2019.  Farewell for now, cheesy puffs.