Dunk & Crumble

One Pan & Done

Summer Corn Chowder with Fresh Herbs

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Oh, hi.  HI!  I’m here.  Are you still here?

It seems like what started out as a nice, holiday hiatus from writing turned into a nice, half-year long hiatus from writing.  Oops.  I have lots of reasons.  Firstly, I’m (at this point) very pregnant with bebe number two, and for awhile the thought of cooking anything except cheese and crackers made my stomach churn.  (If you’ve been looking for more cheese and cracker recipes, I sincerely apologize.)

But mainly, I’ve stayed away from writing here because, with everything happening politically in my country (and the world over, for that matter) I just haven’t felt right posting sunny anecdotes and recipes.  I mean, the Idiot in Chief over here (and his spineless idiot administration) is gleefully promoting racism (oh, and sexism, too) as his core agenda, stripping minority groups of basic rights, ignoring common sense gun initiatives (while Americans drown in gun violence), trying to gut the healthcare system, and putting babies in concentration camps, but yes, here, do enjoy this baked chicken.  It’s the best baked chicken.  Tremendous.

On the other hand… we’ve all got to eat, right?  I miss writing here, and I miss the community we’ve built around these stories and recipes.  I’m going to be back here more, posting sunny anecdotes and recipes, yes, because food is good for the soul and because we all need an escape now and then.  But now you know where I stand, and what else is on my mind (#resistance).  We’ll get through this, one way or another — and in the meantime, there’s summer corn chowder.

PS – for those of you who might want to tell me to stick to food, leave politics out of it, blah blah, please save it.  Politics are everywhere, whether you realize it or not — from your clothing choices to your favorite brand of coffee.  And now is the time to engage.  (Plus this is my blog and I’ll write what I want to.  Don’t @ me, bruh.)  LOVE YOU MEAN IT xox

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Citrus Chicken with Olives & Herbs

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We’re not even halfway through December, but I’ve already eaten so. many. cookies!

My freezer is stocked with buttery balls of dough, and there might be hints of chocolate and/or molasses running through my veins as we speak.

I’m not complaining – I feel pretty good about it, actually – but there comes a time when something a little more savory is in order.  A proper dinner!

A simple roasted chicken dish, warm and bright with fresh citrus, briny olives and green herbs, fits the bill.

This one is easy enough to throw together on a weeknight, but it’s also elegant enough for company.  It’s richly flavored and soul-warming, though the ingredient list is short and simple.

During this month of holiday cheer (complete with heavy plates and yes, maybe too many cookies), this is a good recipe to have on hand.

Consider this the final installment (part 4, if you will) of my seasonal “Whole Bird Cooking” series! In case you missed them, here are parts 1 and 2 and 3!

In partnership with Draper Valley Farms.  All opinions are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands that support Dunk & Crumble!…

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Simple Turkey Bolognese

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With the whole family about to descend for Thanksgiving, you might be in the market for simple, hearty fare to fill everyone up — not for the Big Meal itself, which is something else all together, but for all those in betweeners — easy breakfasts, lunches and dinners to have on hand to feed the masses.

Breakfast in our house is usually either just bowls of cereal or Wawa doughnuts (Philadelphia, represent), and people are usually out and about for lunch, but having this easy Turkey Bolognese on hand (in the fridge or freezer) means that a warm and filling dinner is within arms reach, any night of the week.  Which is good, because I’ve got other things (i.e. stuffing, sweet potatoes, pie, etc. etc. etc.) to focus on.

(Also yes, I realize serving turkey bolognese the same week as a massive turkey dinner might sound like a lot of turkey.  But the sauce is just good, okay?  And worlds different than traditional Thanksgiving fare.  But if it really offends you, swap out ground beef or lamb instead. And then get off my back about it, okay? Love you.)

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(One Pan & Done!) Artichoke Gratin

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The holidays are upon us!?  How is it that they sneak up on us every year?  Have you seen this cartoon yet?  It is both ridiculous and accurate.

If you’re looking for a rich and warming dish to dive into in the coming months (either to help celebrate the holidays or to help stress-eat your feelings this season), I think you might like to know about this artichoke gratin.

It’s a gratin!  Grah-tin?  Grah-TEH?  Cheese-filled skillet of indulgence?  Yep, that’s the one.

It’s from my most recent cookbook, One Pan & Done, so it promises to be quick and easy to pull together, and packed with rich, cheesy flavor (plus some tang from the artichokes and garlic).  It’s awesome served with crisp apple slices to balance out the richness, although crackers and chips are always a good move.

Happy Gratin Season!

(photos in this post by the amazing Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle Et Vanille)…

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Spatchcocked BBQ Glazed Chicken

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So, yeah, I’ll admit it: I developed this recipe purely for the opportunity to say spatchcock a bunch of times.

Spatchcock!  Spatchcock.  Spatchcock.

…Alright, I think it’s out of my system now.  (But how fun is that to say?)

Have you ever done this to a whole chicken?  Have you spatchcocked?  (Sorry.)  Have you butterflied a bird?  Consider this post Part 2 of my “Fear Not Whole Bird Cooking” series!  (Part 1 is here.)

It’s a fancy-looking affair, but I promise, you’re just one sturdy pair of kitchen shears (and a small mental pep talk, maybe) away from your own gorgeously-glazed, juicy butterflied chicken.

Aside from looking cool, spatchcocking a chicken flattens out a whole bird so that it cooks more quickly and evenly, whether in a pan or on the grill.  I actually had summer grilling in mind when I set out to cook this dish, but I found that an oven proof skillet (such as cast iron), used either in the oven or on the grill, helps to catch all of the lovely cooking juices, saving our bird from drying out and creating a nice little pan sauce, to boot.

A tender, juicy bird with a sort of sweet, kind of tangy, definitely sticky glaze.  How’s that for SUMMER?  Add a quick corn salad on the side!  Or a few slices of watermelon?  Either way, let’s just get to spatchcocking, shall we?

In partnership with Draper Valley Farms.  All opinions are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands that support Dunk & Crumble!

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Roasted Spring Chicken with Radishes & Potatoes (& Green Vinaigrette)

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Have you roasted a whole chicken yet?  It’s time.

Knowing how to confidently roast a chicken is up there on the list of essential life skills — you know the one — The Things A Person Should Know.  (You don’t know this list?  Uh oh.  That’s the first thing on the list — know about the list.  …You’ll catch up.)

Actually, knowing how to roast a chicken is right up there with knowing how to launder your own clothes, fix a clogged shower drain, tip appropriately — in fact, pulling a beautifully bronzed, crisp-skinned, whole chicken out of your oven is probably less important than remembering to schedule your own dentist appointments, but, one could argue, more important than proper eyebrow care.  (I see your perfectly-sculpted eyebrow raise, missy — I stand by that statement.)

The great thing about a classic roasted chicken is that, though it looks involved and sophisticated, it’s actually quite simple (and relatively hands-free), so roasting a whole bird is as appropriate for Sunday dinner (or a special Mother’s Day feast!) as it is for the weeknight hustle.

So let’s get roasting!  Springtime is the perfect season to toss a chicken in the oven and play around with bright flavor combinations, like creamy new potatoes, crisp radishes, and a vibrant, herby vinaigrette.

Get out there!  Have no fear!  Snag yourself a (local! free-range!) bird, a mess of herbs, and a fat bunch of radishes, and you’re halfway to dinnertime perfection.

In partnership with Draper Valley Farms.  All opinions are my own.  Thanks for supporting the brands that support Dunk & Crumble!

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Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (One Pan & Done!)

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We celebrated my kid’s first birthday over the weekend, and BOY if the day wasn’t a roller coaster of emotions.  The mixture of pride and elation and nostalgia and exhaustion and pure joy… whew.  All of the feelings showed up to the party.

In fact, over the past 365 days, I’m pretty sure I’ve emoted aaaaall of the emotions. Parenthood is both harder and better than I thought it would be, and this little boy of mine – this one year old (!) – with his happy, curious face, the one that looks up at me every morning and squeaks “hi!” from his crib, makes every moment (even the middle-of-the-night-wailing ones, the throw-up-on-my-new-shoes ones, the will-I-ever-sleep-again-please-please-please ones) so very worth it.

It feels like both a lifetime ago and just yesterday that Calder was placed in my arms for the first time, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment – both of us sizing each other up, his tiny hand wrapped around my finger, the two of us clinging to each other like our lives depended on it (they kind of did).  Since then, he’s grown into a sweet and playful little boy with a coating of blond duck fuzz instead of hair on his head – a boy who drums on any surface he can reach (especially if he can use a set of spoons as drumsticks), delights in learning animal sounds (so far we’ve got “bahh,” “moo,” and “roar” on lock), wiggles on command (my favorite thing), loves croissants and feels lukewarm about avocados (go figure).

Happy birthday, little man of mine.  You are ONE!  What a wild and wonderful ride.

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting…

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Truffle Mushroom Lasagna

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It’s here!  It’s here!

Yep, One Pan & Done is out in the world today, and I feel like shouting it from the mountaintops, and maybe also hiding under a rock (or, perhaps more comfortably, just the bed covers) until the nerves pass.  But maybe I’ll just take a deep breath and eat some truffle mushroom lasagna?

Yes, let’s do that.

Writing this cookbook was a whirlwind affair — I found out I was pregnant a few weeks after I began work on it, and the ensuing nausea and food aversions (to anything besides cereal and cheese, basically) made recipe testing… interesting.  But, more than ever, I craved simplicity and ease in the kitchen, so once I started enjoying food again the (one pot! one pan! streamlined!) recipes made their way to the page faster than I thought they might.

I have to pinch myself these days when I stop to think about the fact that, not only do I have an actual baby (who is about to turn one next month!?! what is happening?!?), I have another book baby out in the wild.  Maybe even in your hands!  Maybe you’re already cooking from it!?  Sigh… they grow up so fast, don’t they?

I feel so lucky to get to do this kind of work, and though it often (on publication day perhaps more so than on other days) feels scary and surreal, I don’t take a second of it for granted.  Thanks to you for coming along for the ride.

Can we eat lasagna now?

(Photos by the wonderful Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle Et Vanille.)

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