Recipes

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

May 12, 2017 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

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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Tender Rhubarb Snack Cake

April 25, 2017 by mollygilbert520 3 Comments

Sniff sniff, HONK sniff! I think I’ve officially entered the stage of life where someone in my house is always sick. Sniffles and coughs and viruses, oh my! (And Calder’s not even in daycare yet! Oh dear.) It’s all terribly glamorous and attractive, yes it is.

But what if rhubarb cake is a cure-all? Do tender crumb and sweet-tart fruit have healing powers? What if the soft cake is flecked with dark buckwheat flour, some Greek yogurt, and hints of citrus, too?

I’m going with yes. (And even if not, a friend I shared this cake with said it “tastes of unicorns,” so at the very least, we’ve got that going for us.) Join me!

Tender Rhubarb Snack Cake…

Homemade Bagels

March 24, 2017 by mollygilbert520 5 Comments

I’ve lived in Seattle for over three years, and while I love this city, I just have to say: Seattle has a bagel problem. Having moved here from New York City (by way of San Francisco, fine), I admit my standards are high, but Seattle, come on! Get your bagel game together.

I’m looking for a New York style bagel. A bagel bagel. I don’t want one of these “Montreal-style” shenanigans. I’m looking for a bagel that’s bigger than my fist, one with a chewy crust (with just a bit of crackle), and a crumb that’s tender but not overly doughy.

I’M LOOKING FOR LOX AND SCHMEAR. Can I get an amen?

In my dreams, I open up a wildly successful bagel shop here in Seattle. We sell hot, fresh bagels, plain and flavored cream cheese, and lox on lox on lox. Also maybe some black and white cookies, because I miss those, too. Side of fresh OJ and coffee with extra cream?

It’s a nice dream. Until then, these homemade bagels will have to do.

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Pi(e) Day!

March 14, 2017 by mollygilbert520 Leave a Comment

Happy Pi(e) day, peeps! Today feels like an infinitely good day to enjoy a slice. Here are some of my favorite pies for you!

Blond Bottom Coconut Cream Pie is a wow, on all kinds of levels.

Salty Chocolate Cream Pie sounds like a good idea on a snowy Pi Day, just saying.

Buttermilk Chess Pie is some more creamy dreaminess.

This Deeply Pecan Pie is my favorite pie, full stop.

And everyone loves a Jumbleberry Pie!

Happy Pi Day and Pie Day to you!

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

March 6, 2017 by mollygilbert520 2 Comments

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…

Spicy Curried Eggplant & Chickpea Soup

February 27, 2017 by mollygilbert520 Leave a Comment

As I write this post (and really, as I write most posts these days), my little man (who is almost ONE FULL YEAR OLD, have I mentioned?) is napping. I’m thankful for the naps (they don’t always happen around these parts – he went a full day last week without one, YIKES), but it’s tough to get into the nap time blogging groove.

There are always toys to pick up (lest I trip over a mountain of wooden blocks, or loud plastic things that make music, which happens more often than I’d like to admit), laundry to start or finish, dishes to wash or put away (or Cheerios to remove from random kitchen crannies), mail to sort, et cetera et ceteraaaa, and by the time I finally sit down here it’s a race against the internal clock of a sleeping baby to post something, anything, of value. Do you know that clock contraption? It’s a very clever built-in timer that always knows the precise moment, the very one, when you’ve just sat down with your thoughts, fingers hovering over the keyboard, to wake the (albeit small and adorable) beast. Oh well. Hashtag real talk, hashtag mom life, or something.

But I need! To tell you! About this soup! (!!!) It’s so, so very good. Simple to make, perfect to eat. Plenty spiced, a bit spicy, lusciously thick and full of sweet onion and eggplant flavor. And with a bit of coconut cream (or yogurt) on top, and a handful of herby greens, too, it’s a weeknight meal worth shouting about. From nap time or any time, really.

Spicy Curried Eggplant & Chickpea Soup…

Best Chewy Brownies

February 20, 2017 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

I made these crackly-topped, perfectly textured (for me, that means damp and chewy, closer to fudgy than cakey… devastatingly handsome, ugh) beauties while the soundtrack to La La Land jumped and lilted around my kitchen. I basically made these brownies for Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, is what I’m saying. (Have you gotten a chance to see that movie yet? It’s a delight.)

Anyway, back to our scene: the Seattle sun peeked through the raindrops and the pop-flecked jazz filled the air, which became increasingly thick with the scent of melted butter and dark chocolate and, despite the baffling circus that is the political news cycle (you guys, WHAT IS HAPPENING), in that moment, all felt right with the world. And then we ate brownies.

As today is a holiday (albeit one of those weird ones that not everyone recognizes — sorry if you are, indeed, at the office), you might think about creating your own happy place, with music and brownies? It’s a start, at least.

Happy Monday!

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I Think Thursday 2.16.17

February 16, 2017 by mollygilbert520 Leave a Comment

It’s Thursday again! Want some links? OKAY!

Still into cute treats made with love? (Always!) Cocoa Date Truffles!
This is maybe the best thing ever.
Want. Also this!
And Eat It Too opened LIVE last week for Spilled Milk! Check it!
A recipe from One Pan and Done, hooray!!
Super interesting.
This.
Heh.

Truffle Mushroom Lasagna

February 7, 2017 by mollygilbert520 6 Comments

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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Gingery Pork Meatballs

February 3, 2017 by mollygilbert520 7 Comments

Your meatballs! As promised. I”ll cut right to the chase here: these are good. You’re going to want to make them right away.

These little lovelies are meaty but light, flecked through with bits of fresh cilantro and ginger, full of brightness and zip, respectively. And some spice, too, because I know you like to keep things interesting. Maybe you’ll make these for your Super Bowl (slash Puppy Bowl, who are we kidding) party? They’re great on their own, but I’ve also been throwing them into a simple broccoli, green curry coconut soup (recipe coming soon), where they feel like a hearty and healthy meal.

Perhaps notably, these are the kind of straightforward meatballs that skip any fillers like breadcrumbs or cheese, so they’re gluten- and dairy-free, which normally wouldn’t be my thing but which recently was kind of my thing, on account of the fact I was trying out that Whole 30 situation that’s going around. I’ll just say that it was nice while it lasted (a Whole 13 days, oops) but we’ve since parted ways and I’m okay with it. I’ll still be eating these meatballs.

(Also, these are a ONE PAN deal! In honor of easy deliciousness but also in honor of my new book, which comes out on Tuesday. NO BIG DEAL HOLY CRAP. Have you ordered your copy yet? Please?)

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