Month: January 2007

Acorn Squash and Sausage with Gemilli

Acorn Squash and Sausage with Gemilli

Last October, at the closing of the JP Farmer’s Market, Mr. X and I went a little overboard with squash. And I’ve been a little worried since then that it wouldn’t really last through the winter. Every few days I’d go into the pantry and check it out, worrying that it seemed a little waxier, a little more orange, than last time. When one of them (a pumpkin) developed little mushy green spots and a decidedly unwell appearance, I tossed it and decided it was about time the others were cooked.

I’d already done a stuffed acorn squash, a spaghetti-style spaghetti squash, a pan-seared delicata, and I wanted to try something kind of different. So I set to perusing my new Williams-Sonoma Pasta cookbook (How much do I love Williams-Sonoma cookbooks? Everything else in the store is crazy overpriced, but they make such gorgeous cookbooks!). Then I bastardized the crap out of the recipe I found.

Continue reading Acorn Squash and Sausage with Gemilli

Eggs and Champagne

pseudo-Mike’s Mess

Mr. X and I didn’t really have a plan for New Years’ Day, besides Drink Champagne and Be Naked, so our trip to the grocery store to stock up for provisions was a bit haphazard. Too bad we didn’t think before hand, because Mr. X had a brilliant idea that morning that would have been even more better with a little advance planning: recreate the Zachary’s Mike’s Mess.

 The Mike’s Mess was a staple of my post-college years. I waited tables at Zachary’s for about a year, and probablyate one of these things a week: a huge frittata-like dish with eggs, bacon, the Zachary’s signature home fries, and mushrooms, topped with tons of cheddar cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, and green onions (and Miguel’s special salsa, when I order it, because I’m spicy like that). The Mess has a special place in my heart, and it truly was inspired to attempt to recreate it. Inspired, but not so easy, seeing as we were lacking about half the ingredients.

Continue reading Eggs and Champagne

New Years’ Eve: Late night craziness and dips!

2007 good times

After a week of dry toast, nasty zinc tablets, and tussin, I was, thank buddha, feeling well enough to party, and cook stuff, on New Years’ Eve. Eunice and Christine threw a party so we wouldn’t have to hand out with the drunk kids at the JJ, for which we are all thankful. Good times were had by all, and the food was plentiful and totally awesome. Everyone brought a little something, and here, to make up for a week of silence and a cold stove from me, are pictures and good times galore. Mr. X and I brought along some Red Pepper Feta dip, a Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Tart, Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Skewers, and some bread or something, for which recipes or something approximating them follow. Sally forth, my good friends, and try to avoid the hangover most of us had the next day…

Continue reading New Years’ Eve: Late night craziness and dips!