Or, what to make when you feel like having it all together before your guests arrive.
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by Laura
by Laura
Or, what to cook when you know you’ll want some good leftovers.
Our house has been dealing with a bout of illness. And while this is super fun for you all to read about, I’m sure, what I actually want to talk about is planning for times when you know you won’t feel like cooking. So this doesn’t have to be about illness, but in our case, it was.
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by Laura
Or, what to make when you miss your childhood kitchen.
This is one of those recipes that has had many sub-headings over the years. I first ate this at my mom’s table, where I learned to love curry and take an interest in family recipes. I remember watching her temper the dal (recipe coming soon!), fry the grains of basmati before adding the cooking water, and explain the sweet/sour nature of this curry – which was actually a chicken and potato curry when it appeared on her stove.
In college, the sub-heading would have been ‘what to make to impress people (see: professors coming over for dinner)’. In grad school, it was ‘what to make with friends when hunkered down with your Logic and Set Theory problem set (see: weeping and gnashing teeth, the soothing of)’ and, later, ‘what to make when you are adapting mom’s recipe for your own housemate family (see: vegetarian! sweet potato! the budget version!). Finally, this recipe has been made by so many versions of my former selves that I feel like my curry now has a life of its own.
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by Laura
Or, what to make when you want to feel like the world is just a bit less cold.
I have a feeling that I’m going to need a lot of comfort food during the next… four years or so. Whatever your political leanings, you cannot escape the fact that the United States is a strange and tempestuous place to be right now. Nobody really seems to know what is happening, or why – even (or perhaps especially) if you are one of those people upon whom our new government has had an immediate effect. There is a lot of anxiety and anger in the air. (As well as a lot of love and hope – lots of emotional energy jangling about the place.)
Lots of things are happening, all over the country. Many of the things I’m doing right now are normal, and that helps keep me grounded. But some things are not business as usual, and the ground can feel a bit rocky beneath our uncertain feet. Because of this, my stock of comfort foods looks like it will be expanding. We all need energy, and comfort, and fortification. The American experiment needs fuel, people! And at the moment, this means I’m making a lot of soup.
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by Laura
Or, what to make when you feel like embracing other cultures.
I feel like this is a time for pushing beyond familiar boundaries and making yourself aware that other people sometimes have great ideas (hey!), and that you should try them. In this case, the great idea is the yeasted pancake, which I have never, ever tried (even though I have my eye on someone’s – Mark Bittman, maybe? – yeasted waffle recipe to try soon). I have made yeasted breads and buns, but pancakes are a thing of the moment for me, and yeast requires delayed gratification. I love my pancakes with the deep conviction of a weekly childhood pleasure, but I rarely stray too far from my mother’s version. And if I do, it is to add something like ground flax or blueberries to the batter, not to jump ship entirely to a far away land and a savory perspective. Well, friends, let this be a lesson to me.
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by Laura
Or, What to make when you want to feel like a provider of hearty sustenance.
Everyone has an inner lumberjack (Monte Python fans, anyone?) and that’s okay. When I am trying to make a quick midweek dinner – and in my house that means leftovers for lunches would be great/are mandatory – this is the kind of recipe I reach for. It’s hearty, healthy, and cheerful. It’s just as good the next day, can be easily stretched for more people/servings, and will take substitutions incredibly easily. Vegetarian? Try veggie sausages or tofu. Low carb? Skip the potatoes and top with a couple of fried eggs. The options are endless.
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by Laura