Carrots

This minestrone is the type of hearty throw-everything-from-the-fridge-in soup that I love this time of year.

These grilled egg rolls are a perfect tailgate food.  Just pack them all up and throw them on the grill at the game!

Freshly made thick cut french fries are smothered in a thick New England clam chowder. It\’s a poutine chowder mash-up!

Sweet and spicy tempeh and cauliflower is placed on top of a bright and tart plate of noodles.

Ingredients1 Pound Ground Pork1 Onion (diced) 3 Cloves Garlic (grated) 2 Inches Ginger (grated) 2 Carrots (diced) 1 Large Tablespoon Korean Pepper Paste (gochujang) 1 Large Tablespoon Korean Bean Paste (doenjang) 2 Quarts Chicken Stock1 Cup Live Apple Cider Vinegar3/4 Head Cabbage (shredded) 1 Package Enoki Mushrooms2 Cups Korean Rice Cakes1 Package Tofu (medium firmness)…

Ingredients2 Pounds Brisket2 Cups Beef Stock1 Onion Diced 5 Carrots Chopped 3 Celery Stalks Chopped 1/2 A Large Head of Cabbage Chopped 5 Cloves Garlic5 Sprigs Thyme1 Teaspoon Coriander6 Cups Beef Stock (plus more liquid if necessary) Potato Flakes For: 10 BowlsPreparation: 45 minCooking: 3 hReady in: 3 h 45 min InstructionsChop the beef into…

Ingredients2.5 Cups Flour1 Cup Cornmeal1 Cup Sugar2 Tablespoons Baking Powder1.5 Teaspoons Salt1.5 Cups Milk2 Eggs2 Sticks Butter1 Onion diced 2 Carrots diced 4 Celery Stalks diced 1 Tablespoon Minced Sage1.5 Tablespoons Minced Thyme1 Pound Ground Turkey3/4 Cup Chopped Dried Cranberries1/2 Cup Grated Parm1/4 Cup Breadcrumbs1 Egg1 Teaspoon Salt For: 36 mini muffinsPreparation: 1 hCooking: 30…

I wouldn’t exactly say that I was snowed in, but after being out all day in the gross snow/rain mixture, when it was time to finally be home I didn’t want to leave. I decided to try and make a soup based off things I only had in the house. The soup came out amazing and really warming on such a cold night, and I think it was mainly because of a slab of delicious bacon I was able to grab on a recent trip to the Culinary Institute of America with Jones Dairy Farm. The smokey bacon really gave the soup a deep warming flavor. Homemade stock, a can of tomatoes, and noodles from a package of ramen (without the flavor packet) rounded things out. Honestly there was nothing I would have rather eaten that night.

We’re buried under about a foot of snow here in Boston this morning, and naturally my thoughts go right to a hearty soup. Even if you are snowed in today too, you can probably still make this soup if you can find some pastrami somewhere. If not, just toss in any meat instead. Everything else is pantry staples. This soup is a riff off of a dill pickle soup I once was intrigued by on an episode of Diners Drive-Ins and Dives, that I finally decided to make a version of.

My hobby: making pasta sauces out of vegetables besides tomatoes. I’ve done it with red peppers, carrots, and now corn. Mandi is obsessed with summer corn right now, and for good reason, it just tastes so damn good! I always get happy when I can think of a fun unique corn recipe, because most of the time I just eat it off the cob and don’t get to feature it on the site. This sauce came out really sweet because of the sweet nature of corn and carrots. Overall it was really awesome and balanced with the cheese and bacon, but once in awhile you would get a bite that was a little too sweet.

Finally there’s a date! The much awaited 4th season of Arrested Development will be available on Netflix in full on May 26th. To celebrate, I am dedicating a week of recipes to the greatest food moments of the first 3 seasons. Today is one of my all time favorites, Hot Ham Water. In this episode (s3-e9 “S.O.B’s”), Lindsay is trying to be more of a domesticated mother figure to the family, and her first attempt at cooking dinner is a dish she likes to call Hot Ham Water. I took inspiration from this scene to make a flavorful ham broth and load it up with some sauteed ham, collard greens, and udon noodle. Tasty stuff!

Since New Years Day, I’ve lost about 30 pounds. I haven’t done anything drastic. I’ve still cooked and eaten things like Lucky Charms Cheesecake, Hamburger Helper Sushi, and Pierogi Lasagna. I just made it a point to cut out some unnecessary meat, wheat, and dairy, during breakfast and lunch on most days.  I also drank whiskey instead of beer.  It’s a tough life I know.  All week this week, I will be posting some of the super healthy dishes that have gotten me through the past few months and I think have really helped with the weight loss. This smoothie is a 6 day a week routine and really kicks the day off right and keeps me full until lunch.