Monthly Archives: June 2015
Want to Keep Your Fridge Organized? Buy One with a Glass Door — Kitchen Inspiration
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No matter how many times I clean it out and organize it, my fridge is always a mess. I have a tendency to shove things to the back of the fridge, where I forget about them for weeks, until it’s time to clean things out again.
And don’t get me started on how many random condiments are stashed in the door — it’s borderline embarrassing. If I owned my apartment, one solution I’d be considering is replacing the refrigerator with one that has a glass door. If the mess is on display, I’m much more likely to keep it tidy.
chocolate chunk granola bars
As I shuffle towards the finish line of this family-expansion project we began so long ago that it’s become a running joke* there are days when I honestly do not understand why human beings need to gestate beyond 37 weeks. I mean, pretty much the minute the doctor estimated this kid to be 6 pounds, I concluded “it’s cooked! It can come out now, right?” and imagined our 4th of July, baby snuggled in wrap, beer in one hand, medium-rare burger in the other and, lo, it sounded pretty grand to me. Because, of course, we know from experience that’s exactly what the first weeks of having a newborn look like. Fortunately, there are other days when I wake up and feel almost like a person who does not have feet in her rib cage, when by some miracle, I’m able to swim a mile, find some forgotten dress in my closet that actually fits with dignity, and cook things we can pass off as dinners, present and future, and this is one of those days so let’s frolic in it.
In a few days, my son starts a day camp in which the kids are supposed to bring their own lunches — no, not even summer brings a reprieve from my favorite activity — and snacks. Snacks! Predictably, this has stressed me out because I neither want him to feel unloved for being the only kid without a package of some sort of candy/gummy/cookie monstrosity or some other unwholesome delight nor do I want him to develop a package-of-monstrosity-a-day habit. Ideally, I’d rather him eat something homemade where the ingredient list didn’t sound like a science project. Realistically, my best-laid plans will probably only take us through the first couple weeks, after which we’ll be too busy not to succumb to all the wonders of the packaged food world, but until then, I plan to give myself an A for effort. This is also a nut-free facility, a couple of his friends are gluten-free, another cannot have dairy, and all of these factors have collided to finally motivate me to update my go-to granola bars accordingly.
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Recipe: Heidi Swanson’s Summer Squash Soup with Coconut Milk — Recipes from The Kitchn
I think most of us know (and love) Heidi Swanson’s website, 101 Cookbooks. It has certainly been one of my favorite food reads for many years, and I am always inspired by the way Heidi brings vegetables to the fore, often in unexpected ways. So when we were hunting for some fresh ways to feature zucchini and squash this week, Heidi’s books were one of the first places I looked.
This soup is one of the rare soups that sounds appealing in the summertime — a spicy, tangy blend of Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, tofu, and squash. It’ll make you sweat — in a good way.
The 10 Most Annoying Food Packaging Quirks — Strong Opinions
Food-packaging technology is part of what ensures the food we buy stays intact during the shipping, shelving, and shopping that needs to happen before we bring it home from the store. For the most part, packaging is fairly effective — even ingenious. However, there are some foods that are packaged in ways that make me shake my fist in frustration: “Why, oh why, do they make it so hard?”
Come on, I know you feel me here. Here are the 10 food-packaging quirks that drive us up the wall and make us ask, “Isn’t there a better way to design this?”
Healthy Appetizers: Thai Basil Rolls with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce
4.39 / 5 Stars | 34 Reviews
by ALONGENECKER
“Shrimp and pork – layered with rice noodles, bean sprouts, and herbs – all rolled together in a fresh rice wrapper and served with a hoisin-peanut sauce for dipping. Great for an appetizer or lunch!”
Healthy Side Dishes: Soft Polenta with Spicy Tomato Sauce
The Tastiest BBQ Meats Aren’t Hot off the Smoker — Food News
It takes a combination of experience, skill, and patience when smoking meats to juicy perfection, and it used to be that there was only a small window of time to serve the meat when it’s at its best.
5 Easy Ways to Turn Cherry Tomatoes into Summer Appetizers — Small Bites
Along with milk and eggs, cherry tomatoes have a permanent spot in my fridge. For one, my kid eats them by the fistful. For two, I snack on them constantly while I cook. And for three, they act as a secret weapon when a dish needs a little extra color or flavor boost — because, in case you didn’t know, tomatoes are bursting with natural umami.
But as these juicy globes (as well as summertime gatherings) come into peak season, cherry tomatoes have also become my go-to for last-minute parties and appetizers. And hopefully, after you try these non-crudité treats, you’ll start saving refrigerator space for cherry tomatoes, too.
A Classy Mister for Your Indoor Plants — Faith’s Daily Find 06.24.15
Polished Brass Plant Mister from Schoolhouse Electric
• $30
• Schoolhouse Electric
If you live in an apartment but you are looking longingly at your neighbors’ gardens, then a few indoor plants are the answer. Succulents and little pots of herbs like chives are the answer to green thumb jealousy, and this little mister is a pretty way to keep those plants in shape.