Egglotes

I'm months late getting this recipe written down, but better late than never, or whatever aphorism you'd like to use to help me feel better. As you may know, I regularly compete in my friend's annual Deviled Egg Pageant (previously, I've made Honey Nut Goat Cheese Deviled Eggs, Taco Deviled Eggs, Roasted Garlic Deviled Eggs, and Dill & Stone Ground Mustard Deviled Eggs). For 2017's competition, I made egglotes (elotes in egg form!) and ended up winning Audience Choice! I think that this recipe was the best of my homemade deviled egg recipes so far, and I'm not sure how I'll top it next year. This recipe makes 24 deviled eggs.

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

I did something the other day that I rarely do: I followed a recipe exactly. This is a difficult thing for me to do, not because I believe I am some amazing chef who understands flavors and textures and the science of cooking, but because I have anxiety and sometimes when something seems wrong, I get worried, and make my own choices. In this Bon Appetit recipe, I got nervous a few times (You want me to boil the pasta in kale water? And now you want me to dump this kale water into a pan? What is even happening?), but stuck it out and honestly, made one of the best dishes I've made in awhile. The below recipe makes enough for 3-4 large servings.

Buddha Bowls

Buddha bowls are by far my favorite meals. You may not have heard the term "Buddha bowl," but I'm sure you know the concept: it's an entire meal in a rice-based bowl. I have a ton of different ways to make these bowls, but the basic ingredients are the same: brown rice, roasted veggies, roasted protein (I usually use tofu, but chickpeas, tempeh, or beans would work as well), and a well-crafted sauce (my favorite is a homemade spicy peanut butter sauce, but I also like goddess dressing - this is my favorite brand - or a teriyaki-based sauce). Let's jump into the recipe to make your own Buddha bowl.

Black Bean Raspberry Dip

I grew up close to Manhattan, Kansas (The Little Apple!). Tucked away in Aggieville is this unassuming restaurant called So Long Saloon and they make this killer black bean dip. It has a layer of spicy raspberry preserves and a layer of savory cream cheese. I've been thinking about this dip for many years (I haven't lived there since 2007, to give you an idea). A few months ago, I figured I'd search online to see if anyone else had experienced this magic appetizer and, to my surprise, one of my favorite food bloggers has, and wrote a recipe up for it. My recipe below is an adaption of hers (the main difference is that I've written out how I create the raspberry layer, because I couldn't find the store-bought version she uses). I also apparently didn't take any photos of my process (which is very unlike me), so I guess I have an excuse to make this again (& then update this post). I hope you enjoy this dip as much as I have!

Seitan Stir-Fry

My favorite vegan restaurant, Blackbird Pizzeria in Philly, makes their own take-home seitan now! I was so excited to get a package of the rosemary garlic one, and I made an easy and delicious stir fry with it. You can put it on a roll, eat it over rice, or just eat it by itself. This recipe is about two servings.