Butternut Squash Soup

Every fall I make butternut squash soup and every year I say I am going to write it down. Today’s the day. Before we get to that, there have been some big changes in my life. After taking the summer off from working (that sounds a lil better than my contract ended and it took a few months to find something new), I started a fabulous job at DocuSign last Monday. I could not be more excited and am loving it so far. And Oliver just started Kindergarten too! It’s been an adjustment for us both, but such good stuff.

With the new gig, I am back in the office full time for the first time since 2010. This is a departure from the three days I was working from home these past few years. This affects some important parts of my life – working out and cooking. I managed to get five workouts in this week and I also made a big batch of Ina’s Italian Wedding Soup last Sunday, which I used for Oliver’s and my lunches this week. The Sunday cooking for easy leftover dinners and lunches is going to be key to my sanity.

So it’s Sunday and I’m cooking! Butternut squash soup and Smitten Kitchen’s oven-braised beef with garlic and tomatoes (holy shit is that one good and literally could not be easier). I’m particular about what I like in my butternut squash soup (no curry, no apple, no cream) and this recipe totally nails it.

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Tuscan Lemon Chicken

If you live in Seattle, it appears summer has left the building. Before it is totally gone and with Labor Day weekend coming up, I wanted to share my favorite grilled chicken recipe of the summer. Backing up a little, I wasn’t always the master griller I am today. Four short months ago I had never operated a grill on my own and was completely intimidated. I thought this was a guy job. I don’t currently have one of those. I decided it was about time to change my status – my grilling status. For Mother’s Day, my parents got me a Weber grill and it has been the best gift ever! I grill everything now! Steaks, chicken, lots of hotdogs for Oliver, veggies, salmon. Obsessed.

My first grilling project was Ina’s Tuscan Lemon Chicken. It is so delicious. I’ve probably made it six times this summer and it is just really good. I have made this a few ways, a whole chicken flattened as is in the recipe or cut up into eight pieces. The latter is the easier method and much less mess.  Read More

Zucchini Fritters – aka how to get your kid to eat zucchini

Tomorrow is the last day of August and although I am totally ready for fall, I’m also hanging on to the last of the amazing summer fruits and veggies. Heirloom tomatoes, peaches, cucumbers and I think I eat an average of 2.4 watermelons per week. Zucchini is another summer fave and I’ve been loving to simply grill (cut in rounds, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and grill over medium 4 minutes each side) or sauté (same prep as grilling, add some red pepper flakes, minced garlic, finish with some fresh lemon juice).

I had a few zucchini on hand and decided to tackle this Smitten Kitchen gem for lunch today with Oliver as my sous chef. The fritters looked so easy and delicious and my favorite part (other than the crispy edges) was a cooking project with my best guy. Oliver loves to help me in the kitchen and especially dug shredding the zucchini in the Cuisinart. Oh and of course he prefaced by saying would not eat zucchini. Read More