Have a calm weekend.

This weekend will be about peace and calm here at our house.  We are looking forward to dinner at a friend's house on the beach and time spent laughing with those that are close to us.

There are many thing to get us worried, but there are so many more to be thankful for. 

These days I start my morning with a simple glass of lemon water with a sprig of rosemary. It seems so simple and yet the slightly sweet meyer lemon and the aromatic rosemary take the senses away and calm the mind.

Everything will be all right. I wish you a calm, peaceful weekend. 

Enjoy the little things.

Have a great weekend!

I'm very much looking forward to couch time with these two this weekend. I've also started a new book, and want to test out this recipe.

What are you up to this weekend? 

WHAT'S FOR DINNER: Spring Vegetable Risotto

Spring had technically arrived, but the warm days are taking their sweet time getting here. While we wait, let's eat!
The spring semester is coming to a close, I have a big project that is in full-on construction and my stress levels have been on the high side lately. Oh, I also have a trunk show coming up at the end of April which I have to make a ton of bags for. No biggie...
So after a long day of teaching and stressing, I'm happy to sit down to this lovely meal. It's hearty enough to work during the still chilly nights in March, but the flavors are bright with spring. I'm also fairly certain that throwing a poached on anything makes it delicious! Pair it with a not-oaky (that's a technical term) chardonnay, good company, of course, and goodbye stress.
*I know risotto has a reputation for being a bit of a pain to make. This one is pretty simple so go for it. Get the recipe here.

Food Memory

I grew up eating salted cod. There are hundreds of ways to prepare this traditionally Portuguese fish, but there is one dish that is especially dear to my heart. My mom made this dish when I was growing up and still makes it for me when I visit. Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa is a simple three ingredient recipe; salted cod, onions and potatoes. It's such a simple combination, but there is something about the caramelized onions and the cod when they combine that is divine.
Last night I thought I would try my hand at this favorite recipe. It turned out pretty great. Not quite as good as my mom's but pretty close.
Would you give this recipe a try? Don't be intimidated by salt cod. It's just a matter of soaking it for the right amount of time before it's ready to go. It's very simple to make and a really rewarding meal.

Do you love food as much as I do? Check out my Pinterest Food Board  and see what else I've been cooking!

Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa
(adapted from Savoring Spain and Portugal)

1 lb salt cod, soaked
1.5 lb boiling potatoes peeled
6 Tbs olive oil
2 yellow onions thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
.5 c chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
20 cured black olives
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled sliced

Soak the cod in cold water to cover for 24 to 36 hours, changing the water occasionally, drain.


Drain the cod and place in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a gentle simmer over med heat and poach 10-15 min. Drain, let cool and break up with your fingers removing skin and bones.

At the same time boil potatoes in water to cover for 20-25 minutes. Drain and slice 1/4 inch thick.

In a frying pan over med heat warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and saute on low heat until caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl. In the same pan, warm 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Saute potatoes until golden 5 minutes total.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Oil a large gratin dish and lay half the potatoes in the bottom, top with half the cod and then half the onions. Sprinkle with pepper and parsley. Repeat the layers then drizzle top with a bit of oil.

Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Garnish with olives, hard-boiled eggs and parsley.
Serve and enjoy!

PROCESS: Strawberries + Chocolate

WINTER FRITTATA with kale

This January seems to be crawling by. With the bitter cold temperatures and Christmas seeming to have been ages ago, it's been hard getting through in good spirits. So, eating well is a must for us during the ides of winter. I often turn to frittata when I need something quick and delicious that sticks to the ribs.
This one, with kale is a favorite. We vary the other ingredients from feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes to garlic and shallot. But the kale is always the constant. Try it tonight and let me know what you think!

1 bunch kale (any type)
1 roasted red pepper (skin removed)
4 whole eggs
2 egg whites
goat cheese (as much as you like!)
salt/pepper
1 Tb olive oil

Cut kale into very think slivers. (divide in 2)
Cut roasted pepper into 1/2" pieces (divide in 2)
Beat 2 whole eggs and one egg white (x2) in separate bowls with salt and pepper

Preheat broiler on high.
On the stove top, heat olive oil in two small cast iron skillets on medium. When hot, add kale for 2 min. Add peppers for 1 minute. Spread kale mixture around evenly in pan. Pour egg mixture over. Crumble goat cheese evenly over egg.
Place under broiler for a few minutes until egg is fluffy and slightly brown.
Don't over cook it or the egg will dry out.

Enjoy with a lovely salad, or alone!

A Birthday

We celebrated my 38th birthday yesterday. All day I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.  There was breakfast and dinner and gifts and cake! I think it's going to be a very good year.

IN SEARCH OF: crazy good fries

This is Kohlrabi. It's technically a cabbage, but pan fry thick slices of this mild, sweet vegetable and you may never go back to the potato. Well, maybe not never... who could give up french fries?!
I was introduced to this strange looking orb when it appeared in our weekly CSA last year. Hmmm, I had never seen or heard of it before. I started researching recipes and tried a few ways to skin and cook this unusual little plant. None of the results were thrilling. So, this year, when it again appeared at the top of the basket, I went for the simplest preparation I could find. Fries!
And I'm so glad I did. They have a delicate, slightly sweet, vegetable taste with all the pleasure of a crisp fried exterior. Dip each tasty stick into the chili aioli and you'll be hooked. I was.

Kohlrabi Fries + Chili Pepper Aioli  (recipe adapted from New York Times)

1.5 lbs kohlrabi

3 tbs flour

sea salt, pepper

2-6 tbs canola oil, as needed

chili powder


1. Peel kohlrabi and cut into thick sticks .5 inches thick and 2 inches long

2. In a heavy skillet (cast iron!) heat oil on medium-high heat.

3. Place flower in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Toss kohlrabi sticks to coat.

4. When oil is hot, you will see the surface ripple, carefully add sticks in batches. Don't crowd them. These guys like some room around them to get nice and crispy. Brown 2-3 minutes and them turn them over. Crisp on other side until prettily crisp all the way around about 5 minutes.

5. Be sure the pan has enough oil, if not throw a bit more in. Crisp another batch until they are all done.

6. Drain on paper towel.

7. Sprinkle with chili powder.

Serve hot with aioli.

Chili Pepper Aioli

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tbs chili powder


mix and serve with kohlrabi fries...preferably outdoors during sunset.

IN SEARCH OF: Dinner

Asparagus season has passed, but you can occasionally find a good bunch at the farmer's market. Armed with a small bunch myself, I set out to make a simple summer dinner of salmon, lemon, capers and olive oil. These little parchment packages keep in all the flavor while the fish steams gently inside the oven for a few minutes.

As for the asparagus, they don't need much more than a drizzle of good olive oil and some salt. As always, I favor sea salt these days. Maybe it's just in my blood. I was, after all, born in Figueira da Foz, Portugal home to the salt pans of Corredor da Cobra. We are one of a few working salt harvesting cities in Portugal.

So tonight, go get some wild salmon and try this. It's so easy and amazingly delicious.

Little Salmon Parchment Packages with Roasted Asparagus

2  4oz. fillets wild salmon (thickest part of fish)

1 Tb capers, drained and rinsed

1/2 lemon sliced thin

olive oil

sea salt

black pepper

4 sheets parchment paper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

cut parchment paper into large squares. Place washed and towel dried salmon on parchment. Drizzle generously with olive oil, add capers, salt and pepper. Place sliced lemon over fish. Seal packages tightly around edges.

Place parchment packages on a roasting pan and roast for 12-15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the fish. If you are using thin fillets cook for less time.

For the asparagus, snap off tough ends. Place in roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 8 minutes.

Serve salmon in parchment.

IN SEARCH OF: Light Summer Lunch

Summer afternoons are for long, lazy naps, reading a book, and snacking. I tend to eat smaller meals in the summer, so at mid day my stomach usually signals it's time to grab a bite to eat. My go to summer food is a simple Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese if your going for the real thing). I like mine as simple as can be. Just slice tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and alternate on a plate with freshly picked basil. Drizzle with the best Olive Oil you can find. This one transports me to Napa every time I take a bite.

Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground black pepper. The trick to this salad is using a good hearty sea salt. The crunch adds a nice texture and the bites of salt really wake up your taste buds.

Done!

IN SEARCH OF: Summer Snack

Cherries are just about the most beautiful fruit there is. And proper too. There's a little handle built in for eating and not getting your fingers dirty. Genius. Mother nature is the best designer after all.
Have a great weekend and eat so much fruit your stomach aches. It's summer!

IN SEARCH OF: Lunch

Have you ever tried making your own Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls? Ya, neither have I, until recently. I was craving a tasty meal, but without a lot of heat from a stove to warm up the already balmy apartment. So I went for it and made spring rolls from scratch! They were delicious and easy to make. Although not the prettiest I've seen, they were no less delicious for it. Try it! Not too hard and worth the effort. Don't skip the sauce. It really is the star of the dish. Enjoy!

Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls
(Recipe adapted from here and here)

Cooking the shrimp

6  cups water
2 inch ginger peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemon halved and juiced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sugar
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp chopped green onions
2 tbsp chopped garlic
2 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined


Combine all ingredients except shrimp in large saucepan. 
Bring to boil
Add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Cut shrimp in half lengthwise when cool.

Making the rolls

rice paper

warm water in a shallow bowl
1/4 cabbage or kale jullienned

2 carrots thinly sliced

3 scallions chopped

32 fresh basil leaves

Bunch fresh cilantro sprigs

1/2 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Dip rice paper into warm water for 30 seconds. 
Remove and lay on clean kitchen towel.
Layer two shrimp halves, cabbage, carrots, scallions, basil, cilantro and peanuts in bottom third of rice paper.
Roll tucking in sides half way.
Done.

Dipping Sauce

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons finely diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped unsalted peanuts

In a small bowl combine red pepper flakes, lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, carrots and garlic, peanuts and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Goodbye store-bought crackers!

I love cheese!
The kind you can eat, of course. Stinky, soft, hard, goat, cow, sheep, anything goes. But it's not just about the cheese. It's critical that it is paired with the perfect cracker. From my experience, most store-bought crackers leave a lot to be desired. Some are too thick, some too thin. Others just try too hard.
So my latest obsession has been to make my own "crackers" or in the case of yesterday's adventure, a crispy flat bread that, turns out, is better than any store-bought cracker I've ever had.
Trust me, this is so easy, anyone can do it. You won't be disappointed...and you will never want a regular old cellophane wrapped cracker again.

Crisp Rosemary Flatbread
Adapted from Epicurious.com


1 2/3   C. All-purpose Flour
1Tbl    Chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp    Baking Powder
1tsp     Kosher salt
1/2 C   Water
1/3 C   Olive Oil
Sea Salt and additional Rosemary

Preheat oven to 450°F with a heavy baking sheet on rack in middle.

Stir together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. 

Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. 

Knead dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.

Divide dough into 3 pieces and roll out 1 piece (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap) on a sheet of parchment paper into a 10-inch round (shape can be rustic; dough should be thin).

Lightly brush top with additional oil and scatter small clusters of rosemary leaves on top, pressing in slightly. 

Sprinkle with sea salt. Slide round (still on parchment) onto preheated baking sheet and bake until pale golden and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. 

Transfer flatbread (discard parchment) to a rack to cool, then make 2 more rounds (1 at a time) on fresh parchment (do not oil or salt until just before baking). 

Break into pieces.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Designer Dinner 3

I cook most nights. It's my way of unwinding after a long day. A few nights ago, short on ingredients, I patched together a version of a staple in every Portuguese household. Growing up, it made a regular appearance at our family's table. "Caldo Verde"...or translation, Green Broth is a tasty soup of brilliant green kale hanging on to crispy chorizo buoys. In my version I used white beans instead of potatoes to thicken the broth. It was delicious!
Even though I am not Irish, it is that time of year when the color green appears in the most unlikely of edible. So, tomorrow night if your wondering what to eat...Caldo Verde may be just the thing!

Little plates, little plates.

It's the season for being home, staying in, and cuddling up to cozy things. Nesting, we call it; the phenomenon that comes when summer ends, bikes get put away and the fire place once again becomes the center of the home.  It's the season for holiday celebrations with family, eating well, and eating plenty.
I love designing and making handbags, but as an architect I have a soft spot for anything home related. And about a month ago I realized the shift in my customers from wanting bags to wanting things to make their nesting time more beautiful. They are no longer wanting to buy hip bags and totes that remind them of how far away next summer is, but instead are searching for pillows and linens in tactile fabrics and warm colors. And so I happily shifted my focus to the HOME COLLECTION. There are pillows and linen napkins. But the latest addition is my favorite, adorable 5" dessert plates, hand painted some with dots others with branches! They are perfect for winter parties and make any food feel extra special. Which color is your favorite?