Just chicken

Yet pretty, in its simplicity.

First, grilled chicken with a very nice side of pan-roasted white beans, kale, and walnuts (recipe from Food 52, kind of) along with some roasted tomatoes.

And then grilled, as before, along with yellow squash and zucchini over basmati rice and some more tomatoes and garlic.

Simple as can be.

Simply pretty

It's interesting: lovely things are frequently nearly effortless.

Here's a simple white bean salad that belongs in that category.

And here it is, plated, with chicken on a bed of sautéed kale. And a few dates, just because.

Snowy, Sunny, Windy, Cold

—that was today. A good day for cooking and baking.

Here's the Ruby Swiss chard and white bean soup again.

And here's a lovely salad: farro, roasted sweet potatoes, kale, dried cherries, feta. 

I made that bread this morning. Harvest grains. KAF. 

The snow really wasn't much, which is maybe why my cat got brave and went out for a few minutes. She's intrepid, and quite beautiful.

October, Sunday, Sewing

It's been unseasonably warm and the leaves seem to have skipped ahead, dropping everywhere with only ok color. Sigh.

And I've skipped ahead too, it seems, baking what I think of as a winter bread: Irish soda bread, one of my favorites. I've posted it here before, probably, but it's especially pretty this time.

For dinner: filet with some mushrooms, lovely baby kale with grilled figs and goat cheese with cranberries, asparagus:

And, sewing. Project #1: placemats. Very satisfying, just like cooking. A tangible result.

Fancy-ish

Sunday's project: a tomato-basil-cheddar tart. This recipe, like many good ones, comes from Leite's Culinaria.

Here it is, step-by-step.

First, the tomatoes went in the oven to slow-roast:

Meanwhile, I made the tart shell (pics of that are boring)... and... Vera did what she does...

and Theo did what he does...

If you know about Frosty Paws, then you know what this is all about.

Finally, about five hours later:

And then it was time to assemble the tart:

And then about 40 minutes later.... very pleasing.

And plated with sautéed kale:

Oh, and it was stormy on and off all day, which I quite liked. 

Back to cooking

Barley with roasted butternut squash and sautéed asparagus, zucchini and kale, along with my favorites (pecans, feta, dates).

It's a wonder I get anything done

Anything besides cooking, I mean.

A busy day.

First: almond butter, which isn't necessarily all that photogenic, but it is delicious. Very simple: almonds, canola, olive oil, honey, salt. Roasted, then processed.

Then, oatmeal bread, KAF recipe. Tried and true.

Note the messy counter. 

Or just crowded. 

Bananas, shallots, avocados, butternut squash, some just washed kale and, just barely in the background, the best brownie mix ever: Kroger brand. 

I'm not kidding. 

Of course homemade brownies are great too... but, honestly, this mix is the best. 

Fudgy, not cakey. 

*

Meanwhile, I made some tomato soup as the bread baked. 

Here it is simmering....

And here it is after having been put into the blender. 

Very pretty, I think. 

Also, during the meanwhile: some kale chips, just as a snack.

And then the bread was done.

A good day.