Favorites

Simple Lemon Butter Salmon

We've tried to expose Madeline to a wide taste palette, including some foods that kids find tough to love, like fish. In Haiti, her favorite fish dish is pan fried local Woz fish with a key lime butter sauce. While back in North America, we have adapted Madeline's favorite fish recipe, and make this Simple Lemon Butter Salmon. Madeline likes this Lemon Butter Salmon so much her hands shake with enthusiasm in between bites, and quite frankly, we adults aren't too far behind her! 

Simple Lemon Butter Salmon

Food and Thoughts of 2016

We catapulted into 2016 in a new country, jobs, and language. Learning Haitian Creole together had moments of both frustration and hilarity. We practiced our new vocabulary at the maternity clinic, when two months after we arrived in Haiti, we became parents! Paul reflected about becoming a father to a daughter, pondering some of the global challenges that girls and women face. Madeline could not have a bigger ally in her proud papa. This year, our first as parents, we have felt deep gratitude and joy for our little daughter. Along the way we also started trying our hand at Haitian cooking, learning to make some of the iconic sweetsavory & spicy dishes we had learned to love. And through it all, our little baby kept growing, and so did we...

Food and Thoughts of 2016

Paul's Honey Oat Bread

It is election weekend here in Haiti, which means comfort food is definitely in order. While elections anywhere can cause unease, unrest, and extreme emotions, in a country with few peaceful democratic precedents, a mood of wary watchfulness prevails. Back from travels and faced with an empty cupboard and blaring radio, I opted for one of my favorite comfort foods -- fresh baked Honey Oat Bread. This bread is easy to make, and the results are sublime. If you haven't made bread before, this a great place to start. Honey Oat Bread is fantastic as a sandwich base, as french toast, made into bread pudding, dolloped with fresh guava jam, or my personal favorite, smothered with honey and butter.

Paul's Honey Oat Bread

Simple Fresh Tomato Sauce

Here in Haiti, we are entering hurricane season, which often brings fronts of cool air and cloudy weather (just enough to trigger memories of cozy fall days further north). Back home, in Pittsburgh, the first tastes of fall are just around the corner. The summer's bounty of fresh veggies is still going strong, but the hint of cooler weather here has gotten us thinking about warm and satisfying comfort foods. This Simple Fresh Tomato Sauce is perfect for this in-between season: a fool-proof sauce packed with the bright fresh flavors of summer tomatoes, but warm, buttery, and comforting at the same time. This is hands down my favorite tomato sauce. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy, kid-friendly tomato sauce for pasta, or a rich and simple sauce that lets your summer tomatoes shine, this is the sauce for you.

Simple Fresh Tomato Sauce

Spicy Plantain Chips... and 8 Years Of Marriage!

There are earnest life plans behind the expressions of joy in this picture. Plans for lives and careers dedicated to making change and helping people. We have chosen a life living out these dreams, driven by our shared passion for service, a sense of calling, belief in the inherent goodness of people, and the possibility of changing both people and systems. I remember taking a personality inventory in our early dating years, the results, we were both idealists. At the time, this seemed like something we would grow out of. But over 8 years later, we still find the greatest fulfillment embracing our idealism together.

This week, as we marked 8 years of marriage and 11 years of cooking together, we celebrated with food. For occasions like this, we often find ourselves drawn to simple tasty meals that we can make together and snack on throughout the evening. Spicy plantain chips and guac are a regular snack in our house, that is more about eating together than elaborate preparations and complicated techniques.

Spicy Plantain Chips... and 8 Years Of Marriage!

Black Pepper & Lime Caesar Salad

My mother and sister flew to Haiti last week, the final visit in an amazing month of family guests. First Madeline's uncle arrived on a spur of the moment 48-hour trip to cuddle his new niece. Next to arrive was her grandpa and grandma, traveling to Haiti from Indiana, narrowly avoiding a political protest near the airport on the day of their arrival. Madeline's omi and opi from Canada made it in time to see her first smiles, and last week she met her aunt from Pittsburgh for the first time. It has been an incredible expression of love and support from both of our families as they trekked to Haiti, schlepping our many bags along with them. Each time, as I passed our little daughter over to her newly arrived family member, it was a moving experience. Perhaps it's the postpartum hormones... but there was just something about the contrast of having moved to a new place without family, and then watching the faces of our parents and siblings as they held our daughter for the first time that put a lump in my throat. So how does this all relate to this most excellent black pepper lime caesar salad recipe you might ask? My family is nuts for caesar salad. So as I paced the house waiting for my mother and sisters' delayed flight last week, I made my new favorite variation with black pepper and lime. I perfected this version over the last few months while pregnant and unable to eat the classic caesar dressing with raw eggs. I discovered mayonnaise to be a creamy and delicious substitute and swapped out the traditional lemon in favor of local key limes. This is an addictive dressing, so I recommend just going ahead and doubling it the first time.

Black Pepper & Lime Caesar Salad

Best of 2015

Looking back, 2015 has been a pivotal year for us, we've changed jobs, careers, houses, countries, and in just a few weeks, our two will become three. Throughout all these transitions, food has played an important role, from eagerly trying our hand at Haitian recipes in anticipation of our move, to the sometimes bizarre pendulum swing of my pregnancy cravings, to meals shared with family and friends, celebrating holidays and saying goodbye. We have loved watching our readership grow, and receiving your many emails, recipe pictures, comments and support through these many life changes, thank you. 

To start off the New Year, we wanted to share our readers' favorite recipes from 2015 (click directly on the images above or recipe titles below):

  1. Berbere Spiced Chicken, Doro Wat

  2. Smokey Ancho Cheddar Burgers

  3. Yucatan Citrus Roasted Pork, Cochinita Pibil

  4. Flemish Beer Braised Beef and Onions

  5. Gascon Vegetable Soup

  6. Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Milkshakes

  7. Barley Risotto

  8. Yucatan Quick Pickled Mexican Red Onions

  9. West African Kale & Peanut Stew

  10. Grilled Greek Greek Salad

  11. Garlic Ancho Chile Paste

  12. Whiskey Glazed Chicken Thighs

  13. Black Fudge Pudding Cake

  14. Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

  15. Blackstrap Molasses & Fresh Ginger Cake & Salted Maple Buttercream

  16. Wild Rice & Quinoa Salad with Mushrooms & Asparagus

Best of 2015

Dessert Round-Up

Thanks for following along with our new adventures! We recently moved from Pittsburgh to Haiti where we are starting a 5 year volunteer assignment with a non-profit relief and development organization. We will be in transition for the next few months as we complete our in-country orientation, language study, spend time living with host families in both the countryside and capital... and lest we forget, have our first baby somewhere in there as well! Please bear with us as we will not have ready access to internet or a kitchen throughout this time. We will continue to share new recipes that we've prepared in advance, and updates on our new life in Haiti as often as we are able.

In anticipation of the dessert making and eating season, we've put together a collection of both Paul and Rebecca approved desserts. You will find some very quick and easy slam-dunks among the group, and a few of Paul's more complicated creations, that are honestly worth the time investment.

  1. BLACK FUDGE PUDDING CAKES

  2. OAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

  3. MAPLE WALNUT BAKLAVA

  4. BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES COOKIES

  5. MOCHA MASCARPONE MOUSSE

  6. BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES & FRESH GINGER CAKE WITH SALTED MAPLE BUTTERCREAM

  7. MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CUSTARD CAKE

  8. RED WINE POACHED PEARS

  9. SALTED CARAMEL & PEAR BREAD PUDDING

  10. ALMOND MERINGUES WITH CRÈME ANGLAISE & BERRY SAUCE

  11. THREE LAYER PARSNIP CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  12. MEYER LEMON POSSET

Dessert Round-Up

Salted Maple Buttercream

In the countdown before our departure, we have been cooking and eating our favorite things... with maple syrup topping the list! We are both mad for maple; we like it in baklava, with smoked salmon, in granolamixed into french toast, even baby back ribs, and we stockpile it compulsively. Last month we set out to make a fall/winter dessert that would showcase this extraordinary elixir at it's finest, and a dark almost bittersweet Blackstrap Molasses and Fresh Ginger Cake with Salted Maple Buttercream was the delicious result. This dessert was a team effort, while I whipped up a spicy molasses cake, Paul boiled down dark amber maple syrup, whipped eggs yolks and butter to a creamy consistency for a transcendent, incredible salted maple buttercream. Paul made Salted Maple Buttercream no less than 4 times in the past month, and while we try to avoid superlatives, I'm pretty sure this is the best flavor of buttercream I have ever tasted. Paul's comment, as he made batch after batch; "remember this one, I want a big bowl of salted maple buttercream for my last meal." 

Salted Maple Buttercream

Grilled Cheese & More Exciting News!

Rebecca has always had strong food cravings; from adventures across the city to find the most mouth puckering sour candy, to a months long quest to reproduce a Vietnamese street food from our travels. While spousal cravings can get a bad rap, I'm personally a big fan. Spur-of-the moment homemade rice crispy treats, check. Ten versions of fried potatoes in a week, twist my arm. Or, most recently, a grilled cheese to beat all other grilled cheese sandwiches: perfectly crisped bread, an extra creamy cheese mix (including cream cheese), and smokey bacon. Not an everyday meal, but a craving induced celebratory treat. In addition to our upcoming move to Haiti, Rebecca and I are celebrating another exciting life change. Rebecca is just entering her third trimester of pregnancy, and we couldn't be happier! We're expecting our little son or daughter to make an appearance in early February, with a planned delivery in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. And if they come out craving ooey gooey cheese...we'll know why!

Grilled Cheese & More Exciting News!

Garlic Lemon Roast Chicken

Having an American-Canadian binational marriage comes with perks, one of which is two Thanksgivings: twice the feasting, with just enough time in between to allow for a full recovery. In honor of Canadian Thanksgiving, and the coming of cold weather, we wanted to share our go-to roast bird. This simple recipe avoids the complex trussing, stuffings, bags, frying, brining, injecting, or other techniques that can mystify and frustrate the home cook. Our Garlic Lemon Roast Chicken is ready for the oven in minutes, works every time, has moist meat and crispy skin, and is deeply infused with the flavors of lemon and garlic.

Garlic Lemon Roast Chicken

International Mains Round-Up

It’s the season of warm meals shared with friends and family, lively conversations, and hearty mains. For us, it is also a time for saying goodbye. We’ve put together a collection of 9 of our most frequently requested international main dishes to inspire your fall cooking. 

  1. West African Peanut Stew with Kale

  2. French Vegetable Soup, Ratatouille

  3. Tanzanian Sautéed Kale

  4. Cuban Shredded Beef, Ropa Vieja

  5. Flemish Beer Braised Beef & Onions, Carbonnade De Boef

  6. Pork Vindaloo

  7. Berbere Spiced Chicken, Doro Wat

  8. Yucatan Citrus Pulled Pork, Cochinita Pibil

  9. Vietnamese Pho

International Mains Round-Up

Butter Chicken Schnitzel

The first time I met Rebecca's grandmother (Oma, as we called her), she made me chicken schnitzel. This was not your cafeteria or greasy diner schnitzel. Oma's ability to transform the humble chicken breast in her old cast iron pot, into something both simple and sublime, was incredible. Her schnitzel had a buttery flavor without being greasy, a perfectly fried crisp exterior with a moist, juicy, flavorful interior. Nearly every time we visited, regardless of the time of day, even breakfast, Oma would have a fresh plate ready for me. With Oktoberfest celebrations upon us, we thought it was time to share her Butter Chicken Schnitzel. If you're worried about frying in butter, remember that when properly fried, only a small fraction is absorbed during cooking.

Butter Chicken Schnitzel

Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Everyone needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. This is mine. This Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie combines the luscious butteriness of the classic grandma-style cookie with the chewy texture and nutty flavor of oats and the rich warmth of extra vanilla. While Rebecca (and the health department) may not approve, I'll also share that this dough is almost as good raw, as it is baked!  Our recipe is relatively light on chocolate chips, but feel free to amp up the chocolate if you prefer. Treat yourself!

Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Southwest Black Bean Salad

In high school while browsing for recipes for a Mother’s Day brunch, I was struck by a colorful sounding 'Stoplight Salad' in my Mom’s copy of Simply in Season. My sister and I added it to our Mother’s Day menu that year, and it became a family staple. Through the years, I have created my own version with a bit more of a Southwest flair, swapping in a potent lime-cumin vinaigrette and handfuls of herbs and fruit for contrast. In college, when I needed a dish for a potluck with some Amish friends, I didn’t think twice before whipping up my Southwest Black Bean Salad…what had seemed like a good idea in my dorm room started making me nervous when I saw my garishly bright salad sitting amidst a table of creamy noodle casseroles. Before I could withdraw my food offering, the head cook stuck her spoon in my salad, and I was given a nod of approval, I quietly let out my breath and tried to act nonchalant. Southwest Black Bean Salad is a pungent, bright, and refreshing salad with corn, tomatoes, herbs, and a customizable base of seasonal vegetables and fruit. It has been my most requested recipe over the years, and is an infinity adaptable salad that will be devoured every time. I’d love to hear your favorite combinations! To read more about Simply in Season and our other favorite cookbooks, check out our Bookshelf.

Southwest Black Bean Salad

Mocha Mascarpone Mousse

We all have our food indulgences. For Paul, it is a perfectly seared steak. For me, it is a custardy coffee dessert. This incredibly easy mousse recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsey, uses mascarpone cheese as a brilliant shortcut to avoid messing with egg whites. Somewhere between a classic mousse and an airy cheesecake, this Mocha Mascarpone Mousse is a crowd favorite. If you find the coffee and chocolate combination stuck on the brain, check out two of our other favorites:  Mexican Chocolate Custard Cake & Black Fudge Pudding Cakes.

Mocha Mascarpone Mousse

Berry Dutch Baby

I was in the mood for a new breakfast dish one morning a few years ago, as I hungrily browsed the web for inspiration. The promise of both incredible lift and alluring creamy texture initially drew me to the Dutch Baby. This is an odd name for a fantastic hybrid dish that brings together the best of a popover, crepe, and pancake: spectacular poof, crispy edges, and subtly sweet custard-like middle. Rush your guests to the table as this flamboyant beauty of a breakfast dish comes out of oven!

Berry Dutch Baby

4th of July Grilling Favorites

It is a holiday week in both our home countries (Canada and the US), and we are celebrating with family and food. We've put together a collection of our most popular grilling recipes to inspire your summer cooking. Check out Paul's fantastic spelt flatbread on the grill, or my favorite Grilled Greek Salad with delicious caramelized halloumi cheese, our flavor loaded burgers; turkey fetacheddar ancho or portobello, or, if you just need a change from plain old hotdogs, ditch the bun and make loaded hotdogs!  We hope you have a chance to share delicious smoky foods with the people you love this weekend!

4th of July Grilling Favorites

Loaded Hotdogs

It’s a holiday week, and we’re eating hotdogs. To be honest, hotdogs have long been a favorite of mine, and our freezer is stockpiled, prepper-style, in case of a global shortage. We got sick of the soggy, too large buns and obvious condiments, and for this grilling season we’ve gotten creative and kicked out the bun, brought on the tortilla, and seriously ramped up the flavors for gourmet Loaded Hotdogs. We wanted to share our favorite flavor combination; where ketchup and mustard are supplanted by tart homemade quick pickled red onions, tangy guacamole, creamy queso fresco cheese, and if you are feeling decadent, crispy bacon.

Loaded Hotdogs

Watermelon Chiffon Pie

Four years ago, in dreary mid-April, Rebecca asked me what I wanted for my Birthday dinner. I'd been preparing for the question, and quickly pointed to a quirky recipe I'd found for Watermelon Chiffon Pie. The pie was a winner; light, airy, and fresh, with the undeniable, but subtle flavor of fresh watermelon. This oddly addictive pie balances a sweet buttery graham crust with an almost cucumber-like freshness in the fluffy pastel-pink filling. While I request it every April, the best flavor comes from using fresh-from-the-market local watermelon in the heat of summer.

Watermelon Chiffon Pie

Grilled Greek Salad

Grilling is our cooking method of choice for these early summer days, but it's not all about the meat.  Actually, our summer diet has tilted vegetarian since we started making this Grilled Greek Salad. I dreamt up this colorful dish in the colder months, with longings of summer. This salad knocked our socks off and had my meat loving husband requesting more. We made Grilled Greek Salad through bitter March sleet, April winds, and May rains. And now finally, with seasonal vegetables and balmy temperatures, we can grill in the sunshine. Unlike some grilled salads, this isn't grilling for cuteness. Grilled Greek Salad is a hefty, hearty entree salad, that relies on the grill to give the peppers, onions, and tomatoes their luscious char, and to add caramel sweetness to tangy halloumi cheese. Topped with kalamata olives and a tart lemon-zest vinaigrette for contrast, this salad is dynamic. Halloumi, for those not familiar, is a hard salty sheep-milk cheese from Cyrpus, a great cooking cheese that keeps its shape and texture at high heats.

Grilled Greek Salad

Brunch Round-Up

It's a weekend morning, and by the time we figure out that we want brunch, it's 11am and everyone else is also coming to that same realization, ergo long lines. Since we are particularly line-averse, we often choose to stay in for brunch; there's no crowd, the coffee and tea are plentiful, and it's a-la-cart the whole way. We've put together 12 of our favorite sweet and savory brunch options that we hope inspires you to stay in, and brunch on.

Brunch Round-Up