Couscous with Asparagus, Greens & White Wine
adapted from food52

4 tablespoons salted butter, divided
1 1/2 cup Israeli or pearl couscous
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
1/4 cup roughly chopped arugula

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and cook until partially toasted, 2 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until almost evaporated, 2 minutes. Meanwhile, heat broth in a second saucepan until warm. Add 1 cup broth to couscous and quickly simmer over medium-high heat until the couscous is silky and the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining 2 1/2 cups broth, adding a cup at a time and cooking until each addition has nearly evaporated. Stir asparagus into couscous with the last cup of broth. Once couscous is tender and all the broth has been added, stir in Pecorino, pistachios, parsley, arugula and remaining butter. Sprinkle servings with additional Pecorino, pistachios and parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

images via the selby

Tomato-Topped Sole
via taste of home

2 onions, thinly sliced (I used one white and one red)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 small sole or catfish fillets (about 1 lb)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
4 plum tomatoes, sliced
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-6 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

In a small skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Place fillet over onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with tomato slices. Combine butter and garlic; pour over tomatoes. Sprinkle with parsley. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 14-18 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

One of the things I’m most thrilled about is the gigantic back yard. There are three levels (top two shown below). There will be a small patio area, a grassy area above and a huge space for gardening at the back of the yard. I plan on growing as much food as possible! We’re thinking greens and herbs and onions and garlic and… what else grows well in Western Washington? I’m hoping eventually half of what I eat (at least in the summer!) comes from our garden.

images via my iphone

Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions
via the kitchn

1/2 ounce dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
4 yellow onions (about 2 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
1 cup Arborio or short-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish

Heat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the dried mushrooms lightly, to remove any dust or grit. Place the mushrooms in a ceramic bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set them aside to steep while you cook the onions.
Chop one of the onions into a fine dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 3-quart (or larger) ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Push the onions to the side of the pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced cremini mushrooms and let them cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Flip the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes, or until they are quite brown and a crust is developing on the bottom of the pan.
Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Add the mushrooms and rosemary sprig to the pan and sauté briefly, mixing with the onion and the rest of the mushrooms. Add the rice and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 4 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn transparent.
Turn the heat to high and add the white wine, vinegar, broth, and reserved mushroom steeping liquid. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan as you add the liquid to deglaze any yummy mushroomy bits sticking to the pan. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.
While the rice is baking, make the caramelized onions. Heat the remaining olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Cut the remaining three onions in half, and then slice them into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn a dark mahogany brown. Let them go as long as you can; I usually cook mine for at least 30 minutes.
When the risotto has finished baking, let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes before serving. Dish it up and top each bowl with a spoonful of caramelized onions, a little extra pepper, and, if desired, a scoop of sour cream or whipped mascarpone.

Kale & Brussel Sprout Soba Noodles
via sprouted kitchen

1 bunch tuscan kale
5 tsp. toasted sesame oil
10 brussels sprouts
1 plump clove garlic
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds (white or black)
2 pinches red pepper flakes
4-8 oz. soba noodles
4 slivered green onions, for garnish

Slice the kale leaves from their stems and discard the stems. Working in batches, stack the leaves, roll them up tightly lengthwise, and then thinly slice them crosswise into narrow ribbons. Put the ribbons in a large bowl with 1 tsp. of the sesame oil and 1/4 tsp. salt. Massage the leaves with your hands until they glisten. Discard any funky outer leaves from the brussel sprouts. Slice them paper thin (a mandoline works best, but I just used my kitchen knife) then toss them with the kale.
Pound the garlic until smooth in a small mortar (or mince it super fine!). Stir in the vinegar, remaining sesame oil and soy sauce. Pour the dressing over the greens and toss well. This much can be done in advance and kept in the fridge until ready to serve, or enjoyed alone as a salad.
Bring the water to a boil. When starting the noodles, finish the salad with the sesame seeds, pepper flakes and green onions. Cook the noodles according to package instructions and drain well. Toss the noodles with the greens. The noodle salad can be served warm or cold.

Clockwise: Madewell / Freya / J.Crew / Asos

Fake Fried Chicken
via the kitchn

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8 whole thighs)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon oregano
3 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
splash of milk or buttermilk
splash of hot sauce (optional)
1 cup panko crumbs
Honey or ketchup for serving

Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Remove the thighs from their packaging. If desired, cut into “nugget” bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, oregano, dijon, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of milk to loosen it a little. Pour the panko crumbs in another small bowl. Dip each chicken thigh in the egg mixture and gently shake off the extra. Roll the thigh in the panko and set it on the wire rack over the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken thighs. Bake for 35-40 minutes for whole thighs or 15-20 minutes for bites. When the thighs are finished, the tops should just be starting to turn golden, juices from the thigh should run clear, and the internal temperature should register at least 165°F.
Serve immediately with bowls of honey and ketchup for dipping.

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The Best Taco Soup You’ll Ever Have
via a cup of jo and smith & ratliff

1 1/4 lbs. ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 4 oz. can chopped green chiles
2 14.5 oz. cans stewed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can pinto beans
1 15 oz. can white hominy
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1 1/2 cups water

Brown meat with onion and green chiles in a Dutch oven, stirring occasionally and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon. Drain fat. Add tomatoes with juice, can of beans with liquid, hominy with juice, dry taco and ranch mixes and water. Stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with cornbread.