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There have been lots of things happening here on my end, but none of it is remotely related to these recipes. So, I’ve been a little late in sharing. The big news of the moment is that I’m an uncle… again. Bryn Scarlett arrived on the first day of spring, though it was a snowy one and not very spring-like. Hopefully her arrival means that warmer and sunnier days are on their way. What it definitely means is that I will have another little child to run around with, to tickle and hug, to feed junk food, and to teach how to cook. I can’t wait to snuggle with her and soothe her when she cries. I’ll sing to her as she falls asleep in my arms. And when she poops, I will pass her off to her mother or father. Oh, I just love being an uncle! And now on to the collards. Yeah… I’m not sure where to go with this. There’s not really a good way to transition. This came out of desperation… we were either going to cook with them or they were just going to wilt away in our produce bin. Collard greens often get neglected in our house. I don’t know what it is about them, but I’ve never really been a fan. I do know what the problem is actually… I haven’t cooked them properly. In the past, I’ve thrown them into dishes without much thought. They come out tough and tasteless. But I went in wanting to give my all. Here’s a great example of how when you put a little thought and care in how you treat an ingredient, you can come out with a pretty stellar dish. The mixture of garlic and spice make for a lively side. And, hey, I’ve learned that if you blanch the greens, they come out tender. Sadly, I’m just figuring that out now. After all this time. Better late than never, right?
Congrats on being an Uncle! And I love cooking greens with loads of garlic. Its so delish just as simple About once a month I crave collards…these look so delish! I don’t think I’ve ever been able to capture a beautiful photograph of them but you did it. You mean no diaper duty for you?hahaha! I love her name. Congrats again. She is a beauty. Yes, blanching does wonders and your collars are tempting me at 8 in the morning:)) After living in the south for a decade; I was OK with staying away from any ‘greens’ – I had never found them to be something I favored. Then a friend served them at her Christmas dinner last year and I was enlightened…like so many great vegetables, preparing them properly is the key ingredient. These look great Brian; I might be ready for round 2! I need to try these! Congratulations!!! You sound like the best Uncle ever — junk food and no diaper changes is spot on Living in Arkansas, I can tell you that these greens will be a huge hit!! Mmm garlic and collards are a match made in heaven! congrats!! being an uncle (or aunt, in my case) is pretty awesome I have been neglecting my RSS reader for a while (wait, does it even still exist? Silly Google)… And, I was thinking this morning, “I wonder what lovely things Brian has posted lately…” Much to my delight, you have now solved my ongoing conundrum with receiving lots of collard greens from our CSA. I’ve never been a big fan, either. I think I’ve been cooking them wrong, as you mentioned. Our CSA starts up in a few weeks, and I am bookmarking this recipe so that I can give it a try with my first bunch of collards this year. Thank you! And… Congrats on being an uncle again. How exciting! Your niece is so lucky to have a cool uncle like you. Uncle Brian! woo hoooo! p.s. I love garlicky collards, omg. Congratulations! What fun. I have to say collard greens are probably my least favorite leafy green vegetable. Maybe I still haven’t figured out the best way to cook them – am going to have to give your method a try. Blanching them first sounds like a great trick to help tenderize them a bit. This looks lovely! And congrats on being an Uncle!! Bryn is such a pretty name It definitely helps, Jeanette! And then loading it with garlic makes it even better. Congrats! Also, YES to this dish. Never had collard greens.. Will give them a shot… Love collard greens, especially when they are served with something that contrasts how bitter they are. In Brazil we have them chopped up super fine and served with white rice, feijoada (black bean stew with dried beef and various pork parts), and farofa (manioch flour fried up with chopped hard boiled eggs, olives and bacon). SO GOOD. Never had collard greens.. Will give them a shot… Congratulations, uncle! Congrats on another round of uncle-ship. And I’ve never cooked a collard green in my life so thanks for paving the way Mnnnn!… I LOVES me some garlicky garlicness, especially when it has plenty of garlic on it! Ajo es oro I hope you enjoy it!!! Ahahaha Brian handing off the kid when she poops. Congratulation! Sometimes the simplest dishes are so delicious. I bet in every kale dish I make I can use collard greens instead, Ah! I know you are an amazing uncle, and I love seeing all the pictures of the sweet little ones in your life. And these greens look perfect. I need to be eating more greens…and there is nothing like a little garlic to make a bowl even more delicious. Thank you for sharing, sweet friend! There’s no better combination than garlic with greens, I’ve been making something similar with a mix of chard, kale and collards. Simple and delicious. MAJOR congratulations Brian!!! That is SO exciting and I am SO happy for you!! It’s taken me a while to become a fan of collards as well but I am fully on board lately! What a simple tasty way to prepare them! Brian, I love that plate! And your collard greens look wonderful–but I would skip the garlic for myself. The garlic slices look so attractive, though, maybe I’d just put aside a “hold the garlic” portion for myself, then go with the garlic slices for everyone else! (I’m allergic to garlic–isn’t that sad?) Yum! I am always trying to come up with good side dishes, this looks like a winner. the collard greens look so delicious. congrats on being an uncle. really nice blog you’ve got here Do you know I’ve never had collard greens? I am both ashamed and excited…because honestly garlicky ones probably are what I’ve been waiting for. Congratulations on your new niece! And yeah, I’m not into baby changing either… at all… ever… ;D But that’s what aunts and uncles are great for right? I am a huge collard greens fan when going out. There’s a rotisserie place that does them perfectly just down the street, and when I order the family-style side of them, I don’t want to share. Sadly, I haven’t given them a go as the main attraction in a dish or anything more than an afterthought to some other recipe. I’m adding yours to my spring cooking list. Anything that starts with garlicky is my kind of recipe! Looks delicious!
A few weeks ago, Eric and I took my dad to Drink, a very trendy Boston bar where the mixologists create libations based on your desired flavor profile. There’s no menu available, so they ask what kind of liquor you like or if there’s a specific cocktail you’re fond of. It’s also common for patrons to tell the bartender what mood they’re in… or what mood they’d like to be in. See… totally trendy. But, you know what, they always nail the drinks. Like, spot on. You end up leaving with a new respect for the craft of mixing cocktails. I think it was a fun experience for my father, who enjoys scotch and beer and wine, but hasn’t really dabbled with cocktails. With a little guidance from us during our visits home, he’s starting to learn a bit more about creating them. He especially likes drinks with citrus and bourbon. On our night out, we had the bartenders whip up versions of the Brown Derby (bourbon, grapefruit, honey syrup) and with each sip, his eyes lit up. We sent him home with a few recipes… now he has to try them on his own. Eric and I have been working on a lot of grapefruit cocktails (we’re a little obsessed actually). I’ve done bourbon, gin, vodka, tequila… all of them work in their own way. This is my take on the Greyhound. I’ve made a few modifications from the original recipe. I’ve seen many that call for vodka over gin and I just prefer the herbaceousness gin lends to a citrus cocktail. To create depth, I’ve added in a few dashes of bitters, which brings in some spice, and a squeeze of lime to give it a zip. These go down rather easily, which is never a bad thing for a cocktail. Just beware. The greyhound is my all time favorite cocktail. I’ve never tried it with the bitters though! I’ll have to give that’s try this weekend. Gorgeous photos! Stunning photos! I love how you always manage to showcase the natural beauty, texture, and colors of your ingredients. Drink is one of my favorite places in Boston. I normally go for the bourbon or whiskey drinks as well, but gin paired with grapefruit sounds like the perfect combination! Why is my face not in this right now? I have a box of Texas grapefruit begging to be used. Welcome to your destiny. Love this…this is so perfect for the season, Brian! GIN. Gin wins over vodka every time. I’m excited to try out a couple of these this weekend–before the citrus has vanished from the farmer’s market. what an interesting concept for the drinks.would love to visit it when I am there. I like my gin with hint of citrus. Greyhound is right up my alley!!! I am ready for Friday now YUM! This sounds absolutely fabulous. Love this… Making some this weekend! Gorgeous photos! I think this will be a perfect cocktail for June! See you then. Drink is so much fun. And I love grapefruit cocktails. well done. I’ve had an unhealthy obsession with bitters lately…I need to try this for sure! Gorgeous! Greyhound is actually one of my favourite drinks, Brian! Maybe someday in the near future we can chat over a few in person! Stunning post. xo Great photos, Brian!! I love anything with grapefruit. And I love the idea of mixologist creating cocktails based on drink/mood profile. So cool Yum and I really need to try this! Love your images Bri…. I went to a bar like this last year and they made me a grapefruit ginger cocktail…OMG good. So now I’m eternally enthralled by all things grapefruit mixed with alcohol…hence why I pretty much need this in my life. This is my kind of drink, perky and a little sweet! Love grapefruit – what a bright cocktail! There’s something so classic about the greyhound, I always feel very mature when I order one. Also quite refreshing and sounds perfectly fitting for spring! Mmmm I love a good Greyhound. I’ve never added bitters to mine. I’ll have to give this a try! MMMMnnn… I Loves me some grapefruit! ¡los cocteles son paraiso! YUM! I love the Swedish House Mafia music video that was also used as a commercial for alcohol brand. The robotic greyhounds were cool! I love that video. Cracks me up every time Stephen and I went to Drink when we were in Boston for my birthday last year. We loved the vibe of the place and the bartenders were fantastic. Your post is making me want to go back! What a delicious cocktail, haven’t heard of it before, but really looking forward to giving it a try! So, I, um, had all the ingredients for this, and now it is not yet 4 p.m. and I have a cocktail. I was just testing out the recipe. That is what I’m telling myself anyway. Happy hour started early this Thursday.
My recent eating habits haven’t been great. We’ve been going out for dinner a lot more than usual and it hasn’t helped that a number of projects that I’m working on involve desserts or bread… which means that I come home from shoots with scrumptious pastries. And you can’t just throw them out! That would be wasteful! So we’ve been gorging ourselves with these treats these last few weeks. It’s not good. But here I’ve brought you all a salad. A kale salad… which, I know, is soooooooo three years ago. I don’t care, though. I love it and find that it makes for a perfect weeknight dinner. Sometimes, when I’m not sure what to make, I’ll roast our CSA veggies, dress up some kale, and toss it altogether. It turns out to be a surprisingly satisfying dish. Tonight marks the start of Passover. I know how heavy the foods can be, how all that matzo and brisket and gefilte fish just sit with you. At some point, you’re going to get tired of it and when you do, I think this kale salad will be a nice break. More Passover-friendly recipes: Asparagus Caesar Salad | Baked Rutabaga Chips | Beet and Quinoa Tabouli | Cauliflower “Couscous” | Carrots with Caramelized Ginger | Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons | Marinated Eggplant with Mint and Capers | Meringue-Topped Baked Grapefruit | Moroccan Carrot Dip | Parsnip Fries | Pesto-Coated Carrot and Parsnip Fettuccine | Pickled Beets with Feta | Quinoa with Squash | Roasted Beet and Citrus Salad | Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts | Spinach Matzo Balls | Sweet Potato Fries with Sriracha Creme Fraiche
This all looks so tasty! I’m especially captivated by that salad! It looks so wholesome and delicious, and definitely some great textures going on in it! I need to put avocado and nuts in salads more often! I have been doing a very similar salad often this winter –fast and filling without being heavy. I work as cheesemonger and I get to taste a whole lot of wonderful cheeses every day (taste, of course, but still) and all I crave for my meals are big salads! It’s funny I woke up this morning and instantly put on my gym clothes in preparation for tomorrows Passover feast – you’re right, it’s so good but can be a little heavy. This looks awesome! The Passover seders are always overloaded with high calorie food, this would be a welcome balance for the week! Dude I feel you. I’ve not been eating my best either. I blame the snow! I want this kale. This is my kind of food!! YUm! Just whisper the words “roasted vegetables” and I DIVE right in. Lovely! Brian that is one gorgeous salad! This salad looks wonderful. Savory and perfect. I have been on an avocado kick lately – and need more salads in my diet. Perfect. ha ha ha so three years ago? Love it! But this is the kind of thing I could eat no matter the trend. I love the ingredients – healthy and tasty. Chag Sameach! I’ve been looking for a good Passover salad! This has so many of my favorite ingredients, it’s perfect. I totally feel you…I’ve been trying to lose the last of my pregnancy weight, and baking cookies and cupcakes all the time does NOT HELP AT ALL. This salad looks perfectly lovely and yummy and just what I need!! Beautiful, Brian! I’m definitely taking the opportunity to eat more salads this week…no matter that I’m not officially keeping Passover. This salad is so full of goodness! This looks PERFECT. I love how clean and beautiful this salad is! Perfect as a transition to Spring salad. This sure beats lettuce and tomatoes! Perfect bowl of salad deliciousness!! omg this look amazing! Making this tonight! Love me some roasted roots! Mmnnnn…. I loves me some Kale and Avocado in just about an combination! A mi no me importa si se llama aguacate o palta… ¡los dos son sabrosisimos! Three years ago? No way. Modern as always. GREG Well then I’m all about three years ago because I still love a good kale salad. I have been enjoying the last few days of kale and roasted vegetables as we slide into spring and summer. This is the perfect recipe to go along with the change! Love all of the flavor combinations in this, Brian!! And it’s gorgeous! xoxo With the roasted mushrooms, pecorino + dressing I feel like this salad will have such a great natural umami flavor. Looks perfect for a cold night when you still want to be healthy! Hello! I stumbled upon your blog as I was exploring some of the blogs my own blog’s readers follow, and I just loved this post. I can’t get enough of kale salad OR roasted vegetables, so this recipe is just about perfect. I think my readers would really love it, too! I’d like to invite you to participate in my blog’s link-up party to celebrate the end of National Nutrition Month – feel free to check it out and share one of the delicious, healthy recipes you’ve been enjoying this past month! http://bit.ly/YCpeHq [...] Super Spinach Salad by Shutterbean Black Bean and Cornbread Panzanella Salad by How Sweet It Is Roasted Vegetable Avocado and Kale Salad by A Thought For [...]
Typically, when I’m drinking a Bloody Mary I’m not in the best physical or mental state. Therefore, how it tastes is less important than how it’s going to make me feel. But, when it comes down to it, there is a huge difference between a Bloody Mary that’s shown some love and one that’s been thrown together without any thought. As I discuss in this post over at The Boys Club, everyone has their own spin, but one that’s well made, like any libation, is going to be balanced. A little kick, a bit of acidity, and some garnishes to nibble on at the end. Get the recipe and read more about the Bloody Mary over at The Boys Club.
Bloody marys are 100% my brunch beverage of choice! Love that salty spiciness. Off to check out your post! yes please! Those bloody marys look fantastic! They always bring back memories of lovely leisurely Brooklyn brunches for me. This is my favorite cocktail. EVER. Smashing bloody marys, I like the addition of olive, for an after bite. I’ve yet to meet someone who doesn’t love a good Bloody Mary. I like your Bloody Mary. The olives do make a nice touch. Unfortunately I’m not man enough to handle a Bloody Mary, but Lt. Dan would LOVE this!! I love virgin Bloody Mary’s (I’m a wimp when it comes to the real deal) I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never had a Bloody Mary. My only Bloody Mary experience was the mirror game as a kid, and I can assure you, it’s probably nowhere near as fun as this alcoholic beverage. This looks fabulous!! See you at the bottom of this glass. Love these Bloody Mary cocktails! I really, really have always wanted to like Blood Mary’s but it always ends up tasting like watered down salsa with vodka. Its so much healthier than a sugary cocktail but alas I have not found the recipe that has turned me just yet. These lovely photographs do inspire me to keep trying though… oh I haven’t had a bloody Mary in ages!! this looks fantastic! It’s Friday night. It’s time for a Bloody Mary-looks gorgeous! Cheers! I am all ready for the weekend Such a classic and all-time favorite! Love the images! Another recipe that I won’t be able to enjoy now…but will definitely remember for in the future. I’ve never been able to down a bloody mary, but I think it’s due to the fact I always order bad ones. Thank you for sharing! I do love a good bloody mary. A bad one really isn’t worth it! I found this site several months ago- Great info and the staff write with a sense of humor! Understated, but gorgeous. Like the quiet girl in calculus class that drove the boys mad with lust. Really?! Yeah! Classic
I’m kind of embarrassed to admit how nervous I was to make macaroons. Like, I was petrified. There’s no rational reason for it. I just was. I’ve been a coconut lover my whole life and have always had a strong affinity for these treats. My first were devoured as a child, attending pre-school at the synagogue. Over Passover, our Oreos were replaced with macaroons. A canister bearing the Manischewitz logo made its way around the room, our little fingers groping inside. I immediately fell in love with the chewy cookie and how little specks of coconut hid in my mouth for me to snack on throughout the afternoon. I got it in my head that making macaroons had to be complicated. There was no way that you could whip something like this up quickly and have it actually turn out ok. But it’s true… they’re ridiculously easy and just as wonderful as I remember.
I was nervous to make these for the first time too, but they are so easy and so delicious! I love that you dipped them in chocolate! Absolutely gorgeous! Love this recipe Such a sweet memory! I’ve truthfully never made them but I’m glad to hear they’re easy! I’ll have to add them to my ever growing list now Wonderful! With all the popularity of French macarons, people forget about the simple pleasure of coconut macaroons – especially when paired with dark chocolate! These remind me of my mom – thanks for posting Macaroons and chocolate matzoh always remind me of my youth. I’ve never tried making macaroons at home, though. You’ve inspired me. O dear wonderment, I need in. Could anything be more beautiful than a freshly baked macarooon covered in chocolate? These pictures do the confection justice! I wish I had one now…or maybe I wish I had a dozen. These are beautiful, my friend. You are quite the baker These are one of my favorite cookies ever!! Yours are absolutely perfect Brian this IS my all-time favorite cookie. BIG. HUGS. Mmmm x 1000. Yep. I want these. In my mouth. And all over my body. Too far? Who cares. These look delicious! Thank you so much for you kind comment on my post. Losing my guest blogger virginity on Barb’s site is kind of daunting, but you put me at ease. I am so glad that you commented because now I have discovered your site. Lovely recipe. Like you, I too find that coconut is the gift that just keeps giving. These will definitely be on my table very soon. These are one of my favorites!! Ease of preparation help, but I love the pure coconut flavor, and as you mentioned, the chewy texture. these are highly addicting stuff. I have made it once and slightly burned it since then- i am terrified but I could eat them all day I had mulling over baking some of these myself this week and you beat me to it. Yours look so yummy that I’m definitely taking the plunge and baking a few. Such sweet and wonderful treats. Thanks for sharing. Macaroons are one of my all time favorite cookies…and dipped in chocolate..yep..i’m on it! And thank you for stopping by! Glad you feel more comfortable now that you’ve posted your first guest post Love the dipped tops! I don’t know why but I had it in my head that macaroons were harder than that. You’ve sold me…I’m making them. Soon. Ps. The very first photo is divine! Zoe Whenever I’ve got extra egg whites hanging about I love to make macaroons. I understand your fear ~ but I am thrilled for your macaroon success. These look perfect! I’ve only lately acquired a taste for dried shredded coconut so macaroons are a new love of mine!! Especially chocolate dipped. Bites of heaven. Beautiful macaroons and beautiful photography! These look crazy good! Mnnnn… I LOVES me some macaroons, especially when they are chocolate dipped (and especially when Brian saves some for me! Todas las cosas son mejores cuando se sumergen en el chocolate These are my absolute favorite cookies. I just can’t get enough of them. Gorgeous, Brian! Oh my – the chocolate dipped tips just make this over the top good to me! Coconut is one of my favorite flavors, so I usually gravitate towards macaroons. I love the contrast of the crunchy outside and the tender inside. And you can’t really go wrong adding chocolate I will not lie…the pictures made me want to attack my computer screen. haha I’ve been craving coconut and these look DElicious! I will also confess…I don’t think I’ve ever had a fresh made Coconut Macaroon. I will be giving this recipe a try, no doubt about it. Who can’t relate to the coconut stuck in our teeth for later. I love coconut macaroons but I’ve never dipped them in chocolate. That will change today. Your photos are beautiful! I love macaroons too! I always thought I hated coconut until I discovered I didn’t. And now I just can’t get enough of it–especially macaroons! I need to try making them myself too. Hurrah macaroons! I wish that the ones that I made this week had chocolate on them. They are like the easiest cookie of all time. I’m sure you’re filled with macaroon confidence now. I can’t get enough of coconut. i’ve been dreaming of these since I saw them on FB this week. Seriously can’t get better than homemade macaroons. You did a perfect job, Brian! A classic Passover favorite and I go gaga over anything coconut, that’s my Indian side. They’re surprisingly easy, aren’t they? And so good! I made some a few years ago for the first time and brought them to a friend’s seder. Yours look fantastic! [...] version of Chocolate Drizzled Macaroons, inspired by the delicious looking ones I saw over on A Thought For Food. I brought them to my in-laws for Easter and they were a big hit. I have to admit, I am already [...] |
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OMG, so precious! Congrats to you and your sister’s family!
These pictures are so sweet. What a beautiful family!
She’s beautiful, and you captured some gorgeous photos too. I’m in love with her little footie!
Such a beautiful family. I love the name Bryn Scarlett. Pictures to treasure.
What a beautiful family!! There is nothing better than a fresh little baby!!!
Love the lighting. And the baby, of course. You captured the moment so well, my friend!
What a lovely name for a beautiful little girl. The photos are wonderful.
So Precious.. Love her name…. Enjoy this special time.
Thanks for posting, Brian! Love these photos, love that family!
Oh my goodness gracious, WHAT A DOLL. You must be SUCH a proud uncle!! Enjoy this squishy newborn phase…it passes WAY too quickly!!
Absolutely precious! We live outside of Boston and definitely want family photos of with our 3 month old at some point. Do you take baby/family photos as a business and if so, how far outside of Boston would you be willing to travel?!
Congratulations!!! Those are some beautiful memories to have!
Such a sweet family. Congratulations to all of them on their adorable new addition!
MMnnnnn… I LOVES me some baby, especially when I don’t have to change it’s diapers!
¡Viva las bebés!
Adorable! That little foot is so cute
She’s absolutely adorable… Love all of your photos! I need to get you to take some family photos for us the next time we are in Boston.
What wonderful pictures – I think you need to get yourself one of those
Pretty darn cute!
Congratulations! Love the picture of Bryn’s little feet – so cute!
Brian, what an awesome photo shoot. That foot… sigh!
great photos! So sweet
Oh my! What a gorgeous new addition to an already gorgeous family!
Oh this post is filled with such JOY! Lovely photos of this sweet family and adorable little baby girl. Congrats to you all
The pictures are absolutely beautiful. Hope to see her and Ayla real soon. What a great family – from the great grandparents on down. And so lucky to have such a talented uncle. Congratulations
Congratulations Uncle! She is an absolutely precious beauty.
What a sweet baby!! Brian your shots are gorgeous. Thank you so much for sharing. That photo of her little foot?? Frame it, please.
so sweet, what a beautiful family!
Oh, that photo of the baby foot. You gave your sister such an incredible gift with all these photos, Bri. Love your new niece. Brynn is a little beauty:))Congrats!
She is so beautiful!