I have a pretty consistent fault when it comes to cooking. When I make something for the first time, instead of going the simple route I tend to pick recipes that are more complicated than necessary. My recent attempt at making deviled eggs is a perfect example. Nearly everyone loves a good deviled egg, and “good” means the old fashioned variety using yolk, mustard, mayo and vinegar, with perhaps a touch of something far from fancy, like olive or relish. But I opted to try not just one, but two different recipes when entertaining recently (from cookbooks I’ve come to love) – one with sriracha from Happy Hour at Home (link here) and the other with avocado from The Forest Feast (link here). Links for the recipes are included below. The sriracha one was the more flavorful of the two, and definite favorite of the group. And I learned a few very helpful tips along the way (based on mistakes I made in the process): (1) use older eggs; (2) bring to room temperature before cooking (do not take directly from fridge); (3) shock with cold water and cool completely before peeling; and (4) crack all around the shell before running under cold water to peel.

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I don’t recall when the switch happened from being indifferent (at best) or disliking (at worst) Brussels sprouts to loving them, but I’m definitely a big fan. I’ve tried several recipes, but most involve more thought, time and attention than I prefer or am able to dedicate to a weeknight side dish. This recipe is my go-to for the green super food when I’m looking for a quick veggie to add to a meal. Note that this is not likely the recipe you roll out for guests (for that I suggest Ina Garten’s fancier version, cookbook link here and recipe link here).

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For the first time in I can’t remember how many years, Trevor and I are taking a beach vacation this spring. This will be the first time with the kids, so much of the trip will be different than “the old days” but one thing never seems to change – the looming anxiety over wearing a swimsuit. Time to increase the protein intake and decrease the carb intake. And by carb intake I mean Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (the timing of the release of the Tonight Dough flavor is maddening, because man does that look good). I cracked open a William Sonoma Cookbook a friend gave to me at Christmas, titled Good For You (link here). I figured it was a good place to start, and chose these Cashew Chicken Lettuce Tacos for dinner on Sunday. There were a few more steps than I would prefer on a weeknight, but I presume that gets easier with familiarity of the style of cooking (I don’t do a lot of stir-fry). The tacos were very tasty, and even better warmed up the next day. The recipe, with some adaptations from the original (link here) is included below.

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