Roast Chicken: It’s All About Positioning

From Unplanned Cooking

Last night, eleven ladies, including Meg from Sprout and Katherine from Tailor Taste, joined me for our inaugural cooking club meal. As host, I was responsible for the main entree. I chose to roast a chicken, which I saw as a stepping stone to making a turkey on Thanksgiving (here’s my reasoning: both are birds, and both require you to reach inside their cavity). Continue reading »

Good Friends, Oatmeal Pumpkin Cranberry Scones

From Unplanned Cooking

Today my friend, Liz, from The Kitchen Pantry Scientist, stopped in for coffee. I was thrilled for some adult company. When our 4 y.o. was born, most of my friends worked. Quickly I discovered how lonely being housebound could be, especially given the long hours Matt worked. And so I became determined to make as many friends as possible before winter hit.

I stalked women at the park. I stalked women at the grocery store. I courted like a man; I casted a wide net, collecting email addresses wherever I went, and sorted through what I dredged up. And over time, I met some women I adore. Continue reading »

Apple-Pear Salad on a Gorgeous Fall Day

From Unplanned Cooking

Today we’re raking our front yard. Here, in Minnesota, our first snowfall hit before the leaves dropped from the trees. Which meant we shoveled before we raked. How odd is that?

But today, we’re expecting 60-degree weather. And the sunshine has brought out the optimists in us. Here’s our plan: We’ll rake leaves into a lush pile, into which the boys will gleefully jump, while our 10-month-old claps her hands. And Matt and I will smile at one another, feeling we are one, connected by these three wonderful beings. Continue reading »

Thanksgiving Desserts: Baby Steps: Sweet Cranberry Cornmeal Torte

From Unplanned Cooking

Our 10-month-old refuses to sleep. She’s taken her first steps, and wakes eager to practice at 3 a.m. When she succeeds, she claps her hands and screeches with delight. When she fails, she grunts her frustration as she topples over. Her motor won’t shut off until she’s learned how to walk. So no matter the hour, she tries. And tries. And tries. Continue reading »

Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

From Unplanned Cooking

Today we joined our 4 y.o. for his preschool’s annual Halloween pumpkin hunt. I dressed as a werewolf, a costume I’d bought at Target. And because I forgot to buy a bag of candy (I wait until the last minute so I don’t eat it all), I distributed adorable tattoos my friend Jilene makes instead. Continue reading »

Road to Recovery: Pumpkin Latte

From Unplanned Cooking

I went costume shopping with my children for my friend Nicole’s fabulous Halloween party at Stella’s Fish Cafe. My goal was to grab one costume before they could put three in my cart.

Here were my choices: sexy tavern girl, sexy cheerleader, sexy beer girl, sexy fairy. And hairy gorilla.

After three children, sexy doesn’t apply. Hairy may, but I didn’t want to advertise that.

So I bought the sexy fairy costume because the dress appeared the right length. And it covered my midriff. Continue reading »

Sweet Potato Casserole

From Unplanned Cooking

I’m inspired by Barbara Kingsolver, author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. In her book, she argues knowing where food comes from and how it is cared for enhances your eating experience, much like a music appreciation class does for the orchestra. And so I’ve decided to invest in a winter farm share, which my friend Catharine will split with me. Continue reading »

Cooking in Chaos: Squash Tempura

From Unplanned Cooking

Matt’s client is in town. Tonight we’re taking her to Sea Change for dinner. That makes me one happy mamma: I don’t have to cook; I don’t have to clean; and somebody else is putting our children to bed.

Now that our 10 m.o. is mobile, life is insane. She shoves handfuls of dog food in her mouth, and overturns its water bowl. She stands in her high chair and throws her food over the back of it. She licks the detergent tray while I try to load the dishes (hey, I get it. I used to eat glue.) She’s lucky she’s so darn cute. Continue reading »

Sausage and Apple Migas

From Unplanned Cooking

While wandering the farmers’ market, I bought a loaf of Garlic Sourdough bread from Bread Coffee & Cake. I’d planned to make butternut squash soup for dinner, but wasn’t sure our boys would eat it. They would, however, eat bread, which they could dip into the soup to get used to its taste. Continue reading »

A Virtual Dinner Party: Swedish Apple Cider Punch

From Unplanned Cooking

I was thrilled when The Naptime Chef invited me to her virtual dinner party to celebrate the launch of a cookbook she worked on called, Park Avenue Potluck Celebrations. And not just because it was a virtual dinner party, which meant I could enjoy all the thrills of planning, with none of the anxieties of showing up. She’d asked me to “bring” Swedish Apple Cider Punch, which I knew our 2 y.o. would love. You see, his biggest fear in life is that we think he is little. In fact, he takes our use of that word as a slight. If we say, “We got a little snow today,” he’ll furrow his brow and remind us, “I’m a big boy! I’m growing up to be a man.” And what would make him feel more grown up than sipping a hot beverage in a mug next to dad? Continue reading »