I made leftover cinnamon swirl bread, French toast, and bacon for dinner tonight. I rarely get this bread because it is so sugary, but I had a moment of weakness and had to go for it. Something about this nostalgic treat hits differently. Do I feel good after eating it? Not really, but at the moment, it was divine. Those foods you know aren’t good for you, but you eat anyway. Yup, that’s been happening a lot lately. It’s just one of those seasons when I need comfort food; I need it, and I’m not even that mad about it. Plus, breakfast for dinner is one of my guilty pleasures meals. I can’t get enough. I love it because it’s always quick and straightforward to make, and when I don’t want to spend forever in the kitchen, it hits the spot.
I’ve been feeling uninspired in the kitchen lately, craving fresh produce from the garden and itching to get back to the farmer’s market. I find this time of year in Minnesota tough to cook in. Right at the end of winter and not quite the beginning of spring when there aren’t any fresh greens yet. Yet the food is still very much cabbage, carrots, and potatoes from winter. It’s the in-between when we’re all ready to move from the beige food winter to the green spring. To make it through this last month of winterish meals, I’m going to cook through a new cookbook to inspire myself again in the kitchen. Have you ever felt like you’ve cooked through all your cookbooks? I’ve felt like that this last month, and I need something new to mix it up.
I’m excited to get into the garden a bit this weekend, as the weather is supposed to warm up to the 50s, I hope. I can finally start cleaning up the space and putting my plan into action. The first vegetables I’m planting are lettuce greens, kale, swiss chard, radish, and parsley, followed by snap peas later in the month.
The new cookbook I'm trying for the month of April is The Farm Table by Julius Roberts. I've been eyeing this cookbook for months, loving his recipes on Instagram and obsessed with the English farm. What a beautiful life documented through eating the seasons in this book. Just flipping through the pages, I'm excited to try some new foods and flavors, not to mention the gorgeous photography. What I loved most was how approachable this cookbook is; from the initial view, the ingredients are easy to find and nothing too crazy. I can't wait to dive in. Here are the recipes I'm trying this week; I'm mainly sticking to the winter section of the book right now because here in Minnesota, we have yet to transition into spring entirely. I'm also halving every recipe I try, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day and skipping dessert this week.
Hearty Sausage stew with beans, Swiss Chard, & Cinnamon: I haven't had many good hearty stews this winter, so this makes up for that. Again, using my homemade chicken stock, I will make this tasty with a thick slice of crusty bread smeared with butter.
Cabbage, Bacon, Potato Soup: I love a good hearty cabbage soup, and I'm looking forward to making this with some homemade chicken stock, bacon, and cabbage I need to use up from the freezer and fridge. I love recipes that use staple ingredients.
Egg curry with coconut Sambal and Flatbread: I've never had egg curry before, so this intrigued me. I love curry in general, so I'm excited to experience this in a new way. Plus, you can't go wrong scooping it up in homemade flatbread.
Pasta E Ceci: An Italian dish, pasta and chickpeas. I planned this meal for Sunday to have a nice, warm, comforting meal to relax and enjoy. Another recipe made with great pantry staples, this is going to be a go-to.
If you enjoy cooking, are seeking inspiration this season, and love the idea of cooking with others, I invite you to join the chat. Grab the book, and let's cook together! Share the recipes you're enjoying and what you're learning. We'll chat about the recipes, ingredients, techniques, and more.
That’s all for today, thanks for being here and have a beautiful week. See you Wednesday!
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