Things are blossoming...

Today was a difficult day. Not that I had a lot of work to do... I mean, I did, but I'm only just now getting started. But that the ways I found to distract myself were way more satisfying than doing the schoolwork I ought to.

1. I went to the gym, started on the treadmill, and found myself all of a sudden running down the stairs and into the sunlight. A light breeze, maybe high 60s. It was beautiful. My pain, however, less so.

2. Have decided--for real this time--to stop looking at vacancy announcements in Geneva. At least for the next month. Found one from an organization where I interned, that I know I might have a fighting chance at getting... where I not enrolled, generally happily, and about to get my degree, and in a great apartment that might be harder to sublet in January than in May.

3. But the cooking! Roasted kale in olive oil with coriander and cumin seed and garlic (that got eaten too quickly--no photo evidence.) And the piece de resistance, my first attempt at squash blossoms. Stuffed with herbs and feta. Just.... wow. Impossible to describe, but almost like fried okra in taste, without the slimy texture (which I happen to like, but know is about the most offensive thing in the world to others). Light, but filling. Check the recipe, dodge the flying drops of canola oil, and indulge.

Lazy day.

It's a nice, quiet day. Not a lot of work done, but not a lot of craziness. I think I needed a rest. And then, when I finally felt like doing something--into the kitchen!

There was a stall at the farmer's market this morning with the cutest little cabbages. I couldn't help but buy... umm... three. So that left me with little choice but to make an old favorite, South Indian-spiced cabbage with coconut. Best "slaw" ever.

Also, I have been trying to get rid of pears, apples, and the last of my whole milk. That meant more apple/pear sauce, and an exploration into cooking with a bain marie and my new set of ramekins: Earl Grey flavored custard with half a pear.

Les trois mousquetaires

Welcome, fall. Is there really anything that can't be roasted and made immediately more delicious?

Nothing I'd rather be doing.

I can now officially claim to have lived in Michigan, having gone to an orchard/cider mill/tourist trap. I have to be honest--I've never had donuts quite so delicious. But donuts + cider = serious spike in blood-sugar levels. I think all the parents who came with their toddlers were either incredibly brave or incredibly regretted it.

But the moral of the story is, I have more apples than I really know what to do with.... or, rather, than it is humanly possible to consume in a reasonable amount of time. Submitted for evidence (after lunch and mid-afternoon snacks):

To counterbalance some of this fruity goodness, the last dinner while my mother is here has brown rice, tempeh in Thai peanut/red curry sauce, and kale sauteed with whole cumin, coriander, and garlic. Quite the simplest recipe, and while it might be a bit "granola," I think that's ok. We're pairing it with a Vouvray :)

And five days late...

A few friends inquired as to my Facebook status the other day. I hope they got the subtle hint to my Christmas present wish-list..... "Seriously need a Springform. Cake magic? Cake mess."

After getting really excited about some delicious lemon-ricotta cake, I had to compromise... delicious cake pieces, in a less-than-appealing pile.
But immediately after it all fell apart, and before I scooped it all into a Tupperware:

My girlfriends didn't complain one bit... but then again, it was kind of one of those weeks.

Gimme a (fall) break!

Yep, it's that time again. Thank lord.
The mother's coming up for some farmer's market/apple-picking/fall-color-appreciating action. To alleviate some of my stress, and give her something to eat when she gets in, I made a potato and onion gratin. Really, it's also all about showing off my cookware. At the risk of offending my French friends, I included ricotta.... but also herbes de Provence! The blend I have now includes lavender, which is definitely a winner. Find the recipe on the recipe page, but here's the result:

As you can see, I couldn't wait to take a picture.... had to take a big bite first :)