Posts Tagged portland

Friday Favorites: April 11, 2014

Spring has arrived, and I couldn’t be happier. This season is, without question, my absolute favorite. Everything is new again. Everything is green, alive, and so darn beautiful. I find myself spending all of my free time outdoors, soaking in the sunshine and breathing in the spring air.

With that said, I thought it only appropriate that I write a spring favorites list. It’s been awhile since I’ve posted one of these list, and I have a lot to share.

So, without further adieu, here are some of my current favorite things.

FRIDAY FAVORITES: APRIL 11, 2014

*So, I should probably start out my favorites list by saying that WE’RE HAVING A BABY(!). I’d say this news tops the favorites list by a long shot. ;) Nich and I are completely thrilled, and we are looking forward to the crazy journey ahead of us.

*Now that you know I’m knocked up, the rest of my favorites list will probably make more sense. For example, I’m currently obsessed with and/or craving chocolate chip cookies. I want to eat all the chocolate chip cookies, all the time. I’ve been on a mission to find the best chocolate chip cookie in Portland, and the current winners are: Two Tarts, Roman Candle, Tabor Bread, and Bunk Sandwiches. (If you happen to have any local chocolate chip cookie recommendations, I’m all ears.)

*La Croix Sparkling Water: Coconut Flavor. I’m not gonna lie, I really miss margaritas. But, when I’m sipping a cold glass of sparkling coconut water, I don’t miss margaritas nearly as much. La Croix doesn’t contain any sugar or sodium, and has just a hint of natural flavor. It’s the perfect pregnancy treat.

*RHUBARB. I’m so excited that it’s rhubarb season! I bought a ton of rhubarb at the Beaverton Farmer’s Market last week, and thus far I’ve made Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee Cake (recipe coming to the blog shortly!) and Lavender Rhubarb Simple Syrup. I also want to make this recipe. And this recipe. Oh, and let’s not forget about this delicious rhubarb recipe.

*Awesome Blogs. Since I’ve essentially been hibernating for a couple of months, I’ve had a bit more time to catch up and read blogs. Recently, I’ve been particularly enjoying: Local Haven, Bird is The Word, The Everywhereist, The Little Things We Do, and Autumn Makes & Does.

*”Days Are Gone” by Haim. I love this record. So much. It’s perfect springtime roll-down-your-windows-and-sing-along music.

*Cheese and Crack. This is a darling new restaurant that serves my two favorite food groups: cheese and bread. The presentation is stunning (see above) and the cheese selections are spot on. Oh, and they make ‘nachos’ with potato chips and mornay sauce. Need I say more?

*The Chocolate Cake at Xico. I liked this cake so much I wrote an article on Serious Eats about it. (Also, I can never think about chocolate cake without thinking about Bill Cosby, so while I’m at it I’ll just include a link to Cosby’s infamous “Dad is great, give us the chocolate cake!” bit.)

*Playoffs! The Blazers officially made the NBA playoffs! It’s all happening! And, the husb and I splurged and bought tickets to a playoff game. You guys, I’ve never been to a playoff game in my whole life. I AM SO EXCITED.

And, that’s all for now, folks! Happy Friday.

xoxo
Lindsay

Harissa-Stewed Butternut Squash

When I first moved to Portland from Los Angeles, I was told that I must eat at Toro Bravo. I was warned that the restaurant doesn’t take reservations. I was told to expect a long (2+ hour!) wait. But, everyone declared that the wait was worth it.

The people of Portland have long adored Toro Bravo, but I just couldn’t find it in me to wait for two hours for dinner. I’m far too impatient (and I knew I would get far too hangry).

That said, it took me 4 years to finally visit Toro Bravo. I planned to arrive early on a weeknight, in hopes to evade the crowds. Much to my surprise and delight, I was seated right away. Over the course of the evening, I tried a number of different dishes and they were all ridiculously good. However, there was one dish that stood out above the rest: the Harissa-stewed butternut squash. It was incredible — smoky, spicy, rich, warm, and comforting. I devoured the squash and considered ordering another. (And, yes, I’ll admit that I should have tried Toro Bravo years ago. Why did I wait so long?!)

I’ll admit that I crave this dish often. It’s completely addicting. I’ve braved the lines at Toro Bravo a couple of times since that night, specifically for the squash. You can image my elation, then, when I discovered that the new Toro Bravo cookbook included a recipe for the dish!

Let me tell you, the ability to make this dish at home is a real game changer. I might never leave my house again, except to go to the store for more squash and harissa.

TORO BRAVO’S HARISSA-STEWED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
Adapted from “Toro Bravo: Stories. Recipes. No Bull.” and Portland Monthly Magazine.

Notes on the recipe: The original recipe calls for Rose Petal Harissa, but says that you can sub regular harissa. I used regular harissa, but the kind I have is particularly spicy, so I cut it with a bit of tomato paste (which also added color and flavor to the dish).

INGREDIENTS:
1 butternut squash (2–3 lb)
4 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp harissa
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Several dollops soft goat cheese

METHOD:

1. Using a sharp knife, halve the squash. Trim off the skin, scoop out the seeds, and dice into 1/2″ cubes.
2. Heat two large skillets over medium-high heat. Place two tablespoons of butter in each pan. Once the butter has melted and is beginning to brown, place half of the squash in one pan and half in the other. Season squash with salt and pepper.
3. Allow squash to cook untouched for the 3 minutes, or until brown on one side. Toss and allow the squash to cook a few more minutes, until nicely browned.
4. Pour squash into one pan, remove from heat, and set aside. Add a bit of olive oil to the empty skillet and cook onion and garlic over medium-high heat. Stir often and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the squash into the pan with the onions and garlic, and stir to combine. Add in the harissa, cream, tomato paste, and paprika. Allow to cook, uncovered, until squash is fork tender and beginning to fall apart (30+ minutes). Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.
6. Pour the mixture into shallow baking dishes and sprinkle dollops of goat cheese over the top. Broil for 3-4 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve immediately.

Friday Favorites: 4.05.13

Pardon my bragging, but I’ve been on a roll this week.

First, there was Easter Sunday with my family, which was wonderful. I got to hang out with my youngest sister and her husband and adorable child. I took my niece to the zoo, and we got to see polar bears and bats and baby elephants. And, there was a lot of sunshine this past week which resulted in general merriment and sunburns (and an impromptu potluck on a friend’s porch).

Then, my friend Mari got us courtside seats to the Blazers vs. Memphis game on Wednesday. It was epic. We hollered and cheered and heckled Marc Gasol and had ourselves a grand ole time. (Note: the game was awful and the Blazers lost in the most horrific fashion, but we still had a blast.)

To top it all off, the morning after the game I attended a small blogger brunch at Imperial. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Imperial is a new restaurant from Vitaly Paley (Paley’s Place) and Ben Bettinger (formerly of Beaker & Flask). The menu is a stunning tribute to the region, with an emphasis on Native American cuisine and locally grown and sourced food. They make nearly everything from scratch – the barrel aged hot sauce, the bread, the cheese – and it all tastes perfect. We were treated to a gorgeous brunch spread, complete with coffee, cocktails (and mocktails!), the prettiest fruit plate I’ve ever seen, strawberry french toast, house made sausage patties and links, coddled eggs in spicy tomato sauce, fry bread with house made ricotta and grilled pears, and so much more. The brown butter beignets (served with Bee Local Honey from Montavilla) were one of the highlights of the morning – it was like biting into perfect little doughy pillows.

See, I told you that it’s been a great week. I feel so thankful (and spoiled).

And since it’s Friday (hooray!) I thought I’d share a little goodness with y’all.

Here, in no particular order, are some of my current favorites.

FRIDAY FAVORITES: APRIL 5, 2013

Actresses Without Teeth. This site is terrifying and hilarious. And it makes me want to take care of my teeth so that I always have a full set of pearly whites.

Oaxaca. Nich and I have been trying to plan a summer getaway, and I think we’ve settled on Oaxaca, Mexico. It looks like an amazing place, and I really (really!) hope we’re able to go. (If you’ve got the travel bug, I suggest you read The New York Time’s 36 Hours in Oaxaca. I promise, you’ll drool over all the good eats.)

Arrested Development is back (!!!). This is the best thing to happen to television in a very, very long time. (Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled that Game of Thrones and Mad Men are back on the air. But Arrested Development is the best TV show of all time.)

The new Justin Timberlake album. Cannot. Stop. Listening. To. It.

Sprouted Kitchen’s Kale & Slivered Brussels Sprout Soba Salad. I’ve made it a million times in the past few weeks. It’s so simple and delicious.

I implore you all to go rent/watch/see the documentary, “A Place at The Table.” I’ll write more about this next week for my Food Bloggers Against Hunger post, but I had to include this on my favorites list today as it’s an amazing and powerful film. Watch it.

Pope Francis. I don’t often pay much attention to the Pope, but Francis is making me pay attention. He seem humble and down to earth. He cares about the poor. And he’s doing away with a lot of the papal pomp and circumstance and I like it. (Also, I read this article about him washing the feet of a Muslim woman and it brought me to tears.)

The PDX Food Swap. We have a limited amount of spots left for our swap on April 14th. Visit Sustainable Food For Thought for more information (and come swap with us!).

Lastly, good friends of mine gave birth to a health baby boy named Henry this morning. I’m so excited for their family, and cannot wait to kiss his little cheeks. Henry is definitely my favorite thing about today, so I think I’ll leave it at that.

Happy Friday, friends!

The People’s Co-Op Food Swap

I am very pleased to announce the very first People’s Co-op Food Swap! The swap will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 21st, from 6-8pm. There are only 35 spots available for this event, so RSVP promptly to reserve your spot. See below for info!

{What IS a food swap, you might ask?}

A Food Swap is part silent auction/part village marketplace/part fun-loving open house where your homemade creations (breads, preserves, special concoctions, canned goods, etc.) become your own personal currency for use in swapping with other participants. What better way to diversify your pantry and rub shoulders with friend and neighbors?

{The Details}

When: Wednesday, September 21st, 6pm.

Where: People’s Co-op, 3029 SE 21st Ave., Upstairs in the Community Co-op room

What: Bring an assortment of your homemade edible specialties to exchange for other handcrafted delights.The People’s Co-op will provide swapping cards, name tags, and organization for the event. You will be given the opportunity to offer trades in a silent-auction type format, and you will be free to choose which trades to accept for your products. Bring as much or as little as you like; there are no caps or minimums.

Who: Portlanders and anyone willing to make the journey from surrounding areas! Please note, we are unable to provide childcare for this event.

Cost: Swap participants will be given free entry; a donation jar will be available to help cover the cost of supplies.

{How?}

a) Email your RSVP to Lindsay.Strannigan@gmail.com

Please provide your name, contact info, and a description of items you plan to trade.

Due to limited space, we are capping the number of swappers at 35 and will keep a waiting list after that, so register early.

b) On Wednesday, the 21st, please bring yourself and your hand crafted goods to swap. (*Please note: The People’s Co-op is a vegetarian organization, so we would ask that you please refrain from swapping anything containing meat. Thank you!)

c) It’s as simple as that! We’re so excited to meet one another and celebrate the bounty of the seasons and the fruits of our labor!

Thanks, everyone and we look forward to seeing you!

–The People’s Co-Op, Rosemarried, and The PDX Food Swap