Side dishes

Homemade Hummus

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Happy New Year! I know we've all been thinking about our goals for 2016. Goals depend on accountability, so I'll tell you one of mine: get back in my Forks & Rec game. I cringed when I saw that the last post had been on October 4, 2015, more than three months ago. Here's to being better in 2016! What better thing to dip back into the blogosphere with than my favorite homemade hummus recipe?  I first tried my hand at homemade hummus when I was doing an internship in Bamako, Mali in the summer of 2014. I was seriously craving hummus, but couldn't find it in the (one or two) grocery stores in the city. I found the ingredients, made it in a blender, and reveled in the glory of familiar tastes. When you live away [Read more]

Homemade Pesto

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homemade_pesto

I was introduced to homemade pesto when I worked at a gardening day camp in Louisville, Kentucky. After the kids left for the day, the executive director of the camp walked to the back of the garden where the big, beautiful basil plants were. We pinched the tops off all the basil plants to prevent early flowering and filled two grocery bags with leaves. We walked back to his house to debrief the day and headed into the kitchen. I asked what he was going to do with all that basil. "Pesto!," he replied. I watched as he started throwing basil, garlic, salt, parmesan, and walnuts into a food processor and drizzle a little lemon on top without measuring anything. He turned on the food processor and seconds later, viola, pesto! My mind was [Read more]

Taco Dinner Party

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Dinner parties are the best. Friends get together, laugh, and eat. The cook(s) get to share the food they prepared and the love that went into the preparation with the ones they love. Dinner parties are a perfect example of where the recreation comes into Forks & Recreation. The first definition of recreation that comes up from a Google search is "an activity done for enjoyment when one is not working". Even though dinner parties can be a fair amount of work to plan and execute, it sure does not feel like work when it is something that is bringing so much love & joy! And what better 'activity for enjoyment' is there than kicking your feet up and enjoying the homecooked meal you lovingly prepared with your friends around [Read more]

Acorn Squash with Roasted Chickpeas and Curry Yogurt Sauce

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I must admit something: the majority of what I cook is the first time I've ever tried cooking it. I graduated from college almost two years ago and started cooking on my own at that point, but there is a lot of food out there to try! This was my first time ever cooking an acorn squash and oh boy, I was impressed. But it was also my first time buying an acorn squash and I forgot to check that the stem area was undamaged. It was damaged, which explains the oddly cut acorn squash in the photos since the top had starting going bad. I salvaged what I could! Another thing that I must admit is that I am still testing out the waters of recipe development. When I started cooking, I stuck with things I knew how to do. I knew what was supposed to [Read more]

Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

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Why is corn the best vegetable to talk to? It's all ears! I hope you enjoyed that little joke. Some people think corny jokes are bad, but I think they are a-maize-ing!  Okay, I'll stop now. I must just be feeling a little cheesy today : )  That is why I'm bringing you this recipe for Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread today. It's corny, and cheesy, with a little bit of a kick. All of my favorite things!  I am a firm believer that this cornbread will make you even more friends than cookies. I know that sounds like a bold claim, but I have evidence. Exhibit A: I once went to a friends house party and instead of bringing booze, I brought over the extra jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins from a big batch of this recipe. The [Read more]