Sweet Brown Butter Cornbread

As far as versatility goes, corn bread transcends the seasons... Summer, Winter, those other two! It can't be stopped. Bring it to a BBQ but keep a personal stash. Make a stuffing out of it but don't expect leftovers. I could go on but I have to finish the rest of this post then eat an entire batch of cornbread!

This particular incarnation of our superhero starch has a few trick's up its unitard sleeves. First, but not hardly the most exciting, there is sour cream all mixed in there for amazing moisture and texture. The acidity of the sour cream mixed with the baking soda makes this corn bread moist and light at the same time. Secondly, and absolutely the most exciting, is the addition of that old nutty friend, brown butter!

Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Now, I don't say this lightly because it's an idea I am still trying to fully convince myself to believe, but, sides are the showcase of any meal. I mean, they should not be hiding in the shadow of a main course, they each need their own distinct voice, while still becoming part of a fuller complex melody... Too much of a choir reference? Not sorry! Obviously this concept is becoming truer as we convert into the new and vastly improved notion that our protein should make up only 25% of our plates at any given meal. I know I can't be the only one who grew up in a house where the chicken got 50% and the mashed potatoes got the other half! Talk about a hard habit to break. A delicious, buttery, habit...

Garlic Citrus Green Beans

Summer side dishes are in full swing in my house! They definitely take up more of the plate than the main dish and I usually make sure they pack a punch. These green beans bring more to the table than you thought possible for a little green veggie. Yum yum yum!

For a while now I have been using a lot of citrus in my cooking, I recently realized that I have been under-utilizing my zester and quickly remedied that situation by zesting EVERYTHING. This particular dish has a hearty dose of orange zest along with orange and lemon juice. I have always loved the sweet-tartness of citrus paired with savory flavors, so in this recipe I used garlic for the balance. 

Skinny Taco Salad Lettuce Boats

Something in my mind is telling me it's Summer time... I know in my heart that we're not quite there yet but because of the almost-everyday-sunny days we've been having here in the Pacific Northwest my mind has been tricked into thinking it's time for Summer food!

Here is a little view of the amazing sunsets we've been having in the upper-left USA-

Something about the sun makes me think I need fresh fruit and veggies, this is not a want but an absolute need! Also, I might add, it is of utmost importance that the fresh produce be served within other produce as often as possible. These little taco salad lettuce boats are setting the perfect example for all other Summer dishes to follow... They set a high bar indeed.

The Easiest Butternut Squash Soup Ever

Okay, so today is a "stay at home and do nothing because I am sick"  kind of day and the number one thing I ALWAYS want whenever I am sick is soup! Usually I take the easy way out and heat up a can of condensed soup, slurp it down, and crawl back into bed but today was different. It was different for one reason: I had butternut squash. Butternut squash isn't ordinarily considered a game changer but today, for me, it was. The story of how I ended up with butternut squash is not an interesting one. I was in the store, saw a package of Green Giant pre-cubed butternut squash and had to have it, for some reason. I was fantasizing about roasting it, or sauteing it, or whatever else and serving it as a side to some amazing main course. But, alas, I made soup!