Mushroom Bourguignon

It's time for serious talk.
Earlier today I was texting and I wanted to write, "bummer" but instead, completely by accident and with such ease, typed "butter".
Then I stopped in my tracks.
And I asked myself, "Butter?! Really, Laura?"
Who have I become? PAULA DEEN?!???
At first I found this worrisome.
But now I've just decided to embrace it. Yeah, I think about butter a lot. So much so that it pops out and replaces every day words in every day conversation. So what?
That's just my thing now.
And besides, being the next Queen of Down South Cooking wouldn't be so bad, would it? I'd just need to work on my twang some.

You know what else is my thing?
This mushroom bourguignon. (Did you just pretend you knew how to pronounce that word by saying it really fast, and kind of quiet, in a french accent? No? Oh. Me neither.)
Well, even though this bourguignon doesn't contain beef, it still kicks some major arse.
But anything cooked in wine does, let's be honest.
It's really comforting, too.
Eric told me after the first bite, it reminded him of something his mom used to make growing up.
I said, "my cooking has brought back memories of your childhood????!?!?!!!"
Boo-yah.

Spicy Kale Lasagna

For dinner last night, I wanted to incorporate an ingredient I rarely use in the kitchen, and something that Eric may have never even tried before (I was right - he thought kale was arugula). After browsing through some saved recipes, I decided on spicy kale lasagna.
So I told Eric: I'm fixing a spicy kale lasagna for dinner. Keep an open mind!
He replied: That sounds delicious.
I said: You're such a champ.
He said: It's easy to be with your cooking.
Not that I ever doubted him for one second, but holy moly this one's a real KEEPER, folks. We're talkin' flattery to the max!

Seriously though, we both absolutely LOVED this dish. It's so so good. Eric wanted to eat like 3/4 of the pan, but I told him we needed leftovers so we could have it again tonight.
If you love kale, and you're looking for a little spicy zippiness in your life, make this dish and do a little dance!

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Okay..where did November go?
Does anyone know?
COME BACK FALL!Please?

The end of November and rapid coming of December means Eric and I go into over drive to get things done before our trip, and before we move out in 20 days. (But let's be honest, I'm SUPER planner, so we are WAY ahead of schedule. And that's the way it should be.)
This morning was filled with walking around Ballard running errands, which included paying our LAST rent for this apartment.
Leaving this apartment will be bittersweet. But mostly sweet.
We've thought about leaving this apartment for a loong time now.. with it's microscopic kitchen with absolutely NO counter space and had a VERY infuriating ant INVASION, a bathroom that literally just consists of a toilet, standing sink and shower, a bedroom that now has water stains all over the walls and a ceiling that looks like it might come crashing in at any given moment. Why would we want to leave?
Oh did I mention the mold problem? Funny story. We love mold..
Our first few months of living here, we couldn't afford a bed, so we slept on an air mattress. One day I lifted up the blankets and sheets to find our air mattress was completely covered in black mold. Yes, that was our life and a fun day.
But I must say, our apartment has come a long way since then. We've managed and definitely made it bearable. And if anything, we've come away with lots of funny, great stories to look back on from our very first place together. You live and you learn, right?
In between our day of trying to cross things off our never ending pre-travel list, we walked down to Ballard's adorable old theater and saw The Muppets. As big Jason Segel fans, it was a must-see. It was SUPER cute and had lots of funny parts - even for adults.
Before the movie, I whipped me and Eric up a Mediterranean orzo salad.

Spinach Linguine with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

You guys, this pasta is so light, healthy and flavorful, it features so many of my favorite ingredients, AND it's vegetarian!
I'm in love. Eric's in love.
We're all in love.

Today was the perfect fall day. No rain, but blustery so the beautifully colored leaves were blowing off the trees and around the streets. Eric and I were bundled up with hats and scarves and coffees, and spent the day wandering around Ballard and Fremont's Sunday markets and boutiques/shops on each main strip.
This fresh pasta dish was a great way to end a lovely day of walking and shopping. So easy and definitely delicious!

Spinach Linguine with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
(Inspired by Whole Food Market Recipes, Serves 2-4)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 (12 oz.) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 8oz. package dried spinach linguine, cooked until tender, drained (1/4 cup pasta water reserved)
1/2-3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to directions.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add artichokes, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Add wine and simmer until just thickened. Stir in reserved 1/4 cup pasta water, sun-dried tomatoes and thyme then add cooked pasta, salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer pasta to bowls, garnish with cheese and serve.

Linguine with Clams

Every year growing up, my parents would take our family on a vacation. We've been to fun places all over the United States and Canada, from Disney World to Whistler. I could probably write a pretty hilarious memoir about all of the ridiculous adventures we've had on family vacations and trips.
ANYWAY, a beautiful, relaxing and more local trip we've taken a few times, and my parents still enjoy taking, is to the Oregon Coast. Quaint cities like Newport Beach and Lincoln City (our faves) are sprinkled with little hole-in-the-wall fish n' chips and clam chowder joints. Dad and I both have a mutual love and tremendous appreciation for these two seaside "delicacies," so we made it our mission to track down the best of both!
We definitely tried more greasy, overly thick, beer-battered fish than I'd like to admit..and humorously enough, I think we've ultimately decided we like my dad's own cornmeal battered fish recipe the best! However, we did try several unique clam chowder recipes that would be hard to replicate! I think the Oregon Coast can boast some of the best clam chowder. My arteries are RE-clogging just thinking about this.
We also tasted some perfect steamed clams (in white wine, butter, and garlic - the necessities) while on the Coast, which my mom has been reproducing ever since! Lucky me! One night at the apartment I wanted to take mom's steamed clam recipe and transform it into a dinner entree (vs an appetizer). Served with toasted garlic ciabatta bread, this linguine with clams was light, filling, and so zesty/garlicky/yummy.


Mario Batali’s Linguine with Clams
serves 2

1.5 tablespoons kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 pound linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (I might try butter next time)
4-5 cloves garlic, 2 thinly sliced, 2-3 pressed
1 pound clams, scrubbed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 (14-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes in juice, juice reserved and tomatoes coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

In large pot over moderately high heat, combine 8 quarts of water to boil and salt. Bring to boil, then add linguine and cook to 1 minute short of al dente according to package directions (pasta should still be quite firm).
Meanwhile, in large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat 3 tablespoons extra- olive oil until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and sauté until just golden, about 30seconds. Add clams and half the red pepper flakes and sauté 1 minute. Add wine, tomatoes and juice, and 1/4 cup parsley and simmer, uncovered, just until clams open, 7 to 8 minutes.
Drain linguine and add to pan. Simmer, tossing occasionally, until linguine is just tender, about 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons parsley and red pepper flakes, tossing to coat. Transfer to serving dish and serve immediately.