My best burger and fries

Burgers and fries...I'm not sure that there is much else to say besides that you should make this immediately. 

DO IT NOW!

My Best Burger
1 pound ground beef
1/2 small onion
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (2 good shakes)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper (a few good grinds)

In a large bowl, add the ground beef.  Grate the onion over the ground beef using a microplane or the small-holed side of a box grater.  Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.  Using your hands, gently mix until well-combined. 

Form into 4 patties and chill in the fridge until you're ready to grill.  I'm not going to tell you how to grill them because if you don't already know how to do that, I'm not sure anyone can help you.

Serves 4 (or 2).

Truffle Oil and Parmesan French Fries
3 medium russet potatoes, washed (and peeled, if you're into that kind of thing)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper (a few good grinds)
1 oz. Parmesan cheese
3 tsp truffle oil

Preheat oven to 450.  Slice the potatoes into 2 inch by 1/2 sticks.  Place on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and mix well with your hands until all potatoes are evenly coated. 

Bake for 30 minutes, turning fries once halfway through.

After the fries are done grate the Parmesan over the top and drizzle on the truffle oil before removing fries from the baking sheet.  Toss to coat. 

Serves 2 very hungry, happy people.

I served this gorgeous dinner alongside Dark and Stormy cocktails.  Recipe here.  So completely refreshing. 

Comfort food

August 14, 2012

It's hard to remember now that Sam wasn't always the happy kid he is now.  And even harder to remember that Nick and I weren't always as content as we are today.  Pretty much from week 28 of my pregnancy (when Sam was mis-diagnosed with brain abnormalities-boo to overreacting doctors) to the day he was born (a month early) until he was almost 10 weeks old, there were lots of tears in this household.  From all of us.

After he was born, there were breastfeeding issues, his acid reflux, sleep deprivation, and post-partum depression. I was a mess.  I remember looking at Nick one night after Sam had finally drifted off to sleep on my chest and saying I felt like a shell of my former self.

April 9, 2012

I was so sad.  The overwhelming joy I felt when I held Sam for the first time had faded into a fog. 

April 16, 2012

I'm grateful that I had Nick to rely on to feed me and comfort me during those days.  There were many nights that he came home from work to find me in the rocking chair trying desperately to soothe our fussy baby while the white noise machine blared crashing waves and seagulls crying.  Dark days, my friends, dark days.  Knowing that a hot meal was waiting for me made the endless shushing bearable.

Though I learned a lot during the first three months of my life as a mom, I'll focus on the most edible.  My husband can really cook.

Pasta with peas, eggs, and cheese.

Grilled steak and onions with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.

 

Portuguese fish stew with mussels, clams, shrimp, and King crab legs.  Fun fact- I'm allergic to crab.  Found this out after devouring more than half of this bowl.  Itchy palms=run to CVS for benadryl  

Farewell, my spiny friend.

Nick also made some stellar stuffed mussels with spinach that are unpictured because we ate them too quickly.  I *heart* muscles. 

I'm lucky that my issues weren't anything that Lexapro and good food couldn't cure.  To all new moms and dads out there- be kind to yourselves.