The Walsh Cookbook

I am always in search of a good slow-cooker recipe. Sometimes, I'm in the mood for the "dump it in and walk away" recipes which always seem to include cream of mushroom soup (it is magical, I agree) because you can literally dump everything in a pot and walk away for hours and come home to a comforting bowl of creamy, fatty love. But sadly once the actual eating is over and the digesting begins, I feel........ less than super.  So I try to keep an eye (or ear) out for recipes that are generally easy, not quite "dump it" status, but considerably more healthy. I first heard about this recipe for "Pork and Black Bean Dinner" on an interview between Chef Rick Bayless and Christopher Kimball. I was listening to a podcast while walking Nigel and I was salivating as Rick Bayless was describing a simple throw together slow-cooker dinner of browned pork and black beans topped with a homemade salsa and avocado. It sounded so comforting  (without the fat...

If my math is correct, I have eaten roughly 30,660 meals in my life (I'm 28 years old and am assuming 3 meals a day x 365 days a year). Out of all of those meals, only once have I ever said the words "Those green beans were the best part of that meal." Now some of you are probably thinking, "well, that math is a bit misleading because you haven't had green beans with EVERY meal, have you?". The answer of course is no (thank God). Can you imagine eating green beans for every meal? But I've never given that kind of accolade to ANY kind of vegetable, EVER. That award is usually reserved for whatever meat is being served (hopefully steak!); except for every time I eat these green beans.  This recipe is a favorite of Caity's and mine and comes from the cookbook, "Date Night in" by Ashley Rodriguez.  Serves 2 One year ago: Rosemary's Spinach Salad Two years ago: Tuscan Mashed Chickpeas Three years ago: Quinoa Stuffed Pepper...

Well here we are, New Years Eve 2016! I'll spare you my recollection of all the things that happened to me this year (Brendan and I got married! Sorry, couldn't help myself!) and instead wish everyone a happy New Year and nothing but the best in 2017!  Brendan and I are heading out to a fancy steak dinner tonight then home for some cocktails/mocktails and Settlers of Catan (ya, we're awesome) and Panna Cotta . I'm going to make a few of these Moroccan Champagne Cocktails because 1) they're easy 2) the orange and amaretto combine to make your cocktail taste like a sparkly winters evening 3) they're really good. If you happen to have these ingredients on hand, I encourage you to try this cocktail tonight! If not, make it a must NEXT YEAR (get it!?! It's New Years Eve!). This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks Melia Marden's "Modern Mediterranean".  Happy New Years! Don't forget your Ozoni  (Japanese New Year's Sou...

Brendan and I caught Rick Bayless Fever on Brendan's first trip to Chicago nearly two years ago. We visited his restaurant Xoco for lunch and ordered the Carnitas Caldo and a Choriqueso torta. I drool, even now, as I think about that meal! Unfortunately we haven't been back to Chicago since then. But last month we did find ourselves in the Chicago O'Hare Airport where conveniently Rick Bayless does have a restaurant. I ordered this Corn and Poblano Chowder to take on the plane and it was amazing! So amazing that even the men sitting on either side of me asked what I was eating and where they could get some. I was happy to find the recipe online even before the plane took off because I knew I needed to have this soup again soon.  This Sweet Corn and Poblano Chowder makes a light meal or a great first course or you could dress it up with a couple grilled shrimp, scallops or chicken.  Serves 4-6 One year ago: Tomato and Feta Phyllo Tart , Autumn Salad with F...

The end of summer seems to have happened over the last week or two. It has brought cooler temperatures (thank god) and earlier evenings. The swimming pool doesn't open til 4 PM on weekdays (pffffff) and there are about a million "back to school" photos flooding my Facebook. Part of me is always sad that summer really is over and the other part of me is so excited for the fall!  For the last several years, I've cooked an "End of Summer Ratatouille" to celebrate the end-of-summer produce while enjoying the fact that it's not too hot to turn on the stove. This tradition began for me, three years ago in Portland when my mom came to visit Brendan and I in late August. I was working nightshift at the time and I picked my mom up at the airport after work in the morning, went home and slept while she entertained herself. I woke up that evening to go to work and my wonderful mother had cleaned our house, picked our garden and packed me a gourmet...

We haven't posted much lately on our blog, I'm afraid.  Not that this is an unusual thing for me, despite my best intentions but we've been especially busy for the last oh...year or so, planning a pretty big event  in our family. It was a stunningly beautiful and touching ceremony, and the most wonderful day and evening full of so many friends and family.  And now Caity is Mrs. Garlinghouse! Well, we're finally catching our breath and now it's the dog days of summer...the time of year when I come in from picking the garden and lie down on the kitchen floor next to our dog to try to cool off.  I wonder if that's why they call it that? IT'S SO HOT!! I know it's that way in a lot of places all across the country. If you're looking for a nice cool salad to serve this weekend, this is a longtime favorite of ours.  The original recipe came from our friend, Cindy Taylor Voss who is a wonderful cook.  We've always just called it Cindy...