Whatcha been cookin?!
Raise your wooden spoon if this is you:
- I’ve been in the kitchen more lately. Like… a LOT more.
- I like good food
- I am running out of ideas
- I’m busy with ALL the things
We got you covered.
Need a quick recipe? Packing a picnic for your quarantine crew? We’ve sourced some of our favorite recipes just for you.
Geena’s got the apps
Pico de Gallo
Geena claims she isn’t a good cook, but her gardening skills are on point and she’s feeling ready for tomato season… so she’ll be chopping up some fresh Pico de Gallo.
Need a recipe for Pico? She found one for you here.
Baylie’s new favorite dinner recipe
Buffalo Chicken Tacos
This recipe made it into our family’s “official” line-up of regular dinners. Easy-peasy to make and who isn’t curious to meet the love child of hot wings + tacos?! Hope you enjoy!
Midday meal prep:
- Combine equal parts Frank’s Hot Sauce and melted butter (1/2 c of each), add 2 Tbsp white vinegar, 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of garlic powder
- Pour that whole mix of goodness in the slow cooker, and add a package (1.5 pounds or so) of boneless skinless chicken thighs and cook 4-5 hours on low
- Make quick pickle cabbage and carrots by shredding red cabbage and carrots enough to fill a quart size jar, put in a Tbsp of white sugar, a tsp or so of salt, and fill with equal parts white vinegar and water. Leave in the fridge until dinner time.
- Whip up some homemade ranch dressing by combining in a blender or mini food processor: 1/2 c mayo, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 c water, 1 Tbsp white vinegar, 1 clove garlic, 1 tsp dried dill, 1/4 c fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and salt and pepper to taste
Dinner time to-do’s:
- 15 min before you want to eat, shred the chicken with two forks, place on a baking sheet, drizzle with a good amount of the sauce, and broil for 5 min or so until browned and crisped
- Serve on heated tortillas (I like the mini street taco style flour tortillas) with avocados, pickled cabbage & carrots, chopped spinach, cilantro, and ranch dressing
Lexie our dessert diva
Chocolate Loaf Cake
If Lexie says it’s good, you know it’s good. This is one of her go-to recipes and she has a few tips:
“Don’t have buttermilk, or don’t like buttermilk? No prob! Sub your favorite milk option & add 1 tsp of white vinegar or lemon juice for every cup of milk used in the recipe (let the milk of choice + vinegar or lemon juice sit for 5 minutes before adding into the cake mix).
You can also use plain yogurt as a substitute. I’ve experimented with this recipe a bit & it always seems to turn out great – even with oat milk, lactose free milk & yogurt substitutions.
I like to serve my chocolate loaf cake with some fresh strawberries & coconut whipped cream on the top!”
Find the full Smitten Kitchen recipe here!
And to go along with it all…
Rhubarb Vanilla Shrub
Shrubs are: a) delicious b) easy to make c) defined as drinking vinegars. All you gotta do is mix together fruit, sugar & vinegar, let steep, then serve with bubble water (and booze if you’re so inclined)! Y – U – M.
My general ratio for shrubs is 2 : 1 : 1 (fruit : sugar : vinegar)
Combine fruit and any herbs or extras (in this case chopped rhubarb and a vanilla bean pod) with sugar in a large jar. (Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape seeds into the jar and add pod to jar.)
Let mixture sit for ~ 8 hours or overnight.
Then add vinegar (for this combo I recommend red wine vinegar, but apple cider vinegar works well too!) and let mixture steep in the fridge for 24 hours.
Strain, and mix shrub with bubble water or use in a cocktail.
Need more details or inspiration? Bon Appetit has a good shrub recipe.
In the kitchen more these days?
Eat, Drink, and be Kind!
xo, Baylie + the Red Umbrella Team