Squash and Black Bean Tacos

Hiatus. Population: 1. Population: Me. I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately.

There's this comedian - John Mulaney - he has this bit about how much easier it is to not do things than to do them. I don't even have a legitimate excuse for my hiatus. Other than, it was easier not to. Sure, I've been busy at work. And, I've been traveling a bit. And, the light in my new kitchen is less than inspiring. Buy beyond anything else, when I finally get home from the work, from the gym, make dinner, clean it up, take a shower and crawl in bed - it's easier to veg than to put thoughts into words.

Speaking of veg-ing, You can't know this because I haven't posted recently, but lately I haven't been eating a lot of meat lately. Bring on the veggies. Meet my first veggie tacos,

Look at all the goodies. Can you believe it only took one pan?

A perfect quick summer dinner. And, just really any reason to eat lots and lots of guacamole.

Ingredients
1/2 zucchini
1/2 summer squash
2 slices vidalia onion
2 sections red pepper
2 sections green pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp taco seasoning (I used cumin,

3 corn tortillas
1/2 c black beans
chopped tomatoes
sliced radishes
feta (or other) cheese
guacamole
cilantro (would be yummy, but I didn't have any)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut squash into half moon rounds, 1-2 centimeters thick. Place in a bowl and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 2 Tbsp taco seasoning. Place on baking sheet. 
2. Segment pepper and onions. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 minutes, until peppers are charred and squash is soft.
3. Assemble tacos

Santa Fe Overview

If you follow me on Instagram or have read any of my last few posts, you may know that I went to Santa Fe for the first time a few weeks ago. I'm pleased to announce that I'm in love with Santa Fe and the South West. Wide, open spaces, green hatch chiles and Georgia O'Keefe. The South West gets me. I also just could not get over all of the orange blue - aka one of my favorite color palettes to ever exist. Here's a little overview of our trip, including the most ridiculous travel arrangements I've ever made.

Day 1: Drive 2 hours to Harrisburg. Drive 1 1/2 hours to Baltimore. Fly to Albuquerque. Drive to Santa Fe. Dinner at Rudy's BBQ.

Day 2: Breakfast at Starbucks (sorry, not sorry). Grocery shopping. Hiking at Bandelier National Monument. Visit the Georgia O'Keefe Museum. Dinner at Tomasita's.

Day 3: Hike Mount Taylor. Delivery pizza from Rooftop Pizzeria.

Day 4: Breakfast at the Plaza Cafe. Hike Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks. Dinner at Blue Corn Brewery.

Day 5: Explored Santa Fe plaza. Dinner at Il Piatto.

This was my first big girl vacation without my parents. I went with my best friend from college and we had the absolute best time. We were lucky enough to stay at my aunt and uncle's condo, which made the trip shockingly and pleasantly affordable. Between the sun, girl time, food, drinks and of course one hell of a summit, I can back blissfully relaxed and dreaming of my next trip to Santa Fe. Hopefully I can go when they're roasting hatch chiles and when I can attempt to summit Baldy. I can't wait for my next big girl vacation. And to tell you more about some of our explorations and meals.

Sunday Thoughts

I sat down to write yesterday after a month-plus long hiatus. And, instead, I ended up watching several episodes of The Slap on Hulu (it's completely intriguing [Correction: in between starting and finishing this post I finished the series. Oh my goodness. So good.) and not doing much else. I think the only thing consistent about this blog is the fact that I often disappear without warning shortly after I promise to write consistently.

Sometimes it's because I truly forget. Sometimes the world gets crazy - good or bad - and I can't bring myself to write. Sometimes its because I'm not sure if anyone even reads this. But most often it's because life is hectic, and busy and oft changing. And as I try to keep the ground from spinning out from underneath me, trying to keep centered and on course, things get left behind.

Life lately has been crazy good. With lots of new adventures in new places. It hasn't left much time for writing. Between work and vacation and maybe a new special friend, my life is wonderfully full and my cup - indeed - runs over.

Here's what you can expect to see over the next couple of weeks -- recaps from my fabulous trip to Santa Fe. Short, brief restaurant reviews of places I've tried recently and recipes that I cooked while I still lived at home because I haven't figured out how to get decent lighting in my new place. That is if I ever actually get motivated to write anything.

Breakfast for One - Single Lady Apple Pancake

It's been unbelievably long since I've posted anything in general, let alone a recipe. If you don't know me - or more specifically - if you don't follow me on Instagram - I got a concussion early in February in the lamest way possible. I fell on ice on my way to work. It was a painstaking week + change to recover.

When I started to feel better, I decided to celebrate, and because I finally got (momentarily) tired of eggs + carbs, I decided to try out the Sugar Hit/Joy the Baker single lady pancake mash-up of the apple variety. And, I loved it. I'm normally not one for apples in things, but these pancakes are delightfully light and fluffy, with just the right amount of chew and surprisingly light on sugar.

My New Life

Well, I finally did it. I bit the bullet and finally moved out of my parent's house. I'm now officially a New Yorker. This is my front door - isn't it cute! Yes, it was snowing the day I moved in. And four times since.

HELP: I've Spent All Day Looking at Cookbooks

If you don't know me, I'm a cookbook hoarder. I. LOVE. COOKBOOKS. Particularly ones with big, pretty photos. Or ones that are really really old that seem like they have a story to tell.

The vast majority of my Amazon gift cards received for a birthday or Christmas go toward a book of some sort. And to be honest most of the books I purchase are cookbooks.

Can we talk about gift cards for a second? They're such an odd concept to me and I can't exactly articulate why. That said, I'm very glad they exist. I'm the kind of person who puts cash and checks directly in the bank, never to touch them ever again. But the bank doesn't accept gift cards. They adamantly told me so. So a gift card forces me to buy something I actually want. It's kind of genius.

And because I'm very lucky and have some very thoughtful people in my life, I'm the proud owner of not one, not two, but three new cookbooks. GAH. I'm so excited.

Let me just tell you. I bought David Lebovitz's My Paris Kitchen earlier this month and made the pasta and coffee creme brulee. More to come on that later, but it was phenom. I'm seriously lusting over his pictures and life in Paris.

I cannot wait for my other books to come. More, more, to come on that later.

Veggie Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

So, it's been a while. A long while. Not the longest while though. This combines all of my favorite things except maybe bread, pumpkin, peaches and nutella. So not all of my favorite things - but many of my favorite breakfast things - veggies, quinoa, cheese and crispy fried eggs. But, I blame Gilmore Girls for my absence. It's on Netflix now. It's not my fault. (ok maybe it is),

Love & Links - November 7

I browse the web. I find links I love. I send them to everyone I know with multiple ideas, usually in all caps. I can't wait to get home and start them. But, I have a serious problem with follow through. Here's a collection of links that got me unreasonably excited this week. 

Holy cow! It's November. I feel like I missed half of October. Well in this realm of the internet I did. So much fun in October. Homecoming weekend. Pre-Halloween. Halloween. We celebrated our dog's one year adoption anniversary with some doggy ice cream - because, well, we're strange. I feel like so many little things happened - and so many parties. This might be my first weekend "off" in months. But, tonight I'm headed to Brooklyn.

Any taco. Any wine. These look mighty good.

The secret to nacho cheese. Some please help me find this.

A whole list of kale recipes that look oh so delicious.

Pumpkin and butter happen to be two of my favorite things - so this.

I need a reason to make this cake.

Once I move out these veggie burgers will be an absolute staple. And they're healthy because vegetables, right?

Molly Yeh continues to make childhood dreams come true - dunkaroos. yes please.

Ok but this looks unbelievably good.

It's officially soup weather - and I'm into this and this.

A look inside Thug Kitchen - this cookbook, I want.

And baked apple cider donuts for good measure.

Apple Pie Stuffed Challah Bread

One of my favorite things ever - EVER - ever is to make bread from scratch. Quick bread, yeast bread, bread, bread, bread. And, one of my most favorite things is challah bread. And, anything apple stuffed. And, I bring you this brain child, apple stuffed challah bread. In a pretty, swirly circle inspired by Molly's recipe at Barney's.

Pretty, pretty. This bread whips up surprisingly quick - if you don't count the rise time. And as much as I love the braided version, it's so great not to have to think when making the bread. It's just one quick roll and one final rise.

Easy Pumpkin Donut Holes

It's not secret that I love donuts. That wasn't the most revolutionary sentence I've ever written. Regardless, it's the truth. And, it's this recipe that got me over my fear of deep frying and lead to these bad boys a few weeks ago. And now, for a fall twist on that fated recipe.

Pumpkin donuts. You heard me. I substituted some of that fat in the original recipe with pumpkin puree because it makes it healthier? Because I can. Because pumpkin. That's why.

This recipe is super easy and super quick. And, definitely something you can share or keep all to yourself. It's the perfect accompaniment to a crisp fall morning and a piping hot cup of coffee in your favorite mug.

For those who don't like pumpkin - I've met two of these people, they apparently exist - be warned this is the first of many. It's all fall recipes from here on out (another thing I should have posted with my first apple recipe a few weeks ago. But, seriously be prepared for carbs, pumpkin and apples. Because it's not basic, it's classic.

Apple Slab Pie

I'm so far behind. So so far behind. I have 23 draft recipes to share with you. Probably more than that since those don't even account for most of the food I have photos of. I don't even know how it happens. Yes, I do. Between work and commuting and pretending to have a social life sometimes blogging just falls off the radar. And once I stop blogging for a while, it's really hard to start again.

Love & Links - October 10

I browse the web. I find links I love. I send them to everyone I know with multiple ideas, usually in all caps. I can't wait to get home and start them. But, I have a serious problem with follow through. Here's a collection of links that got me unreasonably excited this week. 

I wont Stephanie's cookbook from Izy! Let's go October, let's go. 

A little lunch inspiration - anything thai and in a bowl, instant noodles and this fried cauliflower sandwich.

All the pumpkin pancake recipes: one, two, three and a pumpkin spice coffee.

A New Orleans-inspired dinner with gumbo, dirty rice and some classics.

Let's be indulgent: cronuts, fried apple pie, bacon peanut butter cups, laminated nutella morning buns and croquembouche cupcakes.

Ok brunch - let's this giant pecan pie chelsea bun or this veggie sandwich or this kale sandwich.

I love a good one pot meal.

Let's be entertained: books to read and food tv.

Let's waffle everything, including latkes and sweet potatoes.

I'm so intrigued by this pork recipe and all of these chicken parms.