ways to the heart

in 2012 i attempted my first (failed) 365-day post. the plan was simple: i'd make something edible each day or night for every day of the year.  ambition was running at an all-time high. i devoured food-centered magazines and listened to culinary school podcasts. i bought myself a better knife set, borrowed my sister's semi-pro camera, and picked up a handful of sophisticated plates to stage my meals. maybe i'd be a food stylist in another life. (i would sure see to it that those fancy "preservation" chemicals used in food shoots didn't make their way into my meals.)

i lost steam around the 170th post. my dishes had become more complicated and composed, almost textbook. my presentation wasn't lacking for anything - in fact, it picked up towards the end.  quite a few lovely friends from facebook and real life seemed to anticipate my posts each night.  but me, i was worn out.  i hate when recipes don't turn out as anticipated. i've been guilty of throwing a few things in the kitchen. i may or may not have threatened to throw a cake at the wall. and besides, it's not easy (or cheap) to plan and produce something you're proud of after a long day.

some of my projects for the remaining weeks will definitely be food-driven. i miss the rush that comes after that first bite of delicious and look forward to sharing lots of dinners and desserts with friends in the near future, hopefully in the apartment.  so i guess this is your informal invitation to swing by the yet-to-be-determined apartamento and keep me company as i sweat, curse, and burn myself all the way through prep!

ten best things i've ever made

totally subjective but always delish.

mac and cheese

i can make a mean pot from scratch now. tastes so much better than boxed.

foccacia

very nearly started messaging high school acquaintances to take this off of my hands.  turns out that two foccacia(s?) are two too many for even a carb fiend to devour.

gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing and pomegranate 

made this gem with from a Joy the Baker recipe. juan's family tells me that it reminds them of a traditional colombian rum cake. as such, i'm always making it for christmas and holidays.

zucchini coins

nothing like a breaded and pan-fried vegetable to offset a cold beer.

black bean and feta salad

my favorite thing to eat. also made with a diced red bell pepper and onion, minced jalapeno, corn, cilantro, lime juice, red wine vinegar. 

gouda and red onion cheese bread

one of the very first things i ever made from scratch, before i even cared to cook consistently for the 365.

potato leek tart

one of the many delights from ashley english's book: a year of pies.  check it out for a wealth of seasonal recipes and ann-tested-and-approved pie dough.

spanakopita

flaky, buttery filo and tender spinach with a generous helping of feta. everything i love in a bite.

white bean ragout

found this in bon apetit. the perfect cold weather meal.

clementine pound cake with glaze

borne of a necessity to use up delicious clementines from my uncle's california ranch, this was a great alternative to the lemon loaf that i'd been craving at the time.