corn chowder with roasted poblano peppers

i know it’s a little early in the season to be dreaming up corn recipes but i can’t help myself. as a girl from maine, it doesn’t feel like summer until i’ve had my first ear of corn. i don’t know, maybe it’s an east coast thing?  my california friends don’t seem to share this sentiment.  either way, corn chowder. it’s a must-eat. recipe below.

the what:

4 ears of corn

3 poblano or anaheim chiles

2 cups peeled & chopped potatoes

1 yellow onion, chopped

1/4 cup diced celery

1/2 red bell pepper chopped

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 tsp sea salt  

freshly ground pepper

chopped cilantro to garnish

*recipe adapted from the new mayo clinic cookbook which i highly recommend!

the how:

the key to keeping this recipe simple is the order in which you do things…maximizing your time

- bring a large pot of water to boil and cook four ears of corn 

-while water is boiling place the poblano peppers on a broiling pan and broil in your oven until they’re blackened/peeling.  remove, let cool and peel skin, remove seeds, and chop.

- while poblanos are cooking, peel and cube potatoes. chop celery, onion and red pepper

- when corn is cooked, remove from boiling water with tongs and set aside. add potatoes to pot and cook until soft, then drain 

-place potatoes in a small mixing bowl and use a potato masher to partially mash them (chunks are ok, just give them a good go-round with the masher!)

- in a large pot sauté onions, red pepper and celery in olive oil. cook until soft

- add potatoes, corn (cut off husks), poblanos, vegetable broth, almond milk and sea salt and simmer until thickened (25-30 minutes)

- season with salt and pepper to taste, serve with chopped cilantro

catherine’s home on glitter guide

i recently photographed catherine’s sweet home for this feature for the glitter guide. here are a few outtakes. and i’m sure i’ll be posting even more soon because there was just so much greatness it can’t be covered in just one post. styling by the fabulous jessica marx atelier. see more of catherine’s style here and here. 

sesame noodle bowl

you know those nights when you just want the quickest, easiest, heartiest and most satisfying meal, but you don’t want to have to do much of anything to get it? well, here’s your answer. fast, easy, healthy, and won’t leave you feeling like you’ve sacrificed. such a winner. recipe after the jump.

the what:

2 packages of soba noodles (substitute buckwheat soba for a gluten free version!)

2 scallions, finely sliced

1 large carrot, sliced into peels with a veggie peeler

1 1/2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sea salt

the how:

bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add noodles

while water is coming to a boil & noodles are cooking, chop scallions and peel carrot

in a small mixing bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce, sea salt 

when noodles are cooked, drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water (or warm if you’d like to eat this warm- it’s good either way!)

dry noodles as much as possible 

in a large mixing serving bowl combine noodles, scallions, carrot, black sesame seeds and dress to taste

garnish with another sprinkle of sesame seends and serve warm, cold, or anywhere in between!  enjoy.

*if you have a red pepper handy it would be delicious chopped into tiny bits and mixed in….

lou’s birthday surprise!

last wednesday was lou’s birthday, so the night before i told him to pack an overnight bag (with a swimsuit) but wouldn’t give him any other details.  on the morning of we scooted up to the ojai valley inn & spa to celebrate, and let me tell you that place is heaven in southern california. it’s so blissfully quiet and peaceful it’s easy to completely check out of any and all pressing life issues as soon as you arrive. ahhh, it’s relaxation at it’s finest- a pool, incredible spa, wonderful staff to take care of you and nothing but mountains and trees around you. 

usually i prefer no-brainer reading material for vacation time but this book has me so enchanted i couldn’t leave it home.  have you read it?  makes me want to spend more time in the kitchen!

we had a sunset dinner on this balcony overlooking the property and mountains. amazing! and the food, it was the best meal we’ve eaten in a long long time.  the staff there is so attentive and kind- they were sweet enough to remember lou’s birthday and bring us champagne as soon as we sat down. those little things make all the difference, we felt completely pampered and looked after during the entire stay.  i know, this is reading like a sponsored post but i promise you it’s not! i just loved it and can’t say enough great things about it. so, if you live in southern california and want to check out for a day or two, add this to your “to-visit” list.  you won’t be disappointed.