Every Little Thing, Author at Every Little Thing

A Wedding and A Honeymoon, Part 2

May 19, 2013 by Every Little Thing Leave a Comment

The ten days we spend in Hawaii after the wedding feel a bit like a dream. Everything went by so fast and after a certain number of sunsets and Mai Tai’s, the days start to blur together.

What I do remember is the food, and how even the smallest food trucks used food from Hawaiian land in their dishes. Farm-to-table isn’t a fad in Hawaii – it’s a way of life. Thankfully, we were able to experience some of the best and, lucky for you, I took photos.

Mixed in with food photos are a few of the scenery, just to bring you there.

(banyan trees, oahu)

(mai tai at turtle bay resort, oahu)

(garlic shrimp from the best food truck on the north shore of oahu, giovanni’s)

(waimea valley, oahu)

(turtle beach, north shore, oahu)

(kula grille, oahu: herb crusted mahi mahi, fettucini, lobster parm sauce, tomatoes, corn, broccolini, peas)

(both photos, mountains of maui)

(kula grille, oahu: classic ahi poke, grilled kauai shrimp, braised local pork belly)

(view from our room, ka’anapali beach, maui)

(grass skirt grill, oahu: medium rare ahi tuna salad, local greens, papaya dressing, butter sauce)

(view from mama’s fish house, maui)

mama’s fish house, maui – clockwise from left:

three fish sashimi – salmon with coconut-chili and Molokai pink sea salt, ahi with star anise-daikon and Kukui nut salt, kampachi with pineapple-pomegranate and Hawaii Island black sea salt.
traditional hawaiian plate - Mahimahi, Big Island Wild Boar “Kalua”, Octopus Luau and Ahi Poke with baked Hana banana, Molokai sweet potato, lomi-lomi, fresh poi and Haiku Lilikoi.
mahi mahi - stuffed with lobster and crab and baked in a macadamia nut crust

(sunset, maui)

(honu seafood and pizza, maui: fresh dungeness crab salad)

(leoda’s kitchen and pie shop, maui: crispy brussels sprouts salad with radish and celery leaves, baked mac and cheese, key lime pie and strawberries and crème)

Hope you enjoyed a look into our honeymoon. The food was absolutely amazing everywhere we went but at this point, I’ll be happy for a break from seafood

Filed Under: Wedding

A Wedding and A Honeymoon, Part 1

May 12, 2013 by Every Little Thing 8 Comments

Friends! I have not forgotten about you. The opposite rather – my blog and long lost readers have been on my mind nonstop the last month. I had a lot happen in that time and have been preparing to reenter this space ever since March 22, when I last posted.

Since that time, I got married on a rainy Saturday at the end of April. We were supposed to have our ceremony outside but had to make the call that morning to use our backup plan, holding the ceremony where our reception was held. It all worked out just fine in the end and we had the most wonderful time surrounded by our family and friends!

(special thanks to Laura Ann Miller for our awesome photos!).

Here are some décor details from the wedding itself. I’m always so intrigued by centerpieces, cakes, and gift tables at weddings, and I thought you might be too.

Details:

Photography by Laura Ann Miller
Flowers + Centerpieces by The August Garden
Seed paper wedding favors by Botanical Paperworks
Wooden forks by Sucre Shop
Large tree poster guestbook by peachwik
Cake by the amazing Christy, owner of Pint Size Bakery
Bridesmaid dresses by Target
Vintage cameras from Matt’s grandpa
Wedding reception held at The LeClaire Room in Edwardsville, Illinois.
All hair and nails done by Studio Eleven Salon in Maryville, Illinois

After the wedding, we gallivanted off to Oahu and Maui, Hawaii. We just got back from a glorious 10 days at the beach, tan and relaxed and ready to be home.

In a day or two, I’ll post all the tantalizing food pictures I took while there The wedding itself was glorious but I’m happy to be back in the kitchen! New posts coming in no time at all. Thanks for sticking around!

Filed Under: Around Town, Wedding

Potato Soup with Bacon and Scallions

March 22, 2013 by Every Little Thing 3 Comments

Now that St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone, and I’ve braised more than my fair share of pork shoulders, it’s time to get back to those simple soups and salads that define a greener landscape. Winter makes me want those stick-to-your-ribs crockpot meals, but when March shows its pretty green face around the corner, I’m ready to lighten things up a bit.

This soup plays the part of a not-quite-Spring, still-a-bit-of-winter meal. Inspired by Food52’s potato soup, this tastes like comfort food, yet is actually light and perfect for a chilly Spring evening. I suppose it’s a play on the classic American restaurant version of baked potato soup, but I shied away from actually calling it that. In my mind, baked potato soup conjures up a bowl full of cheese, huge potato chunks (which I abhor in soups), and sour cream thrown recklessly on top.

That’s not this soup. This soup is velvety – perfectly smooth with nary a chunk to be found (except for the garnish). This soup is creamy yet without the use of heavy cream – broth or even water lightens up the bowl. And the flavor is reminiscent of chicken noodle or vegetable while allowing the blended potatoes to entrench all the ingredients into one smooth masterpiece.

Potato Soup with Bacon and Scallions

by Every Little Thing

Keywords: saute soup/stew side gluten-free winter spring

Ingredients (serves 2)

3 slices bacon, sliced into small bits
1 large carrot, diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp salt
Fresh black pepper
1 lb (about 3 medium) yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups (32 oz) vegetable broth
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt or sour cream
4 scallions, green section thinly sliced

Instructions

Heat saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon bits and cook until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon and lay on paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease, then add carrot, celery, onion, and garlic to pan. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 10 more minutes. Add potato cubes and broth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook potatoes over a low boil, uncovered, until soft, about 20 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or carefully pouring into a regular blender in batches), blend until smooth. Stir in the Greek yogurt/sour cream, and top with bacon bits and sliced scallion.

Sure, we’re topping this light, velvety soup with bacon. And sure, we used a tablespoon of bacon grease to cook the vegetables. But why not? We’re certainly not going to waste the grease, and how can you have potato soup without bacon?

P.S. Your soup will probably be lighter in color – the vegetable broth I used (organic Trader Joe’s brand) was extremely bright, which turned the soup almost orange. No worries – tastes amazing. And where’s the rest of that bacon garnish?!

Question: What’s the last soup you ate? What kind of garnishes do you enjoy?

Filed Under: Meat Lovers, Soups, Vegetarian

Slow Cooker Blood Orange Pork Shoulder Carnitas

March 19, 2013 by Every Little Thing 3 Comments

When I bought the pork shoulder for my Irish Feast recipe for FEAST Magazine, I actually bought three. Three pork shoulders at 4 pounds a piece is a lot of pork in my little freezer. However, I bought three because I was so sure I would screw up the first one. Isn’t that sad? I’ve endured my own kitchen catastrophes in the last few years and at least kind of knew what I was doing this tiem around, but I was certain I’d fail at least once.

Well, I didn’t, and it turned into the perfect St. Paddy’s Day meal. That said, I still had two more pork shoulders in the freezer, begging to be played with. Matt had been dropping hints for carnitas for weeks, and when the blood oranges on my countertop caught my eye, I knew I had a masterful combination.

I made carnitas once before – no blog post as the crispy pork was eaten faster than I could retrieve my camera. Also, meat is difficult to photograph so I would have had to sent the scene and make it pretty and just…ugh. This time, blood oranges were my inspiration for a pretty pork meal, so much so that I even made my own tortilla bowls (easier than you’d think!).

Blood Orange Pork Carnitas

by Every Little Thing

Keywords: slow-cooker saute entree Cinco de Mayo Mexican Southwest winter fall spring

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the Carnitas

1 3-4 lb bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp course salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1-2 dried chile peppers
3 blood oranges, juiced, pulp reserved (about 3/4 cup juice)
1 tbsp olive oil
Warm tortillas, for serving
Toppings of your choice: cabbage, radishes, queso fresco, lime juice, avocado, salsa, sour cream

For Tortilla Bowls

Flour tortillas
Nonstick spray or olive oil
Mason jars

Instructions

Once the pork shoulder is trimmed of (most of, not all) fat, rub with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Put pork, onion, garlic, dried peppers, and the juice and pulp from three blood oranges into slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat falls off the bone.

Heat olive oil over medium high in a large skillet. Shred pork on a plate, then press pork in batches onto the hot skillet. When pork is brown on one side, flip the pieces and brown on the other. Each side takes approximately 1-2 minutes.

Serve browned pork with warm tortillas and your favorite taco toppings.

To make tortilla bowls, heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray the front and back of large flour tortillas with nonstick spray (or brush with olive oil). Place upside down mason jars onto a pan, then press tortillas around the outside of the jars. Bake until crispy and evenly browned, approximately 15 minutes.

Orange juice is a great liquid for slow-cooked pork due to that tart acidity, especially the juice of blood oranges. Squeeze your own please – you only need 1/2 – 1 cup, and it’s so worth the effort! Plus, you can throw in the pulp for extra Vitamin C. The pulp will dissolve and you’ll never know it was there in the first place.

Directions on how to make crispy tortilla shells is above but if you have a few mason jars, nonstick spray or a brush for olive oil, and an oven, you can make them in mere minutes.

The trick to carnitas occurs after cooking is 100% complete. Shred like normal, then sauté in a little olive oil in a hot skillet until crispy. Don’t skip this part! That sauté makes carnitas what they are – luscious bites of pork that beg for a taco shell and some cabbage.

Have a great week!

Question: What is your favorite type of orange? Do you cook or bake with blood oranges? What do you make?

Filed Under: Meat Lovers, Slow Cooker

St. Patrick’s Day & Locally-Sourced Pork Shoulder

March 17, 2013 by Every Little Thing 4 Comments

Like many, I too have a history of spending this holiday in a bar drinking green beer, occasionally quite early in the morning. However, I have a much longer history of eating corned beef and cabbage (well, let’s face it, just corned beef) and running through the McDonald’s drive-thru so everyone had a Shamrock Shake. All that said, this isn’t a holiday that most people celebrate around the dinner table, celebrating over a traditional feast.

Think of Thanksgiving, Easter brunch, and Christmas dinner – all celebrated with those foods you wait for all year long. Now think of St. Patrick’s Day. Other than the boring and not-quite-authentic corned beef and cabbage, there isn’t much to feast on. However, I think we can change that.

Check out this new column for FEAST Magazine, in which I introduce “What We’re Cooking” with an Irish feast of Live Springs Farm pork shoulder, rubbed with fennel then braised in Schlafly Irish Stout, served alongside YellowTree Farm Japanese white sweet potatoes and onion. Just in time for your St. Paddy’s Day!

The winner of the Navita’s Naturals giveaway winner is…

Congrats! I’ll contact you shortly!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Filed Under: FEAST Magazine, Friendly Info

Last Weekend I Met Smitten Kitchen

March 7, 2013 by Every Little Thing 7 Comments

You know, she would probably appreciate that I use her real name.

Last weekend I met Smitten Kitchen Deb, and she was fabulous.

If you hadn’t heard, Deb Perelman is the author of Smitten Kitchen, an utterly wonderful food blog of the highest order. She recently wrote her first cookbook and has been touring the country in promotion, but also in food and friendship. She was kind enough to meet with a group of food bloggers here in St. Louis and chat about her blog, her readership, and her experience with toasted ravioli (a St. Louis native food that I’m not especially proud of).

The book signing was held at the unique space that is Left Bank Books. When I arrived for the food blogger meet and greet, an hour before the official event began, the front row seats were already taken. That’s how many readers love Deb, her recipes, and her frank approach to cooking.

The meet and greet bloggers included many St. Louis friends that I mention often:

We chatted about eating and cooking food from our homeland, turning one’s daily recipes into a cookbook, and what if feels like to have an entire linen closet full of one-use kitchen appliances and no linens. Deb was engaging and was as equally locked in to each and every food blogger like they were the ones about to do a book signing for a hundred people.

I’d had her book for well over a month before she visited St. Louis. I often lay in bed at night and page through the eye-catching photos, trying to narrow down what would work for dinner on a busy weeknight. This time though, I was inspired to make something simple…something sweet. As a Twitter friend said – it’s amazing how a simple change can make all the difference.

I made the Smitten Kitchen brown butter crispy treats. Much like traditional “crispy treats,” a blend of butter, marshmallow, and your crispy cereal of choice make this no-bake dessert a favorite of kindergarteners everywhere. As a grown-up, I love the Smitten Kitchen version, where nutty brown butter replaces regular, and flakes of Maldon sea salt liven up the marshmallow.

You’ll need to buy her book to get the actual recipe but suffice it to say, you won’t be disappointed by any of the other recipes, pictures, or anecdotes within those luscious, mouth-watering pages.

Love her!

Filed Under: Around Town, Friendly Info

Citrus Salad with Feta

March 3, 2013 by Every Little Thing 3 Comments

The sun doesn’t peek out from behind the grey very often during a Midwest winter. Though the winter season varies in length between, say, Missouri and Michigan (four months or so in the former, a never ending six months in the latter), the grey subsists across the sky. Cabin fever is a real thing (something I wrote about when I first started this blog) and at this point, the beginning of March, most everyone is bursting at the seams to feel the rejuvenating power of the sun.

That hasn’t happened yet, so we’ll have to settle (in the best way possible) for the comfort of a glowing red, pink, and orange citrus salad.

This is a simple salad, meant for those snow-covered days when you can’t stand to step foot in the cold yet need to feel that breath of fresh air, that glimpse of light amongst all that grey. No real recipe, really – sweet and juicy combined with salty, crunchy, and tangy.

You can easily create these beautiful sun-drenched rings of blood orange (or navel, for that matter) by slicing before you peel. In thin rings, the rind will easily separate itself from the flesh and you’re left with rings that resemble – what else? – the sun. Do the same with pink grapefruit to counter some sour in the face of all that sweet.

Add a salty, tangy cheese like feta (pictured here) or goat, the bite of red onion, the crunch of almonds or pine nuts, and just because they match the décor, pomegranate arils. Have some clementines lying around? Let them join their citrus brethren.

No dressing needed – you’ll have a winter’s worth of fruit juice in one bowl to quench your thirst.

The winner of the I <3 Trader Joe’s Vegetarian edition is…

The winner of the Alexia prize pack is…

The Nativa’s Naturals giveaway doesn’t end for two more days, so comment away!

Filed Under: Salads, Sides, Vegetarian

Giveaway: Navita’s Naturals

February 27, 2013 by Every Little Thing 45 Comments

**This giveaway is closed. Winner will be posted on 3/10**

The next giveaway, this time from Navita’s Naturals, a fantastic company that offers organic and minimally-processed superfoods. Acai berry? Hemp powder? Raw maca? They have it all, including cacao. Here’s a little bit about their cacao nibs:

Navitas Naturals Cacao Sweet Nibs are made by gently rolling crumbled cacao beans in raw cacao liquor and then lightly sweetening them with organic cane juice. These versatile nibs have a strong dark chocolate flavor. They’re a perfect snack right out of the bag, and they are an ideal ingredient in recipes that could use a chocolate crunch.

And guess what? You can win them! The Navita’s Naturals giveaway includes:

1 bag Navita’s Naturals Organic Cocoa Nibs
1 hardcover copy of Superfood Kitchen by Julie Morris

This book has gorgeous pictures of plant-based, whole foods dishes that will tease anyone’s stomach, no matter their diet.

To enter this giveaway:

Visit the Navita’s Naturals website and comment with your favorite Navita’s product (please leave your email address!)

Extra entries:

Follow Every Little Thing on Twitter and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)
Like Every Little Thing on Facebook and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)
Tweet the following: “I entered the @NavitasNaturals giveaway on @stacyELTblog ! Enter here: http://www.everylittlethingblog.com/2013/02/giveaway-navitas-naturals/

Fine Print:

Giveaway starts February 26, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. CST
Giveaway ends March 5 at 11:59 p.m. CST
The winner will be chosen using random.org
I will contact the winner and they have 48 hours to respond. If they do not, I will use random.org to choose a new winner.

The Trader Joe’s book giveaway ends on February 28.

The Alexia Prize Pack giveaway ends March 3.

Filed Under: Giveaway

Giveaway: Alexia Prize Pack

February 24, 2013 by Every Little Thing 34 Comments

**This giveaway has ended! Winner will be posted 3/3/13*

When I told you this was the week of giveaways, I wasn’t joking (don’t forget about the Trader Joe’s book giveaway)! Up next – the one and only Alexia offers up a prize pack!

Alexia makes some of the best all natural frozen potato products, including organic French fries, hashbrowns, and their new frozen sweet potato rolls. They sent me a bag of sweet potato rolls to try and they’re my new favorite!

The Alexia prize pack includes

1 Alexia apron
1 Alexia kitchen timer
1 coupon for a FREE Alexia product

In addition, you can also sign up to be part of the Alexia Ambassador Program for exclusive recipes, coupons, free gift cards and kitchen gear. Visit http://rewards.alexiafoods.com to begin earning points towards these prizes and more!

To enter this giveaway:

Visit Alexia’s website and comment with your favorite Alexia product (please leave your email address!)

Extra entries:

Follow Every Little Thing on Twitter and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)
Like Every Little Thing on Facebook and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)

Fine Print:

Giveaway starts February 24, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. CST
Giveaway ends March 3 at 11:59 a.m. CST
The winner will be chosen using random.org
I will contact the winner and they have 48 hours to respond. If they do not, I will use random.org to choose a new winner.

The Trader Joe’s book giveaway ends on February 28, and there’s still a couple giveaways to come!

Filed Under: Giveaway

Giveaway: I Love Trader Joe’s Vegetarian Cookbook

February 21, 2013 by Every Little Thing 70 Comments

**This giveaway has ended! Winner will be posted 3/3/13*

I promised you giveaways, and what better day to start a huge reader appreciation effort than

#snOwMG 2013?

Yes, we were pounded with snow and ice here in St. Louis today. Sure, it’s been worse, but it’s never a bad thing to slow down and take a snow day in order to appreciate your life, work, and weekly schedule. I had grand plans for today (including citrus chili! I KNOW), but then I woke up with a fever and major body aches. Those grand plans got trampled with snow just like everything else in St. Louis and here I sit, under a warm blanket having not moved for a good three hours.

That’s OK though, because when you’re sick or snowed in, what better time to pick up a new book?

The first giveaway is for the I <3 Trader Joe’s Vegetarian Cookbook! Using food found at your local TJ’s, this cookbook gives a variety of vegetarian and easily vegan dishes that are not only easy but creative as well.

And you can win a copy!

To enter this giveaway:

Comment with your favorite Trader Joe’s product (please leave your email address!)

Extra entries:

Follow Every Little Thing on Twitter and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)
Like Every Little Thing on Facebook and comment saying you did, or that already do (one extra entry)

Fine Print:

Giveaway starts February 21, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. CST
Giveaway ends February 28 at 11:59 p.m. CST
The winner will be chosen using random.org
I will contact the winner and they have 48 hours to respond. If they do not, I will use random.org to choose a new winner.

More giveaways to come!

Filed Under: Giveaway

A Wedding and A Honeymoon, Part 2

A Wedding and A Honeymoon, Part 1

Potato Soup with Bacon and Scallions

Slow Cooker Blood Orange Pork Shoulder Carnitas

St. Patrick’s Day & Locally-Sourced Pork Shoulder

Last Weekend I Met Smitten Kitchen

Citrus Salad with Feta

Giveaway: Navita’s Naturals

Giveaway: Alexia Prize Pack

Giveaway: I Love Trader Joe’s Vegetarian Cookbook

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