I won!

I can’t actually believe it, but it’s true.

It’s been a whirlwind, no doubt. Arriving there last Tuesday, heading into the kitchen, and beginning the task of making dinner for 50 people in one of the best restaurants in Seattle (with a camera crew following your every move no less) felt like such an honor, and such an adventure.

Plating at Kitchen Circus…multiply by 50.

In many ways, I was incredibly naive. Things that I thought would take an hour, took double. Continue reading

I’m running on fumes.

To admit that to myself is terrifying…because to admit it means to slow down enough to feel it. And to slow down enough to feel it means I might not be able to get up again and keep going.

Keep going, keep going. Write this, cook that. Smile here, show up there. Try to take care of everything, of everyone. Can it be done? Of course it can.

Of course it can’t.

This is the dance that we do. Continue reading

Recipe: Tournedos Rossini (Filet Mignon, topped with Foie Gras, finished with a Madeira Wine Sauce)

Monday morning began by getting swept into hair and make-up and made to look much more chic than I perhaps ever have before.

No longer the girl next door.

The lovely gals from Gene Juarez promised not to make me look like “a Barbie”, although at one point they did look at me, both cock their heads, and declare that I looked “too presidential” and needed to go a little more Glamour Chef. Continue reading

Recipe: Make Ahead Breakfast Quiches with Kale and Brie

I’m getting excited. Nervous too. But mostly excited.

“Why?”, you might ask.

Make Ahead Breakfast Quiches with Kale and Brie

The countdown is officially on for my debut on the Kitchen Circus. For those of you not familiar with what I’ve gotten myself into this time, Kitchen Circus, hosted by Top Chef Master Thierry Rautureau, is a reality cooking competition featuring three home cooks who will test their skills preparing one course of a three course meal at Seattle’s renowned Rover’s restaurant. Continue reading

Life is funny.

We strut, and stride, and march along, desperate to be sure of where we’re going, but so often secretly waiting for the wind to come along and steer us in the right direction. Mistakes take us by surprise and may humble or inspire, but often, without our even knowing, they become the new compass from which we guide ourselves.

[How is THAT for a pile of mixed metaphors…geeeez louise, get this woman to English Majors Anonymous!]

Sweet Potato Hash served on a Bed of Winter Greens with Pancetta and Finished with Caramelized Scallops and a Spicy Remoulade

Such was the case with this dinner, thrown together in less than 30 minutes, and ultimately the result of my Pommes Paillasson (or potato pancake if you’re not feeling fancy and French) cooking beautifully and then absolutely wiping out when I tried to flip it out of the pan one last time. Continue reading

There comes a time in all young blog’s lives when they must grow up. They must face the reality of search engine optimization, and custom designs, and the dreadful reality of being the masters of their own domains. Such is that time, ladies and gentleman, and so it is today, with bittersweet emotions (emphasis on the “sweet”) that I announce that Shut Up & Cook has officially graduated to www.TheAttainableGourmet.com.

Same honest words, same real food, same me…but with a bit more sass. Continue reading

Recipe: Vegetarian Stuffing

Fall has arrived in Seattle as though a curtain has dropped, ending the summer act and beginning the autumn intermission. The days are slow to start, and quick to end, with raindrops battering against windows as we all feverishly try to hold onto the glorious sunny days we’ve just left behind.

With this transition comes the inevitable shift in behavior. Days on the lake are replaced with afternoons spent reading on the couch, the soft snore of a puppy interrupting thoughts and inspiring a refill to a glass of wine or bowl of truffle popcorn. Continue reading

Recipe:15 Minute Meals: Scallop Fettuccine Tossed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Fried Capers

This past weekend was lazy. The kind of lazy that almost makes you more tired and gets into your bones, but is sometimes exactly what you need. Reading for hours, tucking in at nine o’clock, and considering laundry a triumph was what I was all about. Duke and Lou were oh-so-pleased to oblige.

Come Monday though, all that changes. The week is filled with endless tasks, to-dos, demands, and delights. Continue reading