Recipe: Cheddar Bacon Burger topped with Truffle Mushrooms

Perhaps it is my East Coast upbringing, but my conscience is peppered with my “Should” list.

• I should floss more.
• I should swear less.
• I should call my Grandmother more.
• I should drink less.

The list goes on and on, and let me tell you…it is f*cking exhausting (see…there goes bullet #2).

Also on the list is that I “should” take public transportation more, and furthering my commitment to being more eco-friendly, I “should” eat less meat. Continue reading

Recipe: Grilled Vegetable Paninis with Cheddar Broccoli Soup

I remember the first time I discovered Three Buck Chuck,Trader Joes’ infamous cheap wine. I was in college in NY and was throwing a party. Of course, being a student I hardly had two pennies to rub together, but my foodie tendencies were already starting to come out and I was determined that there should be more wine than anyone knew what to do with at this grand fête.

“You know about Three Buck, right?” Continue reading

Recipe: Grilled Summer Vegetable Strata

You might have noticed some minor changes around here lately. Nothing too big of course, but hopefully some small upgrades that will make Shut Up & Cook tick up one more notch on your “Favorite Food Blogs” list. (Incidentally, thank you to all who participated in the giveaway for free tickets to the Best of Seattle Party. All of your blog suggestions and recipe wish lists were such fun to receive).

The biggest change is the addition of a Recipe Index. Continue reading

Recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

As you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m not much of a “Woo-Woo” person. I don’t listen to Phish, I haven’t owned tye-die since 1991, I don’t believe in Dream Catchers or Fortune Tellers, and I generally find activities where you’re supposed to close your eyes and hold hands with your neighbor somewhat amusing, and very uncomfortable.

Oddly Delicious: Creamy Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

This translates itself in perfect form into the kitchen as I suspiciously flip through recipes exclaiming “Delicious Sprout Smoothies” or “Dairy Free Grilled Cheese”. Continue reading

Well, it’s back to reality for me. Back to high heels and pencil skirts, meetings, and a never-ending inbox. But it’s also back to very fun things like whipping up meals in my own kitchen, summer in Seattle, afternoons spent on the lake, and my puppies, of course.

Ms. Lou…and yes….we’re keeping her.

Having arrived back in Seattle on Sunday, and preparing for the reality that awaited (flip-flops and bathing suits no longer being acceptable attire, a seemingly absurd requirement by The Man that I brush my hair before leaving the house, and a general disapproval for drinking Gin & Tonics with my lunch), I of course took the obvious path which was to procrastinate about everything I should be doing. Continue reading

The lobsters we were eating on Saturday had been in the water the day before, and the taste was absolutely exquisite accordingly.

“Duh-ya-wanna-enta-thuh-Shaws-prize-contest?”, mumbled the teenage cashier at the local grocery store, hip cocked to one side, doing her best to make sure everyone around her knew just how cool she was, and how uncool she thinks being a grocery checkout girl is.

“Excuse me?”, I asked, having only caught about every third word amidst her smacking gum, thick Boston accent, and general disdain for all around her. Continue reading

Cranes Beach, one of my favorite places on earth.

Have I mentioned I’m in paradise?

Of course, there’s no such thing. But when we allow ourselves to believe this simple fairy tale, bookended with no schedules, no responsibilities, no To-Do list, and no meetings, we can almost disappear for a minute into days of endless possibility, indulgent foods of my youth, afternoons dozing on the beach, and wearing PJs until noon.

The pile of flip-flops abandoned, only to be retrieved by the end of the day, sometimes yours is still there, if not, you just take another.

It is hard to describe the town I grew up in if you’ve never been here, or if you grew up in a city, or if you’ve never had the experience of everyone knowing your name…of everyone knowing your everything if we’re being honest.

As such, I’ll tell you a tale of a little town called Ipswich, if it pleases you. For this is where I am from.

The other day my wonderful Mama had trotted off to the town library. Continue reading