| Hello, all. It's Saturday morning, which means as this lands in your inbox, I'm probably drafting a grocery list for the week. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm a planner and a rule-follower, so when I make that list, I stick to it — for the sake of my wallet, my sanity and my time. My husband, though, is a little less literal, and I love him for it. Of the two of us, he's certainly the more whimsical one, so when I send him off to the store with my carefully crafted list, I assume he'll come back with a few surprises in tow. It's become such a habit that I know to ask him what he got "off-list." When I'm not as pressed for time, I allow myself to wander the aisles with no agenda. Even if I tell myself I'm not buying anything extra, I like to know what's available — for professional reasons, you see — and what's new. (It's how I discovered my closest chain store suddenly grew a quite impressive Middle Eastern selection.) And once in a while, I stumble across an item that inspires me to cook, or at least treat myself. How else would I have ended up with a vat of pistachio cream at Costco, the Nuts About Elote Mix from Trader Joe's I need in my work desk, or the Cadbury Mini Eggs I'm sure I'll grab before Easter? What are some of your favorite recent grocery store finds? I'd love to hear about them, so send me an email. Aaron Hutcherson felt a similar spark when he first encountered store-bought parmesan crisps. These salty, umami-rich rounds take the place of croutons in his Spinach Salad With Chicken, Orange and Sesame. The recipe also stars another one of my can't-live-without foods: Cara Cara oranges. I was introduced to these coral-colored, sweet and less acidic beauties probably more than a decade ago thanks to my work with the Food team, and I've been hooked ever since. Aaron uses both the flesh and the zest in this salad that bridges the gap between cold winter days and the promise of warm spring afternoons. Daniela Galarza's Enchiladas Suizas (Creamy Enchiladas Verdes) employ store-bought salsa verde, another staple in my house that I like to use on nachos, burritos and quesadillas. Here, it's blended with Mexican crema (sour cream, half-and-half or plain yogurt also work) and a few aromatics to form the sauce for the enchiladas topped with a layer of melty cheese. If you've spent any time shopping and eating in Rhode Island, you may be familiar with coffee milk, the official state beverage. For the uninitiated — and I was among them until a few weeks ago — think chocolate milk, but made with coffee syrup instead. I got to test Allison Robicelli's Coffee Milk recipe, and now I understand why so many people in the Ocean State are hooked on it. I intend to keep a jar of the espresso-heavy simple syrup around in my fridge all the time now, so I can whip up a sweet and creamy glass on mornings when I need something a bit extra to power me through. Ellie Krieger's Chicken Soup With Vegetables and Peanuts is thick and rich in a different kind of way. This satisfying recipe, aromatic with spices, takes inspiration from West African stews. Of course, Ellie being Ellie, the recipe includes loads of vegetables, and if you're interested in protein, each serving (1 2/3 cups) contains 24 grams of it. In our most recent live cooking chat, Aaron and I tackled one of those things we all take for granted: How big is a clove of garlic? (My advice: Don't sweat it too much and use as much or as little as you want.) I really do relish in geeking out on these types of topics, so bring your best questions when we do it all again Wednesday at noon Eastern. Send them along now and then return when we flip the switch to go live. Until next week, happy cooking. |
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