Say anything about me, say I'm an odd bird.

I spend most of every weekend in my kitchen, simmering sauces, brining meats, grinding spices, mincing herbs, to be able to start my work week with a fridge stocked full of homemade, love-infused foods for me and my guy.  I envision the joy it will bring me to come home from a ruthlessly dull day at the office, to shed my stiff garments, throw on a pair of lounge pants and saunter into the kitchen ready for my 90 seconds to dinner.

But...

Instead, most days I find myself barreling through the door, 5:45pm, ravenous and electrified, T minus 1.5 hours to yoga and no way in hell I'm gonna make it to dinner at 9pm, so it's straight to the fridge door where I stash my peanut butter, at which point I proceed to consume a reasonable but inconveniently timed calorie intake in the most unplanned and uncouth of ways: pantsless, squatted in front of the open refrigerator, peanut butter jar and cap both balanced tentatively on my left paw while I spoon the stuff out with my right, as I gaze wistfully upon my containers of laborious prepped home-cooking.

Here's the view.  I've taken to calling it the Lambdom, due to my recent propensity for preparing all things sheepish in my slow cooker.

Rewind, retry:

Assuming you're not crazed with hunger, here's what you do when your fridge is full of incongruous but viable eats and you're kind of a screen-ravaged zombie:

Pick 1 of each: 

• CARB: ie. rice, tortilla, crusty bread heel, baked potato
• PROTEIN: LAMB! or: chicken, beans, tofu, cheese, etc.
• VEG: spinach, broccoli, that squash you roasted with such good intentions...
• CONDIMENT: ie. mustard, miso-sesame dressing, jarred salsa, kimchi

Arrange your selection in a vessel of your choosing and nuke it while you proceed to PUT SOME PANTS ON FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HAVE YOU ANY DECENCY and enjoy!!

If you're in a generous mood, repeat for your partner, lover, friend, but be sure to reserve the choicest cuts and yummiest bites for yourself 'cause these are the fruits of your own damn labor.

Disclaimer: I'm back, with less filter, more cowbell.

Mini-quiche w/ ramps, goat cheese + red rice #spring #food #onthego

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/YnOGeBQSj2/

Coconut red curry chicken

From Melissa' Clark's recipe for the NY Times.

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/YGpEzsQSu9/

Braised lamb with wilted dandelion greens and locally-brewed kombucha #sundaysupper

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/XQiRHOQSlR/

Ginger steamed tilapia with baby bok choy over quinoa

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/WViaGbQSmb/

Sesame Beef

adapted from http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/sesame-beef-bowl/

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/WIdRd9QSkf/

Dijon egg salad with pickled celery #snowedin

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Vg5OFAQSo4/

Lentil Stew with Sausage, Chard, and Garlic #SK #food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/VRnAW6wSmK/

Wintry day egg curry

Indian Egg Curry 

(serves 3-4)

-6 eggs

- 2 tbs. vegetable oil or ghee

- 1 tsp. black mustard seeds

- ½ tsp. fenugreek seeds

- 1 tsp. cumin seeds

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 4 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 tbs. fresh ginger, minced

- 1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes (I like the kind with green chilis for this)

- 1 tsp. garam masala

- 2 tsp. ground coriander

- ½ tsp. cayenne

- 1 tsp. ground turmeric

- 2 tbs. Greek yogurt

- salt

- cilantro leaves for garnish

1. Hard boil the eggs, peel, cut in half, and set aside.
2.  Heat the oil or ghee over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek, and cumin. When mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion and cook till translucent.
3. Add garlic and ginger and cook about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
4. Add tomatoes, garam masala, coriander, cayenne, and turmeric. When it starts to boil, reduce heat and simmer, with cover, about 10 minutes.
5. Stir in yogurt and salt to taste. Add eggs and gently spoon the gravy over them.
6. Simmer with eggs for another 2 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve over rice.

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/VMkY90QSlN/

Braised pork adobo

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/UuPVz9wSl_/

Sunday pot roast #comfort#food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/UcXz6fwSgM/

Minestrone to cure what ails ya!

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/UZYNtCwStk/

By popular demand, recipe can be found here. I modified slightly, by omitting the prosciutto and substituting dandelion greens for kale. Otherwise, to the letter and absolutely delicious. Enjoy!

Taters and thyme #food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/UMyTJDQSpN/

Leeks vinaigrette w/ capers + egg for #lunch#food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/UHPPh7wSiz/

Romanesco pesto w/ fresh spinach fettucine #holiday#food @ebedelia

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Tqzz0VQSof/

My weird #food obsessions know no bounds: oatmeal w/ homemade harissa and feta.

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/Tn0xqewSh3/

Homemade harissa made with deep, dark Urfa chilis, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and my own blend of Ras el-Hanout spices. #food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/TlSgO5wSho/

Cauliflower pesto, minus the cauliflower: romano, garlic, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, red chili pepper and almonds #food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/TjX6fCQSud/

Ratatouille, third iteration: lasagna! #food

via Instagram http://instagr.am/p/TUU9MAQSvt/

Summer Panzanella

This is going to sound horrible, but it took me until this morning to finally make it to the summer farmer's market in my neighborhood.  The past few Saturdays, I've been too quick to cook up an excuse: too many errands to do, gotta clean the house, going to visit Grandma, too hot, too rainy, yadda yadda, etc. etc.  I deserve to be arrested by the summer police.

Anyway, I finally made it!  I was so overwhelmed by the mid-summer bounty that I dove right in like a hungry pelican and came out with a beak-full of peak-season veggies.  Given the randomness of my selection, I decided a salad would serve this hodge-podge well and, with the addition of a fresh loaf of sourdough from Hot Bread Kitchen, I was ready for some panzanella.  Here's what you do:

Tear a 1 pound loaf of crusty bread (like sourdough) into bite-size pieces, spread out on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and toast in a 400 degree oven for 7 minutes, until slightly crispy (you're not going for croutons).  Dump into a large salad bowl and set aside.  Take your smattering of market vegetables - tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, scallion, corn, whatever - and chop into desired bite-size shapes.  Add to your bowl of toasted bread.  Wash and tear a handful of basil leaves and throw those in as well.  In a smaller bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup good olive oil, more salt and pepper, and pour over the bread and veggies.  Toss well and serve immediately, preferably on a terrace in the sun...