Cookie and Kate

Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes

August 4, 2021 40 Comments

Have you tried the baked feta pasta that took the internet by storm earlier this year? That simple recipe inspired this delicious summer dip, which features some of my very favorite flavors—creamy feta, tangy cherry tomatoes, olives and plenty of fresh basil.

Baking these ingredients together near the heat source yields maximal flavor. The feta softens and turns golden, the cherry tomatoes burst and naturally sweeten, and the olives become even more intensely olive-y. Swirled together and finished with a generous sprinkle of basil, the combination is sublime.

This dish also bears a resemblance to a classic Greek dish called feta fournou, or baked feta. That dish typically features feta with bell pepper, tomato and oregano.

The flavors in today’s dip are also delicious raw, as you’ve seen in my Mediterranean Tomato & Feta Dip—make that one if you don’t want to turn on the oven! Either one will be a perfect light meal or summer evening appetizer.

Continue to the recipe »

Some News! & What to Cook This August

August 2, 2021 154 Comments

August is here. Last month, I promised to let you know about some behind-the-scenes news. Now seems like the time to do it, because I can hardly write about food with so much going on. Food and life are inseparable, you know? Here we go:

1) We are having a baby!

Next month, in fact. We are having a girl and couldn’t be more delighted to meet her soon. She has a name, she just kicked to say hello, and we saw that she is growing hair on her little head during our last ultrasound.

I could write twenty pages about our experience so far, but in short, it has been difficult. We ran into some health complications, we continue to see specialists, and they continue to assure us that the most likely outcome is a healthy baby. We feel incredibly fortunate and hopeful, and send our love to everyone who’s experienced heartache, fear and uncertainty along the journey to parenthood. We know them well.

2) We got a puppy.

That’s right, my husband talked me into getting a puppy while I’m pregnant. Would I recommend it? Well, that really depends on your situation. Clover is a perfectly rambunctious yellow lab. She’s in her awkward adolescent phase right now and learning better manners every day. She tries my patience now, but she will be a great family dog.

I don’t know how we got another food-obsessed pup, but Clover steals kale out of the garden bed and sticks her head into the dishwasher to see what she can scrounge up. Anyone have any tips on how to keep her out of the dishwasher?

3) My brother was in a serious accident.

On the Fourth of July, he was wakeboarding with family and just barely missed his landing. Every critical component within his knee shattered in that moment. Within days, it became clear that his leg from the knee down could not be saved. He spent nearly the entire month in the hospital and is finally home as of last weekend. I drove down to visit him as often as I could.

I shared a bit about this on Instagram and want to thank you deeply for your well wishes. He still has a long recovery ahead, but he is strong and resilient and has the most wonderful wife by his side. If all goes well, he’ll be walking around on a brand new leg by Thanksgiving.

4) Cookie is doing well.

Since her lymphoma diagnosis last fall, she continues to receive chemotherapy every three weeks because she has one stubborn lymph node that won’t go away. The good news is that the chemo works well and doesn’t seem to bother her (it’s much easier on dogs than humans). She’s still her bouncy self and pretends to hate chasing around her new little sister, who has already surpassed her in size.

5) We are redesigning the website.

(And our house, but that’s another story.) Before the baby arrives, I’m determined to get the site in tip-top shape for another decade of fresh recipes! The new website should launch later this month. It’s an improvement upon the current site, not a total departure.

Among other features, you’ll be able to filter recipes more easily so you can find exactly what you want. The home page will share the newest recipes as well as favorites from the archives. I hope you love it!

That’s all for now.

It’s a lot, I know. Despite the silence on the blog last month, I have been developing and photographing recipes for you. I have a delicious stockpile to last us through the end of the year—I’ve never been so far ahead! Now it’s just a race to get them ready to launch before I take off for maternity leave. I want to be fully present with our daughter during her first few months, so I will just have to accept what I can and cannot get done. I feel much better now that you know what’s going on and what to expect.

This month, farmers’ markets are exploding with goodness. Fortunately, much of the produce growing now doesn’t need much cooking, if at all. Now’s the time to savor a ripe peach over the sink (I just did!). You’ll find plenty of seasonal meals below.

Avocado

Erin’s Peach & Avocado Green Salad

Gluten free

“I made this salad exactly as written last night and it was good I dreamed about it! We are suffering a severe heat wave in the PNW right now so eating many of your salads! Thanks for sharing.” – Debbie

More avocado recipes »

Show me more fruit and vegetables »

Margherita Pizza

July 20, 2021 14 Comments

Pizza always makes a bad day feel better, and there’s nothing nicer than a perfect slice of margherita pizza. Now you can make this recipe at home any time the craving strikes!

Pizza margherita, as the Italians call it, is a simple pizza hailing from Naples. When done right, margherita pizza features a bubbly crust, crushed San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt. That is all.

Sure, you could add some tomato if you’d like, but only if the tomato is truly ripe, red and worthy. Authentic Neapolitan pizza margherita doesn’t require fresh tomato. Try making this pizza as written, and you won’t miss the tomato on top. Sometimes less is more.

This pizza is simple, fresh and a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It’s a delight to make and even better to eat. How about pizza tonight?

Continue to the recipe »

What to Cook This July & Fourth of July Recipes

July 2, 2021 37 Comments

July already? Last year felt like the longest year of my life, and this one is just flying by. We’re looking forward to celebrating the Fourth with family this year. We have some exciting changes going on behind the scenes around here. I’ll be sharing more about that soon.

If you’re looking for Fourth of July recipes, here are some of my favorites. The more salads, the better! Browse with pictures here.

Dips: Chunky Avocado Salsa, Mediterranean Tomato and Feta Dip, Pimento Cheese or Strawberry Salsa
Hearty Salads: Favorite Quinoa Salad, Fresh Black Bean Salad, Garden-Fresh Corn Salad, Jessica’s Marinated Chickpeas, Herbed Potato Salad (no mayo!), Layered Panzanella or Watermelon Salad with Herbed Yogurt Sauce
Meals: Grilled Veggie Skewers with Cilantro-Lime Rice (Love Real Food, page 160), Mujadara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions) or Favorite Veggie Burgers
Fun Desserts: Blueberry Almond Crisp, Easy Pineapple Mint Popsicles, Gluten-Free Almond Cake with Berries on Top, Simple Blueberry Cake or No-Bake Greek Yogurt Tart

Avocado

Gaby’s Cucumber Salad

Gluten free and vegan

“Made this immediately last night and loved it – my daughter as well! Quick and easy for when you get home from work – served alongside pasta.” – Connie

More avocado recipes »

Show me more fruit and vegetables »

Simple Blueberry Cake

July 1, 2021 110 Comments

This blueberry cake is my official summertime dessert. I hope it becomes yours, too. It’s tender, fully loaded with blueberries, and simple to make—no mixer required. It’s a dream!

This blueberry cake recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, which makes it extra delicious. Thanks to the blueberries and maple syrup, it’s nicely sweet but not over the top. Some cakes are so sweet that they give me a stomachache, but this one is just right.

This cake will absolutely be a hit at your Fourth of July festivities. Serve it as a “snacking cake” or make it celebration-worthy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I’ve even enjoyed a slice with yogurt for breakfast.

Continue to the recipe »

How to Make Buttermilk

June 29, 2021 35 Comments

Let’s talk about buttermilk for a minute. Buttermilk in baked goods yields wonderfully fluffy, light and tangy results. You’ve seen me use buttermilk in muffin and pancake recipes, and I’m super excited to share a simple cake recipe that calls for buttermilk later this week.

So, what is buttermilk? Traditionally, buttermilk was the fermented liquid leftover after churning cream into butter. These days, store-bought buttermilk is typically made from milk with added lactic bacteria, which produce lactic acid.

Contrary to what its name and thickened texture suggest, buttermilk is not buttery and is relatively low in fat. Store-bought options are usually about on par with whole milk, though reduced-fat options exist.

Why do we use buttermilk instead of plain milk? Tangy flavor aside, the acid present in buttermilk helps counteract baking soda, which is basic. Baking soda on its own is quite bitter—it needs both acidity and liquid to taste and function properly.

Buttermilk acts similarly to sour cream or yogurt, which are thicker cultured dairy products. Since buttermilk is thinner, I typically use about two-thirds cup buttermilk in place of one cup sour cream or yogurt.

Today, we’re talking about acidified buttermilk, or milk with added acid (vinegar or lemon juice) so it acts as buttermilk. This is the perfect substitute for your baking projects when you don’t have buttermilk on hand.

I love use this trick because it saves me from buying buttermilk, since I never seem to use up a full bottle in time! This method is also convenient if you follow a dairy-free or vegan diet, because you can make buttermilk with any type of milk.

Continue to the recipe »

↢ newer

older ↣

Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes