Jacky Hackett

Food Memory {French Silk Pie}

If you’d like to remain blissfully unaware of the makings of a French Silk Pie, read no further. Send this link to a loved one and ask them to prepare it for you. Win win! French Silk Pie is one of my favorite food memories. Ye olde pie chain in our town made this pie famous. It was a rare occasion I got to eat a slice. In junior high French class I had the opportunity to make this pie for the…

Apple Season {Roasted Cauliflower and Apple}

It is well established that I am team apple > pumpkin come fall. And this site has my love of cauliflower thoroughly documented. I’ve cut way back on meat in favor of whole food plant based eating. I am also working to cut back on salt. Mrs. Dash is my go-to to make this possible. It is been part of spice cabinet as far back as I can remember. In fact, the first time I roasted cauliflower was…

Next Summer {Charred Tomatoes with Cold Yogurt}

Bookmark this one for next summer, or use your fall garden bounty. This was my go-to appetizer this summer and it never failed to please. Assembled in advanced, it makes for a low effort and beautiful dish. It is also a great way to use up tomatoes that are on the brink. Baking them means they don’t have to look perfect. The warm tomato and the cool tangy yogurt on crunchy bread hits all the…

Try, Try Again {Irish Soda Bread}

My mom is one of the main reasons I come back to this blog. She always encouraged me to get back to it, she enjoyed reading my posts. I have been unsuccessfully attempting her Irish Soda Bread recipe for years. YEARS. It is always a fail despite following the recipe exactly, right down to the well greased cast iron pan. It is always a fail. An epic fail. I had given up attempting this recipe.…

Fall Meal Refresh {Sausage and Apple Pie}

Fall is my favorite season. Not only are the trees gorgeous but they produce some beautiful bounties. Fresh picked honey crisp apples, yes please! We have been celebrating the season with this pie for over ten years, it truly captures the season.

The original recipe is quite decedent. I’ve improved on ita bit over the years, but it can still be rich and heavy. Making it this year, I decided to…

Comforting {Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter & Sage}

I am about 90% done cooking my way through Nothing Fancy, but have a new cookbook that is keeping me in the kitchen, Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten. I mean who doesn’t crave comfort food enduring this pandemic and election cycle.

The book is full of approachable recipes, new takes on old classics, and lots of great pictures. I’ve already made about ten recipes and more on deck.

Brussel…

It’s Fall Y’all {Savory Butternut Squash Oatmeal}

After some unseasonably warm weather, we have finally settled into cool fall days. Chilly mornings have me craving oatmeal, steel cut oats are my favorite. Flipping through The WFPB Cookbook I found the perfect recipe, and I had everything on hand.

Let me say, I do love this cookbook. Beyond the recipes there is some great details on whole-food plant-based eating. The SOS bit has particularly…

An Apple a Day {Apple Cider Honey Vinaigrette}

Fresh picked apples are one of my favorite things about fall. Especially cooking with apples. Honey Crisp apples are just one of Mother Nature’s delightful distractions as she takes away the warmth of the summer.

This cookbook is my favorite this time a year. Literally a recipe for every day of the year. Though I mostly pull it out in fall when fresh picked apples are in abundance.

We are…

Good Day Sunshine {Cauliflower Scramble}

Twenty weeks into quarantine and life certainly looks different. Big and small changes, some good some bad. For example, I certainly do not miss my commute – now that I have learned to transition from work to home. My train ride was always that transition time, I spent it primarily with headphones in, podcast on, shutting out the world. Irony. Early in my work at home weeks I spent the time…

Abundance {Jerk Shrimp and Minted Melon Salad}

Despite quarantine being a perfect time to tend a garden, I did not plant a garden this year, first time in probably 15 years. We attempted to start a few vegetables from seed. We had quick success that led to epic failure. In summary, I don’t have the energy to be responsible for keeping anything else alive this pandemic.

Luckily though a few items from last year sprouted in my garden and…

Summer Memories {Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp}

It was a blink of en eye from the shelter in place order to the end of the school year, summer kick-off, and throw in throw in racial injustice that has brought us to another tipping point. The images, stories, resources are flooding our social media streams. While necessary, can be overwhelming. Hope everyone is taking time to digest, learn, and most importantly care for themselves and their…

Reverse Sear {Celery and Fennel with Walnuts and Blue Cheese}

It hasn’t been grilling season in Chicago quite yet, heck it snowed twice recently. The weather cooperated this weekend, more chilly rainy days ahead. Not my favorite, but we can make do with the stove/oven. Typically I’d sear the steak in a smoking hot cast iron skillet and then finish in the oven. But alas, a new skill acquired thanks to the Nothing Fancy cookbook by Alison Roman, the reverse…

But First, Dessert {Tiny, Salty, Chocolatey Cookies}

New world, new rules. Dessert first is a good start, and I advise you make these cookies part of this new rule. Chocolately indeed.

First off, if you have never made browned butter, this is the perfect opportunity to learn. It is magic! Making it takes your full attention as there is a fine line between the most perfect transformation and burnt biter sludge. Heat butter on medium heat, swirl…

File this under it took a pandemic. Truth be told, I’ve been longing for the time and motivation to get back to this. And along with that, some quality content. Well, despite the pandemic, I’m struggling to have the time but I am trying my best to make the time. Of course I consider myself lucky, I am able to work form the safety of my home, I am want for nothing, and have most of my immediate…

Summer’s Gem {Tomato Toast}

A tomato picked fresh from the garden and warm from the sun, nothing is better. Nothing!

Growing up my mom had a garden that ran the length of house. I don’t know where she found the time. She grew a variety of vegetables, but honestly I only recall the tomatoes.

Early on she taught me the art of the perfect tomato sandwich. White bread toasted, mayo, sliced tomato. While the structure is…

Ramped Up Mother’s Day {Ramp Butter}

anIt was my mothers birthday, and as I’ve done for the past three years I headed to toast her at one of her favorite spots with one of her favorite cocktails.

I opened Instagram on my phone as one does when they are alone. The first post I saw caused me to just about fall out of my seat. An insta-friend was celebrating her birthday and  posted a picture of a gift she received, it was a cookbook.…

Comfort Food {Meatball Fondue}

Winter continues, temps in Chicago are below zero and windchills are even lower. At least they were when I wrote this post. We still have a few chilly evenings left until spring. Comfort food to the rescue.

This recipe is inspired by the meatball fondue recipe from Cooking Light. I’m so sad the print version of Cooking Light is no more. I’ve always enjoyed their recipes and have so many back…