Meatballs with Mushrooms

Sundays are dubbed "Italian night" in my kitchen, and I've been pushing myself to expand my cooking expertise beyond seafood. Last night, I created a flavorful, light-as-air meatball that stands alone so beautifully, pasta is not even required. The woodsy baby bella mushrooms add another note of dark, rich hues without adding extra carbs. Next time, I'll add slivers of fresh garlic to the tomato sauce before plating on my Paper & Clay piece. Enjoy your Monday (with meatballs, perhaps)!

Makes 2 servings

1/2 pound ground lean beef 1 egg 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs 1/8 cup grated parmesan 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus extra for garnish Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 tablespoon butter 8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup tomato sauce

1. In a small bowl, place meat, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper. Use your hands to combine ingredients. Create six 2-inch diameter meatballs.

2. In a small cast-iron skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs, one by one, and sear for 2-3 minutes until bottoms are gold brown. Flip and repeat. Turn down heat to medium and continue to sear until cooked-through, approximately 10 minutes. Keep warm on low heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add mushrooms and caramelize for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Once mushrooms are cooked, divide onto two dinner plates. Return saucepan to stove and add tomato sauce, heating on medium heat until hot. Add three meatballs to each plate. Top with tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, and parsley. Serve immediately.

Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp

I'm a subscriber to Bon Appetît, and the March cover immediately caught my eye. First of all: It's about pasta (though I'm trying to strictly be a spiralizer user these days). Second: It's about new rules of pasta. Shrimp stock? Squid ink? Sounds intimidating yet intriguing. I cooked up the recipe for me and Alex last Saturday night with a chilled bottle of white wine, and we were both very pleased. Adapted from the cover issue, my recipe subs creamy, rich ricotta for nduja, the spreadable pork salami. One day I'll try it...But for now, seafood for the win. Enjoy!

Makes 4 servings

1 pound large shell-on shrimp 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 6 garlic cloves, divided, 2 smashes, 4 thinly sliced 1 bay leaf 1 cup whole peeled tomatoes, puréed Kosher salt 12 ounces squid ink linguine 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving 1/2 cup fresh ricotta Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel shrimp, saving shells. Chop shrimp and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high and cook smash garlic for 1 minute. Add reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring until bright pink, about 2 minutes. Add bay leaf and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, the reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh colander into a large boil. Discard solids. Set shrimp stock aside.

2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced garlic ad cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat (to avoid splattering) and add tomatoes and 1 cup shrimp stock. Return to heat and cook, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Store in reserved shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, until bright pink.

3. Cook pasta in large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

4. Add pasta and pasta cooking liquid to the sauce and cook, tossing often, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve pasta topped with 1 tablespoon ricotta and additional parsley.

adapted from bon appetît

Honey Lavender Berry Compote

The produce color palette is brightening its hues each time I arrive at the grocery store -- alas, spring is finally here! A simple combination that stands alone or enhances a scoop of ice cream or slice of pound cake, this compote will sing spring on your dining room table. The pure, natural honey (I highly recommend and use Nature Nate's) brings out the natural flavors of strawberries, blueberries, or whatever fruit graces your kitchen countertop. I added a few dashes of lavender extract (from a recent Hatchery delivery) for an extra floral undertone. Spring has sprung, thanks to this sweet new honey treat!

Share your own Nature Nate's honey creations on social media with @naturenates and #honeymakesitbetter!

Makes 2 cups compote

1 cup strawberries, quartered 1 cup blueberries 1 teaspoon Nature Nate's pure honey Few dashes lavender extract Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Allow compote to marinate in refrigerator until chilled, at least one hour. Serve individually, or sprinkle over a dessert.

This post is in partnership with Nature Nate's. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

Pressed Mozzarella Sandwich

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I luckily have "green" in my last name, but I believe you'll avoid getting pinched upon serving this green goodness of a sandwich! Feel free to improvise. I think you'll love the tanginess of dijon, the crunch of arugula and radish, and the creaminess of fresh mozzarella and avocado. Well balanced and well deserved.

Makes 1 sandwich

1 teaspoon olive oil 2 slices ciabatta bread 3 slices maple honey turkey 4 slices fresh mozzarella 1/4 avocado, sliced 1 teaspoon basil pesto 1 teaspoon dijon mustard 1 handful arugula 1 radish, thinly sliced

1. Turn broiler on high. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet on stovetop over medium heat.

2. Spread pesto on one ciabatta slice, and top with mozzarella slices and avocado. Spread mustard on other slices, and add turkey, arugula, and radish. Fold two sandwich halves together.

3. Carefully place sandwich in heated skillet and press sandwich with another heavy skillet (I used a baby cast iron skillet). Flip after 3 minutes.

4. Place skillet directly into broiler for 2 minutes, until mozzarella begins to bubble. Slice sandwich in half and serve warm.

Better than Pie Pecans

"Established in 1981. Craved ever since."

Billie's Pecans' slogan speaks to me. I've been constantly craving the chocolaty, nutty goodness of Stacy Crenshaw's handmade wonders ever since the sampler box miraculously arrived on my doorstep on National Chocolate-Covered Nut Day. Yes, the holiday exists -- as if I coincidentally needed an excuse to treat myself.

Since tin seems to be the history "norm" in pecan packaging, I really enjoyed the crisp, white paper box that carries an assortment of milk, dark, chocolate amaretto, and praline covered pecans. I was most amused by the decadent chocolate amaretto flavor, which offers a small punch of almond-flavor Italian liqueur to finish. Unbelievable. Smaller bags were delivered with Billie's signature cinnamon-spiced pecans. I'm saving these to top a cheesecake or baked treat of some sort...

Every single homegrown pecan is baked, sugared, and shipped worldwide out of a Main Street shop in Crenshaw, Mississippi. The Southern authenticity, while expected, turns a treat into a treasure. I'm impressed with the family's ability to balance growth in product and distribution without jeopardizing the core values of quality and family. It's rare and, to me, truly admirable.

So, I want you to try them and begin craving them, too. How does that sound?

And guess what? Billie's wants to offer us a deal! This March, my first 50 orders of $40 or more will receive $10 off their entire order. Enter discount code CB10 at checkout. Hello, corporate gifts, party favors, or simple pick-me-ups!

This post is in partnership with Billie's Pecans. Thank you for supporting our sponsors!

The Mojito

I was first introduced to the precious Thuyvi Vo through Madewell's co-hosted Caramelized holiday shopping night. She's the store director by day and the watercolor artist extraordinaire behind Dear Sir Paper Co. by night. I'm so drawn to Thuyvi's collection of prints, calendars and greeting cards, primarily because of her minimalist style and attention to detail. A "you're grate" card with painted cheese grater image is my favorite Dear Sir keepsake thus far. I believe it'll remain a greeting card to myself. After a coffee date at Cafe Keough, we conspired to stir up some cocktail recipes beyond the point-and-shoot perspective. Thuyvi's hand lettering and painted ingredient array introduce a fresh, curated approach to some of our essential seasonal beverages. What do you think?

The first? A mojito. Coincidentally, Thuyvi and I are boarding varying cruise ships this upcoming Saturday for quick trips to paradise. Despite chilling temps, I can already feel the exposed Caribbean spirit! So whether you'll sip yours beach-side on Spring break or fire-side at home, jot down these ingredients and mix away.

Oh, and if you're interested in a printed version of Thuyvi's cocktail cards (I'm envisioning bar cart art or kitchen art series!), comment on this post or send me a note! We'd love to share these with you in-person.

Cheers!

Makes 1 cocktail

1/2 ounce mint syrup (see recipe below) 2 ounces white rum 1 ounce fresh lime juice, plus spent lime half Crushed ice 2 ounces chilled soda water 1 bunch fresh spearmint, for garnish

1. Place mint syrup in a chilled pint glass. Add the rum, lime juice, and spent lime half.

2. Fill glass with crushed ice and finish with the soda water and spearmint. Serve with a straw.

Mint syrup:

12 ounces water 12 ounces sugar 5 large fresh mint sprigs

1. Gently heat the sugar and water while stirring to dissolve the sugar, and promptly remove from the heat once all the sugar is dissolved. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature.

2. Blend the mint leaves and simple syrup in a blender for 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth, pour into a bottle, and refrigerate; it will keep for about 1 month. You'll have enough syrup for 12 drinks.

adapted from food52