Recipes for a Busy Week
Sharing a few of my current favorite recipes and a sneak peek into an exciting project I've been working on
Hello! I am a few days late in getting this out to you as we had a full weekend of watching sports games, farmers market shopping, a meal with friends, and on Sunday we took our crew to an NFL football game in Washington DC - totally out of the ordinary and so much fun. Our oldest turns 20 in a couple weeks and she’s been a football fan since she was old enough to cheer alongside her dad in front of the TV. What a gift to get to have the experience of going to a game together.
I hope your week is going well so far and as the seasons are changing, that you find the grace to embrace the transition from long summer days to cool, shorter autumn days. Our weekly rhythm, which is a bit busier than it is in the summer, has taken some time to adjust to. There are a couple days a week that we are out of the house more than not and I’ve been relying on meals that are quick to put together and throw in my Vitaclay Cooker or dishes that take under 2 hours in the dutch oven.
Last night I made Half Baked Harvest’s Creamy Chicken and Dumplings, and it was a hit. As usual, I adjusted the recipe a bit. I tossed everything in the dutch oven and baked at 300º for 2 hours, then added the milk and dumplings. Instead of all-purpose flour, I used a 50/50 mix of fresh milled hard white wheat and kamut. I baked it for an additional hour after adding the dumplings and milk. I also added 1/2 tsp tarragon, 1/2 tsp parsley, and 1/4 tsp dill to the soup. It turned out thick, like a chicken pot pie. It was dark by the time we ate, so I wasn’t able to snap a photo of the finished dish, but it was absolutely delicious!
Another staple recipe for us has been this sandwich loaf from Alyssa at Better Basics Milling. It uses freshly milled flour and instant yeast, resulting in the lightest, fluffiest bread that only takes 3.5 hours start to finish. I literally mixed this up at 6:30pm last night, baked it at 9:30 and had fresh sandwich bread ready for making lunches this morning. I have realized my time for sourdough is limited right now and when given the option to purchase bread or make it, I will always default to homemade.
Yogurt parfaits have been a popular breakfast and snack item, and while I love my sourdough granola recipe, I don’t always have the time to make it. This recipe was inspired by Fullmhouse on Instagram, but again, I switched it up a bit. The recipe is 5 ingredients and mixes and bakes in under 20 minutes. I like to use the One Degree Sprouted Oats (I but in a large bag from Costco).
4 cups oats
2/3 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients and spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 400º for 5 minutes, then stir and rotate the pan and bake another 5 minutes. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before testing. This granola is softer than average but will firm up once cooled and resembles the texture of a soft granola bar. I store it in a flip top glass container on the counter and it usually lasts about 1.5 days :)
One of my favorite daily rhythms that remains consistent through the seasons is our daily walks at the park near our home. Just looking at this photo brings such a sense of peace.
As I wrap up this email, I wanted to share an exciting project I've been collaborating on with several wonderful women from Instagram. We've created a holiday cookbook that aims to fill your home with the spirit of the season through cozy recipes, DIY gift tutorials, and cherished family traditions. The collection features over 30 festive dishes designed to simplify your holiday meal planning. I’ll send you the order link as we approach the launch date, so stay tuned for more updates!
Have a wonderful week!
- Hannah