the roundup: december 2023

Food:

• I have been trying to incorporate more beans into my diet and I have been finding that doing a bean skillet bake is a very easy way for me to enjoy them. I made this Caprese Beans with Italian Sausage and Kale and this is definitely something I will be making variations of, often. We love a one pan meal.

• I tried the “Fusilli Scampi New Orleans Style” from Italian American (I subbed fusilli for rigatoni and added some peas for #veggies) and it was so delicious. I found it to be such a unique recipe because you sort of use the sub-cooked pasta to create the sauce and cook the shrimp. I really enjoyed it!

• We picked up some genoa salami and mortadella from Vace Italian Deli in Woodley Park and made some outrageous panini for lunch. We used some focaccia bread, with some red pesto, mayo, arugula with olive oil and vinegar, mozzarella, salami and mortadella. CHEF’s KISS!!

• I made a bakery-worthy babka and posted the recipe so you can try it too! Like, have you ever seen anything more beautiful?

• We spent a night in Hudson, NY and had a really delicious meal at Swoon Kitchenbar. We had some nice cocktails and everything we ordered was better than the next. I loved the Caesar salad, the duck breast and steak over pomme puree.

• Not pictured but in Hudson we stopped at a wonderful bakery that is owned by the same people who own Swoon called Le Perche. We got the most amazing sourdough loaf along with some very amazing croissants. I cannot wait to get back to Hudson, there are so many more places I want to try.

• For Christmas dinner (even though we don’t technically celebrate) we made a holiday feast at our cabin in Northern Vermont. We made a roasted turkey, stuffing with chorizo, a smoked gouda and butternut squash mac and cheese (inspired by Wishbone Kitchen, green beans and pop overs. It was delightful!

• With our leftover roast turkey, we made the NYT Cooking White Chicken Chili and it could not have been easier or more yummy. It is a great way to use leftover chicken or in our case, turkey!

• We made Mob Kitchen’s Sticky Short Ribs with Herb and Peanut Rice and Hetty McKinnon’s Sesame Cucumber and Avocado Salad and it was a winner. This meal will definitely go into the dinner rotation.

• We made the most outrageous Baklava Rice Krispies that are my new favorite thing everything. This is the perfect party dessert because it is sooooooo easy to put together, but the flavors are super complex and are bound to impress your guests.

• We took a very short, but delightful day trip to Montreal from the Northern Vermont Airbnb we were staying at (1.5 hour drive!!) and we had the best day and some really amazing food. Our first stop was Arthur’s Nosh Bar for Jewish-style deli food. Everything was amazing but the standouts for me were the tuna melt and the beef salami.

• Our dinner in Montreal was at Restaurant Helicoptere and it was absolutely fantastic. It is pretty unassuming from the outside but the service, food and drinks were absolutely unreal. Some stand outs for me were the challah, the oyster mushrooms and sourdough, the chicken liver, the arctic char and the agnolotti doppio. If you are in Montreal you have to check this place out.

Drinks:

• We drank a delicious Carmenere from Chile and I loved it! It was super mellow and drinkable. Perfect for the winter without having a super heavy red.

• We took a day trip to Montreal (like I mentioned above) and you cannot go to Montreal and not get a Caesar- a Bloody Mary with Clamato juice and a bit less horse radish than the ones in the US. They are SO delicious.

Other Things:

• December brought the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and I was so grateful to celebrate with my husband and friends in DC. This year, more than ever, it was important to light candles and celebrate our heritage.

• I bought my first pair of Everlane jeans and I truly have no idea why it took me so long! I got the Way-High Sailor Jeans and they are the perfect wide-leg, dark-wash jeans for all of my winter outfits. Next, I really want to try the Kick Bootcut Jeans.

• I also invested in a vertical ergonomic computer mouse this month and it has honestly been game changing. My hand has really been cramping up so I needed to make a change.

• Like I mentioned above, we stopped for a night in Hudson, NY and I could not be more obsessed. It is a small town on the river with so much charm and history. The buildings are amazing and the small town is filled with the most amazing restaurants and bakeries. I am absolutely dying to get back as soon as possible.

• We spent the last week in December in Northern Vermont and we had the best time. It is very rural and about an hour from the Canada boarder, by the Jay Peak ski mountain. We stayed at such a cozy airbnb that had an amazing kitchen, a massive couch and a great fireplace.

Lenny: