I've always been a bold girl. I've always said just what I felt and had a hard time not saying what I've felt. I've always opted for bright instead of muted, hence painting my room a shade of yellow that made it look like the lights were always on instead of a nice beige or olive. I've always been rebellious, and sometimes only because someone told me I couldn't do something. I played football and soccer instead of barbies and babydolls, I once wore flip flops and ripped jeans through a whole winter in New England because I was, in my head, rebelling against winter, and I may or may not have punched a boy in the face for saying that girl's couldn't be punk when I was in high school. I feel like now, though toned down quite a bit, I still maintain my bold roots. I drink beer, never anything with sour mix, and I drink IPAs, never lite beer. I'll take a whisky over rum, and I drink red wine, not white. I wear black boots, not cowboy boots, flats not pumps, and flip flops, not heels. I'm punk, not country, bold, not tame, sassy, not sweet. I roll this way in my kitchen as well. Observe.

Mixed grill for vegans! A Jamaican Jerk grill, at that! Now this recipe called for 1 habañero chile, but I do things extreme, and used 1 habañero chile, 1 fresno chile, and 1 jalapeño chile (that's triple extreme). I made some garlicky, spicy seitan and roasted it in my marinade along with some pressed and sliced tofu for the best mixed grill ever! Jamaican Jerk Sauce from the Terry Hope Romero collection.

Soup? Although soup seems un-bold, this soup is anything but. A labor of love, the broth is homemade (duh) and laced with sesame tahini and miso. Roasted sweet potatoes, ramen noodles, grilled corn, silken tofu, crisp scallions and peppery cabbage bring it all home. This bold, salty, silky, amazing broth can be a brilliant canvas for whichever noodles and veggies you have burning a hole in your bottom bin or hanging veggie basket or wherever you typically let things hang out until they start to go bad. Also on loan from THR's latest.

This is weekend falafel. The falafel I make every weekend. I do a special falafel dance when I eat it. It's my favorite thing ever and I think about it all week long while I'm a work, while I'm at the gym, while I'm driving to the health food store in Princeton, while I'm watching DD&D, while Alex tells me all about all the work he has to do, and while my neighbors scream and make holes in their walls. I even dream about this falafel. So yes, that's some good falafel. I don't know how it's punk or badass.. it must just be because it's vegan. All vegans are punk. Everyone knows that.

I'm approaching free-book status in the Terry Hope Romero testing pool. We all strive for free-book status, and I am one Italian-style cheesecake away. This batch of recipes is SO awesome!! I have loved everything I have made recently and can't wait to see the book all put together with pictures and notes and funny commentary as per usual with all of Terry's books and writings. I promise it will be badass and punk and bold and all the things I claim to represent in all its glory.

Next post: A variety of [non]traditional Irish fare, boozy desserts, and St. Patricks Day cupcake special!

<3 KZ

I know I already told you that the first thing I learned how to cook was spaghetti. I used Rachel Ray's recipe for pasta sauce. Although now I may or may not consider that fact a skeleton in my closet, then, I thought it was the best pasta sauce I'd ever tasted, that hit all the right notes on the flavor scale. It was probably because I was so impressed with myself for making something that tasted okay, well-seasoned, not burnt, or didn't catch on fire.

My friend Trevor shares the same passion for a good pasta sauce, and always lets me know when it tastes right or what it's missing. He'll take a taste, think carefully, and deliberate, "..Good acid, good salt content, nice flavor profile... Missing that heat though..." I've cooked many meals for Trevor though fewer recently since so many miles separate us, but he was always my favorite fan and critic. 

One of the first few times Trevor came over for dinner, I made this meal. I called it 10-shallot pasta, which is exactly what it sounds like-- pasta with 10 sauteed shallots, olive oil, and parsley. It is incredibly easy to make and more importantly costs peanuts. I said, "This is what I make when we're poor." In response, my good friend Trevor said, "Don't ever get rich." 

This one's for you, Trev.