rather than the usual bbq, i celebrated labor day with a shrimp boil that included the most magnificent cornbread topped with honey straight from the comb and these fresh figs right off the tree, just before sunset.

known more as a dish for winter nights than summer days, i cooked up a batch of black & pinto bean chili as a hearty addition to nacho night. i use a different recipe each time i make this hodgepodge. for this particular meal, i wanted more of a texas-style flavor so decided to stick with fewer spices and more chili powder. all ingredients were fresh and from the local farmer’s market, when possible.

Bean Chili

2 cups of dried black beans

1 cups of dried pinto beans

8 medium size tomatoes (washed and cut in quarters)

2 onions (diced)

2 red bell peppers (diced)

1 hatch pepper or anaheim chile pepper (finely diced)

4 cloves garlic (chopped)

10 tbs. ground chili

10 tbs. ground cumin

3 tbs. ground paprika

2 tbs. ground coriander

1 tbs. salt

2 tbs. olive oil

soak beans in water overnight (or at least eight hours). using a strainer, drain and rinse beans well and place in large pot covered with water. bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for an hour. drain and rinse beans well and set aside. heat oil in a large pot over medium heat for 5 minutes. add chopped onions and spices and cook until slightly wilted. add pepper and garlic, stirring occasionally. in a blender, puree tomatoes and add to pot of vegetable mixture. bring to a boil and add beans. simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. season to taste. top with slices of avocados, cheese or onions.

when my grandmother’s blackberry cobbler is nowhere in sight, chewy chocolate chip cookies are my dessert of choice. i love taking a time-tested formula that has been perfected over the years and transforming it into a cleaner, healthier version of its kind. this particular cookie was inspired by the recipe found on the back of a sunspire chocolate chip bag, undergoing a few tweaks here and there, which resulted in my new favorite chocolate chip cookie.

chocolate chip cookies

1/3 cup sunflower oil

2 tbs. dark molasses

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 organic eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup spelt flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1-2 cups grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Mix liquid ingredients. Stir in flour & coconut sugar. Add chocolate chips and mix well. Drop teaspoons of mixture onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

nothing sounds better to my taste buds right now than a homemade chai latte, iced or hot. after trying jyoti bihanga’s sensational version of the beverage a couple of weeks ago, i came home and scavenged the internet, looking for a recipe that would satisfy my appetite. and just like that, she appeared on my favorite food blog.

soup was not on my list of favorite foods growing up, simply because i had not yet been exposed to all the wondrous variations available to me. combining an array of fresh vegetables and beans in one pot seems a little more than brilliant. i made this black bean soup over the weekend and could not have been more delighted with the outcome. the recipe can be found here.

one of my favorite things in the world is having people over and sharing a meal together. so last night i stayed in and cooked dinner for my family. i had some special help from a little sweetheart of mine.

my big helper

 i love using lots of fresh veggies.

i don’t cook asian food too often (and i still have a ways to go to get it just right) but it was wonderful…and the company was even better.

these past two weeks have felt like one long party with friends as we danced, laughed, loved and ate our way through the days. here are a few of the savory dishes we devoured.

breakfast at cafe 222

panang curry at rama (amazing thai food)

crab legs at blue point

ahi sashimi 

dark chocolate cake

my dear friends, sara and will, threw a texas-style shindig this weekend as a going-away gift, complete with southern dishes including fresh fruit salad, the best pulled pork i’ve ever tasted, amazing baked mac ‘n’ cheese and out-of-this-world blackberry cobbler that begs to be eaten right out of the pan.

i am fascinated with the cupcake. i find myself 

baking these big bites of sweetness just about

every week for a dinner party or girls-night-in.  

this is my latest creation: chocolate cinnamon 

cupcakes with chocolate chunks topped with

cream cheese frosting and dark chocolate shavings.

i made a super yummy pizza this weekend with rave reviews and want to share the simple recipe for all you creative cooks.

goat cheese, fig, and basil pizza

ingredients: 

• 4-oz package dried figs, chopped
• 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 large pizza crust or 4 round pita breads
• 1 cup crumbled soft goat cheese (a 4-oz package will yield 1 cup)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/2-1 tbsp olive oil

preparation:

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. combine the figs, balsamic vinegar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. place the figs in a small bowl. season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. top the pizza with the goat cheese and figs, and sprinkle with the basil and pine nuts. drizzle the olive oil over the top. bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese melts.

i spent much of the day in my kitchen

baking these delectable darlings, as a

dear friend kindly taste-tested them for me.