How much do I love this man? George Washington University, you lucky dogs! Jose Andres will be teaching a course on how food shapes civilization. Read more here.

Enjoy!

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I was looking for a warm, fall-ish dish to make for a pumpkin-carving party and came across a recipe for brussels sprouts. There are million brussels sprouts recipes online and I liked this one because it combines pancetta and blue cheese and is served warm. It seemed perfect.  There are variations of this recipe that call for regular bacon or walnuts, roasting instead of sauteing. This recipe was delicious and it would be great served as a side dish.

The Huffington Post’s Food section included this recipe from the Suburban Gourmet (@suburbangourmet)

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Garlic, Pine Nuts and Blue Cheese

1 Pound Brussels Sprouts, trim bottom and cut in half
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
salt and pepper
4 oz. Pancetta, small dice
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup blue cheese, crumbled

In a large pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil and then add the pancetta. Cook on medium until the pancetta is crisp. Remove from the pan. Add the Brussels and a couple more tablespoons of olive oil. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 9 minutes on medium until golden brown and just turning tender. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

Remove from the heat and toss into a large bowl. Sprinkle with the pancetta, pinenuts and blue cheese. Serve immediately.

Happy Halloween!

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Photo credits: Getty, AP, Neil Rasmus/BFANYC.com

A favorite of Michelle Obama, Jessica Alba, Claire Danes and Salma Hayek, Narciso Rodriguez designs will be available at Kohl’s in early November. Rodriguez will be the first designer to lend his name and creativity to Kohl’s Design Nation and this collection was inspired by Istanbul. The pieces will be priced between $30 and $150 – a far cry from the usual $800+ we usually see (and can’t afford). A sample of the collection is below, including Zoe Saldana wearing one of the pieces. What do you think?

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I will admit that my taste isn’t always in the “mainstream” or what everyone would agree is “cute.” I can be quirky and a little different and not the most feminine chica out there. I did own these shoes once (actually, I still own them. I can be a bit of a hoarder, even with ugly things). Today I went to the Clark’s at Cherry Creek because I needed some new work flats. I told the saleswoman that I was also looking for some casual weekend shoes, especially for when the weather finally cools down in Denver. She brought out a few pairs, one of which I would have never picked out myself. I tried them on and you know what? They were really comfortable. They felt like slippers! And they looked really good with my neon green socks and navy cords. Here they are…

The Faraway Field in Flint suede. I’m going to wear the heck out of these shoes.

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Recently, I invited a couple of friends over for the afternoon so we could eat, drink and catch up with each other. I haven’t been cooking much these days and was anxious to get in the kitchen and try out some new recipes. Of course the first place I looked was my recent Bon Appetit magazine – I flipped through and easily saw a handful of recipes (from the July 2012 issue) I’d love to try but settled on two: Roasted Beets with Hazelnut Vinaigrette and Burrata (cheese!) and a Blackberry Salad.

Both were delicious but I’m partial to the beet-hazlenut-burrata combination. The beets were mildly sweet and we ate it with toasted baguette slices.

The blackberry salad has a mild flavor. I combined it with a spring salad mix. It was good but if you are looking for a strong flavor profile, you may want to consider adding additional herbs or balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Beets with Hazelnut Vinaigrette and Burrata

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons minced shallot
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• 6 tablespoons hazelnut or grapeseed oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 
Salad

• 2 pounds small golden or candy-stripe (Chioggia) beets (15-20 beets), tops trimmed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 8-oz. rounds of burrata or fresh mozzarella, halved or quartered
• 4-5 large fresh basil or sorrel leaves, cut crosswise into 1/2″ ribbons
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts

Preparation

Vinaigrette

• Combine vinegar, lemon juice, and shallot in a small bowl. Stir in mustard. Gradually whisk in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

 
Salad

• Preheat oven to 375°. Toss beets with oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 13x9x2″ baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and roast beets until tender (a toothpick should slide through easily), about 40 minutes. Uncover (careful of the steam); let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Peel beets (use a paper towel to help rub off the peel), then quarter them. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

• Toss beets with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Arrange burrata on a serving plate. Season with salt and pepper. Top burrata with beets; drizzle remaining vinaigrette from bowl over. Garnish with basil and hazelnuts.

Read more here.

Blackberry Salad

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint fresh blackberries, halved if large

 
Preparation

• Whisk oil, herbs, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let return to room temperature before continuing.
• Gently fold in blackberries.

Read more here.

 
 

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I didn’t anticipate Denver being so hot when I arrived here at the end of May (and from what everyone keeps telling me, this has not been a normal summer). On hot summer  nights in Denver, one of the truly best things to do is walk around the LoDo neighborhood and eat or drink at one of the many restaurants and bars. And after all that eating and drinking? Ice cream! My co-workers and I discovered the cutest ice cream shop in the Highlands neighborhood (adjacent to LoDo) called Little Man Ice Cream. The shop was built to look like a giant milk can and it really stands out.

It seems there is always a line but the ice cream is totally worth it. The company says “Our ice cream is hand-made with some of the finest, local ingredients and in small batches to ensure quality” and it shows. They make delicious flavors such as strawberry-balsamic gelato and salted oreo ice cream. Choosing which flavor to order always seems to be a struggle. But they will let you taste as many flavors as you want. And the servings are generous too! This is a single scoop:

It may be hard to tell from the photo, but trust me, it’s huge. And I’m a slow eater so this scoop took me forever to finish.

Even though we’re sliding into fall, it’s still warm enough at night to enjoy a walk and some ice cream. Thankfully! I gotta get back there soon…

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