It’s been far too long since the last Let’s Do Lunch post.  Let’s remedy that, shall we?  This long lag has not been intentional.  I’ve tried a few new lunch ideas that seemed promising but didn’t quite meet the mark.  But this…this so did.  It’s funny how my former deep dislike of avocado is slowly shifting, all because of my beloved guacamole.  At first it got me thinking I was instantly converted, and I was a bit overzealous.  I tried a few very avocado-y recipes, including these awesome looking tartines from Tara.  Any avocado lover would adore them.  My whole family did.  But I learned, I’m not quite there.  I need something to cut the avocado.  Like tortilla chips.  Or, in the case of this fabulous sandwich, a slice of good quality crusty bread and some spicy garlicky shrimp.  Now we’re talkin’.

One of the best things about this sandwich is that it is great warm or cold, so you can enjoy it fresh during a casual lunch at home or packed up and eaten on the go at work.  Either way, this is sure to become a favorite go-to lunch option for me.  It’s light and healthy while still being flavorful and totally satisfying.  Pea shoots are a nice garnish and add another layer of flavor, but sprouts would work just as well.  This is going into heavy rotation for me, effective immediately.

I may sound like a broken record right now, but when it’s in the name of friendship, I don’t mind.  The friends I’ve made through this blog are truly some of my very best friends.  I feel so incredibly lucky to have them in my life.  And so, my totally wonderful, hilarious, good hearted, we-may-share-a-brain friend Josie is due to have twin baby boys any day now.  Literally – it might be today!  Eeep!!  As has become our custom, we decided to host a small virtual shower in honor of Josie and her impending arrivals since we aren’t able to do it in person.  (I guess since we’ve gotten to see each other twice in the past year, we can’t complain too much.)  Since we are celebrating twins, we chose a “Perfect Pair” theme.  Each of us is offering up a recipe involving a classic pairing:  Elly makes sausage-cheese biscuits, Tara makes shrimp and grits, and Courtney makes chocolate cake with coffee buttercream.

When brainstorming ideas, one of the first pairings that came to mind was tequila and lime.  (Can you tell I love margaritas?)  I know a tequila cocktail may seem like an odd offering for a baby shower but 1) it’s a virtual shower.  I drank it for her.  And 2) the idea of giving tequila to a pregnant woman reminded me of Phoebe’s baby shower on Friends.  That may seem like a remote reference to most but if anyone gets it, it would be Josie…which is why we are kind of a perfect pair ourselves :)

Once I’d decided on a cocktail, I remembered some random grapefruits that I received in my recent produce delivery.  I’m not so much a fan of grapefruit but I suppose if I’m going to like it, mixing it with tequila is a great start.  And it was!  Definitely a strong and refreshing cocktail.  As with any cocktail, feel free to adjust the various components to suit your own palate.  This version is very tasty, but I’m also intrigued by this version from Michael Ruhlman.  I love Izze so I’m definitely trying that version next.

Josie, I’m so excited for your baby boys to make their arrival and I cannot wait to meet them!  And when I come to visit, I’ll make you one of these cocktails.  I have a feeling you may need it ;)

1. Peekaboo with my little sunshine :)
2. I’ve had my mom’s sewing machine sitting in my garage for years unused.  I really, really want to figure out how to use it now so I got it out, cleaned it off, and put it all together.  However, I need some instruction on how it works and the sewing shop near us doesn’t service these machines.  I’m thinking of just getting a new (much, much lighter) model, learning on that, and still keeping Mom’s just in case.
3. Andrew saw these gingerbread slippers in a store in early fall and asked and asked about them.  I caught them on sale later and he was so pumped!
4. Pretty Indy.
5. Caroline and I accidentally ended up wearing (almost) matching PJs one night.  Ben thought it was too cute :)
6. My morning barista.  This kid gets mad if I try to make my coffee without him.  He loves to press the buttons!
7. This was my happy place during many nights in December.  Despite the hectic month, I still made time to sit by the Christmas tree with my knitting several evenings.
8. Daddy and his girl.  This is one of my favorite pictures ever.
9. Trying on my new shoes.
10. After a freakishly warm start to the winter, we finally got a few good snows.  Andrew was SO excited to go out and play in it.  We got all bundled up, and then he lasted five minutes.  It’s possible he just wanted the cocoa when we came inside.
11. Ben and I took his parents to Alinea in Chicago as our Christmas gift to them, and to each other.  It was an absolutely perfect night and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate.
12. A coworker who is pregnant found out the sex of her baby just before Christmas, and asked me to make some cookies to give to family for a gender reveal.  It was such fun to make those cookies!
13. The holidays were so busy but I made sure that we had a few days at home with no plans whatsoever.  The morning of Christmas Eve, we woke up after the sun was up (!!!) and Andrew requested waffles.  Such a nice change from the typical rushed morning routine.
14. After breakfast, Andrew asked to make cookies for Santa.  He did such a great job!
15. The kids all excited before bed in their special Christmas PJs.
16. On Christmas day with my buddy!  We had a wonderful day spending time with lots and lots of family.
17. Ben and I had a date night about a week ago, and when we came out of the restaurant it was snowing huge, gorgeous flakes.  So pretty!
18. This time of year I always get the urge to organize and redecorate.  Right now the focus is the kids’ playroom.  It’s getting a major overhaul, starting with paint.  I am so glad to say goodbye to the boring decorator beige in that room!
19. Family dance parties are one of our favorite indoor activities during the cold winter months.  Andrew is especially fond of Gangnam Style at the moment.
20. We had a low key New Year celebration this year, enjoying homemade pizza and wine with my wonderful brother and his wonderful girlfriend.  It was a nice way to ring in the new year.

Most of these images are from my personal (private) Instagram account.  You can follow my public stream here: user annieseats.

I’ve never been one for new year’s resolutions, mainly because I make (probably far too many) goals and plans all throughout the year.  However, I know many people do enjoy making them, and I totally get it.  It’s a fresh start, a time to regroup and set your sights on a new goal.  In case you are still considering yours, I thought I’d offer up a few suggestions of kitchen-related resolutions.

It’s not a resolution of mine but more like a lifestyle change we’ve been working on over time, making as much from scratch as possible and relying less on pre-made, processed items.  To me, this is a excellent goal for many reasons (health, cost, the environment) as well as a very satisfying accomplishment.  Last year I made a lot of progress in that department, adding homemade yogurt complete with fruit mix-ins, cooking with dried beans, frozen chopped spinach, croutons, veggie stock, chicken stock, and canned tomatoes to my list.  Any staples you would like to see added to that list this year?

If you struggle with getting dinner on the table and resort to takeout or PB&J too often, maybe resolve to make a weekly menu plan and stick to it.  I really believe that planning is more than half the battle.  (Also, I really think that posting the menu on a chalkboard or something similar makes you stick to it more.  It definitely does for me.)  With that in hand, maybe start with some quick weeknight meals to get you started

If you’re a beginning baker looking to expand your skills in the kitchen, try to step out of your comfort zone.  If you normally bake from boxed mixes, try baking a cake from scratch.  I promise, it is not hard at all (and the more times you do it, it’s nearly as fast as a box – really!), not to mention it definitely tastes better.  If you have made mainly cookies, consider trying some recipes that involve techniques you haven’t tried yet.  Perhaps decorate with royal icing, play around with filled cupcakes, make pastry cream (always a good idea), or conquer pie crust.

Are you scared of baking with yeast?  Kick that fear to the curb!  Too many people are afraid of baking with yeast, or think you need a special bread maker to do it.  Forget that!  Make some bread this year, and get good at it.  Homemade bread will take you to new levels of awesome in the kitchen, and it is truly one of my favorite things to make!

Maybe you’re already a good baker and looking for more of a challenge.  Have you tried your hand at croissants?  French macarons? Cream puffs?  Worked with fondant?  Homemade puff pastry?

I hope whatever stage you are at in your culinary journey, this list might inspire you to push yourself a little bit further this year.  There is always room for improvement in the kitchen, and the results are so worth the effort.  If you have any specific goals you are looking to achieve that aren’t covered elsewhere on the site, please send me suggestions in a comment or an email so I might be able to post recipes or tips to help you along the way.

I know.  Gooey butter cake as the first recipe in January?  Sorry guys, I just can’t help it.  I’m not a resolutioner and, well, I really like cake.  Particularly this cake.  This recipe has been on my radar for ages, but for one reason or another, it kept getting pushed aside.  Finally after the insane blur that was the holidays and the associated frenzy of baking, I needed a break.  I didn’t make much of anything and strangely, that felt good to me for a little while.  But soon enough of course, I felt that old familiar twinge.  I needed to bake something.  Cookies are my usual go-t0, but I baked mountains of them during the holidays so even they didn’t sound appealing.

And then…cake.  A simple cake.  No layers, no filling or crumb coats.  This is what I like to call a Sunday cake.  To me, a Sunday cake is made in a square or rectangular baking pan.  It must be simple, no frills, and low maintenance.  And so, gooey butter cake was back on my radar.  I’m sure it can be inferred from the name, this cake is all sorts of amazing.  The bottom is a thin layer of yeasted dough that is covered with a gooey butter topping (shocker!)  It is best freshly made, and has a dreamy texture – some parts gooey and perfectly sweet, but with crisp, almost caramelized edges.  On subsequent days, if it survives that long, it is reminiscent of a really great coffee cake.  A few seconds in the microwave brings it back to life.  Sorry if this cake tempts you when you don’t want to be tempted.  Save it for later.  And if your resolution was to eat more cake, then you are welcome.