Ten years ago this month, I launched the Twice as Tasty food blog, and what a delicious journey it has been. The blog has led to workshops, a pickling cookbook and far more food explorations and writing than I could have imagined.
I’ve been making most of the 200-plus recipes I’ve shared in this column since or before the blog’s early days but have improved on many over the years. Homemade sour cream and yogurt, stocks, salad dressings, herb and spice blends, pestos and fruit syrups and shrubs are staples in my kitchen. Some creations appear only seasonally or on special occasions, but most of the recipes are my everyday standards. These are 10 of my favorites:
- Gourmet Granola with Nuts and Fruit: A jar of granola sits on my tiny kitchen’s counter because I eat it almost daily, with homemade yogurt and fresh berries as they ripen in succession or homemade jams and syrups in winter.
- Brine-Braised Breakfast Potatoes: Every time I empty a pickle jar (and sometimes before I reach the bottom), I use the brine to enliven pan-fried potatoes. I top them with extra flavors – homemade sour cream and salsa, home-smoked cheese and basted farm-fresh eggs – for a full, one-bowl meal.
- Sourdough Cabin Bread: My first sourdough recipe is still the one I make most often. It feels effortless because it takes me 10 minutes of hands-on time, usually snuck in around other projects.
- Zucchini Bread with Sesame Seeds: Grated zucchini, fresh in summer and frozen for winter, makes this quick bread endlessly repeatable. I slice and freeze the second loaf and then pop pieces into the toaster on our way to sail or ski.
- Panzanella (Tomato and Bread Salad): After the garden’s greens have bolted and as tomatoes ripen, I eat this salad nearly every day for lunch, using cubes of Sourdough Cabin Bread and home-smoked mozzarella cheese.
- Seared Shrimp in Garlic Oil: When I need a quick protein for dinner, I thaw frozen shrimp and make this simple dish. A bed of rice cooked in homemade shrimp stock and whatever fresh vegetable is in season or in dry storage rounds out the meal.
- Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu: This is the only way I cook firm tofu, whether I then glaze it in the pan or toss it into Mixed Vegetable Stir-Fry.
- Marinated and Grilled Fish Tacos: I marinate fish for these tacos throughout grilling season, which for me lasts all year. This meal is always on our multiday sailing menu and often served lakeside on race night. If I’m grilling in the snow in February, I’m likely preparing fish tacos.
- Rhubarb–Rosemary Sorbet: My first attempt at homemade sorbet remains my favorite. I chop and freeze rhubarb throughout its growing season to create batches year-round.
- Crumble-Top Deep-Dish Apple Pie: The first recipe I shared in the Beacon, just before my first column, comes from my family’s collection and has been a lifetime crowd-pleaser. It’s my top choice whenever I’m asked to bring pie to a party.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s grilling and camp-meal workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.