The Chocolatiest Brownies

Sunday this week I didn’t feel well, and Monday I got some bad news. I was sad and therefore moping. Justin suggested that I do something to take my mind off it. I think what he really wanted me to do was call an appliance repairman to fix our top oven, which I had forgotten to do last week. …but I really didn’t feel like making phone calls, so instead I decided to make brownies.

I cited my current patheticness–and the fact that I’d made a berry crisp the night before–as good reasons to skip the “Justin style” brownies…

Bread

Majorly channeling the domesticity this week, because, after much prompting from Justin, I finally set aside my fear of failure and baked homemade bread—yeast and all, not quick bread—from scratch for the first time.

I texted one of my best friends, who is a fantastic amateur baker, during the first rise that I felt I had no idea what I was doing, but “can’t turn back now!”

It’s scary to try a new thing, especially when that thing requires time-specific steps, and one’s toddler might awake from his nap at any moment, or the dough might…

Favorite French Cooking Terms

(and my favorite French soup recipe)

Happy Fall, y’all! I know it sounds silly and cliche, but I’m back in Texas, it’s not hot hot today, and I’m cooking soup for dinner tonight!

TWO USEFUL COOKING TERMS

Mirepoix. Refers to a mixture of carrots, celery, and onions; sometimes called “the basis of all French cooking.” It’s beautifully aromatic when sautéed and incredibly flavorful as the base of many dishes, including the soup I’m about to link to for you.

Mise en place. (This one is THE BEST.) Translates to “everything in its place,” and refers to the practice of doing ALL…