Mushroom-Leek Ragu Recipe

This versatile sauce can be used as the base for numerous meals. I topped ours with golden squares of puff pastry and served it like a vegetarian pot pie of sorts. You could also turn this idea on its head and fill the flaky pastry with a little goat cheese and a healthy spoonful of the ragu and serve this as a substantial first course, or simply toss the sauce with pasta. 

Adapted from Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals

Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock or low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 medium leeks (white part only)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 pounds assorted mushrooms (button, crimini, or shitake) cleaned, quartered and shitake stems removed

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Bring stock to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat add dried porcini and set aside to soak for at least 15 minutes or until they are very soft. 

2. Meanwhile, quarter the leeks lengthwise, then thinly slice horizontally. Cover with water and let soak for a few minutes to remove any sand or dirt. Carefully lift leeks out of the water and place them on a paper towel-lined plate. 

3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once oil is shimmering, add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until leeks are tender, about 8 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms and thyme and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until all the liquid the mushrooms release has evaporated, about 15 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, lift the porcini mushrooms out of the soaking liquid. Pour liquid through a coffee filter and reserve. Rinse the porcini thoroughly to remove any remaining sand. Coarsely chop porcini, then mix them into mushroom mixture along with the wine; cook until the liquid has reduced by half. 

5. Whisk the flour into the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Stir the mixture into the mushrooms; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove thyme sprigs and serve. 

Porchetta-Style Pork Shoulder Recipe

About seven years ago The Professor and I traveled to Italy on a post-graduation trip abroad. We arrived tired and weary in Rome and out of idiocy and financial desperation we happened to be staying at what turned out to be a campground in the suburbs of Rome in a town I have diligently tried to erase from my memory. 

We fell into what only can be described as our cots that night and arose the next morning starving and disoriented and decided to head out on foot to search for something to eat. This was not the beautiful Italy we had dreamed about, but rather a town built around The Autostrada—groupings of cinderblock structures basically huddled under the towering roadways. 

The one golden moment on that dreadful first day was a lunch truck with a beautiful crackly-skinned stuffed pig rotating on a spit. Miraculously, in my horrendous Italian, I was able to order two panini stuffed to overflowing with the juicy, fennel-studded meat. I think the sandwiches cost something like 2 Euros and I remember handing the guy 20 Euro. He looked at me like I was insane and then while grumbling under his breath had to dig through his own pockets to find enough change, but I didn't care, by that time I was enveloped in this incredible sandwich. 

We went on to have many unbelievably good meals over the three months we spent traveling all over Italy, but I will never forget my first—that crippling good porchetta sandwich. 

Adapted from Weber's Way To Grill

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 boneless pork shoulder, about 5 pounds

1/2 cup olive oil

leaves from 3 sprigs rosemary

16 large basil leaves

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes

olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Butterfly open the pork shoulder, making any additional cuts until the roast is of an even thickness. Trim off the thin pieces of meat on the ends of the pork shoulder and any excess fat to create a rectangular-shaped piece of meat. Ideally you will have about 8 to 10 ounces of meat and fat that you have trimmed off the roast. Cut this trimmed meat into 1-inch pieces.

2. In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine the 1/2 cup olive oil, rosemary, basil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, fennel, and chile flakes. Process to a smooth puree. Add the trimmed meat and pulse until the mixture resembles ground sausage. 

3. Place the roast skin-side down on a work surface and evenly distribute the filling over the pork, leaving a 1-inch border around the sides so the filling doesn't fall out when you roll the meat. Press filling into any grooves. 

4. Roll up the meat working from one short end to the other, creating a compact cylinder. Using several pieces of butcher's twine, tie the roast both crosswise and lengthwise to secure closed. Rub roast on all sides with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and black pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the grill. 

5. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat, brush the cooking grates clean and grill the roast with the lid closed, until the internal temperature reaches 170°F, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. 

6. Transfer roast to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Let rest 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Remove twine and carve into thin slices. 

Hoisin Tofu and Sugar Snap Peas Recipe

I have grown to love tofu. Its creamy interior, its slight chew, its delicate earthy flavor, I love all of it. But I think what I love most of all is how easy it is to prepare, just toss it in a pan with some veggies and you've got supper. Here is one of my favorite combinations. 

Makes 4 servings

1 pound tofu, drained, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced

1 red bell pepper, large diced

8 ounces sugar snap peas, tough strings removed

1. Place tofu cubes on a large plate lined with paper towels. Place more paper towels on top of the tofu and gently press to dry. 

2. Combine water, Hoisin, sesame oil, soy, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. 

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat. Once shimmering, add tofu and cook undisturbed until golden on the bottom. Flip and repeat until brown on all sides. Remove from pan and return pan to heat.

4. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Once shimmering add scallions, garlic and ginger and stir-fry 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until browned. Add bell pepper and peas and cook 2 minutes more, then add sauce and tofu and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, stirring often, until peas are tender. Serve with steamed rice. 

Tomato-Avocado Salsa Recipe

Recently at a party I was asked to taste a salsa to determine it's merit. The person who had brought it didn't think it tasted right but wasn't sure what to do about it. "More salt and lime juice" I said. "Okay" she responded. " It said to add salt and lime to taste and didn't give any measurements. I never know how much to put when a recipe says that."

This conversation got me thinking that I use that exact phrase quite a lot in my recipes and for a moment I thought I should be more specific. But then I thought, "What favor would I be doing anyone to tell them that a specific amount of salt or lime juice or black pepper will exactly suit their tastes?"

Cooking is far from an exact science and it is crucial to taste your food as you are cooking it. So to my friend who doesn't know what to do when her salsa falls flat I say use your senses. When the recipe says to taste, that means you actually have to taste it. Does it taste good? Does it make your mouth happy? If not it probably needs something. Start with salt—a pinch or two—then taste it again, better? If not, add a little more and maybe some lime juice and taste again. Repeat this process until you say to yourself "damn that salsa is good!" This is what season to taste really means.


This salsa is a great compliment to chips but I really love it with these black bean cakes and fried eggs from CHOW.  If you like a little heat a seeded, minced jalapeno would work nicely here too.

Makes 2 cups

1 cup diced tomatoes
2 avocadoes, pitted, peeled and diced
1 small white onion, small dice
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently mix to combine, then taste and add more salt or lime juice if necessary.

Beef and Barley Soup Recipe

Wet, rainy spring days are made for light, brothy soups. I spotted this one in an old Martha Stewart cookbook I discovered in my stacks. The cookbook was first published in 1997 and while that doesn't seem like that long ago, it feels as dated as if it was published in 1977. 

It is full of recipes for Red Pepper Coulis and Poppy Seed Vinaigrette, things that now seem dainty and gratuitous. It's hard to believe that much has changed but the 90's were before the explosion of the word sustainable and before Rachael Ray. Apart from casseroles and the grill, seasonal food and cooking was still considered gourmet; a little bit fancy. 

As I paged through this relic from decades past I came across this rich beef soup. It was wonderful, the beef was tender and there was just enough barley to add body without soaking up all the broth. I guess some things transcend the ages. 

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Healthy Quick Cook


Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
2 medium carrots, medium dice
1 stalk celery, medium dice
6 cups beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup pearl barley, rinsed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
torn fresh basil or Italian parsley leaves for garnish, optional

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Brown evenly, then remove from pot with a slotted spoon.

2. Add remaining tablespoon of oil. Once shimmering add onion and cook until translucent. Add carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onions start to brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add 1/2 cup of the stock and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add remaining stock, beef, barley, and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cook, covered, until meat is tender about an hour.

4. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Remove thyme stems and serve with a sprinkling of herbs if desired.

Fig Bars Recipe

I am a sucker for Fig Newtons but that doesn't mean (like most things sold in a package) they can't be improved upon. Most recipes I saw for homemade fig cookies were fussy and complicated, requiring you to wrap delicate dough around a spoonful of fig puree forming each individual cookie by hand.

No thank you.

I wanted all the cakey, figgy goodness without all the fuss. So I took the best of all the recipes I found and layered them into bars. This makes way more fig puree than you will need for the bars, but I've enjoyed eating the leftovers on toast and mixed into yogurt so much that I'm glad I made too much. The fig puree will last up to a month covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 24 bars

12 ounces finely chopped dried Black Mission Figs
1 cup apple juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest, divided
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Combine figs, 1 1/2 cups water, apple juice, and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until figs are very soft, about 1 hour. Transfer to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and add 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest. Process until smooth and let cool to room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to break up any lumps. Place butter and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of bowl and paddle and add eggs and vanilla and remaining 3/4 teaspoon orange zest. Beat until combined. Turn off mixer and add flour mixture. Beat on low until just combined. Shape dough into a flat disk and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Butter a 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish. Remove dough from refrigerator and break in half. Crumble half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom of baking dish. Press down with a measuring cup or your fingers to form a even cookie layer. Spread 1 cup of the fig puree over the dough, then crumble remaining dough evenly over the top.

4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top crust is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting.

Blueberry-Buttermilk Popsicles Recipe

I'm the odd man out in my house. That is I'm not obsessed with popsicles. For me a dessert needs to be indulgent and creamy, basically I need ice cream to be satisfied. But these tangy little treats have been remarkably gratifying and much less guilt inducing, besides I'm a strong beliver that any dessert made with buttermilk is better.

Makes 6 popsicles

1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 bananas
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup honey

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze.

Whole-Wheat Banana Pancakes Recipe

Meals take on a whole new meaning once children enter the scene. Dinner becomes a testing ground, exploring the boundaries of what your child will consume without protest. Lunch, more often than not, becomes part scavenger hunt part Iron Chef competition to see what is edible and can be made in under 10 minutes and breakfast is a study in repetition.

We've basically been eating the exact same things every morning for a year now. My daughter would happily eat Cheerios and yogurt for every meal of every day but on occasion I need a break from the monotony and turn to pancakes.

Still wanting to maintain a modicum of healthiness, I opted for a touch of whole wheat flour and some fruit, but the beauty of pancakes is they are a whiteboard for flavors, you can add blueberries, frozen raspberries or even grated carrot instead of the banana, so feel free to use your imagination.

These are pancakes of the light, crispy-edged variety. If you prefer a cakeier pancake, use 1/2 cup less soymilk.

Makes 6 servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups soymilk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 large bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Whisk together both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

2. Whisk together soymilk and vinegar in a separate large bowl and let sit for a couple minutes to sour milk. Whisk in bananas, eggs and 2 tablespoons of the oil, then gradually whisk the wet ingredients with the dry.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast iron or non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup batter into the pan. Cook pancakes until the edges have begun to brown and air bubbles cover the top, about 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil if pan dries out. Serve with warm with maple syrup.

Simple Roast Chicken Recipe

There are as many variations on roast chicken as there are cooks but to get a bird cooked just right takes finesse. Mainly because when you stick a bird in its natural shape in the oven you are setting yourself up for disappointment. The breast will always naturally cook faster than the legs and end up being dry by the time the thighs are cooked through.

The answer to the age-old dilemma is to butterfly the chicken. The oven heats from the bottom up and the sides of the pan cradle the heat as it rises causing whatever in the center of the pan to be cooler than that on the sides. Therefore, if you arrange the breasts of the chicken in the middle and the legs splayed out to the edge everything cooks more evenly.

In my opinion, perfect roast chicken is all about the crisp-skin and moist meat and of course, a generous sprinkling of salt—it couldn't be easier.


Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 whole chicken
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper

1. Heat oven to 425°F and arrange rack in the middle. Remove backbone from chicken and flatten by placing chicken skin-side-up on a cutting board and applying firm pressure to breastbone.

2. Rub chicken on all surfaces with a couple tablespoons of oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Set chicken flat on a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and roast until the joint between thigh and body registers 170°F on an instant read thermometer, about 45 minutes.

3. Remove chicken from oven, transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting.

Creamy Baked Whole Wheat Shells with Chicken Recipe

The Professor and I are very much in step when it comes to food, you could say we are partners in pork chops, we speak the language of lobster, but when it comes to his complete intolerance of lactose I have to draw the line.

Not being able to cook anything with cheese or butter sometimes leaves me with a craving for cream that could rival the most pregnant of ladies and I have to fulfill my desires with something ridiculously decadent. What I yearn for most is rich baked pastas with lots of bubbly cheese.

This one has the thinly veiled plea of being healthy by using whole wheat pasta, and you could definitely throw in some veggies like frozen peas, sautéed mushrooms or thinly sliced sundried tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings

1/2 pound whole wheat shells
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, small dice
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces Fontina, shredded
2 ounces Parmesan, shredded
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook 3 minutest short of al dente, drain pasta and place in baking dish along with chicken.

2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add onion and cook until translucent. Lower heat to medium-low and add cream. Bring to a simmer, then add remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted. Pour mixture over pasta and toss until evenly coated.

3. Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.

Farro with Mushrooms, Green Beans and Fennel Recipe

It has been dark, gloomy and utterly depressing this week. So dreary in fact that it has been impossible to shoot any decent photography in my kitchen. It may come as a surprise to some of you that I use an ancient  digital camera whose flash ceased to properly function years ago and can only turn out semi-decent photos using natural light. Therefore, I have no photos of this utterly delish, uber-healthy dish, which is too bad, 'cause it's kind of pretty.

The Professor is not a picky eater. My only indication that he doesn't like something is the leftovers won't be gone within 24 hours. But typically when I make something like farro for dinner he would prefer it if I also make something like a pork chop to go with it. In other words, it better be good AND filling, and this dish is both.



Makes 4 servings

12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
8 ounces white mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon red wine, divided
1 medium fennel bulb, small dice
1/2 large yellow onion, small dice
1 medium carrot, small dice
1 1/2 cups farro, rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs thyme
1/3 cup minced chives
1/2 cup chevre, crumbled (optional)

1. Bring a large saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until tender, but not soft, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool to the touch and place in a single layer on a large plate.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat in a large frying pan. Once shimmering, add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add shallot, garlic, season with salt and pepper and cook 1 minute longer. Add 1 tablespoon wine and cook until wine evaporates. Transfer to a plate and return pan to the stove.

3. Lower heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Once shimmering, add fennel, onion, and carrot, season with salt and pepper and cook until onion begins to brown. Add farro and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup of wine and cook, scrapping any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. Add stock, bay leaf, and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until farro is tender, about 45 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in green beans and mushrooms and cook until heated through. Add chives and serve with goat cheese on top if desired.

Pan-Fried Tilapia with Asparagus and Orange-Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

This dish was inspired by a salad served at San Francisco's Nopa restaurant. I love the combination of smoky paprika, juicy oranges and the bright green flavors of asparagus. At the restaurant this dish is more of a salad with roasted calamari, but my chances of finding decent calamari in North Dakota are about as good as stumbling across a suitcase filled with cash in my back yard, so I used tilapia fillets instead.

When you're land locked frozen fish is your friend but there are very few fish that can stand up to being frozen solid and not watery or chewy once defrosted. Tilapia is great in that respect, baked, broiled or pan-fried it turns out beautifully.

Makes 4 servings

For the asparagus:
2 navel oranges
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

For the tilapia:
2 pounds tilapia
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the asparagus:
1. Using a knife, peel the oranges, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes to release the segments into a bowl. Break segments into smaller pieces with your hands and set aside.

2. Combine vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the olive oil then add the orange pieces.

3. Heat a medium saucepan of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Add asparagus and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop cooking. Arrange asparagus on a platter and spoon some of the vinaigrette over the top. Reserve remaining vinaigrette for the fish.

For the tilapia:
1. Season tilapia generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and cover fillets on both sides with flour, shake off excess and set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add half the tilapia fillets and fry on one side until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat on other side until fish is cooked through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from pan and add the other tablespoon of oil if necessary. Fry remaining fillets.

3. Spoon some vinaigrette over tilapia and serve with asparagus.

Chicken Satay with Curry Peanut Sauce Recipe

I fully intended to grill these chicken skewers, it is May after all and the weather should be such to endure some time outside. But I temporarily forgot that I live in North Dakota and it turns out that May can be miserable, 36°F and sleeting as a matter of fact—so under the broiler they went. If you don't live in Siberia like I do, feel free to grill them instead.

Chicken satay is great potluck food, they are good room temperature or hot and easy to eat at a party, but you could serve them as a main course for dinner with some steamed rice and stir-fried veggies.

Makes 30 to 35 skewers

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice or a combination of both
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon green curry paste
1 tablespoon Garam Masala
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Sambal or other chili garlic sauce
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch wide strips

35 skewers (soaked for at least 30 minutes if wooden)

1. Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Reserve 3/4 cup sauce for dipping in a separate container, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Add chicken strips to remaining sauce and toss to coat. Thread one or two strips (if small) onto a skewer (you want each skewer to have approximately the same amount of meat) and place in a large plate or baking dish. Drizzle any remaining sauce over skewers, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours in advance.

3. Turn on broiler and adjust rack to middle. Place a rack on top of a baking sheet and place skewers in a single layer on rack (you will have to do this in batches). Broil skewers one rack at a time until chicken is firm, cooked through and starting to brown on the top, about 5 to 8 minutes. Repeat with remaining skewers. Serve hot or room temperature with dipping sauce.

Children, Deep Breaths and Listening

For Mother's Day my mom sent me a wonderful essay titled On Being Mom by Anna Quindlen. It touches on two aspects of parenthood little understood by anyone until it is your turn to raise another human.

The first is that for as much information as there is out there about raising children, there is really very little advice anyone can actually give you about how to care for your child beyond the basics. As a terrified mother of a newborn I turned to every resource I could think of for help, but when all I got was flurry of contradictory advice I decided to take a deep breath and listen to my heart. Almost two years later relying on my intuition does not seem natural; learning to trust my instincts when it comes to my child I suspect will be a lifelong lesson.

The second is something every parent knows, but still can't manage to do enough of—live in the moment. Like many of us I spend so much time being stressed about getting things done and balancing my life and worrying that I am being taken over by this toddler. But I know one day I will turn around and POOF it will be gone.

As I write this I can hear Louisa babbling in her room (she's just woke up from her nap) and all I can think to myself is LISTEN, listen, you will miss this when it's gone and wonder what it sounded like, just like I wonder what her infant cries used to sound like—I can't remember. Between sing-songy nothing words she's saying "Mama, what's going on?" In her language only a handful of people can understand.

This Mother's Day I am going to make a resolution to give up control—in reality I have very little anyway—relax and enjoy my child, my family, my life. I resolve to stop, breathe, and listen, just listen.

Huevos Rancheros Recipe

Whenever I don't know what to make for dinner I always make breakfast. Mexican breakfasts make an especially good dinner because they have a little more pizzazz than pancakes and bacon (although I do prefer to eat pancakes at night, they are too heavy for the morning and make you want to crawl back into bed, at night you're already headed in that direction anyway, so I'm rambling). Anyway, Huevos Rancheros can be very simple, as they are here, just eggs, tortillas, and sauce, or can be piled on beans with avocado, sour cream and chopped scallions. Anyway you like it they are filling and satisfying anytime of day. 

A note about the sauce: This pureed salsa is a universal sauce that can be used for everything from topping enchiladas to a dip for chips. This recipe makes more than you will need for this dish, but will last a week, covered in the fridge. I recommend frying the sauce per the instructions below before eating it will have a more rounded flavor, although it is perfectly edible unfried as well. 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

For the chile sauce:
6 dried New Mexico chiles
8 dried Arbol chiles
1/2 large yellow onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large tomato, quartered

2 chipotles en adobo
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Juice from 1/2 a lime

For the huevos:
Vegetable oil for frying tortillas and eggs, at least 2 cups
12 to 16 (6-inch) corn tortillas
12 to 16 large eggs

For the chile sauce:

1. Place chiles, onion, and garlic in a large, dry cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toast, turning occasionally until chiles are darkened and giving off a smoky aroma and onion and garlic are browned. (The chiles will toast faster than the onion and garlic so just remove them from the pan as they are ready.)

2. Place toasted chiles and tomato in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until chiles are soft and pliable and tomato is soft, but not falling apart. Meanwhile, place onions and garlic in a blender.

3. Once chiles and tomato are cooked, transfer with a slotted spoon to the blender saving the cooking liquid. Add chipotles, cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice to the blender along with 1/2 cup of the chile cooking liquid. Cover with a clean rag or dish towel you don't mind getting stained and start blender on low speed. Keeping your hand over the towel, slowly increase speed to high and blend until smooth adding more cooking liquid if necessary to get the ingredients moving. Taste and add more salt or lime juice if needed. Sauce can be made up to a week in advance.

For the huevos:

1. Pour oil in a large frying pan (cast iron is best) until it reaches 1/2 inch up the side of the pan. Place over medium heat and let heat until bubbles immediately form around a wooden chopstick when inserted or a deep-fat fry thermometer reaches 350°F. Meanwhile line a plate with paper towels and set aside.

2. Place one tortilla at a time in the oil and cook until lightly browned on one side, holding the tortilla down if it starts to curl. Flip and repeat on the other side, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate and lightly sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining tortillas.  You will want to plan on 1 tortilla per egg.

3. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil from skillet and carefully add sauce, fry sauce over medium heat stirring to incorporate the oil until heated through.

4. Fry eggs (1 or 2 per person) in a separate frying pan then top each tortilla with an egg and spoon sauce on top. Serve immediately.