RECIPE 11: Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

Ummm... Have I mentioned lately that my bestie Paulo is brilliant?! Well if I haven't, let's set the record now - he's a genius! There are countless reasons but top of the list this week is because he lobbied for us to dive into the sweets section of Alison Roman's Dining In. So send your thanks to Paulo and get ready for Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread.

You guys! The first run at this recipe ended in D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, which was particularly frustrating for me because I am a baker. I have successfully baked through most of Christina Tosi's Momofuku Milk Bar and that's complicated, time-consuming stuff. But regardless of the fail, the cookie itself still tasted good and I refuse to be defeated by any recipe, so let's go!

For the second attempt, I dove into research and asked bakers who've baked the shortbread before. I also discovered a step-by-step walk through on Alison's Instagram highlight reel which proved to be very helpful because in the end I got results!

It was VERY important to be patient and spend the time to cream the butter, sugar and vanilla for the consistency of frosting out of the can. Don't rush it, y'all! This step alone took over 10 minutes. But it was worth it and the key to success. Taking the time to cream the butter was also literally the only thing I did differently from the first round of these delightful cookies - so do it slow.

And boy was this cookie a game changer! I'm obsessed and likely won't spend the more intensive time to make the New York Times' Chocolate Chip Cookies again anytime soon... I mean they require 72 hours of chilling -- eep! If you have a cookie hankering- who has time for that?!

So think of a salty and shortbready version of a Chips Ahoy, and bake with Alison. You can find the recipe here.

#101in1001 Update

Whelp, m'dears! A full month of self-isolating at home and another month working on my #101in1001. Thankfully, I was still able to cross a couple of items off my to-do list despite feeling like being stuck at home "blows."

✔ 43. The Sashimi Bar.
✔ 91. Workout at least five times a week for three months.

Instead of their normal offering of a prefix/chef's choice meal, during the COVID-19 pandemic Bozeman's Sashimi Bar is doing an a la carte takeout menu. You guys! If you live in Bozeman, you must check it out ASAP. Easily the best sushi we've had in Montana and there are BAO BUNS! A small but important thing to note is that the Sashimi Bar also makes its own pickled ginger to serve alongside their sushi and it is... THE REAL DEAL! We are very satisfied customers and will be ordering in for the second weekend in a row tonight, and can't wait to try out the restaurant on a future special occasion. It also feels great to support the small businesses in our community. This is a trying time for everyone and we're choosing to financially support as many of our favorite local joints as possible.

Working out on the regular has helped me keep a routine and helped me manage my stress. And in these circumstances, getting my sweat on five times a week would not have been possible without Peloton. Plus Cody Rigsby's energy and joy is impossible to ignore. Although I desperately miss in-person classes, I've also enjoyed trying out new workouts as everyone is forced to go online. I tried this free 30-minute pilates workout featured by Goop and converted our dining room into a dance floor for Dance Church a few Sundays.

So what's up next... after some not great snacking, I'm ready for a juice cleanse to detox (#69). I might wait until Henry goes back to daycare because I've never done a cleanse and need all my wits about me with our toddler terrorist. I'm thinking about this beginner cleanse program from Pressed Juicery. Thoughts?

I'm also intrigued by going without TV for a week (#84) while we still shelter in place because our screen time has definitely increased. I have about $115 worth of clothing to sell to reach my goal of selling $500 worth of clothing (#87) this year and am on track to cross that goal off my list next month.

What are you doing to keep on the up and up? Tell me all your secrets!

RECIPES 9 + 10: Pork and Red Chile Stew with Tomatillos and Split Pea Salad

Paulo and I are whipping through Alison Roman's Dining In, so today I'm sharing two dishes: Pork and Red Chile Stew with Tomatillos AND Split Pea Salad.

Okay, let's get right to it! The Hubs was especially excited about the New Mexican style stew as he frequents the state for work. I was intrigued but, admittedly, don't eat a lot of red meat at home so this recipe was not on the top of my list. Though I'd never cooked with hominy, love tomatillos and the point of this quest is to cook the whole book so I revved my engine, dug in and here are the results!

You guys, this stew is like a life-giving ramen but with extra spice and no noodles. It was also very greasy like some of the ramens we all love, but it was bit too much for me. I even passed on seconds and leftovers - which never happens, though the Hubs skimmed off the fat from the leftovers and happily ate it all.

Our pork shoulder also did not break apart as much as expected so if we do make this dish again, I recommend cutting the pork into a couple large chunks before simmering. Otherwise you're left with meat that is simply too big to be consumable and hard to break apart. I also would look to trim excess fat from the exterior of the pork to help cut down on the greasiness. I'm holding off on sharing this recipe because I can't full heartedly endorse it. Perhaps a second go will sell me on this stew but don't count on it.

As for the salad, it was a very different story on a very different night. I LOVE split pea soup and thus had been eyeing this recipe from the start. The crunch of the crispy potatoes and bacon alongside the lentils and peas, made this hearty salad a winner. I also loved the fresh chives and can always get down on a grain mustard type vinaigrette. We are fortunate to still have pounds on pounds of salmon in our freezer from our neighbor's Alaska fishing friend and simple pan seared salmon was the perfect plate partner for this complex and tasty salad.

For the Split Pea Salad recipe from Alison herself, click here.