No Love More Sincere » @ Your Kitchen Table

@ Matt Mayhem’s (but, in my kitchen): Seared Duck Breast, Zucchini-Honeycomb Mushroom Egg Noodles, & Blood Orange-Mango-Dandelion Salad

Erin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:20:40 +0000

Matt Mayhem is one of my all-time favorite people and my longest friend in my time living in Philly. Each year we get together to celebrate our friendiversary and this time it was a bit of reunion. Life gets away from us sometimes, but great friends never fade. There are very few people I truly trust to have my back, and, possibly even less that I trust in my kitchen. Matt’s a lucky guy to fall into both categories!

My Matt Mayhem

Matt scooped some ingredients from Reading Terminal Market and I scooped him on my way home from work. It was nice for once to focus on pics and eating, instead of always being the cook (not that I usually mind!). I was so pleased to sit down to a meal I wouldn’t usually think to prepare, either. Matt artfully seared Duck Breast, sauteed Zucchini-Honeycomb Mushroom Egg Noodles, & tossed a Blood Orange-Mango-Dandelion Salad with a Grapefruit-Shallot Vinaigrette for a truly fresh, delicious dinner. Thanks for the yummies & 6 years of friendship, Mayhem!

Seared Duck Breast w/ Zucchini-Honeycomb Mushroom Egg Noodles

Dandelion Salad w/ Mango, Blood Orange, Bean Sprouts, & a Grapefruit Vinaigrette

@ Sunshine’s: Swedish Meatballs, French Blue Salad, & Curvy Girl Vintage

Erin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:15:44 +0000

After a long Wedding Open House at work, I made my up to Fishtown to visit my favorite vintage-crafty fashionista, Sunshine. She recruited me to model some fun vintage clothes for her blog, Blog Full of Jelly, and her Etsy shop, bubblepipe. My favorite was a 1940s German Black Wool Dirndil with ruffled detail that I may have to scoop up for myself! I can def see myself rocking it on a long-overdue visit to my birthplace.

German Black Wool Dirndil

Sunshine’s a great cook, too, so I was pretty pumped to hear she was making Swedish Meatballs. Why so pumped you ask?

A. None of my regular dinner guests eat red meat (except for a burger here and there)

B. Dre refuses to eat meat in the form of a ball (or loaf for that matter!)

Swedish Meatballs a la Sunshine

She paired the meatballs with some crusty bread, rye toasts, and, what I coined, her French Blue Salad. Simply enough, it’s blue cheese crumbles mixed with French dressing over Bibb lettuce. Sooo good and so on my list of regular salad preparations. Tuning into the retro ambiance of her amazing home, our dinner was served on vintage TV trays as we enjoyed classic Simpsons episodes, orange-y cocktails, & each others company!

Swedish Meatballs & French Blue Salad

P.S. I left Sunshine with a pint of Cream of Asparugus Soup that she enjoyed the next day with the rye toasts and French Blue Salad for a Leftover Lightning! of her own.

@ Tom & Sarah’s: Chili-Brined Ham, Red Cabbage, & Sweet Potato Biscuits

Erin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:59:30 +0000

Perfect beer glass. Perfect sized biscuits.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Braised Red Cabbage w/ Caraway Seed & Apple

Ham Bone

Grapefruit, Crispy Pork Skin, & Frisee Salad

Sweet Potato Biscuit Stack

Chili-Brined Juicy Fresh Ham

Lily loved Pork

Rummikub

Thanks, Tom & Sarah!

I’ll eat pork & cabbage, drink yummy boxed Shiraz, and play Rummikub with you any day!