My original plan was to release this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, because it’s green and all. But life happened and I wasn’t able to get this recipe out in time. SO, we will now say the recipe’s pastel green coloration is for springtime and Easter. Yeah...
Read MoreHello spring! While I'm overjoyed that today is the "official" start of spring, I'll admit that my heart won't be completely on the welcome bandwagon until I start to see one thing.... A year ago, after our California-blooded selves survived our first Minnesota winter, there was nothing more satisfying and rejuvenating than seeing tiny hopeful plant buds poke out a couple inches from the ground. Once I see those again this year, then and only then will spring feel like it has arrived. We've got an upcoming...
Read MoreAs I left work Sunday night I was greeted by inches of freshly fallen snow. The streets were quiet in the midnight hour as I gently drove home on the unplowed roads. Despite the beautiful white-covered scenery I awoke to this morning, the day turned out to be a very "monday-monday", even though I had the day off - which seems like it should be illegal, right?? Home bound with my newly acquired cough I dared not...
Read MoreHappy Monday, friends! This past weekend was one for the books. My husband was on spring break from medical school, which means that we got to go on errands together, cook together, sleep in, snuggle (practically all day, oops) - and this past Saturday he decided to plan a surprise date day for me - full of fun activities and delicious foods. When school is in session, Alex's studies take up almost all of his time. So our quality time together during this stage of life looks different than other married couples, but I found the key is to not compare our relationship to others, but rather to do what is right for our own relationship. One of which, includes taking advantage...
Read MoreThere is a beloved donut shop in my college town that has both mastered unique and classic flavors. It was the site of hangouts with friends, fundraiser events, and studying sessions. One of the most popular items and one of my personal favorites was their maple bacon bar. So to introduce our friends here to the flavors of home I took the maple bacon flavor combination and applied it to whoopie pies! If you like sweet and salty combinations, then you will love this one! The freshly cooked bacon...
Read MoreHow would you describe your perfect weather? For me, it an overcast and quiet day. Sitting on my bed, covered in soft blankets, and listening to the rainfall. Windows open, I would feel the cool air travel into the apartment, prompting me to wear fuzzy socks to stay warm. Sipping on hot green tea with lemon and honey, while surrounding by fragrant burning candles as I read one of my favorite books. My husband finds me odd that ...
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During college I studied abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I spent the summer studying Thai culture, traveling the city with my sweet Lilo & Stitch scooter, and learning to cook Thai food. Prior to traveling to Thailand I had little to no tolerance for spicy foods. When eating at restaurants though where no one speaks English, the way you order is to point at a picture of a meal, and hope that that is what they bring you (although most of the time it wasn’t). By experiencing more and more meals that I essentially didn’t order I was slowly able to tolerate spicier and spicier food items. Although, word to the wise, if the color of a meal looks red hot, it likely is extremely spicy and will make your eyes water with just one bite. If that happens, and yes it happened a few times to me, stop and say sorry to your taste buds with some soothing mango and sticky rice.
Returning to the states, it took me nearly 3 years to find a restaurant that could remotely compare to “real” Thai food. It is a tiny food truck in Portland, Oregon near the nursing school that I attended. Their close proximity to my areas of study was very dangerous, yet very welcomed. There’s nothing like warm, delicious, authentic curry on a cold, rainy day to brighten your mood. Because I am a huge curry fanatic I love eating my curry like a soup with just a little bit of rice. This curry dish I am sharing with you all is a staple in our household. If you are looking for a warm, cozy meal for a night in or a meal to share with friends, give this curry a try!
Takes: 40 minutes
1. Coat the bottom and and sides of a wok with:
3-4 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2. Add:
10 teaspoons panang curry paste
3. Stir the curry paste frequently over medium heat for about a minute, until the paste is fragrant. This is releasing the natural oils and flavoring of the curry.
4. Stir in until the curry paste dissolves:
1 can coconut milk
5. Mix in:
3 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
6. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes to allow sweet potatoes to soften.
7. Add:
3/4 pound of chicken, cut into 1" pieces
1 can coconut milk
1/2 cup water
8. Cover again, and let simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Stir in:
1/4 cup basil
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
10. If the curry is too spicy you can add more sugar, one teaspoon at a time. Serve over rice.
This past Christmas was quieter than usual as my husband and I celebrated with just the two of us here in our tiny apartment. Not only was it the first time that we weren’t with family for the holidays, but also it was our first married Christmas (eeep!) and our first white Christmas. Well technically it was a white Christmas as there was snow on the ground outside, but the rainstorm that came through that day tried hard to melt all of the snow! We cuddled together with...
Read MoreThese past couple weeks have been filled with weather in the single digits and sub zero wind chill. Ice covers the ground, and we haven’t gone outside without being bundled up in our down coats. The frozen tundra that we live in inspired me to create a dish that tasted fresh and deviated from the not-so-healthy comfort food that we all crave...
Read MoreI am currently sitting in the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, awaiting my flight to LA. I am so excited I think I’m going to burst. Why you ask? Well, my college roommate who now lives in Hawaii (rough life, I know) is flying out to Cali for the weekend for a wedding, which prompted the rest of my college roommates who are still in Cali to organize a little reunion for the weekend! The 7 of us have not all been together since we graduated college, two and a half YEARS ago! The best part...
Read MoreMy affinity towards ginger has continued to evolve over the years, but in a rollercoaster fashion. I grew up loving my mom’s ginger molasses cookies that she would make during her holiday baking every year, making sure to stash a couple extra before she gave them away to friends and family. But a couple years ago I tried a tiny portion of store bought candy crystallized ginger from a friend, and it took me half an hour to eat that thing simply because I was trying to...
Read MoreYears ago my now husband and I traveled to Ecuador to volunteer at a mobile medical clinic. We spent the week traveling to villages in the Amazon shadowing physicians, distributing medications, and playing with the children. While we were not able to provide much direct medical help to those in need at the time, the experience impacted our journey to our own healthcare professions. To help raise funds to cover some of our travel expenses I put on an online bake sale for a couple months. My most popular item...
Read MoreMonkey bread, an item that has been a family tradition in my family for as long as I can remember. It was the breakfast item that my friends and I from elementary school to high school would quickly dig into after a sleepover. It was the dessert after a team dinner with my high school tennis team. It was the breakfast that my entire family would enjoy while opening presents on Christmas morning. And it was the breakfast that my mother would make for me when I came home during school breaks. While I love...
Read MoreOne of my favorite things about bananas, besides the delicious texture they add to smoothies, is that unlike most foods, when bananas start to go bad all hope is not lost. Rather, you can revitalize those “these are so soft they are gross”, brown bananas into delicious...
Read MoreMy husband and I rang in his birthday (he’s a quarter of a century old, people!) the best way we know how, with food! I would have loved to take him on an adventure on that beautiful Midwest autumn day, but seeing as he is a medical student and spends the majority of his time studying at his desk, I instead decided to make that day special with some specially crafted foods. He loves “fun” food, which allows me to frequently create new flavor combinations. Since the day would...
Read MoreI don’t know about you but I love eating ice cream, no matter the time of year, and I live in Minne-snow-ta, so that should tell you something about my deep affinity towards the cold dessert. However it wasn’t until my years in Portland and my first experience with Salt & Straw ice cream that I realized that ice cream was no longer reserved for the classic flavors, but rather was an avenue for creativity and imagination. It was with that spirit that I purchased our first Cuisinart ice cream maker. Thankfully my...
Read MoreAutumn is hands-down my favorite season, which is why I was so excited to experience my first REAL autumn here in Minnesota. I could spend hours just sitting outside, staring at the beautiful changing leaves as the cool breeze blew across my face. I read a quote once that said, "Fall is the beautiful moment between sweating and hypothermia." I couldn't agree more! The summers here...
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Hi! My name is Tori, and welcome to To Salt & See, where we indulge in simple, elegant, and cozy recipes. To learn more about me click here!
