I’m baaaaack. I still have to catch up with the blog after a few spotty weeks, but I’ll post an update to the Professional Amateur Challenge at the same time this one goes live. Stay tuned… Can you believe that I haven’t made any red meat since APRIL? Nothing unusual I guess– but clearly I…
“Pro Amateur” Challenge
I’m a professional amateur, you’re a professional amateur…we’re all professional amateurs. For this challenge, YOU get to do the cooking. Pick any of the dishes from the blog (or invent your own) and tag @craving_mad on Instagram by November 1st! I’m flipping the camera around this time– time for you to show off. There have…
Orange-Rosemary Trout | Cotija Grits
Time for the good news and bad news of fall in Atlanta: it’s no longer 98 degrees every time you walk outside (summer had us the the third quarter though, not gonna lie) BUT you have to deal with days of misty rain and piles of wet leaves– which are definitely among my least favorite…
Peppercorn Shrimp | Habañero-Kaffir Lime Broth
No, it isn’t Pho– I am not even going to try to tackle that one yet. Instead, it’s one of those Saturday morning experiments that will only get better as I refine it over the next few weeks. It’s another slow burner, but not as slow as the 16-Hour Ramen. In fact, the broth looks dark…
Ras el-Hanout Rib Tips | Apple-Fennel Sauté
How did I forget about Ras el-Hanout? It was one of those gateway drugs- I mean spices- that got me started with a phase when I was obsessed with *attempting* Moroccan food. It’s been a while, but it’s good that I had it lying around when I ran out of other ideas. What else? Uh……
Grilled Italian Sausage | Smashed Cannellini Beans
There’s a good chance that you’re reading this after a long day– maybe you got up early, worked through lunch, stayed late? All three? Ouch. Sometimes you just need something quick, and filling and those Buzzfeed videos just aren’t hitting it for the day. Don’t lose hope! Look through all the Craving Mad posts under…
Shrimp & Cashew Soup
I learn a lot of food trends from Dani, since I’m usually in my own head coming up with new combinations of things. Remember that vegan lasagna we made a while ago? Well, cashews filled in for ricotta cheese– and it was a pretty awesome match. Aside from that though, I haven’t done anything particularly special…
Black Eye Pea Stew
Simple, slow, and delicious. Sure, no one asked me to summarize this dish in three words or less…but I love a good challenge. I’ve had dried black eye peas in the house for about a year– initially to make akara, a Nigerian fritter that’s delicious…but labor intensive. I’m still craving it, but I am admittedly…
Ọbẹ Ẹ̀fọ́ Elegusi: Egusi Stew
Five attempts…it took me five attempts over about four years to finally get it right. Egusi stew is my favorite Nigerian meal, and maybe one of my favorite foods in general. The problem is that I’ve always had to get it from a restaurant or caterer, so it’s usually a rare delicacy reserved for big…
Stewed Cod
Too easy not to make… right now! The sauce changes each time I make it, but includes different combinations of peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Roast the vegetables until soft, then sautee in olive oil, and cook the fish in the sauce that forms. Cod filets work perfectly for this, since they are firm, and won’t…
