Three Things

Easter tables, a quick skillet dinner, a super cool giveaway

Greetings eaters and readers! I am home again in New York after a lovely stretch down south, where I happened to realize that 90% of what comes out of my mouth lately seems to be food-related. Before we get to your Three Things, I need you to know that my friend and Martha Stewart ex-pat Jodi Levine has released her first ebook in a series devoted to making crafts from products otherwise destined for the trash. Volume 1 is called Toilet Tube Treasury and every time I look at the book, I am reminded of Elizabeth Gilbert defining art as “when something is more beautiful than it needs to be.” Let’s just start with the grass and bunny egg holders above, which Jodi recommends turning into place holders for your Easter table. (You can write the guest’s name right on the egg.) There are 24 more equally inspiring projects for both kids and adults but I just can’t get over that cover. Your Three Things…

1. Speaking of Eggs

I’d argue that the only phrase that makes more appearances than I could eat this every night across all DALS platforms is most likely top with an egg. Especially during these last few years of Weekday Vegetarianism, when often the addition of an egg is just the magic-wand-ish* protein we are all looking for to transform a dish into capital D-Dinner. So, at long last, for all your future #PutAnEggOnIt needs, my three most favorite ways to prepare them: 7-minute (aka “jammy”), hard-boiled, and sunny-side up. (Shown: Spring pea shoot salad with quartered avocado, oil & vinegar, furikake, and a 7-minute egg.) Reminder: A carton of local, farm-fresh eggs, tied up in a bow, makes a wonderful host gift.

*look it up, I dare you

2. Sausage & Peppers

Peanut butter and chocolate, milk and cookies, Tom Holland and Zendaya…some things just go together, as I was reminded last week, when I sausage-and-peppered my way to dinner in no-joke-under 20 minutes. The sausages were sweet Italian chicken, procured in South Carolina at Storey Farms, then lovingly shepherded (and igloo’d) 800 miles north to our dinner table. Here’s the no-recipe recipe:

If you’re going to serve with rice, prep your favorite kind according to package instructions. Brown 2-3 chicken sausages per diner (you know your people better than I do) over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Chances are, since it’s chicken, the sausage won’t render a ton of fat, so add a little olive oil to keep things sizzling. Just a little though. Remove links to a cutting board when they are mostly cooked through; let sit. Decrease heat to medium, add 1 medium red onion, (sliced, not super thin), and 1 large red pepper (sliced as shown), then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until everything is wilted, about 8-10 minutes. While they cook, slice the sausages into coins, then add back to the pan, nestling the pieces in between the vegetables so they are able to brown on the surface of the pan a bit. Let them cook through and get a little color, then stir. Remove the pan from heat and stir in about 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Serve over rice with dollops of whole grain mustard. If you have dill, parsley, or chives, feel free to shower the herbs on top.

3. Mother’s Day Giveaway!

Have you all heard of Small Packages? They put together curated gift boxes for every occasion, from birthdays to new babies to I’m-thinking-of-you kinds of days….to, of course, Mother’s Day. Which brings me to this special bundle you’re looking at above, including The Weekday Vegetarians, luxurious, cheesy potato chips designed to be paired with wine, a White Bubble candle, Mayana Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels, a hand-carved acacia wood snack bowl, and a jar of Brightland honey. Why am I telling you this? Because as of today, April 5, Small Packages is offering a chance for two DALS readers (that’s you!) to win two gift boxes — one for you, and one to be sent to your mother, mother-to-be, grandma, daughter, sister, or any mom-ish person in your life. (That’s two winners so four boxes total.) All you have to do to be eligible to win is enter your email address here. That’s it! The gift box will also be available for purchase until Mother’s Day. You have until April 12 at noon ET to enter. (Winners will be announced April 12.) Good luck!

Reminder: Cook with Me

Reminder: This Sunday April 10, 2022 at 5:00 ET (via Zoom) I’ll be teaching a class on how to make my luxurious puréed, impossibly-green asparagus soup, just right for your Easter, Passover, or springtime table. All proceeds from the class will go to Center for Family Life. You can buy tickets here and read more about CFL’s mission here. Hope to see you on Sunday.

Attn: Subscribers

Later in the week, look out for a little South Carolina Highlight Reel including vacation and rental information for the island in general. And recipes, bien sûr.

Everyone else, see you next week!
Jenny