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Friday Link Love

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It was a big week here in our household. A gleaming red Kitchenaid mixer moved in and we are all very taken with it (her?). Even the baby gives it long, dreamy stares every time he passes it. I have a lot up my sleeve with this machine that I can't wait to tell you about soon. In the meantime, all my gratitude goes to KitchenAid Germany, the generous sponsors of our red beauty.

We've got no less than two brunches and a date at the Philharmonic planned this weekend. I'm still trying to figure out what to serve on Sunday morning that's breakfast-y, easy to prepare, delicious and kid-friendly. Any suggestions?

Elsewhere,

A Californian version of Bircher Müsli.

Ever wish you could scratch-n-sniff a food magazine?

Cocoa-Roasted Almonds, whoa.

My favorite bagel is the thinking man's bagel.

Oh, to live in LA where fresh flowers line the stoops and adorn pretty bowls of soup.

Peek inside my fridge (and check out my insane artistic talent, huh? HUH?).

How to use up that can of chipotles in adobo sitting in your fridge.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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47 responses to “Friday Link Love”

  1. Ilka Avatar
    Ilka

    so, what do you do with the frozen parmesan rinds?

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  2. Erin Avatar
    Erin

    Egg bake for breakfast! Super easy, can prep the night before and just toss it in the oven in the morning.
    Or an oatmeal bar? big pot of oats, then loads of toppings like fruits and syrups, but also savory options like pancetta, caramelized onions, spinach, creme fraiche….
    My red kitchen aid’s name is Glory. I love her.
    Enjoy!

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  3. Giulia Avatar
    Giulia

    We hosted a brunch this past Sunday. Made baked French Toast with day old baguette and added orange zest and juice – super yummy and popular. Also suggest a fritata or a savoury clafoutis.
    Breakfast sausages are always very popular as is Zopf since most people don’t get it here in Canada.

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  4. Giulia Avatar
    Giulia

    Oh, and I have a red Kitchen Aid as well – she sits proudly on our counter and has worked really hard. We love her.

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  5. The Brussels Cook(er) Avatar
    The Brussels Cook(er)

    Muffins – both savoury and sweet – always work so well and are SO easy to make!
    BTW: Just read your “Draw me your fridge” interview/article – always great to see what other cooks have their and in their pantry! And I also love that you get your dried fruit and nuts from Aldi – me too! (And their frozen “Rote Beerenmischung” is fantastic too – and so cheap…)

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  6. Katherine Avatar
    Katherine

    A sponsored Kitchen Aid in your kitchen – you lucky gal! I’ve been using three converters, plus a glass jar to prop it all in place, for mine. I would be so sad without it, so I know you’ll have fun playing with yours!

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  7. krystina Avatar
    krystina

    I have a go-to French toast that I always make the night before Easter and often make for brunch. Click on my name for the recipe if you’re interested!
    I don’t think I’ve ever posted a comment before, but just wanted to say thank you for the continued inspiration and amazing recipes and stories. I know others do it too, but I am cribbing your Friday link feature because I think it’s wonderful – I find so many wonderful things that I want to share and save and I think this is a lovely way to do so. Enjoy your weekend!

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  8. Bake Avatar
    Bake

    I bought myself the very same red KitchenAid 2 weeks ago. I love her!! Enjoy 🙂 xoxo

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  9. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Put them in minestrone!

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  10. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Glory! That’s brilliant.

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  11. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Ooh, thanks for the tip! Always happy to hear about good things at Aldi.

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  12. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Thank YOU!

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  13. The Brussels Cook(er) Avatar
    The Brussels Cook(er)

    And I just realised that my banana bread (adapted from a Nigella Lawson recipe) is also the perfect brunch fare – and usually made with Aldi Trockenobst:
    http://thebrusselscooker.blogspot.be/2013_02_01_archive.html

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  14. Selkie Avatar
    Selkie

    Just made the almonds, as an April Snowstorm Baking Project here in mid-coast Maine on ‘almost tax day’! (Snow? Today?) DREAMING of them chopped on my amazing oatmeal I learned from you, except I make it with almond milk. THANK YOU.

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  15. Sam Avatar
    Sam

    try hummus for brunch. I just love it with or without garlic: chickpeas (kichererbsen) best in cans from the turkish grocer, fresh lemon, garlic or not ;-), Tahina (Sesam gepresst), oliveoil, Cumin (Kreuzkümmel) and salt. Mix everything in your fabolous kitchenaid for a creamy paste and add cumin and garlic and lemon as you like it best. Best Bread for it is the Milkbread from turkish grocer, it looks like the “Fladenbrot” but isn`t. Its more oval and flat with lots of sesame white and black on it. Really great to freeze it and to warm it up in the toaster for lunch (with soups its delicious). Thank you for your blog, I like it soooo much!

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  16. JackieD Avatar
    JackieD

    Word on the thinking man’s bagel. And hey, that’s a spice mix I could do at home and sprinkle on… everything!! Awesome.
    Excited to try to cocoa almonds too!

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  17. Janae Avatar
    Janae

    Hi Luisa,
    Someone probably already said this, but I would definitely make a quiche. You can make it the night before and then just reheat in the morning. So easy! And it’s one of those foods that I think tastes just as good – if not better – when reheated. A crust isn’t even really necessary if that’s too much trouble.
    Have a great weekend!

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  18. Selkie Avatar
    Selkie

    @sam: skin the chickpeas! Does everyone already know this except me? They are so creamy without the skins, slipped off easily and an appalling pile of … SKINS!

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  19. Tram_cat Avatar
    Tram_cat

    In Edinburgh, we have Lupe Pinto’s chilli & spice shop but they don’t seem to have chipotle in adobe. Smae – cos those link recipes are talking my language!

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  20. Tram_cat Avatar
    Tram_cat

    or shame, even!

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  21. dreyerc@gmail.com Avatar
    dreyerc@gmail.com

    If you have Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, the onion, egg bake with bread crumbs is awesome (so much more than the sum of its parts). It can be made ahead, my family always requests it, people ask me for the recipe… you get the idea.
    Excited to hear about how you use your mixer! I got one in June and sadly I haven’t used it all too much (must change!)

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  22. Sally Avatar
    Sally

    For brunch…frittata or quiche.

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  23. Kate B Avatar
    Kate B

    For brunch, I love to serve a kale and roasted butternut squash quiche with the crumb crust from the old Enchanted Broccoli Forest (the crust takes all of 3 minutes to throw together–unlike a traditional crust–and is a lot healthier). Can be made ahead of time too!

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  24. Limner Avatar
    Limner

    I dream of that red mixer. The color red is my favorite favorite color. It is time I bought a Kitchen Aid mixer. I’ve earned it. 🙂

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  25. Kristi Avatar
    Kristi

    I second the baked french toast idea! I had a big crowd over for a brunch and made steel cut oats in the slow cooker overnight, which saved me time in the morning. Or baked oatmeal is also tasty. Yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit/granola. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. 🙂
    BTW, loved your book and your blog. I have two small children so am enjoying reading about your transition to cooking as a mom.

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  26. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Sausage and bell pepper strata…make ahead and just pop in the oven in the morning. That’s what we had for Easter along with a potato casserole that was made ahead too 🙂 I also love a good french toast casserole and it’s always a hit with the kids!

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  27. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    I would suggest an array of things you can easily set up the night before or in the morning: thinly-sliced smoked salmon, sliced cucumber, that yummy German cream cheese with walnuts in it and nutella (for the kids!). You could serve that with fresh warm buns because you live in Germany and are lucky enough to have bakeries everywhere!
    Oh, and I always like fruit with breakfast, but what to make in this season? Maybe a warm rhubarb compote, sweetened with honey? It could be a kind of brunch dessert.
    Now that I’ve thought about this, I think I should host my own brunch . . .(:

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  28. Bérangère Bouffard Avatar
    Bérangère Bouffard

    I should be in bed but I’m waiting for this blackberry/yogourt/brown sugar/rum cobbler-ish concoction to be out of the oven in 15 minutes so in the meantime I’m perusing through old magazines and found 2 tips on how to use chipotles in adobo sauce.
    1- Is for spicy chicken. Purée chipotles with soft butter, then spread under the skin of a whole chicken before roasting.
    2-Mash up and mix chipotles with mayo. Great with sweet-potato fries.

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  29. marissa @ the boot Avatar
    marissa @ the boot

    the red is SO good. so good! 🙂 i love making french toast casserole (barefoot contessa has a good recipe) and you can prep it the night before! plus lots of fresh fruit and a frittata is always really fast/easy!

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  30. Thebackyardlemontree Avatar
    Thebackyardlemontree

    I love my vintage forty year plus Sunbeam mixer but I have coveted a Kitchen Aid mixer for years and the red is gorgeous.

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  31. Patty Avatar
    Patty

    Smitten Kitchen has a great strata: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/12/spinach-and-cheese-strata/
    I have made it with a whole grain baguette and everyone loves it. Enjoy your brunch.

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  32. Cristina Avatar
    Cristina

    I really loved the interview for the ”Draw me a fridge series”! (found out that our fridges have a lot in common -minus the ketchup!) And the drawing was …well….cute!

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  33. Abigail Avatar
    Abigail

    You’re having really great time 🙂

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  34. Ian Avatar
    Ian

    Overnight oats are one of my favorite and simplest of easy breakfast dishes. Soaking them in the fridge for the night then gives you the option of a variety of additions / topping to start the day.
    Personally I like blueberries, sometimes a scoop of Greek yoghurt, a sliced banana and maybe a small drizzle of honey or maple syrup. But the options are almost endless.
    For those who aren’t so fussed about cold oats just give them a little warm in the microwave before adding the toppings

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  35. Louise @ Kitchen Fiddler Avatar
    Louise @ Kitchen Fiddler

    Thanks for sharing all these goodies with us, Luisa! I admit I’m swooning a bit after reading this post. I was smiling at the photos of your happy red KitchenAid, not to mention the links for the chipotle-cream recipes and those crazy-looking cocoa-roasted almonds. But the topper for me was the link to the Berlin Philharmonic site, for I can only imagine how incredible last weekend’s concert was!

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  36. Sherry T Avatar
    Sherry T

    I love my KitchenAid! I have a royal blue one and I think it’s beautiful.
    For breakfast, I like baked eggs, or baked French toast. Recipes abound for savory versions too!

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  37. anna@annamayeveryday Avatar
    anna@annamayeveryday

    What is the dish in the bottom left hand photograph, looks like it might be some roasted peppers with olives…? Looks delicious!

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  38. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    That’s exactly right! And some chopped parsley.

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  39. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    It was mind-blowing, actually. One of the best concerts of my life! We had total goosebumps.

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  40. dervla @The Curator Avatar
    dervla @The Curator

    ummm super jealous of your stand mixer. I do so much baking and could really use it, but am voted out because of counter space 😦 I fantasize about an apple green one sometimes.

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  41. kathy Avatar
    kathy

    the first thing to purchase for your kitchenaid is the meat grinder attachment. I bought mine on a lark one day when I had to pick-up a replacement blade for the cuisinart foodprocessor from a supplier and noticed the boxed meat grinder. Best purchase I ever made….haven’t needed to buy hamburger or ground chicken or turkey since.

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  42. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Woah, brilliant idea!

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  43. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Thank you!

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  44. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    Yes!! I’m so excited for this.

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  45. Carmen Avatar
    Carmen

    At one point, your food processor was on the blink. Did you replace it?

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  46. Luisa Avatar
    Luisa

    My “food processor” is actually a Braun immersion blender with a few small attachments. The immersion blender motor was busted, which turned out to be a problem with that particular make across the board. They replaced it at no charge, so now I can chop and purée again, hooray!

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  47. Carmen Avatar
    Carmen

    Isn’t it great when things work out! Enjoy the red mixer! And yes, she’s a “she”, I am sure of it!

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