RECIPE: BLACK SESAME BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES {GLUTEN FREE}

-yeh!

recipe: sesame sauce

mum has been making this sauce for sesame noodles since i was a little nugget {long before i even liked anything that wasn't mac and cheese}. now a little ramekin of those sesame noodles, garnished with scallions, regularly accompanies her to the airport to pick me up whenever i fly home. they are so comforting and saucy and delicious, and really good cold in the middle of the night if you happen to be wandering around the kitchen with a fork...

last week a stroke of gluten-freeness came over me and i put this sauce on roasted brussels sprouts and they were sooooooo goood. i've been making them every day since for at least two meals. 

when i gchatted mum to tell her my discovery she responded with something to the effect of, "oh yeah obviously. i've been putting that sauce on vegetables for years."

thaaaaankkkksssss maaaaaaa.

anyway i kind of want to slather this sauce on everything that comes out of my kitchen but first i have to track down where a sista buys tahini in bulk.

notes about the recipe: if you're making a full box of noodles, double the sauce. if you're making this for vegans, brown sugar is a great substitute for the honey.

-yeh!

a recipe round-up.

{and a little window round-up, too.}

this week saw its fair share of atrociously embarrassing meals {cheeze-its in bed. frozen cocktail quiche. straight up spoonfuls of speculoos. things that if mum knew about them as they were happening, she'd probably fedex me a braised something asap.} but there were also some meals that made me so much closer to the martha stewart/my mom-type that i hope to one day be. they were so yummy and perfect for this cold weather. so while i didn't write any recipes to post this week, here are some that i recently tried and loved:

shakshuka: a super comforting israeli dish where you poach some eggs in a vegetable-y tomato sauce.

scallion pancakes: it's what's for lunch when you need to use up a gazillion scallions.

chicken and apples: it's what's for dinner when you buy chicken and apples at costco and get scared that you won't be able to use them all.

and here are some recipes that i hope to make soon:

pastrami hummus: i mean...

sauteed purple kale and charred shallots with a fried egg: i'll make almost anything that calls for an egg on top.

moroccan chicken and lentils: eggboy bought a ten pound bag of lentils. help.

happy friday!!

-yeh!! 

photos, top to bottom:

flowers in the kitchen,

gretchen in her new corner,

the window in the bathroom.

brunch with the boys

over the weekend, brian and cutlet came for one of those long, lazy, highly caffeinated brunches that i crave each and every day of the week. it was so nice to see brian, who had come in from out of town for the week. and also of course it's always a treat with cutlet, who had come allll the way from queens. the morning reminded me of sunday mornings during the college years when we'd sit around the practice room sign out sheets, comparing notes on hangovers. only this time we were basking in the sun and marginally more sophisticated.

the menu:

whole wheat apple muffins

veggie quiche with sweet potato hash brown crust*
maple syrup with a side of bacon

black coffee x a bazillion septrillion

ad lib peanut butter cookies

*to make the crust, shred 1 1/2-2 sweet potatoes, mix with about 3 tablespoons of melted butter, an egg, and salt and pepper to taste. firmly pack the mixture on the bottom and around the edges of a cake pan and bake at 450 until it sets (15-20 minutes). substitute this for the crust in your favorite quiche recipe!

-yeh!