I know I’m not the only one who has three kids on three separate baseball teams who all play all week long. IT makes dinner a real task because the kids have to be at the field around 5pm and don’t get home until 8:30pm. When you feed the kids at 4:30 and then they play for three hours, they are starving again. And Mr. Hedin and I watch from the sidelines starving.

A few seasons ago I discovered that if I make this sandwich at 4pm (make extra bacon and the kids can eat bacon and eggs at 4:30 which they LOVE) and pack it in a picnic basket with a bag of chips and a flask of vodka, we all win.

The great part about this sandwich is that it’s super simple to pull together and tastes AMAZING. It also needs to sit a little bit to really taste the best so making it at 4 is actually a good thing.

THE ULTIMATE BLT

serves 4

STEP 1

In a medium hot skillet, cook the bacon until crispy.

STEP 2

In the blender, whip together the avocado with milk, olive oil, and mayonnaise.  Add herbs and mix one more time.

STEP 3

Scoop out the interior of the bread to reveal an open center.  Smear the avocado mixture on both sides of the bread.

STEP 4

Layer lettuce on top of the avocado spread.  Top lettuce with tomato, top tomato with 3 strips of bacon.  Repeat the layers starting with lettuce two more times.

STEP 5

Smear the remaining avocado spread on the top of the loaf and cap off the sandwich.  Press down with a cutting board and something heavy or just your own pressure for a few minutes.  

STEP 6

Slice the loaf and serve.

1 loaf ciabatta bread

12 strips of bacon

6 large tomatoes

1 head butter lettuce

12 slices provolone cheese

1 avocados

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tbs milk

2 tbs olive oil

¼ cup basil

1 tbs thyme

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I made this recipe and shot the photos for the app last summer, but I kind of kept it a secret. I don’t know why. Possibly it’s because my girlfriend makes an amazing chimichurri that takes her forever and requires a ridiculous amount of chopping. Or maybe it’s because I’ve been eating this chimichurrri on everything and didn’t want to share.

Finally, I decided it was time. Time to share. Time to show you the simplest chimichurri sauce that’s totally a cheater chimichurri. Chimichurri is a an Argentinian Pesto that’s made with herbs and garlic. Everywhere I look on the internets there is a different recipe, a different way to make it, and a different combination of herbs. It always starts with parsley and includes garlic - but I love cilantro and a sauce always seems naked without cilantro. And you can’t make something like this without a little kick! Garlic is great, but how about jalapeño? I only added half in the recipe but I’ve been known to throw the whole thing in. Feeling fancy? Roast the jalapeño first! You really can’t screw up this chimichirri. It’s delightfully simple and delightfully delicious.

TEQUILA STEAK + CHIMICHURRI COUSCOUS

serves 4

STEP 1

Preheat broiler to 500 degrees and bring 1 ¼ cup water to a boil. 

In a zip top bag, pour tequila, two cloves of garlic, and season with salt and pepper.  Score the top of a steak with a knife to create a grid pattern.  Add the steak to the bag and let sit about 10 minutes. 

STEP 2

Toss cilantro, parsley, remaining garlic, green onion, lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, and jalapeno in a blender to make the chimichurri.  Blend until smooth.  If it won’t smooth out, add more olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time.

STEP 3

When water boils, add couscous, stirring occasionally. 

Place the marinated steak on a lined baking sheet and pop in the oven.  Cook about 5 minutes on each side until a thermometer reads 160 internal. Remove from the oven.  Let rest about 10 minutes before slicing.  

STEP 4

When the couscous has absorbed most of the liquid, remove from the heat (takes about 3 minutes).  Stir half of the chimichurri into the couscous.  Place the steak on top of the couscous and top with remaining sauce.  

1.5 lb flank steak

¼ cup tequila

5 cloves garlic

1 cup cilantro

1 cup parsley

½ cup green onion

2 tbs lime juice

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ jalapeno

1 cup Israeli couscous

Salt & pepper

What’s your favorite thing to grill? Have you made a chimichurri before? What do you like in yours? Let me know what you use and when you try mine, please let me know!

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Last week Kim Hildebrand and I hosted a cooking class + mini photo session and it was EPIC! We cooked, we laughed, we ate. It was such a fun class. Not only was it a fun class, but the girls really pitched in and did 90% of the work themselves.

I set up the table the same way I do it for every cooking class with a giant table down the middle of the bay of the fire station. After we’d all cooked together, we went to the bay for our ‘family brunch’ and all ate together. The girls had the best time sitting together, chatting, and then diving into cupcakes from Trophy Cupcakes.

The menu for the class was simple. Pearl and I met the girls at the door with a Vanilla Float made with DRY Sparkling Vanilla and the moms with a glass of champagne. Have you tried a float with DRY Sparkling?? It’s just a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with DRY Sparkling Vanilla. It’s so ridiculously good. The Vanilla soda isn’t as sweet as most sodas so it compliments the ice cream perfectly - it still forms the little crust that’s on the top of the ice cream when you make a soda float. Let’s be honest, that’s really the best part.

The girls then made us all Ham & Cheese Puffs - basically on their own! I gave instructions and each girl took on a different job from slicing ingredients to rolling puff pastry to brushing the egg wash on everything. It was adorable how excited each girl got about the tasks - and even more adorable how they all wanted to help in the kitchen! It was proof that if we give our kids age appropriate jobs, they can totally cook dinner for us. If I can get your kids to help AND/OR cook for you once a week then my job is done and I will retire.

I don’t always believe in making dessert. But this was a special occasion and we needed something fabulous to finish off our brunch. My friends at Trophy made us Strawberry Cupcakes - a classic that’s always a hit. It’s the most delicious cupcake I have possibly had in a long time. It has strawberry frosting on top & a strawberry jam filling - I did not mean to eat the whole thing, but there you go. It disappeared.

Are you interested in coming to a Mommy & Me class? If so, leave a comment below - it would be a blast to do this again soon! If you want to come to a kid-free cooking class, sign up for notifications on Eventbrite and we’ll find out as soon as it’s posted!

all photos by Kim Hildebrand Photography

Mother’s Day at our house is almost always the same; we go to the Pike Place Market, buy flowers, doughnuts, and walk the market. Then we’ll pop into one of my favorite restaurants where Mr. Hedin has never made a reservation and still every year we manage to get into the brunch service and have a marvelous time.

Often we’ll pick up something for dinner while we’re there before we head home. We’ve been known to host a dinner in the evening for friends and family. This year we’ll still not be living in our real house so I’m not sure what will happen this year.

If your plans are also up in the air, try hosting a fabulously simple brunch that your kids could even make for you! Have them watch the video below and they can make it for you! Don’t forget to tag #weeknightsociety on Instagram if you make something so I can see how fabulously it turns out!

HAM & CHEESE PUFFS

serves 4

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out puff pastry and cut each sheet into 4 pieces 

STEP 2

Divide ham and cheese on top of the pastry.  

STEP 3

Beat the egg yolk and milk together and brush the edges of the pastry with the egg yolk mixture. 

STEP 4

Bring up the pastry corners and pinch them together.  Pinch down the sides where the egg wash is painted on.  

STEP 5

Brush the tops of the pastry with beaten egg yolk.  Bake 10 mins until cheese is bubbly

STEP 6

In a jar or a small bowl combine mustard, honey, olive oil, vinegar, and parsley.  Shake vigorously.  

½ lb ham, cut into cubes

8 oz gruyere cheese, cut into cubes

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg yolk, beaten

2 tbs milk

4 cups mixed greens

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

½ cup olive oil

When you’re creating a super simple brunch like this, then don’t bother cooking a dessert yourself - especially when Trophy Cupcakes can do such a marvelous job. The new featured flavor for Mother’s Day is Lemon Raspberry Rose - is anything more heavenly than rose scented buttercream??? No. No, there isn’t.

And for a simple cocktail, combine chilled champagne + chambord in a cocktail glass and pop in a raspberry.

Whether you’re a mother, a step-mother, a god-mother, or a child of a mother - I hope you have a wonderful day.

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I started creating this cake with nectarines last summer and I became obsessed with it. It’s so ridiculously simple and it’s always so good. I made it with nectarines, peaches, blueberries, figs, Italian plums (I don’t recommend that one), apples, strawberries, and raspberries. It’s such a great recipe to have in your back pocket when you need something that’s impressive and you don’t have to think about it.

Also, makes a good breakfast!

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY CAKE

serves 4-6

½ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup sour cream

1 cup chopped strawberries

¼ cup turbinado sugar

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9” round pan. Cream together butter and white sugar until light and fluffy.

            ½ cup butter

            1 cup white sugar

STEP 2

Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.

            2 eggs

            1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP 3

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.

            1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            ¼ teaspoon salt

STEP 4

Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream starting and ending with dry ingredients.  Add the flour in two batches with the sour cream added in between.  Gently fold in fruit.  

            ½ cup sour cream

          1 cup strawberries

STEP 5

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top.  Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.  

Pin this for later!

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When I decided that a carbonara would be delicious, I forgot just how much I adore carbonara. It’s rich and silky and utterly decadent. The addition of leeks and peas added a spring touch, but also cut down the richness a bit. It was so delish when I made it for this shoot I ended up eating most of it straight out of the pan. OMG - amazing.

You could probably add different vegetables to this depending on the time of year. I certainly didn’t think ahead to swim suit season with the timing of this recipe. Let’s just say, you should stick to salads for lunch if this is on the menu for dinner. But you only live once, so let’s eat well while we’re here.

SPRING CARBONARA

serves 4

STEP 1

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain and reserve at least 1 cup pasta water. Chop leeks and pancetta

STEP 2

Cook together pancetta and leeks until softened.

STEP 3

Whisk eggs, egg yolks & parmesan cheese together.  Slowly whisk in ¼ cup pasta water to warm up the eggs but whisk fast enough that the eggs don’t cook.  

STEP 4

Toss cooked pasta with pancetta and blend in egg mixture.  Whisk constantly off the heat to coat the pasta entirely.  If the pasta seems dry, add more pasta water.  

STEP 5

Toss in peas and parsley and serve with extra parmesan cheese.  

2 eggs

3 egg yolks

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 leek, whites sliced

2 oz pancetta

1 cup peas

¼ cup chopped parsley

½ lb spaghetti

Last week at my cooking class we were using leeks for my spring minestrone soup and I was asked why choose a leek? I love leeks so why wouldn’t I choose one? In the spring leeks are amazing and fresh and so delicious. And they are great because leeks aren’t as pungent as an onion but they add a delicious creaminess to dishes.

I went to look up a chart on what onions were best where to send to the team and that’s when I discovered no chart exists! So here it is. The Ultimate Guide to Onions.

I really adore onions. I like them caramelized, I like them plain, I like them in the summer, I like them in the rain. There are a zillion ways you can eat onions but here are a few of my favorites:

When I was a kid, we ate minestrone soup at every family gathering because my aunt made it for every birthday party. She made that and spinach dip. The spinach dip that’s made from frozen spinach and vegetable soup mix. I just made it for St. Patrick’s Day and it was as epic as I remembered as a child.

I’ve made the minestrone in my book - the real original minestrone that my aunt used to make. And I made a version with winter vegetables in the app and you can find the recipe here.

This version is for spring. It’s a celebration of everything at the farmer’s market right now. A celebration of everything that arrives in the CSA box this week. It’s perfect for those spring nights that are a little cool but you’re still looking forward to summer.

The brilliant part of this soup is that it cooks in literally 20 minutes. Once the veggies are softened and a little crispy, it takes a few minutes to bring to a boil, then the tiny little orzo pasta cooks in minutes. Like three. Literally, it cooks so fast.

SPRING MINESTRONE SOUP

serves 4

STEP 1

Chop all vegetables into basically bite sized pieces and cook in a stock pot with olive oil until a little brown on the edges.  Season with salt.  

STEP 2

Pour in garbanzo beans and stock and bring to a boil.  Season with oregano and basil.  

STEP 3

Add asparagus and pasta to the pot and cook 3 minutes until the pasta is done.  Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

STEP 4

Serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

1 zucchini, about 1 cup chopped

1 fennel bulb, sliced

1 leek, whites sliced thin

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 bunch asparagus

2 cups green beans, chopped

2 tbs olive oil

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can garbanzo beans

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup orzo

2 tbs fresh basil

¼ cup parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper

I am so freaking excited to host these next classes because not only are we cooking really good food, but I have partnered with some amazing people to bring you the best parties ever! These are totally over the top. Sign up quick because they have limited space!

MARCH 28

Join me and A|R Workshop at the Fire Station for a totally Hygge evening. I’ll show you how to make a cozy spring soup using loads of vegetables from the farmer’s market and my friends at A|R Workshop will help you make a chunky knit blanket. The blanket is so darling and cozy!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

MAY 4

Just in time for Mother’s Day, my girlfriend and phenomenal photographer Kim Hildebrand and I are hosting a Mama and Me morning. I will show you how to cook a simple brunch that you and the kids are both going to love and in between, Kim will take portraits of you and your littles!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

I adore a good holiday that isn’t really a “holiday” - these days when you don’t get a day off of school or anything, but it comes with a great color scheme, pun-ny jokes, and clothing requirements. It’s also the only time of year when I buy Lucky Charms so my kids get really excited about that too.

These are the days I like to celebrate all day. It’s fun to start the morning off with a quirky breakfast - even a bowl of Lucky Charms is a fun way to kick off the day! While you have the box of Lucky Charms out, pop a handful on the top of a mug of hot cocoa - and since it’s a Sunday, why not spike the cocoa with a splash of Frangelico? Get really Irish from the start!

The problem with St. Patrick’s Day food is that corned beef takes FOREVER to cook. FOREVER. It literally has to braise and boil and everything else before it’s done and it takes forever. But corned beef is the epitome of St. Patrick’s Day. That and soda bread - and a good (very) dark beer.

St. Patrick’s Day does fall on a Sunday this year so technically you do have time to go through the entire process of making corned beef. I usually buy mine at Metropolitan Market when I buy it already seasoned. It takes a few hours and the instructions are always on the package. There are lots of other ways to cook corned beef, but I’ve never had any issues when I just follow the instructions on the package.

But if you don’t have time, a Reuben Sandwich is the perfect substitute! You get to have the glory of corned beef, but purchased from the deli and cooked for you.

A reuben sandwich is my favorite meal every single time. If it’s on a menu, I will order it. Every time. The best I have had was at a roadside dive restaurant on our way to Montana last summer. It was the perfect ratio of meat to sauerkraut and super greasy with extra thousand island on the side. Epic.

I like to make these sandwiches on small rounds of bread so I end up with manageable sized sandwiches that don’t fall apart when you lift them up. The biggest issue with a Reuben is when it falls apart when you lift it.

REUBEN SANDWICH

STEP 1

Combine together mayonnaise, ketchup, and lemon juice.  Let rest.

STEP 2

Butter one side of each piece of bread.  Spread the other side with Dijon mustard.  

STEP 3

Layer a slice of cheese on top of four slices of bread (on top of the Dijon).  Add pastrami equally divided amongst sandwiches.

STEP 4

Top pastrami with sauerkraut and another slice of cheese.  

STEP 5

Top cheese with remaining slices of bread and toast the sandwiches over medium heat in a skillet.  

STEP 6

Slice and serve with homemade Thousand Island dipping sauce.

1 lb sliced pastrami 

8 slices rye bread

2 tbs butter

2 tbs Dijon mustard

1 cup Sauerkraut

8 slices Swiss cheese

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup ketchup

2 tbs lemon juice

End the night with a fun martini that’s on theme. Any one else hate a really thick beer? I can’t handle more than a sip or two of a heavy beer, but anything that’s green in a cocktail seems nasty too.

Then I discovered that if you muddle basil, it dyes the drink green! Shaken with Hendrick’s Gin - which has an herbal quality to it - it’s a perfect martini! You can serve this with any dinner - including a reuben sandwich.

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