I’ve been cooking a suprisingly large amount recently, considering how (otherwise) busy I am. I think it’s a coping mechanism. Rather than dish on the details of full meals, I’ll hit a few highlights.
- I have a new favorite mashed potato trick. After mashing and seasoning to taste, dump into a baking dish, top with a hard cheese, then toss under the broiler until crispy. Slice, scoop out of the pan, and serve as crispy-topped squares. Got Amber's coveted "best mashed potatoes ever" rating.
- I'm going to have to spend more time with Mario Batalli's recipes. The sauce in [this recipe](http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cooking/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_17632,00.html) blew my mind. Dates, reduced balsamic vinegar, anchovy paste, olive oil, thyme and red wine marry explosively well together.
- I picked up some grassfed bison steaks from Santa Monica Farmer's Market. (It's a new stand.) De-licous. I liked it more than Amber did, she would have preferred the equivalent cut (New York) of cow. It made me want to try some grassfed beef!
- I very much enjoy the wines of [Qupe.](http://www.qupe.com)
(The rest of this post got lost in a blog upgrade.)