2013: A Foodie's Year in Review

With 2013 in the past, I think now is the time to reflect on some of our favorite results from the Barr Kitchen.  We tried several gadgets and new techniques that improved our cooking and came up with some awesome dishes in return.  Here are just a few:

1. We renovated our outdated kitchen from the 1950's, which involved ripping everything out and replacing all appliances, cabinets, and counter tops.  It ended up adding about 7 feet of counter space... a big deal when before we were functioning on about 1 foot of cooking area.

Before and After view of the kitchen

2.  Our backsplash is actually made up of bricks from a building that was demolished in Dallas.  We had fun handpicking them out of the brickyard.

3.  We discovered the deliciousness of cooking with Organic Ghee.

4.  Open Nature Seaweed became a staple for snacking in our household.

5.  Nick began cooking steak sous vide.  It became our favorite way to eat steak.

 

6.  Our favorite kitchen gadget is the Egg-Genie.  Perfect hard boiled eggs every single time.  

 

7.  My favorite salad became a combination of kale, apple, avocado, red bell pepper, carrot, sunflower seeds, rice vinegar, olive oil, and garlic.  Fabulous!

8.  The versatile nature of flax meal and chia seeds.  I used them to make everything from pie crust to dark chocolate cherry energy bites.

 

9.  Dark Chocolate Avocado Brownies... yes, avocado was the magic ingredient and I'm slightly obsessed.

 

10.  Spaghetti Squash with Pesto and Fresh Mozzarella. 

 

11.  Scotch Eggs-Texas Style were the best thing Nick came up with this year.

 

12.  We traveled to St. Louis in June and enjoyed some of the best Smoked Duck Hummus with Pita Bread at Morgan Street Brewery.  To die for.  

 13.  Nick got a new smoker for Christmas.  I have a feeling that we will be enjoying more smoked meat in 2014.