Grapefruit Blueberry Scones

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Jan 26 2016

Important news, I pre-ordered my paczki for Feb. 9! I can’t risk not getting the lime-curd cream filled paczki with the raspberry glaze I fell in love with last year. Paczki eating is a pretty big deal around here. I mean, nobody wants the sad ones from the grocery store, right? Also, now that it’s January, I’m craving scones. It happens to me every January. I see all of the pretty winter citrus and right after eating my weight in drippy, pink, cara cara oranges, I start thinking about citrus scones. That tang from the citrus and buttermilk magically balances… Continue reading ≻

Vegan Cashew Milk Hot Chocolate

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Jan 19 2016

In 2015, I made an effort to try new brunch spots in and around Detroit. We did pretty well. One of our favorite places for dinner, Selden Standard, has a simple brunch menu, always choosing quality over quantity. I had hash while Marc had steak and eggs. We also split a side of tater tots and a cinnamon roll with mascarpone icing. It was my birthday after all. They also offer their own housemade cashew milk and as much as I wanted a glass, I felt I was at my threshold for ordering extras. I still wonder how it tastes,… Continue reading ≻

Smashed Crispy Potatoes with Eggs + Lemon Vinaigrette

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Jan 12 2016

Smashed Crispy Potatoes with Eggs and Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe // @nicoledula

Marc says my biggest food pet peeve is under-seasoned potatoes and I guess it’s true. I really do love potatoes, but if they aren’t seasoned, what’s the point? Higher-end brunch or breakfast places usually know how to make good potatoes, but many of the little diners around here will serve me the most perfect-looking and crisp hash browns that are sadly very bland. There’s not much the salt shaker can do for you when the potatoes haven’t seen much salt before they hit your plate. I remember a Serious Eats article where J. Kenzi Lopez-Alt tested whether seasoning as you go… Continue reading ≻

German Christmas Stollen 2015

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Dec 22 2015

This is the 7th (!!) year I’ve made stollen and it’s the 4th year I’ve made a quadruple batch with my friend, Nancy. We call it the stollen workshop and this year I went over to her place after work on Friday, picked up pizzas and we set out our equipment and did some pre-measuring. Marc and I went back on Saturday afternoon after our morning kickboxing class and the last loaf was out of the oven around 6:30 pm. We watched holiday movies while we waited for the last loaves to cool. My Oma used to bring foil-wrapped loaves of stollen… Continue reading ≻

Poached Cardamom Pears with Mascarpone + Honey

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Dec 8 2015

I have had this dessert on my mind since summer. Ever since I had that perfect wine-poached peach with whipped mascarpone at 9 Bean Rows in Traverse City. Such a simple dessert, but completely delicious. I put a winter spin on that concept and poached pears with fragrant holiday spices. I used a dry Michigan Gewurztrtraminer that we bought during the trip for the poaching liquid, too. Poached fruit is so elegant, but really easy to make and great for entertaining because it can be made well in advance. I’m going to have to throw a party, just so I can serve… Continue reading ≻

Cheesecake with Pomegranate-Vanilla Bean Cranberry Sauce

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Nov 17 2015

I’ve tried to find out who started making this cheesecake in Marc’s family and I think I’ve traced it back to Marc’s (honorary) Aunt Ruthie, his grandma’s good friend. I wish I knew the cookbook or magazine it was clipped from, but we may never know. Marc’s grandma and mom have made this cheesecake for years and it’s been a staple at many family gatherings throughout our 15 years together. Every time I see it, I get excited because it’s creamy and wonderful and has lots of good memories attached to it. If you can believe it, I’ve never made… Continue reading ≻

Pumpkin Tahini Overnight Oats

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Nov 10 2015

Back in our newlywed days, when we couldn’t afford cable, I had to find something to replace my addiction to Food Network. The answer is always PBS, no? Many of those early Saturdays were spent getting acquainted with America’s Test Kitchen, Lidia Basitanich, Julia Child + Jacques Pepin and hey girl hey, registered dietician Zonya Foco. You may not know that last lady, but she talked about low cal and low fat cooking in her oak-cabinet lined kitchen. She’d go to the grocery store to navigate the aisles in a healthy way and exercise with a trainer. In later seasons, she… Continue reading ≻

Pickled Giardiniera

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Oct 27 2015

I used to tell Marc that buying me a smart phone would be a waste of money. How many cry-laughing emoji can we insert here? Then I distinctly remember going to an Italian market and seeing a giant jar of Nutella and thinking to myself, I would totally take a picture of this comically large jar of Nutella. Fast forward to the release of the iPhone 4 in 2010 and us waiting in line for 2-3 hours. Not because we had to have it immediately, but because we wanted to people watch and experience the line. The sun came up while… Continue reading ≻

Vegan Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Oct 20 2015

Roasted Autumn Panzanella Salad Recipe // @nicoledula

Sometimes you just need a hearty fall salad in your life. Now that it’s pretty chilly in Michigan and I saw snow floating in the air on Saturday (!!!) it’s ok to turn on the oven and roast things again. I roasted up some of my favorite fall veggies and combined them with kale, red onion and a punchy lemon vinaigrette. The roasted brussels sprouts and delicata squash get crisp and caramelized while the onion and the vinaigrette add a touch of acid to heighten and balance those flavors. The bread cubes act like delicious sponges, crispy on the outside, but… Continue reading ≻

Bourbon Grape Shrub Cocktail

Posted by: Nicole Dula on Oct 16 2015

You now have some Concord Grape + Balsamic Shrub hanging out in your fridge, right? Let’s turn that into a pretty cocktail! I collaborated with Marc on this recipe because he does most of the shaker work in this house. I thought bourbon and orange would mix well with the grape shrub and together we worked it out. We’re really proud of this one. It tastes like a fancy craft cocktail you get at the hipster restaurants, but you can make this one at home. You get that sweet punch of grape, like that first rush of grape flavor from grape bubble gum,… Continue reading ≻

Dula Notes

Seasonal recipes and adventures from Michigan with love

Posts tagged: Vegetarian