Would you like to have dinner with us?

Issue #28, Let's Get Lost, Nov. 2, 2024: Would you like to have dinner with us?, Sweet potato stew, Apricot brandy meatballs, Kate's chocolate cobbler, Crispy cabbage salad, 6 recommendations

Earlier this week, after coming home from a late afternoon hike, I said hello to our neighbors who were sitting by the campfire and then said, “Do you like sweet potatoes?”

“We love sweet potatoes.”

“I’m making sweet potato stew tomorrow. Would you like to have dinner with us?”

The next day, I made three of the recipes in this issue - sweet potato stew, apricot brandy meatballs, and chocolate cobbler. After I snapped some photos for this newsletter, we loaded up our plates and sat outside at our neighbor’s picnic table, eating and drinking wine from plastic cups, and talking late into the night.

One of the subjects we talked about was social connection. They are like us. They mostly prefer to keep to themselves even though all four of us are aware of the piles of research that confirm what we all already know - social connection is important. It’s a key component of our mental, physical, and emotional health, and is linked to happiness and longevity.

And just because you (me) are the kind of person who really loves to just do their thing and interact with strangers as little as possible, you (me) don’t get a free pass on this. Social connection is good for you (me) too.

Earlier this month, my friend

Christina Fiore

wrote about finding friends in an era of loneliness and she is not wrong that finding really good friends is hard. I think this is more true now than ever.

Both of our 20-something daughters have struggled to find good friends. This study from YouGov found that 30% of millennials say they always or often feel lonely and 22% said they had no friends at all.

Other research shows that since my grandparents’ generation, each successive generation reports having less friends then the one before.

And yet, all it took for an evening of conversation with other people was one question: Would you like to have dinner with us?

I mean… I was going to make the food anyway.

Cultivating close, intimate friendships takes time and it can be difficult to find the type of friend that we really want to allow into our inner circle.

But, I also think that somewhere along the way, we’ve forgotten how to just casually interact with the people around us. I’ve noticed lately how much people light up when I’m standing in line somewhere and actually talk to them instead of just standing there staring at my phone. Maybe we’re all like frogs in boiling water, not even realizing how much we are starving for more social interaction.

I am guilty of treating the very simple thing of having people over for dinner as an event. An event that I have to plan and prepare for. But, honestly, it really is as simple as inviting people over for food that you are going to cook anyway.

The chocolate cobbler I made that night was definitely a recipe in progress. The gooey chocolate layer was more like chocolate soup. No matter. We ate it anyway. Because even though the food was the excuse, the food was not the point.

So maybe ask someone if they want to have dinner with you this week.

And also, I just published our travel itinerary for 2025. Take a look and let me know if we’ll be in your neck of the woods at any point during the year. Maybe we’ll even try this whole casual friends-sharing-dinner thing again. Maybe even with you.

xo

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• Scroll through the recipe index where every recipe published in Let’s Get Lost is listed

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5 recipes to make this week:

• Apple and cheddar salad: I published the recipe for this salad in February, in Issue #2, where I wrote that we ate it at least once or twice a week. It’s nearly November and we are STILL eating it once or twice a week and not even close to being tired of it. In fact, when I made it for us this week, Steve said, “I love this salad!”, like it was still a brand new thing. I get it. There’s really not a day when it doesn’t sound good to me.

• My favorite meatloaf recipe: I love a good meatloaf, especially when eaten with mashed potatoes. The secret to making really good meatloaf is to use a mix of ground beef and Italian sausage, plus a truck ton of finely chopped herbs and vegetables to keep every bite moist and flavorful.

• Chilli Paneer: This is an absolutely delicious Indo-Chinese dish that includes cubes of battered and fried paneer cheese smothered in a savory, sweet, and spicy sauce made with soy sauce, vinegar, and chilli sauce. It’s one of those warm and comforting vegetarian meals that feels both indulgent and nourishing all at the same time.

• Crispy corn tortilla quesadillas: We are moving from North Carolina to St. Louis this weekend and that means dinner on Saturday night will most likely be these crispy corn tortilla quesadillas. These are what I make most often on moving days, after we’ve gotten ourselves parked and the kitchen is unpacked enough to use. Each quesadilla takes about 5 minutes to prepare and their cheesy, crispy goodness just hits the spot after a day of travel.

• Everyday buttermilk pancakes: I can tell you right now that my week is gonna need pancakes and so is yours. This buttermilk pancake recipe has been my go-to for decades. The recipe uses common pantry ingredients and rewards you with incredibly fluffy, buttery pancakes with minimal time and effort. Everyone needs a delicious, no-fail, super quick pancake recipe, and this is mine. I hope it will become a favorite in your home as well.

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Sweet potato coconut milk stew

I've been sitting here staring at my blank computer screen for many minutes now trying to come up with a way to describe this stew without using all the expected words like delicious and nourishing and satisfying.

But, having recently eaten the bowl of stew in this very photo, I can attest that it was delicious, and I do actually feel quite nourished and satisfied.

I am also immensely pleased that there's enough left over for lunch tomorrow because it was the kind of meal that has me already looking forward to another bowl.

We spent October in the smoky mountains of North Carolina. There’s a local produce stand that I visited frequently and last weekend I came home with bags of root vegetables, winter squash, and bunches of leafy greens. The whole lot reminded me of how much I love a crisp, cool day that includes a warm sweater and bowls of soup. And that's fine because this hit the spot. 

• One or two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas (crispy chickpeas are a delicious snack, so you might want to make 2 cans in the hopes that you’ll have some left over)

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon coriander

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground mustard 

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 3-5 cloves of garlic

• 2 tablespoons oil - coconut, vegetable, or canola 

• 1 medium yellow onion onion

• 1 or 2 red bell peppers

• 2 pounds of sweet potatoes

• 3-5 cups vegetable stock (or Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)

• One 13-ounce can of coconut milk

• about 3/4 of a pound of kale

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Drain the chickpeas and spread them out on a paper towel. Dab at them with another paper towel to absorb any excess liquid. Dump them into a baking dish, pie plate, or onto a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the chickpeas, sprinkle them with some salt and toss them around to mix. Pop them in the oven to crisp while you make the stew. It will take 35 - 55 minutes to get truly crispy chickpeas - the time can vary substantially, so if yours are taking a while to crisp, don’t worry. It’s important to leave them in the oven until they are a dark golden brown and crispy.

2. Add all the spices to a bowl. (There’s no need to be super exact when measuring the spices, by the way.)

3. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop them into large-ish bite size chunks.

4. Peel and chop the onion and toss it into a large stockpot along with about 2 tablespoons of oil. Set it over medium heat and cook, stirring from time to time.

5. While the onion cooks, remove the stem and seeds from the bell peppers and chop them into small-ish bite size pieces. Peel and chop the garlic cloves into small pieces. When the onion is soft and translucent add the chopped bell pepper and garlic, and all the spices. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two to let the flavors in the dried spices begin to open up.

6. Add the chunks of sweet potato and stir them around in all the spices for a minute or so.

7. Add enough broth (or Better than Bouillon Base and water) to almost but not quite cover the sweet potatoes. Turn up the heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pan partially (leave the pan's lid slightly askew), turn the heat down to medium-low, and let the potatoes simmer until they are very soft. Taste the broth and add some salt and pepper if needed.

8. Check on the chickpeas - they need to cook until they are crispy. Pull one out of the oven from time to time and taste it to see how close to crispy they are. They will get very dark brown but watch them closely at the end so they don't burn.

9. When the sweet potatoes are soft, add the coconut milk and kale to the pot (you might need to add the kale in batches, letting it cook down before adding more). Cook, stirring from time to time, until the kale is wilted. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like.

10. Serve bowls of sweet potato stew topped with crispy chickpeas.

NOTES:

• Different kinds of broth come with different sodium levels, so be mindful of that when seasoning your soup.

• I know there are a lot of spices in this soup. If you don't have a well-stocked spice cabinet, you might want to go for a blend. Baharat seasoning or Raw el Hanout are the perfect type of spice blend for this soup.

• If you want the broth to have a thicker, creamier texture, ladle some of the sweet potatoes, along with some of the broth, into a blender and puree. Stir that back into the soup. (Do this before adding the kale.) 

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Meatballs with apricot brandy sauce

As with most meatball recipes, there are so many ways you could use these. They make for an easy appetizer that can be dished out straight from the pan. We also like them as a main dish, served with nothing more than a bowl of soup or a hearty salad, and maybe some crusty bread to sop up the sauce. 

This recipe will give you about 25 meatballs that are slightly smaller than a golf ball and plenty of sauce. If you need more than that, the recipe can be easily doubled. 

To make the apricot bourbon sauce:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 8 ounces apricot preserves

• 3/4 cup chili sauce

• 1/3 cup brandy or cognac or bourbon 

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is tender and translucent, about five minutes.

3. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute longer.

4. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients, stirring to mix. Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

5. Remove the pan from heat and set aside. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
   

To make the meatballs:

• 1/2 cup panko

• 6 tablespoons buttermilk or regular milk or water

• 1 egg, cracked into a bowl and beaten with a fork

• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder

• Red pepper flakes, to taste

• Salt, to taste

• 1 pound ground beef (I like to use 80% lean) 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. 

2. Add the breadcrumbs, buttermilk, the beaten egg, garlic powder, onion powder, a generous pinch (or more) of red pepper flakes, and about a teaspoon of salt. Stir everything together and then let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the breadcrumbs to absorb the liquid. 

3. Gently mix in the ground beef.

4. Form the mixture into 25 balls that are slightly smaller than a golf ball. (At this point, they can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

5. Place the meatballs on the baking rack that you’ve set on a baking sheet. This will allow excess grease to drip down onto the baking sheet. 

   

6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the meatballs for 20 minutes, until they are beginning to brown on top. If you remove one and cut it open, you should see very little to no pink.

7. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place them in the sauce. Set the pan over medium low heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if you like, then serve. 

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Kate’s chocolate cobbler

A few weeks ago, I had a hilarious conversation with my daughter Kate who insisted that she had it on good authority that the addition of cocoa powder would fix most baking problems. I was making an apple cobbler and tried to explain that I didn’t actually want the topping on my apple cobbler to be chocolate, but she would not be deterred.

In the middle of this ridiculous conversation, I said, “I wonder if there’s such thing as chocolate cobbler?”

Well, dear reader, you might already know the answer, but imagine my delight when I typed chocolate cobbler into google and was rewarded with hundreds of recipes for Southern Chocolate Cobbler.

“You’re welcome,” said Kate.

I did not know chocolate cobbler existed in the world and now I must make up for lost time. The top of the cobbler is a cross between brownies and chocolate cake. But when you cut into it, you’ll find a saucy, chocolate pudding-like layer underneath. 

I made several different versions of chocolate cobbler on the way to this recipe. Some weren’t saucy enough and some were way too saucy. Some had too much chocolate and some not enough. This recipe is the final result and I love, love, love it.

Obviously, a scoop of ice cream over warm, gooey chocolate is delicious. But it’s perfectly indulgent all on its own.

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons + 1/4 cup cocoa powder, divided

• 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon table salt 

• 3/4 cup milk - or any kind of plant based milk

• 1/4 cup butter, melted - or 1/4 cup vegetable, canola, olive, or coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon vanilla

• 3/4 packed light or dark brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Add 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to a medium bowl and stir with a whisk to blend.

3. Add 3/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup melted butter (or oil), and 1 tablespoon of vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula until blended. Scrape the batter into an 8 or 9-inch square baking dish and spread it out into an even layer. 

4. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa powder to a small bowl and stir to combine. Sprinkle this over the batter in the pan, spreading it out into an even layer.

5. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the top but do not stir. 

6. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. When done, the top and sides will be set but if you gently wiggle the pan, there will be a little bit of jiggle in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes and then serve warm with ice cream if desired. (It’s also delicious at room temperature.)

Notes:

• I tested this recipe with both natural cocoa powder and Dutch-process cocoa powder and we preferred the flavor of the cobbler that used natural cocoa powder. Either will work, but if you have the option, reach for natural cocoa powder for this recipe. 

• You can make a dairy free version of this cobbler by substituting oil for the butter and coconut milk (or any kind of plant based milk) for the milk.

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Crispy cabbage salad 

The concept for this salad is so simple and adaptable to any kind of veggies you like, with or without the cabbage. And, it’s an excellent way to use up leftover bread. Here’s what we’ve got going on here:

1. Cabbage and veggies cooked at very high heat until charred (you could also do this on a Blackstone griddle or a grill.)

2. Drizzle the veggies with a basic vinaigrette 

3. Top with crispy garlic bread crumbs and some parmesan cheese

The result is a very satisfying salad with so much flavor and a plenty of crunch. It’s delicious served with almost anything but is also hearty enough to serve all on its own. How much you make is up to you, but be sure to make enough bread crumbs to include a generous proportion of crispy crumbs to veggies.

What you’ll need: 

• Basic vinaigrette

• Several slices or chunks of stale bread 

• Vegetable oil or canola oil and/or butter

• Several cloves of garlic

• A head of red cabbage - the size of the cabbage depends on how many people you want to serve

• Any other veggies you want to add (I used broccoli florets for the salad you see here)

• Shredded parmesan cheese

How to make it:

1. Make the vinaigrette using honey and mustard. I also like to include a bit of mayo, but that’s up to you. Set it aside.

2. Add the stale bread to a food processor and pulse until it’s chopped into crumbs. Some pieces will be slightly larger - the size of pea or a bean - that’s ok. 

3. Add a couple tablespoons of oil and a tablespoon of butter (the butter is optional) to a skillet.

4. Peel the garlic cloves, chop them into small pieces and add them to the skillet.

5. Set the skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the bread crumbs and toss them around until they are coated with oil and butter. If the bread crumbs look dry, add a bit more oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are a deep golden brown and crispy. Scrape them into a bowl and set aside.

6. Rinse out the skillet. 

7. Cut the cabbage from top to bottom, so you have steaks that are about 1-inch thick. 

8. Add another tablespoon or two of oil to the skillet and set it over high heat. When the oil is very hot and shimmery, add the cabbage steaks to the pan. Let the cabbage cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the steaks are charred. Flip them over and cook until charred on the other side. They will fall apart a bit when you flip them over - this is not a problem. Just spread the pieces of cabbage out in the pan so you get plenty of charred spots. Sprinkle the cabbage with salt after turning it over. 

9. Remove the cabbage from the pan.

   

10. Add a bit more oil to the skillet and repeat with whatever other vegetables you’re using: cut the vegetables into bite size pieces and cook over high heat until charred in several places. 

11. To build the salads: Pile the cabbage and charred veggies on a plate and drizzle with vinaigrette. Top with a generous amount of bread crumbs and some shredded parmesan cheese. 

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A few recommendations

I’ve been reading Dinner With The President and am enjoying it so much! The book is centered around what many US Presidents and First Ladies choose to eat, how their food was prepared and by whom, and how the food and entertaining that happens in the White House has shaped, and continues to shape, the country. It’s an absolutely fascinating peak behind the curtain and I can’t recommend it enough.

For all of you podcast listeners, check out Dishing with Stephanie’s Dish by

Stephanie Hansen

. I listened to the latest episode this morning (Friday morning) and it inspired me to slow the fuck down and I actually paused the writing of this newsletter to spend an hour on my yoga mat and I really needed that. The episode features Stephanie O’Dea of the Slow Living podcast, another gem that I recently discovery and highly recommend.

One of my favorite features in the FoodStack library is the Other People’s Kitchens column. As you might have guessed, the column takes you into other people’s kitchens and, by default, into their lives. The most recent issue features

devan grimsrud

’s tiny kitchen, and it’s almost as small as mine! Devan was raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis and now live in Berlin and the feature is a delightful peak into her German life.

Also - I write a weekly discussion question for the FoodStack library and the discussion is always lively, insightful, and fascinating. In this week’s question I ask if you’ve ever pretended to like someone’s cooking and tell a cringy story of when Steve and I did exactly that. Check it out and chime in!

Small kitchen tip: Better Than Bouillon. If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ve probably noticed how often I reference Better Than Bouillon. Like in every single recipe that calls for stock or broth… so all the time. I always have several jars in my refrigerator. The Vegetable Base is the one I use the most often but you really will find several different flavors in my fridge at all times. Not only do these bases add instant flavor to anything you add them to, they take up SO MUCH less space then cans or cartons of stock. Each little 8-ounce jar is equal to about 32 cups of broth and allows you to use only what you need when you need it.

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That’s all for now, friends. I hope you have a delightful week and, if you are enjoying this newsletter, please tell your friends.

If you make something from this issue, have questions or anything you’d like to share, add a comment below. I ❤️ to hear from you.