Cold Oven Baking

Am I the last person to discover cold-oven baking? I only heard about it a few months ago, even though the method has apparently been around forever. The idea of putting my carefully crafted artisan loaf into a cold Dutch oven felt completely backwards and totally against everything I’ve learned about baking bread at home.

Cold-oven baking basically means placing your food into an unheated oven, turning it on, and letting the bake happen as the oven warms. It cuts out preheating time, can save a bit of energy, and actually works well for certain breads, cookies, and cakes that benefit from a longer, gentler bake. It can also protect your bakeware from being heated empty. King Arthur even has a great comparison of sourdough baked in a cold oven versus a preheated one.

In theory, I love the idea. It sounds so much simpler: no half-hour preheat, no wrestling a blazing-hot Dutch oven out of the oven just to drop dough inside.

So on Sunday I baked two sourdough loaves—one cold-oven, one hot-oven. For the cold-oven test, I loaded the dough into my Aldi bread dome, covered it, slid it into the oven, and set the temperature to 450°F. I baked it about 30–40 minutes covered, then uncovered it for roughly another 20 because I wanted a deep brown crust.

Well…I definitely got a deep brown crust on the bottom. Burnt is probably the more accurate word. We literally had to cut the bottom off. The loaf did rise well and looked pretty good otherwise. For whatever reason, though, I think our oven just bakes oddly—uneven and painfully slow to heat.

The second loaf went into the same bread dome, but this time preheated in a 450°F oven for 30 minutes. It baked 30 minutes covered plus 20 uncovered, rose even better than the cold-oven loaf, had great color, and didn’t scorch on the bottom.

Brown, but not torched

So for now, I think I’m sticking with the method I know works. Still, I’m happy with how much my sourdough has improved over the past year. Next year’s goals: improving my pizza dough and finally nailing a really good focaccia.

Napa Food Part Three

We spent the latter part of the trip in Sonoma since I was competing in the Francis Ford Coppola Perfect Your Pizza competition.  Spoiler... I won.  

We stayed in Healdsburg, which was such a cute town.  I could have spent a few days there exploring all of the shops and restaurants.  One of my favorite activities we did was renting bicycles from our hotel and cruising through the town on a bike path.  

We stumbled upon this sushi spot called Otoro and had a great meal.  The food and company were great, and the atmosphere was more chill and relaxing than some of the other restaurants we went to.  

I only took one picture, but we had the Jalapeno Bomb, which was fried jalapenos stuffed with spicy tuna & crab.  These were delicious and the texture on the jalapenos was really interesting (in a good way).  They must have been blanched and then lightly breaded and quickly fried.  We also had Galbi, a tempura veggie roll, and another roll that my husband ordered... I think it was a Fire Rainbow roll but I honestly don't remember.  I was hesitant to eat anything raw since I had the competition.  

The next night we dined at Studio Barn Diva in Healdsburg - a Michelin Recommended casual fine dining restaurant.  The vibe in here was interesting; I'll say that.  The menu puzzled me a bit because it seems kind of all over the place, but I think that's what they're going for.  

I had the Crispy Chicken with green chermoula, tahini, garlic dressing, and naan bread.  This was delicious.  I feel like the sauce could have been on the bottom, though.  I wanted more sauce to dip my chicken and bread in!

My husband had the Roasted Mt. Lassen Trout with soubise, shaved fennel & pea shoot salad.  He said it was his favorite dish he had on the trip.  I tried it and it was very good - I especially loved the soubise.  Raise your hand if you've never made soubise before!

On the evening after the competition, we celebrated and went to Lo & Behold; they're known for their global comfort food and cultivated cocktails.

I ordered the beef brisket tacos with chile negra, refried white beans, asada onions, and consommé - Let’s just say a beef brisket taco hates to see me coming.

My husband had the Pollo a la Brasa - blackened chicken thighs with aji sauce and fries. I think I actually preferred his dish over mine. Honestly, I could have eaten both meals that night since I didn’t eat much the day of the competition.

And that just about sums up our culinary adventures. It was a delicious journey through wine country!

Napa Food Part Two

I didn’t plan it, but the inn we stayed at in Yountville happened to be right next to Bouchon Bakery! I knew it was nearby, but I didn’t realize just how close. Two mornings in a row, we started our day with good coffee and delicious pastries from there - the almond croissant and sticky bun were especially memorable.

Right next to Bouchon Bakery is Bouchon Bistro, and just down the street is the French Laundry.  While we were in town, I overheard someone refer to Yountville as "Kellerville" and I'd have to agree.  My husband and I debated going to the French Laundry, but we couldn't justify the splurge - I'm sure it would have been an unforgettable experience.   

We did, however, enjoy dinner one evening at Bouchon Bistro.  They sent out a little bread, butter, and pistachios while we sipped our (once again) negronis.  Who goes to wine country and orders cocktails?  Apparently, we do.

Comically, once again we couldn't quite make it to our 8:00 reservation but luckily snagged a spot outside at 6:00.  Unfortunately, we were sitting under a red awning and a heat lamp so my pictures are beyond terrible.  

We began with the Salade Lyonnaise with escarole, frisée, bacon lardons,  poached egg & Palladin croûtons with bacon vinaigrette.

Followed by the Poulet Rôti - roasted chicken served with pommes Lyonnaise, caramelized onions & chicken jus.

Shortly after came the Steak Frites -  pan-seared flat iron steak, caramelized shallots & maître d’hôtel butter, served with French fries.

I know, I'm making your mouth water with this amazing food photography. 

Everything was delicious, but unfortunately I didn't have much of an appetite because I was missing our boys so much.  This was my first time away from them and I was not well.

Another standout meal was at Gott's Roadside, which I cannot recommend enough.  Think: the burger of your dreams, cheesy fries, and a relaxed outdoor setting.  They had milkshakes, chicken sandwiches and salads; everything looked amazing.  

The morning we left Yountville we drove through downtown Napa and stopped at the Oxbow Market, which was really cool.... I could have spent a few hours in there just shopping and eating.  We had everything bagels from Loveski with fermented onion cream cheese, and coffee from Ritual.  I've never had a fermented onion before, have you?

Afterward, we strolled through the gardens at the CIA at Copia, right next to the Oxbow Market.  It looks like much of their produce is grown on-site.  How fun would it be to go to school there?

Napa Food Part One

Ah, such a simple title for this blog post - but that’s exactly what we’re talking about today: the food I ate in Napa and Sonoma.

I’m not counting the food we had in Yosemite, because let’s be honest - chicken tenders, fries, and a heavy-handed margarita from the hotel restaurant (which did help me forget about the dead scorpion in our room) don’t exactly qualify as “culinary highlights.”

My husband and I aren’t really “three square meals a day” people. We’ll usually have a big breakfast/lunch and then dinner, or just snack our way through the day until dinner. My parents were the same way when I was growing up, and I never understood it. How could my dad survive on a palmful of pistachios and three cups of coffee? Now I get it.

Thankfully, we’re not three-meal-a-day people - because Napa is expensive. Sheesh.

Our first restaurant stop was Bottega, and it was fantastic. The service was great, and the food was delicious. Either we’re getting old or the time change really did us in, because our 8:00 p.m. reservation was not happening. We walked up at 5:30 (yes, 5:30) and thankfully they were able to seat us. I’m pretty sure I would’ve been asleep by 8:00 otherwise.

We started with one of our go-to cocktails - a negroni, served alongside freshly baked sourdough bread with a parmesan dip.

Then came the Calamari - Crispy arborio rice crusted Monterey squid with a grilled meyer lemon,and aioli nero (black garlic).  It was good but probably our least favorite dish of the night.

Next up was the Bistecca alla tartara - Prime round steak tartare, mustard, capers, shallots and bone marrow canoe with fresno chile gremolata.  I'm sure this was my husband's favorite.  He loves bone marrow and steak!

Our pasta course was Carbonara al Carbone - Activated charcoal chitarra pasta, with guanciale, Parmigiano Reggiano, and farm hen egg yolk.  I keep thinking about the texture of the pasta.  So good.

For our final dish, we had the Costolette di Manzo - Smoked and braised short rib in espresso agro-dolce, creamy ancient grain polenta with Calabrian peperonata.  I think this was our favorite course of the night.  

Since it was our anniversary, the staff sent out a little dessert plate.  I was way too stuffed by then, but I did manage a bite of everything.  

We had a wonderful time at Bottega, and it felt special to visit the late Chef Michael Chiarello’s restaurant. I remember watching him on the Food Network years ago - so it was a full-circle moment in the best way.

My Love For Aldi

Anybody who knows me knows I love Aldi. We’re lucky enough to live close to one, so it’s our go-to spot when we need groceries;  it’s convenient, affordable, and full of surprises. While Aldi doesn’t carry everything, they have all the essentials plus an entire aisle of rotating specialty items. Shoes, home décor, rugs, candles - you name it! Most of my fall and Christmas decorations actually came from Aldi.

This week, they already have Christmas décor in the specialty aisle!  My mom recently picked me up one of the cast iron bread domes they’re famous for, and I can’t wait to try it.  Oh, and the knock-off Birkenstocks I wore during the Perfect your Pizza competition?  $14.99 at Aldi... you're welcome.

A couple of honest notes: you’ll want to use their produce fairly quickly, and there are a few items I usually skip - their electronics (looking at you, food dehydrator and space heater), most clothing, and some of the frozen meals.

Our Aldi Grocery Staples 

If you have toddlers, you know how important it is to keep fruit stocked! Bananas are always a win at our house.

We usually get a couple of salad kits a week along with broccoli, mushroom, and asparagus.

And berries - lots of berries! Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries… my boys can’t get enough.

For snacks, I love that Aldi’s in-house brands don’t use artificial food dyes. Turtles, veggie straws, cheese crackers, and popcorn are always a hit here.

Oh, and I can’t forget the all-natural fruit strips - Oliver is obsessed with these!

Aldi also has a surprisingly great cheese selection: burrata, camembert, brie, and more. Around the holidays, it gets even better.

I always pick up no-sugar-added applesauce for the boys (they’d eat it all day if I let them!) and those little applesauce pouches are perfect for on the go.

Avocados are another staple - because who doesn’t love avocado toast on sourdough? 

Their white basmati rice is a favorite too - easy to cook and always delicious.

And of course, we keep plenty of sparkling water (“bubbly water” as my kids call it!) on hand. Aldi’s version is just as good as the name brands but way cheaper.  I drink one of these at least every day and add a little cherry or pomegranate juice to it.  

Butter.  Enough said.

Milk... it's shocking how much milk you go through with a one year old and a three year old.

I'm actually burnt out on these, but the peanut butter cups are really good!

So, what are your Aldi go-tos?  I must know!  

The Great Springfield Summer Food Tour 2025

My coworkers and I decided to spice things up and go on a food tour of local restaurants in Springfield, MO this past summer  Our workplace is located downtown so I selected restaurants in the vicinity that wouldn't take too long to drive/walk to.  There are six of us, and each of us chose a restaurant twice over the course of the summer.  It was a lot of fun and I hope we do it again next year!  

We went to the following restaurants:

• Lindberg's Tavern
• I Love Tacos
• Skully's 
• 7th on Walnut
• Greek Belly
• Rama Thai
• Zayka
• Harbells
• Pappos
• Tinga Tacos
• Pickleman's
• Druff's

Our absolute favorite restaurant we ordered from was Lindberg's Tavern.  I ordered the Diablo Burger and it was fantastic.  Chorizo and beef smash patties, pepper jack, fried jalapenos, and chipotle lime mayo.

Other favorites:

Al pastor taco from I Love Tacos.

Kimchee Fries from Skully's

Falafel Rice Bowl from Greek Belly

The restaurant that surprised me the most was 7th on Walnut.  I ordered whatever steak sandwich was on special that Friday, and it turned out to be really good.  The fries were excellent as well.

Where should we go on the Springfield food tour next year?  What's a hidden gem in SGF?

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Crinkle Cookies

This weekend, I’ll be co-hosting a joint birthday party for my nephews and my baby boy—who’s turning ONE! I can hardly believe it’s already been a year since he came into our lives. Time really flies.

For the party theme, I came up with: “Our Little Pumpkins Are Turning One!” (…or fourteen, or eighteen, depending on which boy we’re talking about). The older boys might be slightly mortified, but I think it’s adorable—and I can’t wait to start decorating with all the pumpkin-themed party supplies I picked up!

We’ll be having pumpkin pie for dessert—three full-sized ones and a batch of mini baby pumpkin pies. I’m especially excited to give baby Owen his very own pumpkin pie, topped with maple vanilla whipped cream. I just know it’s going to be the cutest mess ever. And yes, I found him the perfect pumpkin-themed outfit complete with a bow tie and suspenders!

I truly can’t wait to celebrate all of our pumpkins this weekend. 

And in the spirit of the theme, I’m sharing one of my favorite fall recipes: my original Pumpkin Crinkle Cookies. Imagine gooey butter cake meets a soft, spiced pumpkin cookie—rolled in powdered sugar and cinnamon for that irresistible crackled top. Perfectly cozy and sweet, just like the season.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour 
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking powder.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and granulated sugar until creamy and combined.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla until well combined - about 2 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture until just combined.  Refrigerate dough 30 minutes, or until cold and firm.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a medium bowl, sift together confectioners sugar and cinnamon.  Scoop out 2 tablespoon-rounds of dough and roll into balls*.  Roll the balls into confectioners' sugar, place on cookie sheets, spacing about an inch apart, and press down to flatten slightly using palm of hand.  Bake 12-14 minutes, or until slightly golden around cookie edges.  Cool cookies 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.  

*Tip - Spray cooking spray onto hands for easier dough rolling.

Makes 2 dozen cookies