Sundays With Stephanie
Summer, 3 cookbooks i suggest, homemade salad dressing techniques and combinations, potluck salads, 4 margarita recipes, a meat rub, and a 4th of July brisket recipe
“True North Cabin Cookbook” Events and News
I am working on events for the new “True North Cabin Cookbook” Vol 2. You can stay tuned to the newsletter for all the events.
The launch party is hosted by Jason Matheson on 9/21, 1-3 pm Get your tickets here.
The first cooking event is cooking with me at Cooks Of Crocus Hill on 10/28 6-8 pm. Get your tickets here
What I am thinking about:
Today is a beautiful morning for sitting on the screened-in porch. It's warm, 83, which is peak Minnesota Summer weather, but it's only 6:30 am, with a high predicted of 96 today, and the humidity is already swampy. Still… It’s Sunday - I have not one thing on my calendar and I can’t wait to enjoy the day. Look who visited as I was writing?
Summer is a weird rhythm at my home. Kurt is on the True North Island with Stanley and his mom, Dolores. I am at home, going back and forth between the radio show, my festival work, and filming episodes of “Taste Buds with Stephanie,” while keeping the plants watered, the pond filled, and hiring various neighborhood kids to mow the lawn, which, right now, looks like it could be attracting field mice as the last kid crapped out.
When I am home, I work nonstop, usually from my bed. I use my tray to have my coffee and tap, tap, tap away, creating recipes, planning a book tour, mapping out vendor locations for the festivals, planning Jason's show recipes, posting social media campaigns, billing for my freelance work, and planning episodes of the show.
I usually spend time weeding the garden each day. I try to find Pickle Ball games, and I beat myself up for not taking more walks. Then I get back in bed to work some more.
My sleep hygiene is terrible. It's all the time I spend in bed. I wake at 6, and I don't go to bed until midnight. I eat in bed. Usually handfuls of crackers, an egg or two, yogurt with hot honey, and restaurant-to-go container leftovers. I don’t cook for myself. I cook for work, plan recipes, and film YouTube videos. Occasionally, I fill a juice glass with wine that sits next to my three used coffee mugs.
It sounds a little lonely and sad, but I honestly love the rhythm of working, picking projects, and immersing myself in them, checking things off my to-do list. It's become a welcome part of the Summer routine. Kurt would be aghast as this milaise is not how I am at all when he is home, but it’s the rhythm of Summer and I like it. It works for me. It's helped me to recharge and enjoy the alone time. It’s also easy to get introverted and lost in your head. It helps me to value the community connections, my friends, and my life when I can reflect on it from my bed. I am lucky for the creative creator lifestyle. It suits me.
Tomorrow I am heading to Ely for two weeks. I will join my family. I usually cook there every day. I will still do my daily work, but there is no filming or TV, so I don't have to wear makeup, and I can cook what I feel like eating, not what needs to be shown on TV, so that feels freeing. Kurt and I take the boat from the island every morning and go to our “Hilltop” cabin, where Kurt has a writing desk and I have my garden. I wil play pickleball every day, I will walk, I will cuddle Stanley, and I will settle into the routine of a five o'clock sauna, six o'clock drink, dinner by 7:30, an extra glass of wine with Dolores at 8:30 while Kurt does the dishes and a show together at nine, and in bed by 10. It’s routine. It feels comforting and I like it too. I can be these people at the same time.
I had the most amazing brunch this week at my friend Anegla’s house. Angela is an incredible Minnesota Maker who used to have the Gustola Granola business before she stopped production. She bought a new signature dining table, and she and her husband discussed ways to get more people in the community to gather around the table. So… Angie collected a group of foodies to gather including:
Lynne Rosetto Kasper, Kim Bartman, Angie, Molly Broder, Sue Zelickson, and Joy Summers. It was a magical day and inspired me to entertain more. It does not have to be complicated. Fruit, granola, coffee, and yogurt are all it takes. I have lots to learn and lots to be grateful for in this company of amazing women who paved the way.
New Cookbooks To Check Out
I went to the book launch of “Kitchens of Hope” yesterday at Norway House. The book is published by the University of Minnesota Press with Christin Jaye Eaton and sisters @leedean and Linda S. Svitak. Lee spent many years as food editor at the Star Tribune, and her sister worked in Immigration Law, so it really worked to team up and help tell immigrants' stories and recipes.
This book shares 30 immigrant stories of hope, opportunity, and, of course, delightful food and recipes. These books' recipes are approachable and tasty! Well done. As we continue the drumbeat of immigration reform, I hope we remember that the United States is a nation of immigrants, and the labor that built the United States has been and continues to be largely comprised of immigrants. The stories of how these various individuals who came to the United States and the lens of the importance of their food lives and food traditions are beautifully presented in this book. A quote from the book talk was, “When people move around, Food gets better.” Indeed, it does.
Beth La Manach’s book Easy Entertaining is a really beautiful book with recipes anyone can use for entertaining. I like the variety and the food feels comforting, approachable and like I would want to make it.
Dinner is another book I am looking forward to cooking from during garden season as its vegetarian. Meera Sodha brings a fresh take on dinner with a wide range of Asian cuisine Dinner offers up 100 vegan and vegetarian recipes, all created to answer the question: “What's for dinner?” I think this will be on display the next two weeks as I cook at the cabin.
What I am Cooking:
Nothing except what I am recording so lets’s visit Summers past.
My Potluck Guide with 35 Summer Salads is getting most of the love at StephaniesDish.com
Remember - making your salad dressing is easy and delicious." There are infinite combinations here:
Creamy, Herby Pasta Recipes will definitely adorn grilled meats in the coming weeks as perfect sides.
I will be having some margaritas in the next few weeks - Here is my Spicy Mint Margarita Video.
Here are recipes for the four versions I make:
As a Subscriber, you get exclusive Substack Recipes like my friend Hayde's Pickle Pickle Popcorn - perfect for a road trip.
or Dolores BBQ Brisket, which you want to add to your July 4th Table
Yes - I would love more exclusive content and recipes! Sign me up. I receive a recipe every Wednesday in my inbox, a podcast link twice a month, and the Sunday email for subscribers.
Substack Super Stars that I am Reading :
I liked this Substack about canning by
and my friend
is talking about sailing lessons and happiness.
and my old running buddy
helps us sort out what to do with anger.
What I am Recording:
Big news is coming for “Taste Buds with Stephanie” fans. As of this post, the show is officially being syndicated by Fox First Run and in addition to appearing on Tubi, Fox9 at 8:30 on Saturday Mornings and on YouTube, it will run in 80 TV stations around the country. I am so excited and terrified and I cant wait for the whole country (over 50% of households) to see the magic of our Taste Buds in the Midwest!
As such the show has launched its own social media channels so follow them here.
Taste Buds with Stephanie Facebook
Taste Buds with Stephanie Instagram
Here is my Rib Eye Rub and grilling tips for all the steaks, chicken and chops this Summer from the new YouTube channel
I made this high-protein tuna salad on the Jason Show tve been eating ’ve been eating it for days. The recipe might seem weird but it comes together and is excellent on crackers or lettuce leaves:
On my StephaniesDish YouTube I have a Pork Steak recie that would also be great with theRub
I have a new podcast dropping this Friday with
from The Dinner Plan. Here she is talking with who lost her home in the LA fires. Its a good listen - wev will have Karyn Tomlinson winner of Best Chef Midwest soon.On my radio show Weekly Dish, we talked with James Beard Award Winers for best restaurant Bucheron’s owners Jeanie Janas Ritter and Adam Ritter. We are so excited for them!
I had a wonderful time this week at Alpha Omega Pizza Farm with Kim and Brad Hayes, the owners. They made me the most delicious pizza with a rhubarb base that had proscuttio, spinach and was amazing. Pizza two was with a cold packle salad on top of garlic oil, mozzerella and goat cheese - So good!
If you need a place for a corporate event, a ladies day or a grooms dinner check it out. They have two glamping tents and the Summer Hus for overight accoodations and the whole farm is delightful. Watch for it on an up coming Taste Buds episode.
I talked to Kim about the farm and her pizza crusts through the window of her kitchen trailer.
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“True North Cabin Cookbook” Events and News
I am working on events for the new “True North Cabin Cookbook” Vol 2 you can stay tune to the newsletter as Ill keep a list.
The launch party is hosted by
on 9/21 1-3 pm Get your tickets hereThe first cooking event is cooking with me at Cooks Of Crocus Hill 10/28 6-8pm
Anyone who pre-orders the book and emails me their Amazon receipt will receive a complimentary subscription to this paid version of my “Sunday Subscriber” newsletter, valued at $60. If you already have a subscription, I will gift it to whomever you like.You can pre-order the book here and email me your receipt. I will then send you your free subscription (unless you indicate otherwise in the text of the email). Existing subscribers can also indicate where to send their gift subscription.
SO PLEASE PRE-ORDER THE BOOK HERE
You did it, Stephanie. All your hard work, creativity and sheer talent. Congrats on syndication! It's a huge deal. Keep going.
I loved hearing about your summer routine, including eating in bed! And thanks for the cookbook recs. I am making good use of Dinner as well. Happy Sunday!