Butternut Tostadas

...plus frozen lakes, my Banana Bread hack, Valentines Ideas + Football Eggs

Hi friends!

This week I walked out on a frozen lake! We just stayed in the shallow area and walked to a spot where neighbors had cut a large “ice-go-round”. As we spun on the floating circle, we were delighted with a 360-degree view Lake Mendota at sunset. Magical! I love when crazy, whimsical ideas become realities. Art in motion!

a homemade “ice-go-round”

The frozen lake offers an otherworldly landscape unlike anything I’ve ever seen!

Baking Hack:

Since our ice adventure, we’ve been warming up with cups of chai tea and banana bread. I’m not much of a baker so my new baking hack is to buy the Trader Joe’s Banana Bread mix in a box and add to it. I prepare the batter as instructed, then stir in a handful of walnut pieces and one finely grated squash (zucchini or yellow crookneck, and squeeze the liquid from the squash before stirring it in.) I lay a banana half on top so it looks fancy and then cook the loaf for an extra 5 minutes or so. Semi-homemade and hits the spot!

A jazzed up a baking mix box of Banana Bread from Trader Joe’s. I added 1 finely grated yellow summer squash (zucchini also works), a handful of chopped walnuts and baked for an extra 5 minutes. Yum!

Game Day Snacks:

I love any reason to gather around food, and that includes this weekend’s Superbowl. I may be more interested in the commercials and the snacks (don’t tell!) and this is one is a favorite.

Add chives to the top of your deviled eggs for game day fun! These are my Guacamole Deviled Eggs from book #1.

Signed and Personalized Preorders:

I’m excited to be partnering with my local independent bookstore, Mystery to Me, to provide signed and personalized preordered copies of my upcoming book. Before they all ship out on April 15th, I will walk down to the shop and sign every single one! When you check out on their site, there’s a little comment section to add who you’d like the book inscribed to. Makes a great gift (Mother’s Day? Birthday? Graduation!) and they’ll ship it for you :) Order one here.

Valentine’s Ideas:

I love cooking up something rosy on Valentine’s Day! We’ve made pink pasta with heart-shaped garlic bread, heart-shaped pizza, red salad (from book #1!) and Campari cocktails. I also love to tie a red balloon at each person’s chair at the dinner table. This year we are doing a progressive dinner party around our neighborhood (more on that later!). How do you celebrate?

Butternut Tostadas:

Just a friendly reminder that each month I offer paid subscribers a new, never-before-published recipe. Paid subscriptions are $5/month and support my work (instead of having ads). Thank you to everyone who has become a paid subscriber already (honestly, I’m blown away!). I’m so grateful and hope you enjoy this one.

This month’s special recipe is a veggie-packed tostada. We have taco night regularly at our house but tostadas feel special! I like this variation on the traditional Mexican dish because it’s colorful, components can be made ahead, and it can also be served bar-style.

Butternut Tostadas

makes about 6 tostadas

Ingredients: