Steak.

Seared steak topped with caramelized onions and melted goat cheese. I drizzled balsamic vinegar and honey over the butternut squash and roasted it for about 40 minutes.

What can we make for breakfast? Pear Pancakes.

I didn't think breakfast would go beyond a bowl of cereal this morning. It was a rainy Saturday, and we'd spent the night out late. To my surprise, we were able to whip up something more memorable than Cocoa Pebbles. The strawberries had a day or two left at most, and the baby pears had been stuffed in the fridge all week. And what's pancakes and strawberries without powdered sugar? Karl made the pancakes, and I waited eagerly to top them off just minutes before I headed to Sweet Deliverance.

Alia's Eggplant Parmesan

Alia is a dear friend of mine, and this Eggplant Parmesan is based on her recipe. She calls for ricotta cheese sandwiched between eggplant layers, but I decided to use what I had in my fridge: Comte. It is nowhere close to ricotta, but it's one of my favorite cheeses, and it never fails to delight. I had a really hard time getting a good picture of this dish - just don't think it's very photogenic.

Anyway, Alia and I met at Emerson during our second year. We were in a brain science class together, and got in trouble for talking (and laughing) too much during the lectures. We never really quieted down, and to this day she's one of my favorite people with whom to sit around and laugh. Now that we live in different cities, it's harder to have our laughing sessions, so tonight this delicious eggplant parm is dedicated to my friend in Boston. See you soon, Alia!

Steamed Artichoke, Carrot Soup

A nice pair, don't you think? I made this carrot soup for Lauren on Tuesday, and had some leftover for tonight. Artichokes always remind me of my mom. She made them frequently when I was growing up, and it took me a couple of decades to actually try them...and like them. One night back in Boston, still in college, I called her because I had no clue how to cook artichokes. She told me exactly her method, and to this day, I pretty much do what she said: season the simmering water with salt and pepper, add some olive oil, a little balsamic vinegar, juice half a lemon over the artichoke, and place a slice on top so as to keep it nice and green in color, simmer artichoke for about 30 minutes, covered.