Hey everyone. It’s been a minute since I last posted. First, I went on a two-week European vacation. It was amazing and wonderful and I’ll talk about it some other time.
Next, I got sick the SECOND I touched down on American soil. The cold lingered for sure, but I’m not sure when it actually went away because allergies – seemingly absent in both London AND Paris (do they even HAVE pollen?) – invaded my nose and throat and eyes with a *bloody* vengeance.
Then I could just say I’ve been busy but really, have I been busy? Or have I just been burnt out. In a mood. Anxious. Unable to pin down what I actually want to eat besides that one thing I ate at that North African restaurant in that posh bit of London. Anxious again – maybe because I’m back on caffeine. Maybe because I was about to launch my Youtube channel and it’s new and terrifying.
So here I am, sitting four feet away from my boyfriend, lovingly nudging me every 30 minutes or so to just write something because I said I would write something today. And here’s the thing: I have a pile of recipes and a second pile of recent fun life experiences (DID I MENTION WE JUST GOT BACK FROM EUROPE?) and yet I’m struggling to find any words except that I’ve been scared to push forward.
Both creating and publishing these videos have been so far outside my comfort zone and I have been dreading the release since we started shooting them (we being me and my insanely patient mom). The internet is a big and scary and judgmental place and my anxiety took hold. That being said, the videos are up and we’re shooting more on Tuesday. Work in progress.
The point of all this is to say that being in a writing rut and feeling your anxiety and being so run down because you left during the two-week period when Houston transitioned to full blown summer and you weren’t ready for this heat – all of these things are perfectly fine and you’re allowed to feel them and they’re really small in the long run. That, and I will try to stockpile some posts for next time I decide I have nothing to say.
Oh, and here’s a recipe for smoky Harissa red sauce. It comes together really quickly (unlike this post), but the flavor is really complex and crave-able. I suggest licking the spoon. Use it for pizza or pasta sauce or just spread it on some toast or anywhere you would use marinara.
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
cups
|
- 2 T extra virgin olive oil or basil olive oil
- 2 T harissa paste
- 2 T tomato paste
- 2 ts honey or more to taste
- 2 garlic clove grated or finely chopped
- 1 1/2 ts kosher salt or more to taste
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
Ingredients
|
|
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the harissa, tomato paste, honey, garlic and salt. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes, allowing the mixture to thicken slightly and darken to a deep rusty red color.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. If it still tastes too acidic, add a little extra honey. Add more salt as needed.
Harissa is a North African pepper condiment that can be found in any Middle Eastern specialty shop and now, fortunately in many grocery stores.
The spice level varies brand-to-brand but generally speaking the ones that come in a tube are on the hotter end. The one I have pictured in the post above is a spicier variety (it says so on the jar!). The heat level in this sauce isn't too high but if you're worried, look for a brand that has a mild option.