PANTRY HQ NEEDS YOU:)
PLEASE tell your friends to subscribe to the Weekly Digest!
Let’s start with a recap:
You may have noticed there were quite a few BIG changes to the Pantry last week! The biggest and most exciting change is that we are now offering our Weekly Digest subscription for free! Yes… you read that right:)
Our mission for the Pantry has always been to use my passion and skill for cooking to help others find joy in the experience of creating a home-cooked meal, while also making life a little easier by providing weekly recipe ideas so there’s one less decision to make each day.
Over the last few months, we felt that to fully honor our mission, we needed to grow this wonderful community of Pantry members! By transitioning to an ad-based business model, we are now able to offer the Pantry subscription for free, opening up the benefits to a larger community of people <3 So please, please, please tell your friends to visit our website (pantrybyhilary.com) and subscribe! We need your help to spread the word!
On another note, we are now sending out the Weekly Digest through Substack. Substack is an email newsletter platform that will help us streamline our email distribution and reach a wider audience of readers! As a current Pantry member and Weekly Digest subscriber, there is nothing you have to do, these newsletters will arrive right here in your inbox each week just like our previous Weekly Digests.
For all of our early members, your support has been invaluable to us! We wouldn’t be here today without all of you. And for those of you now just able to subscribe to the Weekly Digest, WELCOME and ENJOY!
Cheers!
P.S. I’m back to making sourdough. So if you’re interested in starting your sourdough journey, let me know and I can make some tutorial videos.
CURRENT OBSESSIONS
Drum Lessons
My husband got me drum lessons for Christmas this year! I’ve always thought it would be so fun to learn the drums, and after one lesson I’ve learned that it is also extremely difficult. Looks like this year is going to be all about learning new things and getting out of my comfort zone ;)
Lavashak Rolls in Pomegranate Seeds
It’s pomegranate season and I recently decided that the best way to de-seed a pomegranate is by forgetting all of the hacks and doing it the old-fashioned way. My favorite snack right now is Lavashak (a sour, salty, Persian fruit roll) dipped in pomegranate seeds. My husband and I did a tasting - you can watch it here. At first, I was surprised by the intense lavashak flavor, but now I strangely keep finding myself craving it. The salty sour lavashak mixed with the sweet burst of pomegranate seeds is a new addition to my pallet.
Twinkle Lights for some much-needed hygge to combat those winter blues
I took down my 9-foot Christmas tree this past week. As much as I miss the cozy colored lights on the tree, I love the extra space now that the tree is gone. I keep up my window twinkle lights year round and find it especially helpful this time of year when it gets dark so early. I also just ordered some beeswax candles to keep the hygge (the Danish way of creating a warm, cozy atmosphere) vibes high.
Big Cozy Scarf (wrapped like a balaclava lol)
I recently saw a video of a girl wrapping her scarf in a way that created a hood/balaclava. This is now my favorite way to wear my big scarf, especially now that we are getting actual winter weather in Chicago!
AS SEEN ON TIKTOK
BROWN SUGAR OAT MILK SHAKEN ESPRESSO MARTINI
I turned my go-to Starbucks drink order into an espresso martini! If you love this iced coffee drink you have to try it in martini form. You can also use the brown sugar cinnamon syrup for your morning coffee drinks or in oatmeal.
WHAT I’M COOKING THIS WEEK
It definitely feels like winter in Chicago. This week I am making some cozy crowd-pleaser meals that will be sure to keep you warm. This Southern Dirty Rice recipe is my husband’s favorite. It is easy, filling and so flavorful - plus the ingredient list is much shorter than most Dirty Rice recipes out there. My Fridge Clean Out Soup is great when you want to use up produce in your fridge. It combines vegetables, noodles or grains, and beans to create a simple, yet delicious soup that you will feel good about eating. Ground Turkey Skillet is perfect for next-day lunch leftovers. If you want something tasty and unique make Grandma’s Spinach Pie. It is a slightly healthier take on traditional spinach pie, but that does not mean it lacks flavor. You can watch a step-by-step video here.
SOUTHERN DIRTY RICE
My husband loves dirty rice and has been asking me to make a recipe for a long time. Southern dirty rice typically has chicken livers, bacon, or sausage in addition to the ground meat, but to reduce ingredients and for a lighter recipe this calls for just ground beef or pork.
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 20 min Total Time: 30 min
FRIDGE CLEAN OUT SOUP
The perfect soup when you want to use up ingredients in your fridge. It combines vegetables, noodles or grains, and beans to create a simple, yet delicious soup that you will feel good about eating.
Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 30 min Total Time: 45 min
GROUND TURKEY SKILLET
This ground turkey skillet is a great recipe to start the week off with to have leftovers for lunch. It is quick, easy, and delicious. Top it off with some hot sauce, sour cream, and pickled jalapeños for a nice kick.
Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 15 min Total Time: 30 min
GRANDMA’S SPINACH PIE
Growing up my grandma would make this spinach pie a few times a year and it was always my favorite dish. It makes delicious leftovers and stores well in the freezer.
Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 45 min Total Time: 1 hr 5 min
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