home cooking

Beef Wellington, 2,700 Miles Apart

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Christmas was already in motion when the universe decided to have a little fun with me.

I was in my kitchen making Beef Wellington when I called my brother to wish him a Merry Christmas. Mid-conversation, he casually mentioned that he was also making Beef Wellington for himself and our dad. We were 2,700 miles apart, yet somehow preparing the exact same meal at the exact same time. I couldn’t help but laugh. It felt like one of those quiet, unmistakable reminders that distance doesn’t really matter when hearts – and minds – are still connected.

This year’s Beef Wellington felt especially meaningful, not just because of that moment, but because it represented persistence, patience, and finally getting it right.

The Gluten-Free Redemption

I followed the Food Network recipe for Individual Beef Wellingtons as my guide. While I didn’t follow it exactly, it was the foundation I mimicked and adapted to fit my needs, especially gluten-free ones.

In the past, gluten-free puff pastry had been my downfall. The last time I tried making Beef Wellington with a gluten-free option, the pastry tasted terrible and honestly ruined the dish. It was dense, off-flavored, and disappointing after so much effort. I went into this attempt cautiously, hopeful but guarded.

This time, I used DUFOUR gluten-free puff pastry, and it was absolute perfection. Flaky, buttery, and everything puff pastry should be. It completely redeemed the dish and erased every bad memory of failed gluten-free attempts. I was beyond happy with the outcome, and even better, the kids loved the entire Christmas feast. Watching them enjoy it made all the effort worth it.

The Great Pâté Hunt

Then there was the pâté...

I never imagined that finding liver pâté would be the hardest part of my Christmas menu. I searched high and low – multiple grocery stores, multiple days – wasting far more time than I care to admit. It felt absurd that such a classic ingredient was so hard to track down.

Finally, I reached out to my cousin and his fiancée for suggestions. Without hesitation, Jen said, “Janssen’s Market in Greenville, DE.”

At that point, pâté was the very last thing on my list. I got in the car and drove 30 minutes, hoping they truly had what I needed because I didn’t have the energy for another dead end.

They had it!

The liver pâté from Janssen’s Market was exactly what I had been searching for, and it tied the entire dish together. Rich, smooth, and balanced, it elevated the Beef Wellington and brought everything into harmony. Janssen’s didn’t just finish my shopping list; they saved my sanity and my Christmas dinner.

Worth Every Mile

That Christmas meal ended up being more than just food. It was a connection across distance, a redemption story for gluten-free cooking, and a reminder that sometimes the last ingredient, the hardest one to find, is what makes everything complete.

Pure magic on a plate, worth every mile driven, and a Christmas dinner I won’t forget anytime soon.

From Farm to Freezer

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Splitting a Half Steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary

If you know me, you know I like to keep my freezer stocked and support local farms whenever I can. There’s just something satisfying about knowing exactly where your food comes from — and that it was raised with care.

Recently, my cousin and I decided to go in on half a butchered steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary in Elkton, Maryland. Their beef is processed and packaged by ClarkCo Meats in Pennsylvania, and the quality really shows. Everything came vacuum-sealed, clearly labeled, and ready for the freezer. My cousin and I split it evenly, and now I’ve got about 115 pounds of fresh, local beef stuffed in my freezer.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary is a gem in the area; they sell beef, pork, eggs, and honey, all produced right on the farm. You can truly taste the quality and care in their products.

The first cut I decided to try was a tri-tip, and oh my goodness — it was delicious! Tender, juicy, and full of flavor. There’s nothing quite like grilling up a piece of beef that was raised just a few miles away. It feels great to support local farmers while stocking the freezer with something wholesome and genuine.

I love the sense of self-sufficiency that comes with this — knowing I have a good supply of quality meat for the months ahead. If you’re near Elkton, MD, I definitely recommend checking out Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary. Local farms like theirs are what keep communities strong, healthy, and connected.

✅ What Caught My Eye

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary really stood out to me for several reasons:

  • They offer grass-raised, grass-finished beef with no hormones or vaccines.
  • The farm is located right here in Elkton, Maryland.
  • They also raise heritage pork, produce honey from their own apiary, and provide animal feed and farm supplies.
  • Founded in 2018 by Chris and Stephanie Dodds, along with their son, they’ve built a strong family-run operation rooted in quality and care.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary
360 Williams Road
Elkton, Maryland 21921
(302) 650-4688
https://sunnybrook.ag/

Getting Back to Canning and Sourdough: My New Kitchen Adventure

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I’ve recently found myself wanting to dive back into two of my favorite kitchen pastimes: canning and sourdough bread making. There’s something so satisfying about creating something from scratch, whether it’s preserving fresh fruits and veggies or crafting a perfect, tangy loaf of sourdough.

To make this journey a little easier—and a lot more fun—I’ve started collecting some gadgets and kits to help me along the way. One of my first purchases was the M11 Electric Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer Kit. It comes with wide and regular mouth mason lids and makes vacuum sealing my jars a breeze. Perfect for keeping my canned goods fresh for longer.

For my sourdough adventures, I grabbed the Gluten Free Sourdough Starter Kit. This is a 100+ year old dehydrated heirloom-style starter that promises to give my bread that authentic, tangy flavor I’ve been craving. To help manage and stir the starter, I got the Skinny Spurtle Teak Wooden Kitchen Utensil—perfectly crafted for sourdough enthusiasts.

And for shaping and proofing my dough, I invested in the Wood Pulp Banneton Bread Proofing Basket Set. This set comes with everything I need: a 9” 2.2LB round banneton basket, proofing bowl, cover, dough whisk, lame, and scraper.

Now that I am no longer living at high altitude, making gluten-free sourdough should be a lot easier at sea level here in Elkton, Maryland. Here’s hoping that having the right tools—and a little lower altitude—helps me achieve the best sourdough bread yet.

Here’s to getting back to the joy of canning and baking, and to a kitchen filled with the warm smells of homemade goodness!

My Take on a Delicious Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb

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The other day, I had the absolute pleasure of tasting my cousin’s grilled butterflied leg of lamb, and I have to say I was completely blown away. The flavor, the tenderness, the perfect garlic and herb notes, it was incredible, and I knew I had to try making it myself.

She told me she originally purchased her lamb at Whole Foods, but the closest one to me is about an hour away in Glen Mills, PA. Luckily, she mentioned that Aldi’s also carries great butterflied legs of lamb, so I headed over, grabbed a package, and got started.

I marinated my lamb with pressed garlic, cumin, Dulse granules, Celtic Fine Salt, and Ken’s balsamic dressing, letting it soak in all those flavors overnight. The next day, I fired up my Traeger at 450°F and grilled it to perfection. The result? Juicy, flavorful, and savory goodness that made me feel like I was sitting right there at my cousin’s table all over again.

If you’ve ever had a moment where you taste something so good you just have to make it yourself, you know exactly what I’m talking about. This lamb recipe is easy to make at home and delivers that same restaurant-quality flavor without the hassle.

Check out the full recipe below, and get ready to wow your friends and family with this unforgettable grilled butterflied leg of lamb!

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