now i love making + eating my salad

I love salad.

Until recently 

I did not like making

or eating it.

My friend Pam

taught me her way to make salad.

Now I'm hooked and

actually enjoy the process and the result

therefore eating more greens.

I guess I was sick of my variation of salad.

I would make same old vinaigrette....

blah blah blah.

Here's what I do now thanks to Pam.

 Grill something....last night it was zucchini

 + grilled chicken breast

toast some pine nuts in a couple tablespoons of EVO.

(I use just this EVO to dress the salad + it's a bit warm which is good...my new trick)

thinly slice raw fennel

 slice red onion

 

throw it all in bowl with arugula

+

grated parmesan cheese

squeeze half a lemon on salad.

Add maldon salt and freshly ground pepper.

Toss + toss.

That's it.

YUM.

Pam's tricks?

Toasted nuts, any kind.

Grated parm.

Just lemon to dress.

Why didn't I think of that?

She promised to teach me some other variations....yay!

cacio e pepe

I made this the other night.

It's to die for comfort food.

Cacio e pepe
serves 2
180 g spaghetti
2 T unsalted butter
1 T + 1/2 t whole black peppercorns, coarsely ground
2 cups grated pecorino romano, separated
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add spaghetti. Cook until just before al dente. I usually go a minute or two less than the package instructions. 2. A few minutes before the pasta is ready, in a large skillet, melt butter on medium heat, add pepper and toast until fragrant. 3. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and coat thoroughly. 4. Add one ladle of pasta water, mix again thoroughly. 5. Turn off the heat. In an even layer, as quickly as you can, sprinkle 1 1/2 c of grated pecorino, then stir. Keep stiring until there is a creamy coating on the pasta. If it’s too dry, add more pasta water. 6. Serve immediately, topped with pecorino and more pepper if desired.
The perfect meal when the fridge is nearly empty, at the end of a long day.

(via remainsimple)

one-pan pasta

A must try.

This was too easy.

Best to do now as

tomatoes + basil

are in abundance.

via pinterest

One-Pan Pasta (adapted slightly from Martha Stewart Living)

• 12 ounces linguine
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2- 3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/2 cups water
• Lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

camp mama 2013

 reading in the linen closet

 blueberry hand pies

 best the day after

via

bon appetit

 art with the boys in the hood

 art picnic with the holmes kids

 cork printing

 kick ball

 Ev + Ev painting

 fun fort friday

 afternoon at the aldrich

 slip n' slide

 art drying

 graham spraying

orange glitter hands

 peeper's painting

 rowayton farmer's market

 lunch at stone barns @ blue hill cafe

 day at dia

 neon at dia

 outside at dia

 last day of art with littles

with guest artist...bff Torsten!

summer's not over til it's over at camp mama

alice waters' ratatouille

I adore Alice Waters.

I love ratatouille.

I always wing ratatouille when I make it.

It's always delish but for a change

I tried Alice Waters' recipe

from her

The Art of Simple Food

cookbook.

I hit the jackpot when my friend Leslie

kindly gave me her CSA from

The Stone Barns at Blue Hill 

last week.

In the box:

little eggplants

zucchini

patapan squash

red onions

scallions

cucumbers

corn

basil

sage

escarole

I quickly thought ratatouille.

From our own garden I used:

basil 

tomatoes

The only thing that was from Trader Joes:

sweet peppers

Oh and fresh garlic that Everett harvested at Ambler Farm camp.

 sauteed eggplant and the other Stone Barns goodness

 our own garden toms

 The golden ticket here was the brilliant

basil bouquet tied with kitchen string.

In the end you remove the bouquet and squeeze 

the basil juices back in pot. 

Loads of basil flavor sans the soggy leaves.

 raw

 

done + still colorful

couldn't wait to put ratatouille

on ciabatta bread with pesto 

+

a slice of fresh mozzarella

This time for Sunday lunch on ciabatta with

peppered goat cheese 

+

sliced grilled sweet italian sausage.

 Tastes even better a day or two later.

Love A.W's ratatouille.

Blows mine away!

hearty chicken stew

 I came across this recipe here.
  {I know....I should be thinking summer...
salads, grilled anything + everything}

Looks + sounded so delish... I made it on the spot.

SO GOOD + EASY + HEALTHY.

Highly recommend.

You can wait for a colder season

or

not!

Perfect for a cool rainy spring supper.
{the olives give it that extra...yum}

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash & Quinoa Recipe

Yield: Serves 6

From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add the salt, minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.

Notes

Calories 329 / Total Fat 14.1g / Saturated Fat 1.0 / Cholesterol 15.2mg / Sodium 1209mg / Total Carbohydrates 32.8g / Fiber 5.4g / Sugars 3.0g / Protein 19.4g / WW (Old Points) 7 / WW (Points+) 9

things i love this minute

this red hook, ny burrito truck

this short sleeved coat

this table setting

this bloody mary mixer

this kitchen 

this recipe

baked avocado + egg = yum