A bit of this, a bit of that!

What do you see when you look at this picture? For me, I have very fond memories of this view and not much gives me more peace and light than when I am looking at the water and sand. This is in Chatham, Cape Cod. What is that kind of place for you?

I have always adored sunflowers. How they stand up straight with all their friends and stare at the sun. They are so cheery and strong, beautiful too. What do you look at in nature that speaks to you?

On most nights I cook, I light candles when I do so. I find the light and the flicker relaxing. It signals that now is the time to slow down, be in the moment and create something delicious for my family. Even if it is pasta and bottled sauce. No matter what it is I am making, it is for me but more importantly, it is for others and it is time to chill out. I can't cook and do bills or do laundry or text at the same time. That is not to say I don't multi-task. I am just saying, for a few minutes, I try to focus on the moment. That is when I find cooking the most relaxing. What relaxes you?

Time to put on Animals by Martin Garrix and get cooking!

Last night was a beautiful night that begged an outdoor dinner. It was so tasty and the setting was great....

Greek-Style Burgers with Feta Aioli - Cooking Light, a million years ago
Aioli (I sometimes double this recipe because it is really good)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 T light mayo
2 T plain fat free yogurt
1/4 ground pepper
1 garlic clove minced

Burgers
5 (1/2 inch thick) slices red onion
Cooking spray
1 pd lean ground sirloin
2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I use fresher than canned but not homemade)
1/3 cup chopped bottled roasted red bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt (I omit usually)
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, minced
rolls of your choice - they call for sourdough sandwich buns (I typically don't use a bun!)

For aioli: Combine first ingredients in a food processor, pulse one minute or until smooth. Cover and chill.

For onion: Place onion slices on a broiler pan or grill coated with cooking spray. Cook 2 minutes on each side, set aside.

For burgers: Combine beef and next 9 ingredients in a large bowl.  Divide beef mixture into 5 equal portions (I make more like 9 smaller burgers). Place patties on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray, and cook 6 minutes on each side or until burgers are done.

Spread 1 1/2 T aioli over top of the burger, along with the onions. Voila!

I made this with both roasted and steamed broccoli. We also had some fries (not homemade!!) for the kids too.

 

Enjoy and have a spectacular night!

Blank Slate

I just finished a salad, which was very tasty (romaine lettuce, tomatoes, blue cheese, roasted butternut squash and onion leftovers and a balsamic vinaigrette). I was also in the process of starting a new post and got very excited when I looked at my blank page. Wow. That just lifted my mood. I think knowing that anything is possible, and that my world is in this very moment got my juices flowing. Nice, as my friend, Kathleen, would say.

Patriots Day is such a cool holiday. Many people outside of Massachusetts may not have known about it until the bombings last year. According to Wiki, Patriots Day commemorates the anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, which were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. There is always a home Red Sox game at 11 a.m. and of course the Boston Marathon. Sometimes there is a Celtics game and hockey playoffs are at this time as well. It is an amazing day for sports and a great part of spring in MA. Watching the marathon took on new meaning this year I am sure.  That said, I have always gotten so inspired and at times emotional watching the skill and athleticism of the wheelchairs, the humor of the tutu and costume wearing runners, the effort of the military runners, the loyalty of Team Hoyt and the sheer will of all runners from elite to the very last one to cross the finish line. It is a day of pride and I really missed it this year.

Time to put on Wild Wild Love by Pitbull and get cooking.

The other night I made one of my favorite dishes. I have been making this for years and years and it is incredibly flexible. It has taken different forms throughout the year and I did allude to it in one of my first posts. Can you believe this is my 20th post!!??

Black Beans and Rice
1-2 cans of black beans, rinsed and in a pot with a little water
1 cup brown rice (or white if you choose), cooked
Package of spinach, sautéed with olive oil, garlic, S&P
2 tomatoes
1 sweet pepper (yellow or orange for pretty)
1/4 onion
2T fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Two drops of olive oil
Corn with a little dried or fresh cilantro on top
1-2 avocados or already made guacamole
lettuce - a few leaves
Tomatillo salsa (of course!)
Mexican cheese for topping

Essentially, the black beans and rice are the base and you add whatever you want on top. I make a salad/salsa with tomatoes, peppers, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Add 2 drops of olive oil to help bind the flavors. Then, you layer. I started with lettuce, black beans, rice, spinach, corn, salad, cheese and salsa. It is totally healthy and really tasty. You can make a soft taco/burrito or keep it as a bowl dish. Yum.

Enjoy and have a fantastic day!

Choose Adventure

Boat trips can be so fun. Depending on your boat and the conditions, they can be smooth sailing or windy, exciting rides. Either way, getting out onto the water makes you realize you are a visitor in nature and connects people who are sharing the moment with you.

My parents, Kelley, the kids and I had decided to take a sunset catamaran trip from 6-8 p.m. in Captiva on our last night in the Fort Myers area.  We had this great lunch at Doc Fords and an amazing day of shelling at the beach. Yet something was missing....WIND. Catamaran rides really need wind. So we went back and forth about whether or not to go forward with the trip. It was getting late and we really needed to fish or cut bait. We drove to the marina and still no wind. Kelley spoke with the office who offered only half back or another kind of boat trip. Needless to say, we decided to go on the catamaran ride. We knew it was a beautiful night and we would be on the water. Choose adventure.

It was one of the best nights we have all had in a long time. The sky was magnificent. The music was incredible and we just hung out and enjoyed the time.  We were all so happy in that moment.  My parents danced. My kids and I snuggled on the net and had some awesome conversations. We all saw some cool dolphins chasing the wake of other boats and feeding near our boat near the marina. And the sunset was likely the most incredible I have seen in a very long time. The light in the sky was truly magical and no camera can capture its beauty. And to think we almost didn't go because the wind wasn't going to be perfect. Sometimes when you aren't seeking perfection, the best experience finds you.  Choose adventure.

Put on La La La by Naughty Boy and get cooking!

I offered to make a dear friend some vegetable soup yesterday. I was very excited to cook and do something special for someone. I googled vegetable soup and ran to the store. I packaged it up along with parmesan cheese, rolls and oyster crackers.  Soup and salad always goes nicely together so I made a simple salad of Belgium endive and romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onion and garnished with a piece of parsley. The dressing I made was a balsamic vinaigrette (one to one of oil and vinegar, salt and pepper) with a little Dijon mustard thrown in for a tiny kick. I also layered some blackberries, strawberries and raspberries in a bowl and some non-home made almond cookies on the side. Beautiful, cheery yellow tulips in a brightly colored bag and the package was completed!

Of course I had to taste the soup to make sure it wasn't poisonous and I liked it enough to post it here. I adapted it from a food network site.  The original recipe is called Garden Vegetable Soup by Alton Brown, so please feel free to go to the website if you want to make that version. If you are feeling adventurous, you can make cheese crackers or add chicken to the soup.

Garden Vegetable Soup
3T olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only, chopped finely
1 garlic clove, minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1.5 potatoes, peeled and diced
handful of green beans, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 zucchini, cut into bite sized morsels
1 quart vegetable broth
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
handful of spinach leaves sliced
1/4 cup or more of chopped fresh parsley
1 can of whole tomatoes, chopped
juice of one lemon
celery salt, lemon pepper, crazy salt, or any other seasonings you might want to add to add depth
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-low heat.  Once hot, add leeks and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add carrots, potatoes, green beans and zucchini and let saute for a few more minutes. Add tomatoes.

Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Add corn, spinach, parsley and lemon juice and let simmer until all vegetables are fork tender. Season to taste.

Enjoy and have a spectacular day!!

Vacation may be over, but it is certainly not forgotten!

Vacation was just that, a vacation. Time away from your every day routine of life. The moment we got into the car that Saturday morning, knowing that we had to be out of the house for 8 nights, it just felt good. Yes, it was a 10 hour drive to Florida but there is something about knowing you can't be in your house that helps you relax. We were on the road and we had only a few belongings, our car and our family.

I have to say, we had some incredible family conversations during the ride down.  It surprised us but we talked about the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust and what it must have been like for people to have gone through those horrific times. We then moved on to the death penalty and beliefs around that. It sounds like it was intense and dark but it really wasn't. We all were involved and interested and it felt great to really be together, talking about real things that didn't include school, friends or sports (even though I love those daily conversations too). Over the course of the vacation, we all became more relaxed with one another and were able to be present. Trust me, there were many times where I wanted to scream too but being together was more important, for the moment anyway.

Put on Teach Your Children by CSN and get cooking! We heard this song on vacation and I was reminded how wonderful it is. A very fun song to sing and harmonize!

Last night I made Spaghetti and Pesto Trapanese. A recipe that my sister in law gave to me. I used Cipriani pasta and roasted some broccoli on the side. It hit the spot.

Spaghetti and Pesto Trapanese
3/4 pds cherry tomatoes (I use a little more)
12 large whole basil leaves (I use a little more)
1/3 cup of whole almonds, lightly toasted
1 large garlic clove, crushed and peeled
1/4 tsp peperoncino (jarred) or to taste (I used 2)
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt, plus more for pasta
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb spaghetti (I use a little less than a pound)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I don't freshly grate)

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and pat them dry.  Rinse the basil leaves and pat them dry. Drop the tomatoes into the blender or food processor bowl followed by the garlic clove, almonds, basil leave, peperoncino and salt. Blend for a minute or more to a fine puree; scrape down the bowl and blend again if any large bits or pieces have survived.

With the machine still running, pour in the olive oil in a steady stream, emulsifying the puree into a thick pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning. If you are going to dress the pasta within a few hours, you can leave at room temperature. Refrigerate for longer storage, up to 2 days, but let it return to room temperature before cooking the pasta. 

To cook spaghetti, heat 6 quarts of water with 1T salt, to a boil in a large pot. Scrape all pesto into a warm bowl. (I did not heat my bowl)

Cook spaghetti al dente, drain and drop onto the pesto. Toss quickly to coat the spaghetti, sprinkle cheese all over and toss again.  Serve immediately in warm bowls (Mine were not warm!).

Serves 4-6.

Yum! Enjoy and have a spectacular day!

Cleaning up for Masters!

Good morning! Happy Thursday! Our vacation starts officially tomorrow after school/work but really, I won't feel like we are on vacation until we are in the car and on the road to Florida.

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, we are in the midst of cleaning and sorting and putting away so that the house is at its best for our renters during Masters week. I like having this reason to do so. I have always relished in the giving away of belongings. I think I have a little Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bums in me. There is a part of me who would love to have a rucksack and not much else but I also have a part that loves decorating and adding funky to my surroundings.

When we moved to Augusta, we donated so much and it felt great. Down here, we don't have a basement or garage so therefore we have less stuff! Even our mover admitted that we didn't have as much as he has seen. But, knowing I have belongings in our attic in Needham makes me itch. The OCD in me wants to go through it and donate, donate, donate!

Even with a smaller house and less storage, we still manage to accumulate. We have given away 3 huge bags of clothing this week and I hope to do more! The best part of this exercise in getting ready for renters is that the girls had to put a lot of their little things (and there are many, many little things!!) into the attic. Their rooms are so much more streamlined! I love it. I am hoping we can keep them like this and donate some of those said little things!!! All in an effort to live a simpler life.

Put on Magic by Coldplay and get cooking!

Yesterday was a really beautiful, warm day here in Augusta. None of the meals I had planned for the week were speaking to me. Kelley came home from a business trip, sick, and the girls and I had gone for ice cream after school. YUM! Cold Stone Creamery is dangerously close to our house. Needless to say, I wasn't feeling very hungry but need to eat down the frig, freezer and pantry. So, I made a dish that I have been making a variation of since college. Your basic pasta salad! You can add anything to this and you can make it a side dish or a vegetarian main course. Or, add chicken, shrimp or tofu to make it more robust. The more colorful vegetables the better. The kind of vinegar you use is up to you. The vegetables you use are up to you. Below is just a guideline. I don't measure so these are guestimates. Play around with the taste. You can make a Greek pasta salad or Italian. So many people have their own versions but this was my version last night and it was YUM!

Pasta Salad
2 small tomatoes, diced
3-4 baby cucumbers, diced
1 large pepper or several mini bell peppers, diced
quarter of an onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh parsley
8 oz pasta of choice
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
champagne vinegar
salt and pepper
parmesan to taste

Enjoy and have a spectacular week! Talk to you soon!!

Three days until vacation, not that I am counting down or anything!

Spring has sprung here in Augusta, Georgia. Tons of blooming trees and flowers makes for a beautiful city as well as many sneezes, itchy eyes and runny noses! This tree in my back area is so lovely and I love watching the petals fall onto my patio during the day. We have had a stretch of above normal temperatures finally and I can only hope that trend affects my northern friends and family as well.

I was talking on Monday about growing pains in the family as our children age and change. I had been in a bit of a funk for a few weeks and not really understanding why. I knew I was a little homesick and lonely but that really wasn't it because things are going generally well here. I am coming to grips with the nerves of gaining a puppy in the family so that wasn't the issue either. After a wonderful conversation, I realized that it was because I am feeling a small sense of loss. I think that I am mourning a little for the way our family was when the kids were younger, if that makes sense. As kids age, their needs change and their methods of connecting and communications change.

Growing pains.

It is up to me as a parent to be flexible and patient and grow with them. Bigger kids, bigger problems. The kids are definitely at the in between stage as I mentioned and it is important to provide opportunities for them to remain kids but a certain amount of flexibility has to come into play as they stretch their wings a little. New ways to connect and communicate will emerge, especially after some talking. This also does not mean I am not excited for the next stage of our family. It just means I'm a little sad this stage is ending. After naming my funk, I am feeling better.

Last night, Sosie and I found ourselves alone for dinner. I thought we could go out for dinner after soccer practice at this great spot called Takosushi (think Asian and Mexican). We pulled into Surrey Center (a wonderful place) and Sosie told me she really wanted to eat at home. So, home we went. We had leftover chicken pot pie and salad with ranch dressing that Sage had made in cooking class (yum!!) and just hung out. We talked, we watched tv, we shopped on the internet and we connected. A simple moment greatly appreciated.

Put on With Ur Love by Cher Lloyd and get cooking!

As we get more and more into spring, grilling becomes more of a norm and helps makes meals easier and delicious too.

A dear friend gave me this recipe many years ago and I use it all the time, sometimes adding more or less depending on the poundage of meat. She thinks it comes from Cooks Illustrated. I served this with corn on the cob, steamed broccoli and a wedge salad. I had grand plans of making pilaf as well but unfortunately life got in the way.

A side note: how long do you cook your corn? 2 minutes or 3 tops is all you should cook corn nowadays. Corn now is different than corn of 3 decades ago when we were growing up. Try it...you will see that the corn is good every single time.

Garlic and Herb Marinade (for 2 pds steak tip/sirloin strips)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1T minced rosemary
1T minced thyme
1T dark brown sugar
1T tomato paste
1T ground pepper

Combine in gallon size ziplock, pressing out as much air as possible. Refrigerate one hour, flipping bag over in 30 minutes to evenly marinade. Grill and tent to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Becke and Anja's Blue Cheese Dressing
(makes 4 generous servings)
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup bleu cheese (Danish, gorgonzola, Roquefort, crumbled)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp seasoned salt or just salt and pepper to taste
2 T finely chopped red or sweet onion

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, smashing the cheese against the side of the bowl. Let "age" in frig for one hour.  Taste for seasoning and thickness. Adjust to your taste. If too thick, thin with a tsp or so of milk.

For the iceberg wedge:
Slice one head of iceberg into 8 wedges. Arrange on platter. Top with as much or as little vegetables as you would like.

Enjoy and have a spectacular day!