healthy dinner

A friend sent me this recipe for spaghetti squash sesame noodles with edamame this morning and I had to share it with you. It looks so yummy and happens to be gluten free.

art love

I just found these beautiful paintings by V Vaughn.
I never tire of landscapes.

These seem so peaceful.I love it when artists use a generous amount of paint.

steel cut oatmeal

Today was a snow day. We slept in and had the time to make steel cut oats. One of my favorite breakfasts.

Here is my recipe.

3T butter

3 cups steel cut oats

2 cups milk

lots of maple syrup

Melt the butter over high heat and "toast" the oats for a couple minutes. Then add 9 cups of water. When it comes to a boil turn it down and simmer for 25 min. Then add the milk and simmer for another 15min stirring ever 5 min or so. Top with maple syrup. (As you can see I think everything tastes better with a little butter.)

party time

Today we celebrated our friend and former coworker's birthday.
We love a reason to get together and laugh and eat some yummy food.
I made these brownies for desert and I have to say they were awesome. But just to make sure I had a second helping after the party.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend. I am so excited to head to Atlanta Market in the morning with my friend Sarah. Are any of you going to be there?

the farm chicks

How adorable are these goodies from the farm chicks store.

I don't have any fun tape but I can see how it could get addicting. Do you love vintage inspired things? If so I would love to know your favorite websites.

cheating

A wise woman knows know when to cook a yummy meal and when to cheat. Last night I did the latter. After I dropped off ballerinas I stopped at the produce place. I could not resist the figs that were perfectly riped.

I love their chicken salad and cheddar cheese with crackers. I also picked up their salad and some sesame dressing.

Dinner is done in time to head to the third open house/meet the teachers of the fall.

How do you like to cheat? Come on share the love.

recipe from last night...

Here is the link for the recipe I cooked last night it is from Publix. This is the first one we have tried, I wonder if any of the others are this good. The salad would be yummy on its own for lunch.

a nice quiet dinner

Tonight we all enjoyed coriander crusted salmon with chickpea artichoke salad.. This is only the third time we have made it but I think that it will be a favorite for a long time.

See how nice and peaceful dinner is.

I didn't say it lasted forever!




Are we the only family that has spray bottle fights?

winging it recipes

These are two of my favorite winging it recipes (which is what I did tonight).

BROWN RICE STIR FRY

I make a huge batch of brown rice and use it over 2 meals and a lunch. I love to throw in what ever looks good at the market. To cook everything other than the rice. I heat a little oil in a big skillet and cook on high (onions first for a minute and then add in the rest) until the edges are a little golden brown. Then I add some Braggs (a healthy version of soy sauce). Some of my favorite things to add are: onion, fresh ginger, tofu,yellow squash, zucchini and bean sprouts.

SMOOTHIES

My family loves smoothies (a lot more than my stir fry). Tonight we used peaches,banana, pineapple, watermelon, strawberries and lime.

summer recipies

Here is an old favorite from Martha Stewart Living May 2002. I usually pair it with salmon and tomato salad. I have been meaning to try it with brown rice.

RICE SALAD WITH LEMON,DILL, AND RED ONION

1 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for cooking water

2 cup white long-grain rice

1 small red onion, finely chopped

6 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

6 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill

grated zest of 2 lemons

1. Bring a medium saucepan three-quarters full of water to a boil:add salt. Stir in rice, and return water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer:cook uncovered until rice is tender, about 14 minutes. Drain rice in a sieve, and transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Meanwhile, mix together red onion and vinegar in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes; strain onion in a sieve, discarding vinegar. Place lemon juice, oil, garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in another small bowl, and whisk to combine.

3. Drizzle lemon mixture over hot rice. Add reserved onion, dill, and lemon zest; toss to combine. Serve.

summer recipes

This has been one of my favorites for 10 years. I got it from Martha Stewart Living Magazine July/August 2000. It is not only delicious but 100% good for you as well. If I have any left over I throw it in a quesadilla with some cheese for lunch. I usually pair it with Salmon and rice but it is great with almost everything.

Mixed Tomato Salad for 8

2 pints red cherry tomatoes

2 pints yellow pear tomatoes

1 large red onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh basil, washed and chopped

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Halve the cherry and pear tomatoes. In a large bowl, mix the tomato halves with the onion and garlic.

2. Stir in the basil, cilantro, and cumin. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Let stand for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Garnish with basil springs.

breakfast, lunch or dinner?

Sitting down at our round pine table for family meals is a big priority for us. Even if I haven't cooked the meal I love to set a pretty table. I picked four of our favorite fabrics and had them made into napkins. What do you think? Are there any of our other fabrics that you would like have as a napkin?

In honor of our new napkins I will be sharing some of my favorite summer recipes with you this week.

H2O

My friends at Style Blueprint did a post on infused waters today. I am not good at drinking enough water every day but this might change it for me. How about you? Do you add anything to your water?

strawberry shortcake

I am totally in love with this recent painting by Jacqueline Gnott.  What could be more perfect in my green and red kitchen?  You can start bidding on ebay tonight.

It reminded me that I had promised a reader that I would post my favorite Strawberry Shortcake recipe.  It is from The Gourmet Cookbook.  

3 pints strawberries (2 1/4 pounds) hulled and quartered

1/3 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

1 cup very cold heavy cream

1/3 cup sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 cream Biscuits

Gently mash strawberries with granulated sugar in a large bowl with a potato masher just until berries release their juices, beith careful not to crush them to a pulp.  Let stand at room temp, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

beat heavy cream, sour cream, and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until cream hods soft peaks.  beat in vanilla.

split biscuits with a fork and arrange bottom halves on eight plates.  spoon strawberry mixture over them.  top with some whipped cream and arrange biscut tops on cream.  serve remaining cream on the side.

cream Biscuits:

2 cups white lily or all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups heavy cream,plus additional for brushing

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425 F.  Lightly butter a baking sheet.  

sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.  add cream and stir just until a dough forms.  gather dough into a ball and gently knead 6 times on a lightly floured surface.

Pat dough into a 10-inch round.  cut out as many rounds as possible with lightly floured cutter and invert rounds onto buttered baking sheet.  gather scraps, pat our dough and cut out more rounds in same manner for a total of 8 rounds.  brush tops of rounds with cream and bake until pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.  transfer biscuits to a rack to cool.

strawberry shortcake

We have had the most glorious days ever.  Not too hot but wonderfully sunny.  My children are having so much fun outside after school that I feel guilty having them come in for dinner.

Yesterday I found some small strawberries at the market and we made my favorite Strawberry Shortcake.  I thought it was perfection until I saw these ceramic berry baskets from Jayson Home & Garden.  I found them via Oh Joy.

The next time I make strawberry Shortcake I want to get my berries out of one of these.