A fine dinner for a tired soul

CHEESE TORTILLINI WITH BASIL
VINIAGRETTE AND PANCETTA TOPPED WITH
PARSLEY AND SERVED WITH 1/2 GRILLED
ARTICHOKE WITH LEMON SAUCE

Oh my goodness, I have been having such a good time with the basil vinaigrette.  Tonight I steamed 2 halves of artichoke until Al dente then throw them on the grill to finish. I sliced two small pieces of pancetta and grilled them along with the artichoke.
I made a nice lemon vinaigrette for the artichoke (or you can make a butter and lemon sauce if you like that better).  Use the basil vinaigrette that I gave the recipe for earlier for the pasta.

You can use penne or other pasta like I did.  I had some cheese tortillini, so that's what I used.
Boil the pasta, place finished product in a bowl and toss with the basil vinaigrette.  Cube the pancetta into small pieces and mix it in.  Top with a bit of chopped basil or parsley and a little salt and pepper.  I also grilled a wedge of lemon to set on the pasta.  The juice from it leaks into the bottom of the bowl of  pasta and makes a really nice addition to the basil vinaigrette.  You get a nice bit of tang at the bottom of the bowl..if you have an extra bit of bread or toast it is nice to soak the juice up on it.

Pour some of the lemon vinaigrette over the artichoke and place it on the side of the pasta.  Eat it up.... This is a really nice way to make a heavier pasta light feeling.....
EAT, FRESH, DAILY by COOKINGFRESHDAILY!!!

garden fresh cherry tomatoes

If any of you grow your own tomatoes then you know just how sweet a cherry tomato can be.  I have one plant and it is really getting a nice crop on it now.  The tomatoes are like candy they are so sweet, so for my brunch today I, of course, decided on one of my favorites.  This is actually a version of the tomato on toast that I have posted in the past.  I actually have numerous versions of this open-faced delight.

Today I decided to make two pieces of Sperlonga (ciabatta) toasted.  I have some basil vinaigrette from what I made the other day:
            VINIAGRETTE:
              About 20-30 basil leaves placed in a food processor.  More if you want to make    
               a larger amount.
               Add about a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp lemon
               zest.  A pinch of salt, about 1/4 tsp or a little more of sugar or honey.  I like
               sugar in this one.  Pour in about 1/8 cup of EVOO.  (Not the light, but extra
               extra virgin.)  Don't go cheap on Olive oil.

 http://www.food.com/library/olive-oil-495            

Sorry the color is off...the vinaigrette is actually green!
Enjoy this yummy treat.

               Blend all of the ingredients until the mixture is well mixed.  It will not be
               completely smooth, there will have a little texture.  Taste and adjust the flavors,
               so you can  taste the basil, a slight bit of lemon, and the sweetness of the sugar
               and the savoriness of the herbs.

                                                    PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

 Saute a few thin slices of eggplant until golden brown, but not crispy.  Chop up a few leaves of parsley (Italian flat leaf), about 5-10 rosemary leaves, and a tiny bit of chive.  You could also use a bit of mint, but keep is sparse.  The herbs are just to barely top the toasts.  Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and toast the bread.  On the bread, spread about a tsp to tbs of the vinaigrette on each piece (make sure it covers the bread)  Lay on the eggplant just to cover the bread, layer the tomatoes, sprinkle on just a bit of the different herbs and then drizzle just a tiny bit more of the vinaigrette.  OMG this is a sweet bite of heaven.  The tomatoes are like candy mixed with the tangier vinaigrette and the savory herbs....  Great for you, and it tastes good too..   Go figure!!!  Have it with a nice Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, or any white wine you like...except white zinfandel...(oh sorry, I am being snobbish)!!  Have whatever wine you like.

Enjoy, and Cook It Fresh, Daily.


              
    

POST GRAVEYARD SHIFT

Just picked this gorgeous white eggplant....it is so pretty
sort of looks like ivory

As you can imagine, not much cooking going on today.  Got to bed at 7am and up at 12:30pm, not much sleep, so not much gumption to cook today.  This evening I'll probably have something grilled like the beautiful eggplant I picked, but today just picking on leftovers.  This is the extent of my early part of the day.COFFEE, COFFEE, COFFEE

Yummy Sunday morning pre-jog breakfast

It is a lovely Sunday morning of rain and cold here.  This is not the usual weather at any time of the summer for Sparks, but we have it, so for breakfast I decided on a light, pre-jog breakfast that has a tiny bit of heat to it. Not the type that you get in a pan, but the spicy kind.

Since I have to run 3 miles, I want something that isn't too filling, but that is satisfying.  I decided on 2 pieces of Sperlonga (ciabatta) bread  with slices of avocado and tomato then topped with a bit of homemade fresh salsa that has a nice heat to it.  The spice should keep me plenty warm as I run through the "chilly" August air.  Does that sound weird to you?  It sure does to me.
I'm sure the heat outside will be back on tomorrow, so I am taking advantage of the cool today with this breakfast.

I hope you can think of a great breakfast to match the weather outside too!!!

Be creative, but cook fresh daily!!!!!!

Have a great Sunday.

Weekend

I am happy to say the rehearsal BBQ was a hit.  Ranes ribs were great, and all of the sides turned out wonderful.  No post about the menu today other than what it was.

Smoked babyback ribs.  Rane does a really great job with ribs, everyone loved them.  They are a cook-off winner (or would be )!!!!

Romaine salad with sauteed eggplant, crispy onion strings (just saute them until dark brown dry off on a paper towel to soak up the olive oil.  Dried cranberries, apple juliennes and a sesame vinaigrette that I made in the morning so that it could sit for a while.

NOW THAT'S GOOD EATS!

Ranes mothers dishes were also a hit, she made orange jello salad with marshmallows, chicken wings cooked in BBQ sauce, and a version of baked beans.  I hope you all have a great finish to the weekend.  We have a wedding to attend, and  the weather is disintegrating as we speak....Of course we haven't seen bad weather for weeks and on the wedding day it decides to show up!  Go figure..

HAPPY COOKING FRESH.....DAILY

TGIF for me anyway!!!!

Oh my goodness, this has been a very busy week.  With the rehearsal dinner on Friday, and working all week I have been on the fly.

I think I'm just about all ready for the BBQ as far as the casa is concerned, now it is just up to getting all of the fine touches done and cooking.  I only have a few things to worry about, since we are sharing the cooking so there is no stress there.

For today, I didn't eat!!!!   Just snacked all day, BUT for my dinner I have a great salad that I just put together.

Green salad with pancetta, egg plant, red bell pepper, cranberry, red onion and tomato filled with basil vinaigrette (leftover from the other day) and tortillini.

SALAD:

Slice a few very thin slices of eggplant and pancetta.  Place the tortillini (I just buy what looks good in the small size) in boiling water and cook until just tender.Place the pancetta in a frypan with a little olive oil.  Brown until mostly done then add the eggplant rings and saute them until dark brown.  Place the pancetta and eggplant on a paper towel to soak up the oil.  Cool down the tortillini when they are done. Get your greens ready in the bowl and add the dried cranberries (about 2 tbs), onion  and the rest of your ingredients.
Place all of the ingredients on the top of the greens and gently lift the greens just to incorporate them a little.  You want them to show on the top of your salad . Slice a small tomato in half ,scoop out the seeds and fill them with basil vinaigrette.....add your favorite dressing...I think lemon is good on this one and eat away.

Bon Appetite..This salad is great with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc!!!

Breakfast tuesday 8/24

Herb patch

Eggs, always natural or organic please...
no animal should be kept in a cage so their feet grow to the wire!!!

Ok so this is a crazy week with Jess and Rachael's wedding coming up on Saturday.  We are having the rehearsal dinner (BBQ) here on Friday and of course I'm trying to be fit enough for the triathlon on 9/11, and also ready for Lenni and Justin to arrive on 9/4...whew....I am off to swim laps here in a few, but really craved eggs today, so decided to whip up a two egg, one yolk scramble topped with a basil vinigrette from the herb patch.

eggs scrambling

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE :

2 eggs one yolk
salt
pepper
basil leaves about 20

Making the viniagrette

EVOO about 3tbs
1/3 lemon squeezed
a pinch of sugar

Basil leaves in a food processor (small one preferably)
Add the olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper to taste
blend up until smooth with just a hint of the leaves showing.  Always taste and adjust since I don't ever have exact measurements.  I figure your taste is different from mine.

Finished product, sorry my phone didn't do
a good job with this pic.

Scramble the eggs to your liking.  When I whip my eggs I always use a little water instead of milk because they get fluffier then.  Cook them slowly so they don't get brown, but stay nice and light.

Make a great piece of toast from ciabatta, sperlonga, or some rustic bread of your liking.
Put the egg on the plate, top it with a tablespoon or so of vinaigrette and eat away.  The vinaigrette is very refreshing and goes great with the eggs....YYYUUUMMMMM!!!

Monday

Omg today was a zoo at my house...ran 3 miles, went to Costco, played with the dog.  Only had time to make caprese out of cherry tomatoes.  Yummy but the same as the other day.  BORING I KNOW!!!

Sunday sunshine breakfast

These are wild horses in Nevada,
they are being killed off because of habitat
being fenced off for business....
NOT ACCEPTABLE

Well this was an interesting day of hiking to see petroglyphs and going out to dinner for sushi with Tammy.  Nice day, lazy day in the kitchen though.  Have a good week all.

Sunday sunshine breakfast

Happy Sunday everyone.  I am not particularly hungry this morning so decided on toast, but to spruce it up a bit thought I'd make a breakfast BLT...

INGREDIENTS: Bacon, Bread, mozzarella, tomatoe, lettuce
salt, pepper, lemon, EVOO

Two slices of Sperlonga toasted(similar to Ciabatta ,from Whole Foods).  Two slices of a good mozzarella (fresh).  Some organic greens; for the tomatoes I used cherry tomatoes out of the garden, two pieces of bacon,  a spritz of fresh lemon juice and a dash over the top of EVOO (the good kind that you don't use for cooking).  Salt and pepper  

Ready to eat!!

Just toast the bread, lay on the mozzarella, tomato, bacon, lettuce and top with the oil, lemon and salt and pepper....

It was a great summer breakfast, light, and refreshing...Try it, you'll like it...
If you like, you can also add some mayo/mustard or any other spreads you like.  Balsamic is great drizzled over the top.

It is a little messy to eat with cherry tomatoes because they want to escape but it's worth it for the super sweet taste you get from the homegrown ones!!!!  ENJOY

The Saturday Daily Fresh

OK so last night wasn't too bad at all, I ate my Orzo and the whole wheat wasn't all that bad, but still not my favorite.  This was a night that was long, and I didn't take enough to eat so I just got a chicken wrap from the grill  (nothing homemade  :  (  )...too much food but it worked.

Here's how I look at it.  I made my main meals for the day with very little effort and the food was good quality.  I really try to buy Organic or natural foods most of the time.  If I can't I am not going to cry about it, that's just the way it is.  I think if we all just try to take a little time to prepare at home ahead of time or just allow a little time before we get ready for work or going to the lake or whatever, then we feed ourselves and others good, quality treats and meals, and probably save a good amount of money in the end!!!!

Greens with the onion pepper, pancetta

Since I slept in think I'll have brunch instead of breakfast.  I think I'll have poached egg on a bed of greens.
Brunch is finally done.  Here's what we have:

Poached egg on a bed of organic baby greens with sauteed red onion, pancetta, crimini mushrooms (or whatever you like) and a few slices of red bell pepper and a sesame vinegrette.  Took about 15 minutes to make...

     1.  Place greens on your plate (about 1/2 to 1 cup)

Poaching the egg

     2.  Slice a few rings of bell pepper and place on the lettuce
     3.  Slice 2 slices of red onion and about a small handful of diced pancetta and sautee them in a pan with a few sliced mushrooms.  Season to taste.
      4.  Poach the egg....float the egg in boiling water, but not a rolling boil.  Add a splash of vinegar to the water and it helps the egg from spreading all over in the water, put the egg into a smaller container so it forms the shape of the small pan..  Poach (or fry if you like )until the egg is as done as you like, but keep a yolk because you want it to spread into the lettuce when you cut into it.

All assembled, Yummy this is great

VINEGRETTE: 1/2tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp honey, 1tsp rice wine vinegar ,  2tbs EVOO or a good vegetable oil.  I prefer a mild olive oil for this.  salt/pepper   mix it all up, taste it and adjust the flavors for what you like....throw in some toasted sesame seeds and mix...top the lettuce and place the egg on the lettuce.   TIME TO EAT.

OMG that was to die for!!!!!!
Please whenever you can, buy organic eggs raised in a humaine fashion...they now have an organic egg at Costco!!!!

OK folks the final meal of the day..

I will say, my meals are usually a little more structured, but because I'm doing a graveyard tonight these are quite simple.  It just goes to show you that food cooked at home fresh and daily isn't that big of a deal.  I made this whole wheat orzo (yes I know Rane, I really don't like whole wheat that well, but I made an effort) with onion, garlic, some parsley, red peppers, mushrooms, and eggplant . I just made the orzo, then chop the veggies of my choice and then saute them....I mixed them into the orzo with my favorite spices and some salt and pepper.  The amounts are whatever you want...just experiment.  OH I also added some of the cherry tomatoes from my garden.  Have a great night......eat fresh, daily.  Do remember though that you can use any produce in this dish that you have handy, or that you like.  Peas are great, I just didn't have any.

lunch day one

OMG I have to work tonight graveyard and just realized that it is getting late and I haven't had any lunch, so here's a quick one.  I ran out to the cherry tomatoes picked a bunch, grabbed some basil and chopped it up with some mozzarella and tossed in with the tomatoes  with a drizzle of fresh lemon juice and EVOO.   Really good and quick.  Have it with lemon water.....

Breakfast 8-20-2010

So this morning I was hungry for yoguart and blueberries, so I started with that.  1/4 cup Fage Greek style yogurt with blueberries on top.  I was not totally satisfied with that so I sliced up two pieces of ciabatta, a few thin slices of eggplant, slices of red onion, and 4 thin sliced crimini mushrooms.  I sauteed the eggplant, onions and mushrooms in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, for future reference) and seasoned with salt and pepper.  You can use any seasoning you like tho.  I toasted the bread and placed the eggplant etc on top.  I spritz on fresh lemon and y u m m y.....   It was great!!! I also had a glass of fresh lemon slices in a glass of water...PERFECT.  This whole breakfast only took about 15 minutes.  Now tell me why anyone wouldn't have that much time!!!!!