Eatin' on the Cheap

The first day of Spring has already passed but I can’t say that Mother Nature got the memo. It has been cold and wet and windy for what seems like forever. I’m sure that the rest of the country is with me when I say that I am more than ready for warm weather. I no longer want to see snow in the forecast. I live in the South for crying out loud! It’s supposed to be beautiful right now!

The weather today is…drizzly. It’s not cold but it is damp and foggy. The only thing that breaks up the gray are the little white flowers that are blooming on whats left of my Bradford pears and the sea of purple clover underneath my clothesline. I will say that weather like this makes colors seem so much more vibrant. And the mist and fog that are hanging around today cover the mangled treeline and hide most of the damage that still haunts us every time we walk out the door. I am thankful for that.

So, even though the weather is still stuck in the middle of February, my food is looking forward to Spring. We have been eating a lot more green stuff and yogurt and a lighter in general menu. Chicken thighs are my favorite and the Greek yogurt marinade makes them even more tender and delicious. The kids nearly licked their plate after this meal and I am always happy to see that.

I’ve been a little obsessed with Caesar salads lately. Maybe it’s because it so hard to find a really good one. Or maybe it corresponds with my other new obsession, anchovy paste. It could also be the plethora of farm fresh eggs in the fridge or the fresh lettuce in the garden. It’s more than likely a combination of all of these things, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll say that I am obsessed with Caesar salads because they are just really friggin’ good. (Actually, any fresh, well-dressed salad is really friggin’ good but we’ll stick to the Caesar right now)

So, the beauty of the classic Caesar is in the simplicity. It doesn’t take many ingredients, and I would be willing to bet that you already have most of them in your house right now ( except maybe for the anchovy paste, but I’m getting to that). The secret to making this salad really divine is to make sure that the ingredients are as fresh as you can get them. Notice I didn’t say “expensive”…I said “fresh”. If the romaine lettuce is looking a little lackluster at the store, don’t make this salad. It’ll taste awful. ( By the way, you can usually find the freshest stuff in the very back on the bottom of the lettuce bin. Never grab the stuff on top) Will the $30 per pound Parmesan taste great on this salad? You betcha! But the good quality, less expensive stuff that moves faster in the cheese aisle will taste great too.

Now, lets talk about two things that seem to make people a little squeamish: Anchovies and raw eggs.

Let’s tackle the easy one first. Eggs. There is some debate on whether raw eggs are safe to eat. I , personally, am not scared of eating my eggs raw, but I get my eggs from my neighbor who gathers eggs everyday. I know more about the origin of my eggs than most people. And really, for any dish that calls for raw eggs ( i.e. Hollandaise sauce, ice cream, mayo) I would spring for the organic, free-range variety instead of the cheap kind. You want some taste in your raw egg. But if you are pregnant, very young, or have some kind of immune disease you should use pasteurized eggs.

The next tough mental hurdle seems to be anchovies. People seem to think that anchovies taste like old gym socks. I think people are getting anchovies confused with sardines, which can absolutely taste like old gym socks ( unless you douse them in hot sauce and eat them on a saltine cracker). Anchovies are a super savory, oily fish that really remind me more of Asian fish sauce. It may not look real appetizing, but the flavor is unbelievable. And don’t worry about a “fishy” taste, you really won’t pick any of that up. That being said, I like to buy the anchovy paste that comes in tubes so that I’m not left with a tin of anchovies to use up.

What?! I said they were delicious, I didn’t say I wanted to put them on my oatmeal.

The last thing before I get to the recipe is the importance of dry lettuce. As important as it is to wash your lettuce, it is equally important to dry it. Wet lettuce = horrible salad. So please us a salad spinner, or wrap whole wet leaves in a kitchen towel and blot furiously until the moisture is gone. Then continue with assembly.

Ok! On to the recipe!

I’m a little late to the Brussels Sprouts train. They aren’t really in season but they are in my grocery store and I couldn’t pass them up. I love Brussels sprouts. I had my first one a couple of years ago during Christmas when my sweet hubby decided it was time for us to give them a try. We made them again this past Christmas. They were covered in a delicious cream sauce and became an instant hit. My own children even ask for them now! It’s crazy.

Sprouts are really tiny cabbages, basically. They grow on a tall stalk and are a tasty fall and winter crop. I added some broccoli to this dish too. Why? Because I like broccoli. And broccoli and garlic and bacon get along pretty dang well, too. And there aren’t enough broccoli recipes in the world! Poor broccoli gets stuck in a casserole or in a pool of ranch dressing and never gets any respect. Broccoli is delicious and it’s time we quit drowning it in cheddar cheese!

I’m glad I got that off my chest.

You could just do sprouts or just broccoli in this dish. Just make sure you season everything well! And thanks to Simply Recipes for the inspiration for this dish.

So 3 weeks of rain was followed by 5 days of searing heat, then… more rain. All of this wishy washy weather has been reeking havoc upon our allergies but the garden doesn’t seem to mind much. Especially the broccoli and lettuce. We have been eating off of those plants for the last week or so. Especially the lettuce. I have certainly been adding more fiber in my diet. The great thing about lettuce is that not only is it fairly fast growing, but you can really just harvest what you need and leave the rest for another day. So, if I want a salad for myself I just go and cut a few of the large outer leaves instead of cutting the whole head. If I do cut the whole head, little shoots of new leaves will grow back in it’s place. It’s pretty awesome and the kids are really getting a kick out of it.

Before long, we’ll have a little more variety. The tomato plants are starting to bud out and I even have my first squash blossom coming out.  It also won’t be long before the onions are ready to pull out and dry. I’m already planning out recipes to use with the future crop of fresh veggies!

So, with all of this fresh lettuce coming in, salads have become a regular part of our diet. It’s easy for a salad to get boring, so I like to experiment with different dressings, toppings, and marinades. Texture is really important too. A good salad will have a creamy element and a crunchy element. Otherwise, it all starts becoming a little monotonous. With this salad, I added not only croutons for crunch, but some black beans and corn for some creaminess and sweetness. If you have some ripe avocado lying around it would also be a great addition! The dressing is a simple and refreshing lime and cilantro vinagerette that is very similar to the marinade for the chicken. All in all this is a healthy and satisfying lunch or dinner on a warm spring day.

Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Salad

Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

for marinade:

2 limes, zested and juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T cumin

pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of salt

For salad dressing:

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 T chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

For salad:

1 head of lettuce, washed, dried and torn into pieces

1/2 cup canned black beans, washed and drained

1/2 cup fresh or canned corn kernels

tomatoes and onion to taste

croutons

mozzerella or parmesan cheese

Prepare your coals for grilling.

Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the chicken breasts in a covered dish or ziploc bag. Let sit in the marinade for at least 2 hours.

Spread your hot coals evenly on your grill and oil the top grate with an oiled rag. Then, place your chicken breasts on the grill and grill 4-6 minutes on each side until the chicken reaches 165 degrees internally. Remove and let rest.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the salad dressing to make a vinagerette. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Toss your salad ingredients in a large bowl. Slice the chicken breast and place on top and then dress the dish with the dressing. Toss lightly to coat and serve!!!

I am so tired of the rain. The last 3 weeks have had more rainy days than sunny ones here in Middle Tennessee and just last week many of our creeks and streams broke their banks and flooded roads and fields. Rainy days do have up sides. My garden certainly appreciates the rain and being stuck inside means that I am forced to do some cleaning. Not to mention rainy days are my favorite napping days, but when I have things to do or places to go, I am not a fan of the rain. Especially when the creek behind my house starts creeping closer and closer to my back porch.

Rainy days are great cooking days too. The warmth coming off a fresh baked or roasted dish on a wet day is just comforting. This chicken dish is perfect for a wet and dreary Spring day. It is simple to put together, the flavors are fresh and light, but the roasted chicken legs are hardy and satisfying. Serve this up with a light salad and a baked potato or rice pilaf.

Lemon Roasted Chicken Drummys

Serves 4

8 Chicken legs, skin on

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 T fresh or 2t. dried oregano

Salt and Pepper

1 large Vidalia Onion or Red onion, thickly sliced

1 lemon, thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large heavy skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Meanwhile, coat chicken legs with olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano.

Place chicken legs in a single layer in the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, flip. Add in onions, lemon juice and sliced lemons. Place skillet in the oven and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Use the pan juices as a gravy and serve!

It’s Tuna Tuesday, where the star of the show is meat in a can!

Routine has never really been my strong suit and if I’m honest, I haven’t really needed one since the kids where babies. Since regular naptimes were phased out what seems like ages ago ( oh, naptimes! How I miss you!), our daily routine has always been more of a loose list of suggested activities written in pencil with bedtime being the only thing written in ink. But since we have moved back here, I am finding it very difficult to function without a tighter, more fixed schedule of events. The result has been me constantly playing catch-up and my poor little blog lying neglected in the corner.

It actually took me a few days to figure out why my list of activities were never getting done. Then it dawned on me, everything here takes SO LONG TO DO!

Going to town = 20 minutes

Take the kids to school and get back home = 50 minutes

Running errands = 2 hours minimum

Driving to civilization to find something that your tiny little village doesn’t carry = A.L.L. D.A.Y. L.O.N.G.

So, as you can see, the quick, shoot-from-the-hip style dinner has become much more frequent at our house. This tuna dish is something you can throw together in the time it takes to cook the pasta. I had some homemade pesto to use, but store bought works just as well. The roasted tomatoes add nice flavor to the dish, not to mention give the out-of-season vegetable a little more sweetness. A can of chicken would be delicious here too, just toss it in a skillet for a couple of minutes first.

Tuna Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 4

2 cans tuna, drained

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 T olive oil

1 box ( 16 oz.) bowtie pasta

1 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought

fresh black pepper

1 t. lemon zest

Parmesan cheese to serve

Preheat oven to 400. Toss diced tomatoes with olive oil and roast until the tomatoes have softened, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions, drain.

Toss pasta with pesto, tuna, roasted tomatoes, lemon zest, and black pepper. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve!

Tuna Tuesday is back! Even though it’s Wednesday and not Tuesday, but it is back!

So, for those of you just joining us, Tuna Tuesday is the day to celebrate meat in a can. I am doing my best to turn the humble staple into a tasty meal. Feel free to add your recipe links in the comment thread below!

I have a little confession. Chicken in a can is not my favorite. Since the chicken is actually cooked in the can it has a strange color and texture when you open it. I also think that it soaks up more salt than tuna. Chicken in a can always tastes so much saltier than tuna in a can. I would never make chicken salad from chicken in a can, but it works well in casseroles and other cooked dishes. I like to rinse it after I drain it to try to get rid of some of the salt.

One of the tricks to using anything in a can is to surround it by freshness as much as you can. In this case, I added lemon zest to the chicken patty to mask that chicken-out-of-a-can odor. It works well and the end product comes out tasting and smelling like chicken instead of catfood.

On top of the patty I melted some Fontina cheese that I had leftover from something. You could use mozzarella or provolone as a substitute with the same fantastic results. The tomato and mushroom topping is perfect on top of this dish. If you have a lot leftover, make yourself some noodles and use this topping as your sauce. It’s hearty and filling. I found some beautiful fresh tomatoes on my date night with my hubby ( yes, we are dorks and go grocery shopping on dates) that were so yummy. If you can’t find any good fresh tomatoes yet, feel free to use a can of drained, diced tomatoes.

Chicken Patty Parmesan

Serves 4

4 (6oz) cans of chunk white chicken, drained and rinsed

1 yellow squash, grated

zest of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 cup plain bread crumbs

salt and pepper

1/2 cup oil for frying

4 slices of mozzarella, fontina, or provolone, cut in half

For sauce:

1 T olive oil

2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped basil

Grated Parmesan to Serve

In a small bowl, combine chicken, squash, egg, lemon zest and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Heat the oil in a skillet. Meanwhile, form the chicken mixture into 8 patties about 2 inches in diameter and an inch tall.

Pour remaining breadcrumbs in a plate and coat patties in crumbs. Fry in the oil until golden brown on each side, flipping once. Drain on paper towels.

Turn on the broiler. Top each patty with a half slice of cheese and place under broiler until cheese has melted.

For the sauce, heat the oil over medium high heat in a skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add in mushrooms and garlic and saute until mushrooms have softened, another 5 minutes.

Toss the tomatoes into the skillet just long enough to heat up. Season with some salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the basil.

Serve each person 2 patties and top with the tomato and mushroom sauce and some grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Seriously…it could not be more beautiful outside right now. The last few days I have had all of the doors and windows open in the house enjoying the soft breezes and the smell of Spring in the air. All of this gorgeous weather won’t last long. I know that soon enough there will be big bugs and clouds of yellow pollen to contend with. Sinuses and snotty kids won’t be far behind. But it’s not here yet. Beautiful weather is my reason for the tardiness of the Tuna Tuesday post. It just never came together yesterday. You know how that goes, right?

Besides the weather, we are also getting ready for a massive moving sale this weekend. I am selling as much stuff as I can fit in my front yard and I am excited about it. I love having yard sales because it is such a purge for us. It seems that ,with kids, the amount of crap you own just piles up around you, and before you know it you are kicking through your own home like Indian Jones in the cave full of rats, mumbling to yourself, “I hate toys, I hate toys!“

The money we get from the moving sale will go toward the purchase of a new dining table. Preferably, one that doesn’t creak when you put your plate down or shake violently when you cut your steak. I’m ready for grown-up furniture, you know?

So, this recipe is an adaptation of a Good Housekeeping recipe that I have been using for years. It’s light and fresh but substantial enough to keep you full. All qualities I love in a Springtime dish. The walnuts aren’t something I usually buy, but they really add a nice crunch to the dish. You can buy those little packets in the baking aisle that are the perfect amount for this dish.

Salmon and Asparagus Pasta with Walnuts

serves 4

2 T olive oil

1/2 t. dried Rosemary

1 pound of Asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 package of rotini ( or ziti or bowties) pasta

1 cup half and half

1 – 6 oz. can salmon, flaked

1 t. lemon zest

salt and pepper

1/2 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 425. Toss asparagus, oil, salt and pepper, and rosemary together in a baking dish and roast in the oven until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions, drain.

In a large skillet, bring the half and half, lemon zest, and 1/4 t. salt and pepper, to a boil. Reduce heat and reduce for 5 minutes.

In a dry skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat until they smell nutty. Keep them moving so they don’t burn. About 5 minutes.

Toss half and half, asparagus, salmon and nuts together. Season with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve and Enjoy!!

The last several days have been absolutely gorgeous here. Mid-60′s to low 70′s. Bright and sun-shiny with a little breeze. And not a single bug in sight. It has been so hard for me to focus on the task at hand. That task being packing an entire house and being ready to move in about 2 weeks. But I just can’t help it. It’s just so beautiful!!!

Of course, days like this only make me think of the hot summers and cold dishes of my past. And being Southern means that there is a whole lot of cold macaroni salad in my past. Although I have always loved the creamy texture of the pasta salads of years ago, I was always a little turned off by the super sweetness of it all. For some reason, I just don’t really like sweet pasta salad. I prefer the tang of citrus or vinegar over the gobs of sugar you find in the typical summer salad.

So, this pasta salad is something of a compromise. It’s got mayonnaise in it ( because I love mayo!) and a good hit of lemon, but I left the sugar out because I’m sweet enough. Just ask my husband. Right honey?

Honey?

Anyway, this pasta salad will keep in the fridge for up to a week and goes great with just about anything, but especially barbecued pork, hamburgers, and grilled chicken.

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Macaroni Salad

serves 8

16 oz. macaroni, cooked and rinsed

2/3 cup lite mayo

1/3 cup milk

juice of 2 lemons

2 stalks of celery, plus the celery leaves, finely chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

2 large carrots, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2 t. salt

1 t. black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, lemon juice, 1 t. salt and milk.

Stir in chopped veggies and parsley and mix well.

Stir in cooked macaroni and toss until well coated.

Season with remaining salt and pepper and more lemon juice if needed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled. Serve and enjoy!

*Note* If the macaroni salad seems to dry out in the fridge, add in a splash or two of milk before serving.

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Welcome to another Tuna Tuesday! Where the star of the show is meat in a can! Please add your Tuna Tuesday recipe too!

Well, it looks like 2010 is drawing to a close and many people out there are going to all kinds of parties and celebrations to kick off the new year. Not me, but other “many people” are.  But if I was going to a party or, better yet, if I was throwing a party, I would have these tasty little mouthfuls of goodness on my table.

This a quick little dish to put together with a humble can of salmon. It’s simple, elegant, and surprisingly delicious. If you can’t find salmon in a can, you could try the salmon in those pouches or even cook up some fresh or frozen salmon to use.

The potato pancake is called a boxty. It’s apparently and Irish dish that is used for lots of different dishes. I found the recipe for them at CHOW while I was looking for a simple blini recipe. I like simple. Simple makes me happy. It can’t get much simpler than this and it really is a perfect accompaniment with the salmon. I’m sure these would go great with a nice glass of pinot grigio or a celebratory glass of champagne! Happy New Year!!

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Salmon on a Boxty

Salmon recipe

1 ( 15 oz.) can salmon, picked and rinsed

1 T lemon juice

1 T chopped fresh dill

1T chopped fresh Tarragon

salt and pepper

3 T plain greek yogurt

1 T sour cream

2 dashes of Tabasco

Mix all ingredients together well. Refrigerate.

Boxties

2 pounds 3 to 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning the potatoes before cooking
1 large egg
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Chop half of the potatoes into large dice, place in a medium saucepan, salt generously, and cover
with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, and simmer potatoes
uncovered until fork tender, about 8 minutes. Drain, return potatoes to the pot, add 1/4 cup of the
milk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth; set aside.

Meanwhile, grate the remaining potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon
of the salt and place in a fine mesh strainer over a medium bowl until the mashed potatoes are
ready.

With a plastic spatula, press the grated potatoes against the sides and bottom of the strainer to
remove any liquid. Add the grated potatoes to the mashed potatoes (no need to stir though).

Place egg, remaining 1/2 cup milk, flour, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and
whisk until smooth, about 10 seconds. Add potatoes and stir until evenly incorporated.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat.
Once the pan is ready, add enough butter to lightly coat the bottom when melted. Drop 3 dollops
(about 1/4 cup each) of the batter into the pan and spread each to about 1/4 inch thick. Cook until
the pancake bottoms are golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until
golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes more.

Place on a baking sheet and set in the oven to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining butter and batter.

Top each boxty with a dollop of salmon spread and garnish with extra chopped dill and some sliced green onions.

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Welcome to another Tuna Tuesday! Where the star of the show is meat in a can! Please add your Tuna Tuesday recipe too!

I don’t know about you guys, but since the holiday season started a little over a month ago, I have gotten reacquainted with my fat pants.  I hate getting reacquainted with my fat pants. They make me feel fat.

Oh I can still squeeze myself into my regular pants, but I look like one of those gigantic muffins in a Starbucks pastry case. Muffin tops are only cute on muffins.

So, I have decided to get a head start on my new year’s resolution. I have been eating more carefully and carving out a few minutes of peace every now and then to hike my big butt on my mini stepper for a little exercise. It’s working so far I think. So, today’s tuna dish is all about being low calorie and filling.

I love this dish because it’s creamy and flavorful. I prefer the tiny tomatoes in this dish, especially in the middle of the winter, because they are sweeter. You may have to fiddle with the amount of vinegar and/or lemon juice you add to the dish depending on your tastes. By the way, this makes 4 servings and there is only 266 calories per serving .

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Italian Bean and Tuna Salad

adapted from Mediterranean Light

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3 -4 T white wine vinegar

2 cups cooked white beans ( 19 oz. can)

1 ( 6 oz) can tuna in water, drained

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

juice of one lemon

4 T minced fresh parsley

1 T minced fresh sage

2 T olive oil

1 T plain low-fat yogurt

1 T capers, rinsed and monced

salt and pepper

spring mix ( to serve on)

Toss the onion with 2 T of vinegar and cover with water. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Drain.

Meanwhile mix the remaining ingredients together, add in onion.

Serve on a bed of greens!

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It’s Tuesday again already! Time for another wonderful addition to the Tuna Tuesday series where meat in a can is the star of the show!

This week I am using a can of premium white crabmeat. It is a wonderful replacement for the super expensive lump crabmeat and also makes great soups, sandwiches, and spreads.  Canned crabmeat is perfect for these crowd pleasing stuffed mushrooms.  You’ll be the star of your next Christmas Potluck!

The recipe couldn’t be simpler or quicker, which makes it a great dish for when you are swamped for time. If you are really swamped, skip the mushrooms and just use the stuffing as a dip and serve with some crackers! Oh! And make sure to go with the recipe in hand, everybody is going to want this one.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

1 (6 oz.) can of premium white crabmeat, drained and picked over

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 t. Seasoned Salt

1/2 t. dry dill

3 T minced onion

1 t. lemon juice

3T grated Parmesan

16 oz. button mushrooms, washed and stems removed

Preheat oven to 375.

Spread mushrooms out on baking sheet, cavity up.

In a bowl mix together remaining ingredients.

Spread heaping spoonfuls of crab mixture into the cavity of each mushroom.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

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I’m getting pretty excited about this weekend.  The Food Blog Forum is coming up and I’m excited about meeting all of these other bloggers out there. A little nervous too, but mostly excited now. I’ve got my camera batteries charging, a full tank of gas, and my friend Dawn’s GPS ( because I always get lost in downtown Atlanta). Now the only thing left to do is figure out what the heck I’m going to wear.

Isn’t it just pitiful that I can’t figure out what to wear? 5 years ago it wouldn’t have been a problem. Now that the majority of my days are spent in t-shirts from high school and a pair of sweatpants, all knowledge of how to dress for a meet-and-greet in a room full of people I don’t know has completely left me.

My closet is pretty sparse too. I think I own exactly 2 pairs of jeans that don’t just scream ” Hi! My name is Jodie and have 3 year old twins!”. But are jeans too casual? I think I have a pair of dress slacks that I can still fit in…maybe fit in. I’m not sure. I bought a cute little black dress for $17 today. It’s graciously hides my fat rolls. I’m thinking after-party on that one though. With flats, because heels no longer agree with my feet… or my marriage status.

I guess the question is, What do you wear when you have no idea what to wear? I’m guessing that t-shirts and ratty sweatpants are probably not on that list. Which is a shame, because I hold the market on that fashion line.

Can anyone out there knock the dust off my fashion sense for me? Just point me in the right direction and I’ll give you a great dinner recipe. Pleeease. 

Thanks. You’re the best.

Creamy Chicken Pasta
1 pound of hot cooked egg noodles
3 slices of bacon
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups of half and half or heavy cream
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of cayenne
2 t. Herbes de Provence
2 T cornstarch ( optional)
salt and pepper
juice of lemon

Chop bacon and fry in a skillet until crispy.

Add cream to the pan and whisk.

Bring to a simmer and let reduce until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.

If the sauce doesn’t get as thick as you would like ( or you are impatient like me), scoop up a little sauce out of the pan and stir in the cornstarch. Return the slurry mix back to the pan and whisk. Sauce should thicken up .

 and top with a squeeze of lemon juice and cooked bacon. Serve and enjoy!

I don’t have much to say today. The days are hot, the night’s are stormy, and the dirty laundry pile is taller than my children.
Goodness, I hate laundry. I was talking to my friend who has triplets yesterday and she told me that she treated herself and took her and her husband’s ( not the kids’) laundry to the laundromat and let them wash, iron and fold all of it. They had 60 pounds of laundry.
 I wonder how much our laundry would weigh. I wonder what it would be like to have it all washed, ironed and folded. I wonder if I can put that on my Christmas wish list.
Laundry, of course, has nothing to with this light and flavorful summer salad. It has everything to do with a bag of pearl barley I found in the back of my pantry.

Who knows how long it’s been there. I’ve never cooked barley before, but it’s pretty easy. A lot like rice really. It’s got a nice nutty flavor that goes well with vegetables. It’s different, and I was in the mood for something different. It’s also a great way to use up leftover grilled veggies if you happen to have any. Throw some grilled chicken with this dish and you have a complete meal!

Oh! I did start up a Facebook page. I would love if you would join me over there!

Grilled Vegetable Salad
1 cup pearl barley
2 1/4 cups water
assorted veggies such as squash, zucchini, onions,cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Herbes de Provence or fresh herbs if you have them like thyme or basil
salt and pepper
olive oil

Boil water in a saucepan and stir in barley. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the barley is cooked through but still firm and slightly chewy.

Meanwhile, slice your veggies and brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until veggies are slightly softened.

Remove from grill, chop vegetables, and put in a bowl.

 In a small bowl mix together lemon juice, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper.

Whisk in just enough oil to make an emulsion, about 1/3 cup.

 Add barley to the veggies, pour in half of the dressing and mix well.

Taste to see if you want more dressing and add more if needed. Great warm or room temperature!

When I was a little girl, my parent’s house was much smaller than it is today. The back of the kitchen was the laundry room which was directly in front of the east facing back door. There were black iron steps that connected the back door to the back yard that Mom always had morning glories growing on. I loved getting up to go see them wide open first thing in the morning. Such pretty blue petals in the bright, early morning sunshine. Mom also had some of the most prolific pink dwarf fairy roses I have ever seen. Tiny little pink ones protected tiny little thorns. I remember one year that they bloomed right up to Thanksgiving! Mom has always been good at growing random things. Morning glories, roses, hostas and mint. The mint was everywhere. No one really knew what to do with it, but we had plenty! The one thing Mom always made a lot of was mint sun tea. I can see it now, sitting in a big glass pickle jar on the railing of the old black iron back stairs with the morning glories just opening up and the sunlight streaming through.
The stairs, roses and morning glories are gone now. They were replaced with an extra 800 square feet of space, but the mint is still there and so is the early morning sunshine. And I think, on occasion, Mom still makes sun tea.

I ,oddly enough, don’t have any mint growing at my house. I wish I did. I do have plenty of lemons and limes in the fridge. Add some mint to this if you have it. Oranges are good too. And a big jar is preferable, but you can make it in a quart jar then add more water when it is done, like me.

Hey Mom…I need one of your big pickle jars. 


Lemon-Lime Sun Tea
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/2 lime, sliced
2 quarts of water
3-4 tea bags

Add everything to your clear glass jar. Put lid on and set in a sunny spot outside for a couple hours or until the tea is “brewed” to your liking. Serve cold over ice and enjoy!