Everyday Salad Dressing

This is the easiest, but tastiest, dressing... we make it nearly every evening. It can be prepared in either the bottom of a salad bowl (then add the salad on top and toss) or in a small jar, which makes it convenient to store for lunch the next day. I never measure anything when I make this, so don't follow these measurements too literally; they are merely a guesstimation for communication's sake!

Combine the following:

1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tbls good quality balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp dijon mustard (I am fanatic for Mailie Dijon Originale)

1/2 tsp honey

4 tbls extra virgin olive oil

pinch of s+p

Mix together and voilà!

Beautiful Beets

It was a few weeks back that I purchased my first bundle of fresh beets. I was standing at a favorite Farmers Market booth buying lovely lettuce, when the rows of beets caught my eye. I walked over to take a peek and the gal assisting me pointed out her favorite and shared with me her personal preferred way to enjoy them. Between her passion and the amazing color I was sold. I had never tried to cook beets, and was previously prone to pulling the round, cookie-cutter pieces from a restaurant's house salad. Ashamed of my former beet-plucking self, I decided to give this little jewel of a vegetable a whirl.

I tried the suggested method of halving and steaming, then peeling once cool. I sliced into chucks then topped with a little S+P and parmesan cheese (my Market friend recommended goat's cheese, but I did not have that on hand, and was so excited to try the beets, I just couldn't wait for all the ingredients to fall into place). Was it a success? Well, for my palate, not exactly. The taste was very earthy and I think that with a lack of accompanying flavors, I was a little overloaded with the beetiness. The color, though! Wow! Such an amazing deep reddish-purple hue. I truly want to enjoy beets, figuring that something so aesthetically pleasurable must be equally as tasty given the right preparation. Thus, I am not deterred! The search is on for some great beet recipes. A good friend told me she loves beets and developed a good beet risotto... need to give that a try! Below I have compiled a few more recipes that I would like to attempt as well. If you try any of these or have a favorite of your own, please share!

Roasted Beet and Blood Orange Salad with Spicy Greens

Crunchy Raw Beetroot Salad with Feta and Pear

Beet Chocolate Cupcakes

Beet Cake

Roasted Beet-Tofu Burgers

ABC Juice (Apple, Beetroot, Carrot)

Sweet Potato and Beet Chips with Garlic Rosemary Salt (I couldn't help myself)

"And how do you take your coffee?"

"Whole bean, shade grown, organic, fair trade. Course ground, then a long 4 minute soak followed by a firm, steady press separating the grounds from the lovely full flavored brew complete with oils and the delicate grit." This is of course the meditative process of brewing in a French Press, the only way to enjoy a sensational cup of joe.

I started out life as a non-coffee drinker, repulsed by its upfront bitterness and offended by its lingering affect on one's breath. I even made it through 4 years of college and 5 years as a Starbucks employee without touching the stuff (fo-fo frappuccino's and sugar-induced-coma mocha's topped with whipping cream don't count). It wasn't until after I was married and began the daily routine of life that I found this once unappealing morning "habit" and absolute treat and pleasurable escape. But it was not simply the allure of coffee, it was the masterfully crafted cup of perfect harmony between bean, brew, water, and timing that really highlighted coffee's true potential. When the elements align, magic happens and it is the perfect welcome to a new day.

My ideal cup of coffee would be a lazy Saturday morning in a French café with my sweetheart enjoying the perfect cappuccino and savoring a fresh, buttery, flaky croissant.

What is your ideal cup of coffee?

Gaga for GOOP

I have been following Gwyneth Paltrow's blog for awhile now, and I adore it! It covers all things awesome with a category list of make, go, get, do, be and see (my favorite being MAKE, with the fashionable GET a close second). It is such a treat to see "It's Goop" in my inbox. GP's (an endearing term used by Mario Batali on their Spain adventure... more to come on that!) latest share was a feature on Erin McKenna, whose personal struggle to eliminate wheat, dairy, soy, caffeine and refined sugar from her diet led to the creation of Babycakes Bakery, allowing her to reinterpret the average cupcake and donut. Go take a stroll over to GOOP and check out the recipes that Erin shared... I can't wait to try the Lemon Poppy Teacake. Oh, and the Chocolate Cupcakes with garbanzo and fava bean flour!!

I Heart Risotto

There is just something wonderful about a big bowl of warm, oozing, cheesy risotto that makes me want to curl up on the couch, maybe with a cozy blanket (weather permitting), and savor every last bite. Lately I have been making my new found favorite recipe that I got from Simply Blythe. Her onion risotto is so incredible that I made it twice in one week, and craved it every day in between. I do opt to add the broth slowly, though, allowing each precious pearl to soak in goodness, while releasing the starch that creates a creamy harmony of flavor and texture. Heaven! While it is not a speedy meal, it is worth every careful turn of the spoon, which is why I tend to make it on the nights that Brian has a late class or is studying. I may be a gluten for punishment, but I enjoy leaning up to the counter with a glass of wine, listening to music and getting lost in my thoughts... all the while knowing that I have a wonderful meal to look forward to.

Tonight as I made this dish I sipped on a rosato from Wine Shop At Home and listened to the intoxicating sounds of Putumayo's Greece: A Musical Odyssey . I also decided to change things up a bit and mixed in a bit of anchovy paste with the onions, then topped it off with the a hint of lemon zest. Bon Appetit!

p.s. We are in-between camera's at the moment so I decided to share a picture I took one evening while arriving at my parent's house. The sunset was so beautiful that I jumped out of the car and started to take pictures before even saying hi to the family...sorry dad! I love you!

In the Tomb of Tut

Well, close enough anyway. Yesterday, as a surprise for Brian’s birthday, we visited the King Tutankhamun Exhibit at the de Young Museum. It was so amazing, surreal really, to be so physically near artifacts that are thousands of years old. You see these items in books or on TV and understand the level of skill that this ancient culture had, but when viewed up close, I was awe-struck by the detail and beauty of each hand-made item. I encourage you to make a visit to the exhibit while it is in San Francisco through March 2010. Know before you go, though, that the actual King Tut mummy and Funerary Mask are not on display since they were declared national treasures by the Egyptian government in the 1980's. No worries... all the more reason to take a trip to Egypt... anyone?

Side Note: When you attend the exhibit, you receive a Pharaoh's Gold Card whose perks I’m pleased to report, entitled us to 2 delicious, FREE (1 with each pair of cards) appetizers from Pacific Grill where we went for lunch after the museum. I am a sucker for “free”, “complimentary”, “on the house”, or any of the sort…mmmmmm!

Watermelon Salad

This may very well be my favorite salad... at the very least in my top 5. I found this while flipping through a Nigella Lawson cookbook I picked up at a thrift store (like who could part from such a treasure!?) The picture was amazing, but I was skeptical about the flavor combinations; it was like nothing I had ever tried before. I was tempted. The moment I took my first bite, literally everything I had once known to be true came into question. Where had this been all my life? How could I have never experienced such vibrant flavors? I may sound a bit dramatic, but it is merely to entice you to give this dish a whirl. It will transport you to another place; a better, warmer, sunnier place to be exact. To get the full recipe, visit here, but I like to take thinly sliced red onion that has been soaking in fresh lime juice and add it to watermelon, feta, kalamata olives, mint and freshly cracked pepper. I also recommend listening to a little Beirut while you enjoy this taste of summer.

Simple Summer Supper

Last night's dinner was a showcase for a few of the Farmer's Market goodies we had on hand. Accompanied by a nice glass of vino rosso, and we were all set!

1 handful of fresh tomatoes (we used cherry)

fresh mozzarella (Ciliegine)

few sprigs of basil (more the merrier, really)

a spill of olive oil

a 1/2 spill of balsamic vinegar

s & p to taste

fresh bread loaf (we had french, but ciabatta would be great!)

1 garlic clove, halved

In a bowl mix the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Toast a slice of bread then rub garlic across the top while still hot. Top the toast with a helping of tomato mixture, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

"Beer Me!"

A few weekends back we headed up north to Eureka for a wedding and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to turn it into a beer tasting weekend. Our first stop was the Ukiah Brewing Co. which we were pleased to find has an entirely certified organic menu full of local offerings. Afterwards we strolled the town to work off our meals and came across a great place to satisfy our sweet tooths, Schat's Bakery & Cafe... I chose a Russian Tea Cake and Brian opted for the Snickerdoodle.

Our last stop before leaving Eureka on Sunday was Lost Coast Brewery. The funky atmosphere and great meal added that much more enjoyment to the delicious beer. We left with a 6-pack of the highly recommended Tangerine Wheat Ale.

While I am sure we drank more calories that weekend then we should have... it was worth it. At least I made up for it with a night of wedding dancing.

Goat Cheese Pizza

The warm weather has stirred in me a desire to go overboard with light eating: refreshing salads, crisp fruit salsas, and simple entrees. I decided to try a dish inspired by the Goat Cheese Pizza featured in Ellie Kreiger's latest cookbook, and am delighted to add it as a staple to my repertoire!

1 tbls olive oil

1 med red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced into half moons

2 cups spinach

2 whole-wheat tortillas

2 oz fresh goat cheese

s+p

Preheat oven to 400°. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over low heat until onions are caramelized, about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring. season with s+p. Place the tortillas on a backing sheet and cover each with spinach mixture. Crumble generous amounts of goat cheese on top and bake until cheese begins to melt, about 10 minutes. Serve in wedges. Serves 2

Easy Pulled Pork Sandwiches

One of our favorite breweries is Third Street Aleworks in SR. Whenever old friends come into town to visit, this is always a culinary must on the To-Do list. Bry’s favorite is the pulled pork sandwich, so I thought I would treat him to a little dinner surprise. Before I left for work this morning I threw a pork roast in the trusty ol’ Crock Pot and was welcomed home by a perfectly juicy, tender, fall-apart, melt-in-your-mouth meal. This roast is way too easy to be so good, and a great way to have dinner waiting for you after a long day. The most difficulty comes in shredding the meat... but even that is pretty pleasurable.

Note: This is probably ready to eat after 6 hrs, but I prefer to leave it for at least 8 hrs. If no one is going to be around to flip the roast after 4 hrs, then cover the entire roast at the start with liquid. Lastly, there is plenty of room for interpretation; I didn’t have apple juice on hand so I just used water and I threw in a few slices of lime that were sitting around.

1 pork roast (whatever size, just make sure it fits in your slow cooker!)
1 onion, sliced
½ bottle apple juice
¼ cup vinegar
1 bottle of favorite bbq sauce (I prefer Cattleman’s)
bbq seasoning
s+p

Place onion on the bottom of the slow cooker. Rub roast with seasoning and s+p, then place on top on the onions. Fill half way up with the apple juice and add vinegar. Cover the top ½ of the roast with a layer of bbq sauce (about ½ cup). Cover and cook on high for 1 hr, then turn to low for 7+ hours until falling apart!

To make Pulled Pork Sandwiches: place the roast on a cooking sheet and with 2 forks, shred the meat into pieces. Cover with more bbq sauce (to taste) and pile on a toasted bun :)

For Brew Pub Greatness: serve with Garlic Chips (the English kind) and a nice micro-brew (try New Belgium Brewing Co.)

Roma Festival

This past weekend Bry and I went to the 13th Annual Roma Festival. We have lived in Sonoma Co. for nearly 10 years, but this was our first visit to the festivities… can’t believe we have never been before! It was a great event hosted by Voice of Roma in Sebastopol, CA. The festival highlighted the plight of the Roma in diaspora while celebrating the rich, wonderful culture of the Roma people through film, art, music and food. Voice of Roma was established as a non-profit organization that raises funds to benefit Roma in Kosovo. They have built schools, aided job development and 100 % of the proceeds from the festival go directly to the Kosovo projects. One of my favorites of Roma culture is the music, whose roots are deep and have been major influences in the current world culture today. For example, most people consider the music and dance of Flamenco as being quintessentially Spanish, however this is a Roma contribution to the Spanish culture. There are a number of bands that are so awesome, and to sample a bit of this greatness check out:

Fanfare Ciocărlia: http://www.myspace.com/fanfareciocarlia

Kočani Orkestar: http://www.myspace.com/kocaniorkestar

All in all we had a great time!

Green highlight: in an effort to continually be “greener” the festival decided this year to not sell plastic water bottles, and instead offered reusable water bottles made from recycled material.