Mediterranean Salad

A light, refreshing summer salad. Roughly chop 1 English cucumber, 5 plum tomatoes (remove seeds and pulp), 1/2 red onion, and handful of parsley. Toss these ingredients with feta crumbles to taste (approximately 1/2 cup), the juice of 1 whole lemon and olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano to taste. 

Pair with pita bread and hummus for a light afternoon snack on a summer day or serve as a side salad with hamburgers or other protein main to lighten up the meal.

Bon apetit! 

Sautéed spinach ::: lemon and sugar-glazed cashews

In a two-person home, being a Costco fanatic is an art. One of the grocery items we like to buy is a giant bag of spinach. It probably weighs 10 pounds and stays fresh for at least 2 weeks.

We use it for salads, omelettes and juices. One of my favorite ways to use up massive quantities of spinach is to sautee it.

In a large skillet, place 3 hand fulls of spinach (this recipe serves about two people). Sprinkle juice of half a lemon on top and a few drops of olive oil. Sautee spinach until slightly wilted. Optional to add a pinch of garlic powder at this point. Then plate.

On the plate, sprinkle with crushed sugared cashews (also available at costco in 180 calorie snack packs) and salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Note: you can make a million variations of this recipe. For example instead of cashews consider salted peanuts or pine nuts. Instead of lemon consider butter and mushrooms. The sky is the limit!

Silver Monk

I know I say this about most cocktails, but this one is truly a keeper. Pedro and I agree that it's sort of a sophisticated take on the classic margarita.

We enjoyed this summery libation during out engagement weekend, and paired it with a middle eastern treat (see posted recipe for Lebanese keftas). 

This drink packs a punch! So enjoy at your own risk. Also, the Yellow Chartreuse is a lovely addition to our bar collection, but much more expensive than I had imagined ($55 dollars in Pa state liquor store). The drink definitely wouldn't be the same without the Chartreuse so I recommend you splurge or just come over to our house for happy hour.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/silver-monk-cocktails-2011

Bacon Siracha Sandwich

Pedro and I are always looking for fast, portable fuel for our bike rides. This sandwich is one that I like in particular for that purpose, but also for picnics or breakfast on the go.

The ingredients are simple, inexpensive and ones that I almost always have on hand. 

Simply toast a torta bun from Costco. Smear one side with natural peanut butter (I love any variation that includes flax seed for extra texture). Top the peanut butter with as much bacon as you like and finish off with Siracha sauce. Voila! Ready to ride!

Pedro's latest batch of champagne

Pedro's latest batch of champagne is a keeper! We opened one bottle tonight to make sure the in-bottle fermentation was going smoothly (the true champagne-style fermentation process happens in the bottle with an extra dose of yeast and sugar, and creates a very fine and special carbonation)... The picture below is proof of how delicious the process is coming along. Empty glass and nearly empty bottle!

Roasted Rapini ::: Bacon, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic

This cruciferous green is slightly bitter and nicely balanced by the acidity of cherry tomatoes and the smokiness of bacon.

I made mine by blanching the rapini. In a separate cast iron skillet I began roasting 3 slices of bacon and a couple handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes. I added a couple cloves of crushed garlic to this mixture as it cooked through in the oven.

Once the tomatoes started to caramelize, I added the blanched rapini to soak in the fragrant bacon, tomato and garlic sauce/oil. Once heated through I removed the cast iron skillet from the oven and let it sit until ready to plate the rapini. I added just a pinch of salt and pepper just before serving, but the bacon largely takes care of the salt you need for the dish.

Check out your local red meat counter to see if you can buy bacon by the slice. My mom shared this tip with me and it's a great way to cook with fresh bacon, without having to freeze or waste extra slices.

A very yummy vegetable side!

Truffle Fries

There is a reason these fries are so popular right now. At gourmet restaurants, as upscale bar food - this snack is simply addictive. I've tried making them a few different ways, first baking the truffle oil into the oven fries and then on a second occasion by spraying crispy oven fries with the truffle oil after they were baked. The second method seems to offer a more potent truffle flavor but more than anything it's about the quality of oil you use to bring out the strongest truffle flavor.

Pedro bought a ~$10 bottle of white truffle infused olive oil from Costco that does the trick, although honestly could be a little stronger in my opinion. Here's how I recommend preparing:

Start by cutting 1/2 inch oven fries with a knife or better yet a fries press. Place the fries on a greased  cookie sheet (I use a silpat baking sheet liner but you could also use parchment paper). Lightly coat the fries with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until light brown and crispy.

In a large bowl, toss the fries with salt and pepper, just a little powdered garlic, shredded Parmesan cheese, minced parsley and a heavy spray of truffle oil.

Enjoy as a snack or delicious side with red meat. Careful, you might get addicted!