Father Knows Best

Today's dish was inspired by my father, who sent me a recipe a few months ago for a sweet potato hash. It involved sweet corn, black beans, bell peppers, onions, sliced avocado, cilantro, and sour cream... all things I love, except for the sweet potato. I initially blew it off as a recipe I would never try, despite the fact that he assured me I would like it. My only prior experience with sweet potatoes was the mushy thanksgiving side dish, complete with baby marshmallows and a year's supply of brown sugar. When I finally tried the recipe, my opinion on sweet potatoes changed instantly. I immediately incorporated the bright orange monster into my weekly menu and started experimenting with different spices and cooking methods. I quickly realized that sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the spicy flavors I adore, and can easily be incorporated into more recipes than I ever imagined. Today's adaptation was a throw back to the original inspiration dish and was a saute of chick peas, cherry tomatoes, garlic scapes, green onions, cilantro, and avocado. Seasoned with salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper flake this sweet potato hash was absolutely delicious. Served on a bed of quinoa, it's easily my new favorite meal... looks like father does know best.

Delicately Indulgent

I have been anxiously awaiting a harvest in my garden. After a slow start, things are now ramping up and the mesclun lettuce has finally arrived. A wonderful mix of spicy and bitter, these greens are a salad lover's dream. Their crisp texture and bright flavor make them amazing on their own, but today I embellished them by filling individual leaves with a mixture of crumbled goat cheese and tangy currant jam. The combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the sweet and savory filling was absolutely indulgent. Who knew a delicate little lettuce could be so naughty?

Bananas for Ice Cream

I love ice cream. I also like fitting into my clothes. Since large amounts of heavy cream and sugar have an adverse effect on my waistline, I began a search for a healthier alternative that would satiate my ice cream desires. I tried several different faux ice creams but they all were icy and lacked that creamy texture I was craving. Then I stumbled across a vegan ice cream recipe that involved 2 ingredients - frozen bananas and almond milk. I was intrigued but skeptical. No ice cream machine needed. No sugar needed. How on earth this was going to be good? To my surprise, it was simply delicious. It was as easy as slicing bananas, freezing them on a cookie sheet, and then pulsing them in the food processor with a splash of almond milk. Granted, you have to like the taste of banana, but with a little creativity the flavor can be adjusted to suit your taste buds. My favorite addition was a swirl of whipped peanut butter. The possibilities are endless... go bananas!

Cheers to Freedom

Sunburn...check. Wet dog... check. Sand in my shoes...check. Yep, summer has arrived! (After a long weekend of rain, I was wondering if I would ever see that large fiery ball in the sky.) With a frosty drink in my hand and the warm glow of the sun on my face, it was hard to think of anything other than the blissful zen I was enjoying, but my mind wandered. The soft fluttering sound of the flags dancing in the breeze turned my thoughts to the soldiers, the fallen heros, and the families left without their loved ones today. So here's a toast and a huge thank you those who provide my freedom - May you never forget that we love you. Your courage is astounding.

Raise your glass, people... thank a soldier. They deserve it.

Summer Sipper:

2 to 1 ratio - moscato to ginger ale

splash of mango nectar

splash of fresh orange juice

Shaken and served with ice... garnish with lemon balm and orange slice

Inspiration in Aisle 9

Ok, I must be a dork... or perhaps I have just lived in a small town too long because the opening of a new grocery store had me tickled pink. During my reconnaissance mission, I meandered through the produce section and perused the aisles. The "international" section is where I spotted a bottle of orange blossom water. I had absolutely no idea what to do with it but I couldn't resist buying it. I knew that hauntingly sweet aroma was going to add a new twist to my culinary bag of tricks. The gears began to grind. Weening myself off a 2 week bender of bad eating, I avoided the urge to make cookies or cakes and opted, instead, for a light salad. I started with fresh strawberries, shaved carrot, and chopped romaine hearts and macerated the salad in the juice of 1 navel orange and 1/4 tsp of orange blossom water. Fifteen minutes in the fridge was all it took for these humble ingredients to incorporate into a sweet summer treat. Welcome back, inspiration... I missed you.

Grazie, Miss Grassia

A dear friend has taken up residence in my guest room for the next few weeks and decided to kick off her stay by cooking me a delicious dinner. If there is one rarity in my world, it's having dinner cooked for me. This unexpected change of pace was nothing short of amazing. She tolerated my constant attacks with the camera and accommodated my ridiculous requests like "slow down the cheese grating", and "bring that bowl over to the window". The salad was crisp and flavorful with interesting tidbits like cherries and almonds, the garlic bread was a cheesy delight, and the main course was an absolute show stopper. A baked spaghetti squash was scraped into pasta-like shreds and topped with her father's homemade gravy. (I was told that "gravy" is the true Italian name for spaghetti sauce...she would know, she's a Grassia.) A true friend and a true treat... what more could a girl ask for??

Confirmed Cuteness

The backdrop was a whirling carousel, it's cheerful music chiming away. The food was an amazing spread of festive desserts, complete with a gelato cart. The colors were bright and cheerful and the weather was surprisingly gorgeous. This was quite possibly the cutest confirmation party ever. My culinary contribution was Parisian macaroons and homemade butter cream icing for the cupcakes. With only a 20 minute window to get set up, the styling was organized chaos. Working with focused urgency, the hostess was able to create a flawless tablescape as I stood in awe. It was quintessential cuteness and a stylist's dream. Thanks for letting me participate... and cheers to your confirmation, Olivia.