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.

A Spoonful of Tradition

I was taught how to make chicken corn soup by my husband's grandmother. That being said, this recipe is dear to my heart. It's a classic Pennsylvania Dutch recipe with as many adaptations as there are people who make it. Variations can include dumplings, vegetables, or particular cuts of chicken. Despite the many versions, one standard ingredient classifies this recipe as authentic - hard boiled eggs. Before you turn your nose up, try it. I was skeptical at first, but the egg yolks actually melt into the soup and create a wonderfully creamy broth. It's a humble dish that is seasoned only with salt and cracked pepper but each bite is pure love. Every Easter I make this soup in the tradition of my in-laws. They, too, are dishing up the same meal, six hundred miles from Michigan, connecting us through the power of food. Happy Easter!

Soup for Two:

4 bone-in chicken thighs

4 large red potatoes

1 can creamed corn

1 can sweet corn

3 hard boiled eggs - chopped

Salt

Pepper

Place chicken thighs in a stock pot and cover with water. Boil until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Continue boiling water. Peel and cube the potatoes and place into the water. Once potatoes are fork tender, add in the corn and chopped eggs. Remove bone and skin from chicken and shred the meat. Add meat to soup and simmer all together for 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Be The Phoenix

Let me be honest. Today's recipe started out as a tangerine curd pocket pie in a cornmeal crust but since the curd ended up as a scrambled mess, I thought it best to proceed with plan B - a savory chard pocket pie. I tested the crust and found that it was a success in taste, but the texture was too "cookie-like" to create a pocket. Shot down again, but not one to be defeated, I pressed on. The open-faced crust was a delicious component worth exploring, so I sauteed red onion, swiss chard, garlic and cider vinegar and perched the punchy mixture on top. Blanketed in fresh mozzarella and baked until golden brown, it turned out to be a delightful snack. It was a far cry from the sweet pastry I set out to make, but sometimes you crash and burn. Rising from the ashes... that's what it's really about.

Blog, Interrupted.

Well, an unfortunate accident with an 8" Wusthof knife has landed me out of commission this week. The tip of my left index finger is hanging on for dear life so I decided to pause and let things heal up before returning to my Sunday cooking adventures. Thankfully, I had the pleasure of doing some prop shopping at Whole Foods yesterday which kept the the gears in my culinary mind grinding away. Oh, the options! Hope everyone is having a lovely spring break... check back next week when we will resume our regularly scheduled blogging.