Such a Tart.

Pascal Rigo's Goat Cheese Tart with Pears via Serious Eats.

Um, looks like our meals will be solely comprised of desserts as that seems to be the only course I am excited to make. Pears, goat cheese, a shortbread like crust and caramel syrup, oh my! And lookey here, this tart is mild enough that it's appropriate for breakfast. So I now have breakfast and dessert covered...what to do for the rest of my meals?

Dinner?

If you've read my blog for more than a month, you may remember that once upon a time I cooked. Lately, I've been thanking my lucky stars for pasta and fried eggs and my husband's ability to work a microwave on his own when he gets home from the studio at 11:30pm (This is the point in the post where I deny eating Trader Joe's Lemon Bars for dinner 4 nights in a row. If I did do that though, I would've found them in the freezer section and they would've been delicious, or at least that's the word on the street).

I did see something today that made me think I need tear myself away from the computer and invest some time in that other room in my apartment.

Bite Size Bacon Caramels found on The Kitchn.

You had me at candied bacon, caramel and sea salt.

Eggs...They're What's for Dinner.

Chris is working late nights at the studio yet again on an installation for Introductions 2009 at Root Division that opens on our first anniversary. Lovely. Anyway, this means I've had free reign with dinner lately! This is nice since we don't always have the same tastes...I can eat much lighter, veggie filled foods and feel satisfied while he'd be happy with pasta for every. single. meal. Oh, and there's the whole nut thing.

I saw a post on The Kitchn a few days ago about five different ways to eat a fried egg. For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about it yesterday. I wanted fried eggs ASAP, but knew I had to wait for dinner. I ran through what I had in my refrigerator and somehow I had the ingredients for a caprese salad (what is this, like the 27th time I've mentioned this salad on my blog?). So I decided to make one, hold the mozzarella, add a couple fried eggs.

Oh yeah! I fried the eggs in olive oil rather than butter. This was absolutely divine. If any of you have had brunch at Foreign Cinema, you've probably tasted their fried eggs deglazed with balsamic vinegar (also, a special shout out to their slow-cooked brown sugar smoked bacon...bacon of the gods!). Something about the pungent sweetness of the vinegar combined with the creamy goodness of the yolks makes my heart go pitter patter. The only thing that could have made this meal better would've been some Acme bread to sop up the last remnants of that sauce.

Overindulged.

Last week, I spotted a couple of recipes on Serious Eats that I could not wait to make considering the current bounty of peaches and zucchini at the local farmers markets. But since the husband is rarely around thanks to his never ending deadlines, I had to wait til his utter exhaustion forced a night at home for me to make some yummy food.

The first thing I made was this divine Peach Caprese Salad using a mix of white and regular peaches. The combination of the acid from the balsamic vinegar and the juicy goodness of the peaches was delightful. I might even go as far as saying I enjoyed this more than the basic caprese salads I've been devouring all tomato season. That's near sacrilege in the land of the heirloom. (By the way, this photograph isn't mine. We scarfed our salad down before I realized I hadn't taken a picture.)

Image via Serious Eats.

Next, I made this delicious recipe comprised of zucchini, gorgonzola and farfalle pasta. I understand some people get fearful around a sauce made from gorgonzola (I am not one of those people...I love all cheese especially those deliciousthat are stinky and blue), but fear not my friends. The cheese's bold flavor is mellowed out in the process and becomes something buttery and nutty and seriously tasty.

Chopped shallots and celery. The zucchini was julienned rather than shredded.


Sauteing the celery and shallots.


Zucchini added to the saute.


The gorgonzola begins to melt.


Pasta added.


Served with some fresh parmesan, cracked pepper and parsley.

I think this is going to be my last foray into pasta dinners for a while. Time to get back to plates full of lean proteins and vegetables. All of my free time lately has been consumed by this blog since my days are spent at my 9-5. My workout routine (and waistline) has suffered. Sadly, I think the last time I ran was the post where I officially declared myself a runner. I'm such a fraud. So, it's time to exercise more, indulge less and manage my time better, somehow. If only there was a way to blog and exercise at the same time. Internet access and keyboards on the treadmill? You saw that here first. How long do we give it before we see it in the gym?

A Big Pile of Blah.

Today, I'm feeling completely uninspired, unmotivated, unfocused and uninteresting. This malaise is lingering a bit longer than is comfortable. Despite the sunny and warm weather of recent days, I spent most of my weekend alone...inside...on the couch...doing nothing.

It's funny writing a blog because you are able to present your most interesting and dressed up self to the world. There's no fear of someone catching you without makeup in a ponytail, hoodie, fat jeans and flip flops. I can pretend I'm always dressed to the nines in pretty shoes with perfect hair in an incredibly stylish city. The problem arises when there is a major disconnect between what I feel and what I want to portray.

So, today is a no make up, giant zit on forehead, frizzy hair, no plans to leave the couch, sweatpants, eating ice cream out of the carton kind of day. And it feels lately like I'm having more days like this than not. It's frustrating that, in the midst of this despair, there's not a quick fix. While medication helps over the long haul, it's not the immediate gratification of taking an ibuprofen to cure your headache in 30 minutes or less.

What's worse is that I feel like I have no reason to be this down. I have a good job, a great husband, a nice home, amazing friends, good health, a supportive family, etc. Feeling guilty about your self pity never seems to help the situation. On a day like this, I'm so thankful for my husband who, even though he has never experienced a day of depression, is always sympathetic even when it's not the easiest thing to be. On second thought, I'm also thankful for the leftovers in my fridge at home! At least sitting inside all day did give me time to make some incredibly yummy food. I guess there's always a bright side after all.

Fresh Fig Tart with Rosemary Cornmeal Crust and Lemon Marscapone Cream...not to brag, but I think mine is prettier than the pic on Epicurious. On a more serious note, you should make this now. It's amazing.

Listless.

I talk about going to the farmer's market a lot, but I rarely ever go. Partly, it's because something comes up...I can't get out of work, I oversleep, I get lazy. But I'm also not very good at food shopping without a list. I always have a fear that I'll buy something like squash blossoms and won't be able to find a recipe in the 4,057,693,217 recipes that are currently online (FYI...there were 14,200 google results for squash blossom recipes).

This time, I'm planning ahead. And I have a list. Because that's what I do...I plan and make lists (Don't judge me. I've been like this all my life). I found two recipes using seasonal ingredients (zucchini and figs) that I can't wait to make for dinner Sunday night. And once I step beyond that fear threshold into the farmer's market, who knows what exciting stuff I'll leave with? I might spontaneously buy heirloom tomatoes...or peaches. Crazy, right?

Courgette Carbonara via Serious Eats. © David Loftus via Jamie Oliver.


Fresh Fig Tart with Rosemary Cornmeal Crust and Lemon Marscapone Cream via Epicurious.com.

Now, who doesn't love a carbonara? I'm honestly drooling right now (I'm also starving). I'm all about baked fruit desserts lately and since this one does not require baking powder, I should be good. I'm excited to think about all the fabulous fruit toppings to use in lieu of figs...what wouldn't work with a rosemary cornmeal crust and lemon marscapone cream? And, as the usual, I'm sure I'll post pics of my (fingers crossed) successful meal later.

The More. The Merrier.

After the debacle that was dumplings, I decided to return to my comfort zone in the kitchen...cooking. And since I still had a LGCA recipe for Meyer Lemon Grain Salad with Asparagus, Almonds and Goat Cheese from The Kitchn that I had yet to try, the time was right to make some dinner.

I ended up making a few minor modifications to the original recipe. I added shrimp because Chris is obsessed, like could eat it for every meal of every day obsessed, which makes me think we should get his cholesterol checked. I also omitted the walnut oil and almonds because the husband is allergic to nuts and I didn't feel like taking a trip to the emergency room that night. Oh, the things I do to my recipes for love.

Here's a quick tip...learn from my mistakes: if you want the cheese to not melt all throughout the dish (it's still very good that way though), be sure to let the grains cool for a bit. Otherwise, this was a very satisfying dinner and even better as leftovers the next day.

Shrimp marinating in olive oil, sea salt and fresh black pepper.


Trader Joe's Harvest Grain Blend almost ready.


Shrimp grilling on the stove top cast iron grill.


Asparagus cooked to just crisp tender.


Voila! So, I like goat cheese. Sue me. It was melted throughout but I still felt the need for a bit more on top.

Funk Dumplings.

For the past week, I've been in what I would best describe as a funk. Although my doctor might describe it as something not so associated with polyester and psychedelic colors - she might call it a bout of mild depression. These happen every so often and are characterized by lack of motivation, no desire to exercise or be social, feelings of being overwhelmed, occasional spells of crying for no apparent reason, most recently migraines, etc. All fun stuff, obviously.

Yesterday after work, I was feeling an unexpected sense of urgency about getting stuff done. I didn't pass go. I didn't stop at the gym. I headed straight home. But when I walked in the door, the house was a cluttered, dish strewn, milk-left-in-glass-since-this-morning mess. This isn't necessarily new, but after my near breakdown with Chris yesterday morning about how I'm stressed about THIS and THAT and "THE HOUSE IS A MESS" and all this other stuff, I maybe anticipated that on Chris' day off he might try to make my day a little bit better by, oh I don't know, cleaning up the house a bit! Oh, the poor guy and the expectations I create for him when he's not around.

After doing the dishes as an exercise in martyrdom, I realized I had organic strawberries that were nearing their life expectancy. So, rather than searching for a salubrious way to work through my stress like actually running, I opted to make dessert. Cooking does make me feel better, but so does eating. I was headed for disaster.

I had seen a recent recipe on smitten kitchen (I'm nothing, if not predictable) and figured I'd try it. Strawberries and dumplings...sounded simple enough.

First step was to slice the strawberries into thick slices. One step down!


Next, I added the strawberries to a large saucepan with lemon juice and brown sugar. Looks promising!

Then I made the dumplings. Oh, the dumplings. I reviewed the ingredients and realized I didn't have any whole milk. I did have whipping cream and 1% milk...why not try a mixture? So I combined the cream and the milk with butter to melt the butter in the microwave. My first attempt blew up all over the microwave (I'd show a picture but it would only serve to illustrate how infrequently I clean my microwave). I eventually got it to work. Then I discovered I had no baking powder. That can't be that important...says someone who infrequently bakes. Here are my dumplings:

The dumplings right after I added them to the strawberries.


The dumplings 18 minutes later. Do you see a difference? Neither did I.


The botched dessert. Such sad excuses for dumplings. Mental note: buy baking powder.

After all that, I decided to do the only logical thing and pour myself a glass of sauvignon blanc. I put some berries into a bowl and added cream for dessert. It was actually quite delicious. If only I had known to skip the dumpling debacle sooner...

All Star.

Last night, Chris watched (and slept through most of) the All-Star Game while I cooked dinner. I had planned the menu in advance not realizing it was Bastille Day...hence the lack of any French yumminess. Since it was a sports night, I opted for sandwiches, but not just any sandwich. Steak sandwiches with caramelized onions! To balance the heaviness of the sandwich, I decided on a side of salad...a bread salad. Whoops. Oh well, both were still delicious.

Each recipe comes from my new found food obsession, smitten kitchen. SK's Summer's Last Hurrah Panzanella recipe can be found here. I followed it pretty closely, but omitted the capers because I didn't have any and I forgot the garlic for the vinaigrette. Here's a tip: don't forget the garlic. The recipe for the Steak Sandwich is here. Her pictures obviously do the sandwich more justice. It was quite scrumptious...especially the spread, which I liberally applied to both halves of the bread. Next time I'll probably toast the bread a bit. Otherwise, it was a home run in my book (get it...home run. You know, because it was the All-Star Game).

The boy approved! And the AL won again. So, there are still some things over which I have no control.

BTW...did everyone else like the POTUS even more after watching him in the booth with Tim and Joe? I definitely would want to grab a beer with this President.

Toasting the bread cubes for the panzanella.


Love the summer colors.


The steaks generously seasoned with salt and pepper.


One side of searing down...on to the next.


Starting to caramelize the onions.


Prepping the bread with lots o' spread.


Onions caramelized.


May be a little rare for some but not for me.


Now that's a sandwich.

There She Goes Again.

There are certain flavor combos that just always seem to work (assuming the quality of ingredients is good)...basil + tomatoes + mozzarella, beets + goat cheese, bacon + anything, and of course, lemon + goat cheese + asparagus.

Now, I've already posted one LGCA (watch...it's gonna take off like EVOO) recipe on here, but I swear that this one is different. See, instead of pasta it's made with couscous and farro; the asparagus is cut into 2-inch pieces rather than 1-inch pieces; there are almonds instead of tarragon; and the goat cheese is crumbled not melted. If that's not entirely different, I don't know what is.

Meyer Lemon Grain Salad with Asparagus, Almonds and Goat Cheese from The Kitchn.

Aren't you glad you read all the way through instead of just dismissing this as another one of those LGCA (like wildfire, I say) recipes?

Summer in Your Mouth.

I'm hoping SF weather cooperates this year to give us a brilliant summery day and clear evening so that we can actually see the fireworks (Normally we only have the privilege of hearing them. Without fail, I always think SF is under attack when they first start). Although plans have yet to be finalized, I'm already planning what I'm going to make for whatever we do. One should never be ill-prepared when it comes to matters involving food and eating. The rest will all work itself out.

I can't wait to make this Mediterranean Pepper Salad I found on smitten kitchen. It looks like a rainbow for your mouth. Although my rainbow might have to omit the olives. My mouth simply is not a fan.

Photo courtesy of smitten kitchen.

For dessert, I'm almost positive I'll be making this Nectarine-Blackberry Crisp served with a side of vanilla ice cream. It looks muy, muy delicioso (four years of Spanish is not lost on me)!

Photo by Gentl & Hyers via Epicurious.com.

On second thought, one can never have too many desserts. And it would just be plain rude not to let a meyer lemon come to the party so I suppose I'll have to make this Meyer Lemon Semifreddo with Summer Berries as well.

Photo by Coral von Zumwalt via Epicurious.com.

Cheers to summertime foods! Now time to think about what we will be drinking...

The Champagne of BLTs.

I know it seems like I'm hopping on the bacon bandwagon, but I seriously LOVE bacon. And it's not just because Jim Gaffigan does or because there are bacon bandaids or a website celebrating bacon culture from around the world...although these are all very compelling reasons to love bacon.

I especially love BLTs. So much so that I recently had BLTs for dinner for a whole week. The only reason I stopped was because I ran out of bacon. (I have a tendency to eat the same thing for a week at a time though...my other standby is a caprese salad, my all-time favorite summertime salad). So, imagine my euphoria when I stumbled across a recipe on Epicurious.com that combines two of my "never fail to satisfy" meals into one tasty sandwich.

Crispy Pancetta, Burrata and Tomato Sandwich. Photo by Brian Leatart.

It's pancetta (fancy bacon), burrata (only one of the best cheeses ever), tomatoes, basil, olive oil, sea salt...are you drooling yet? I will be buying the ingredients the next time I go to the grocery store. In the meantime, I'm trying to will one of these to my desk right now.

For other bacon recipes, check out the Epicurious.com Bacon Slideshow.

Mmmmmm. Bacon.

Sweet Peas.

I'm beginning to appreciate pasta more as of late. It's usually quick and easy; my husband always loves it (he's Italian); and when paired with lemon juice and seasonal vegetables, it's anything but your basic pasta and tomato sauce.

Photograph by Romulo Yanes via Epicurious.com

I found this recipe for Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas a few months ago. I love it because the ingredients are simple and easy to come by, it takes less than 20 minutes to make and the combination of the cream, the lemon, the peas and spinach is scrumptious. I love biting into every sweet little pea and discovering some of the tart lemon juice hiding inside.

What's for Dinner?

I was turned on to smitten kitchen by an old middle school friend (hi Kate!) I reconnected with thanks to all these new social networking sites the kids are into these days.

Anyway, I found a recipe there that is quick, easy and tastes like summer. I think I've already made it four times since I discovered the recipe last week (I kid, I kid...I've made it six times).

Here's a sneak peak...the ingredients are goat cheese (yes!), asparagus (yum!), lemon (yes, please), olive oil and pasta. Honestly, how could this go wrong? Well, I'll tell you how...if you ignore the bit about adding back in some of the pasta water. Do it or it's just not the same. Also, I've added some shredded roasted chicken in to add some protein and it's to die for chilled.

Here's a link to the recipe: Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta.

And here's a picture so you go to the grocery, buy the ingredients and make it for dinner tonight! It's excellent with some prosecco...at least that's the word on the streets.

Photo courtesy of smitten kitchen.