#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Monday – Recipe Recap

April 25, 2006 · Narrative

First, before I forget, I did some recipe catch-up and below you’ll find the recipes for the Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad I made Saturday night, as well as the Glazed Lemon Cake and Chocolate and Nut Cookie Bars from yesterday.

No new recipes to report for tonight, because The Neighbors cooked! The Neighbor Husband was inspired to do some grilling, and who am I to stand in his way? He’s working on coming up with his own “signature hamburger,” and tonight used the recipe from last year’s winner of Sutter Home’s Build a Better Burger contest. We have to work on the stocking of The Neighbor’s kitchen, because after he got through substituting most of the ingredients, it was an entirely different recipe, but it was still very moist and delicious. And speaking of Sutter Home‘s contest, next month, they will be beginning to accept recipes for this year’s contest, and you can bet I’ll be sending in an entry or two.

And speaking of contest winners, I am really glad that Guy Fieri won The Next Food Network Star last night. His new show, Off the Hook, premieres on Sunday, June 25th and I can’t wait. I really like his fun, irreverent cooking style and am looking forward to what recipes he’ll be dishing up. If you can’t wait until then, you can try his recipes for Rhode Island Calamari, Waka Waka Salad, Chipotle Pasta, La Manzania Frittata, Chicken Avocado Egg Rolls, The Grape Ape Bowla, Havana Prawns, Guido’s Artichoko, Jackass Roll, Tequila Turkey Fettucine and lastly, a recipe I’m making this weekend, his Breath Mint Pie. Along with his personality, I love the names he gives his dishes.

Some exciting news … I am now a Contributing Writer to the Chicgao-based team of Hungry Magazine. Some of you guys actually helped write my first article, which you can read here. And lastly, my next article is up on Food Bounds’ site, featuring a wonderful Panzanella recipe I made last month.

Alright folks, all for tonight. Tune in tomorrow for the ARF/5-A-Day round-up. Until then…

A year ago today… a wonderful Chicken Satay.

Glazed Lemon Cake

Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs separated
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel (I used 1 teaspoon lemon extract instead)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat oven to 375. Grease and flour 4-1/2 cup fluted tube pan. In medium bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy and blended. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 1/4 cup lemon juice and lemon peel. In medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder; stir into butter mixture. In clean medium bowl, beat egg whites at medium-high speed until firm but not stiff peaks form. Stir one-fourth of the egg whites into butter mixture to lighten batter; gently fold in remaining egg whites. Spread batter in pan. Bake 25-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together all glaze ingredients. Invert cake onto wire rack. Prick top with fork or toothpick; brush with glaze. Cool completely.

Chocolate and Nut Cookie Bars
Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury
36 servings

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ teaspoon salt
1 cup candy-coated chocolate candies or semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts, if desired

Heat oven to 375. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and shortening with electric mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in vanilla and egg until well blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda and salt until dough forms. With spoon, stir in chocolate candies and nuts. Spread dough in ungreased 13×9 inch pan. Bake 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad
Courtesy of Italian Salads cookbook
Serves 4

2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, 5 oz. each
2 large rip tomatoes, roughly the same size as the balls of mozzarella
2 oz. fresh basil leaves
about 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the tomato slices on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Put a slice of mozzarella on each slice of tomato and top with a basil leaf. Tear up the remaining basil and scatter over the top. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil just before serving. This salad must be made at the last moment to prevent the tomatoes from weeping and the mozzarella from drying out. Serve at room temperature, never chilled, as this would kill the flavors.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Nerissa says

    April 25, 2006 at 3:36 am

    Ooooooh. Lots of yummy recipes. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen of the Fieri recipes. I’m just dying to try the lemon cake. I love lemons.

    Reply
  2. Greg says

    April 26, 2006 at 12:17 am

    Yay for Guy! He’s a local boy from around here. I too wanted to enter the Build a Better Burger Contest..but California residents are not allowed. What up with that??

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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