Pan Seared Flank Steak

So I usually grill flank steak on the grill - quick and easy, but this recipe in this month's Cook's Illustrated intriqued me.  It takes flank steak, discusses how to cook it in the oven at 225 degrees, cut it into smaller steaks and then pan sear it to seal in the juices.  Delicious is all I can say.  Soooo very tender.  The chive butter with the lemon zest added a delightful zing.  I will definitely be making this again.  Served with good wine, roasted potatoes and a fresh salad from the garden with a white wine grapefruit vinagrette.  Bon appetit!

Sunday night and the living is so easy

Great night with Matthew, Ruth and Teague.  Just a simple dinner of smashed cauliflower under citrus marinated salmon, tomato tart with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, and fattoush.  Yum!  Super easy!  All good stuff from the garden.  Summer nights and the living is easy.....


Smashed Cauliflower:
Steam two heads of cauliflower.  Remove from steam.  Mash in 1/2 stick of softened cream cheese with a potato masher, a little salt and pepper.  Leave some lumps in it.

Fattoush recipe from Cooks Illustrated, Sept/Oct 2015.  Middle Eastern salad with crispy pitas. tomatoes from the garden with mint, cilantro, cucumbers and arugula. Yum!!!!

Friday night slow down

Rolling with my usual Friday night cocktail at Luckys...tried their sangria tonight which was made with lots of peaches.  Yummy!  Lucy and Layce came to eat with us.  Sweèt little chefs...!

Garden goodies

Quick dinner of spaghetti squash cubed with onions, tomatoes, fresh herbs and fresh grated Parmesan....all from the garden.  Nice wines, bread, etc.  Easy rolling....

Monday at the Office

Sweet sweet son brought me the most amazing lunch today that he and his girlfriend made.  Homemade gazpacho soup, corn slaw and fresh watermelon.....Recipes from one of my favorite all time cookbooks, Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi.  Thank you guys SO MUCH!  I do hope all you parents out there are super jelly!!!! You should be!!!

Dinner BY dudes...

Came home tonight and the boys had fixed this interesting little dinner treat.  Don't know exactly what it's called, but probably Italian spaghetti squash would nail it.  Very tasty.  Spaghetti squash, black olives, onions, tomatoes, Feta....the rest is a mystery....Thanks family!!!!

Pasta e fagioli

Again....I love this peasant food!!!! This was Olive Garden's recipe.  Coupled with a nice bottle of wine and life is good!!!!!

Pizza Party

Pizza and wine with my sweet buddy, Eva.  Love you, girl!

Seeing Double

Wonderful evening preparing fresh food from the garden with my twin sisters, Annalizi and Abrienna.  Fresh kale for kale chips, delicious salad greens and the first tomatoes of the season, golden AND red beets (and they cleaned their plates!) all from our garden.  Grilled salmon and forbidden rice.  Finished it off with peach cobbler made from fresh local peaches.  Nice job, ladies!  You make me proud!  Love you girls!!!

Blue Moon Supper

Victoria and John always have the most lovely al fresco gatherings with the most delicious food.  Last night's Blue Moon Supper at the Keenum Castle was another great evening.  Thank you guys, as always, for sharing your awesome food (of which we were having too much fun and I forgot to take many pictures of the food).  Lovely marinated grilled chicken, new potato and roasted kale salad, homemade cheesecake with blueberry compote from the gardens, lots of good wine and great friends.