Simple & Delicious

Last night I made this kale and avocado salad from Dinner, A Love Story for a family dinner party. I thought it sounded good, but was not prepared for how good it was. Everyone gobbled it up and raved about it. Even my 5 year old said it was good after I asked her to try a bite. A 5 year old! I think I have an avocado allergy but I was willing to deal with a stomach ache to eat every last bite of my serving. It was that good. I know, it sounds weird. It's a kale salad. But it really was delicious.

I did a heavy toss so the avocado got creamy and covered the kale instead of leaving it chopped. I used a lot of lemon juice and a great Pecorino Romano from Delaurenti (which by the way you can now order on Amazon Fresh!)

Need another reason to make this salad? Read this list of the Top 10 Health Benefits of Kale.  

Panini Perfection

Last night we had my parents over for dinner so I decided to try the Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Sandwich. One word - DELICIOUS!

Instead of the green goddess pesto on the recipe though, I used Ina's recipe for Green Goddess Dressing because I can't get enough of it (using half the mayo, sour cream and anchovy). It makes so much that you have enough for salads and sandwiches. I used a loaf of Grand Central Bakery's Piccolo Como which I love for sandwiches, panini and toast. It's crunchy on the outside and perfection on the inside. I skipped the avocado but layered heavy on the sauce, mozzarella, spinach and goat cheese. Instead of cooking them in a grill pan I used a panini press. I brushed it with some olive oil and then warmed these sandwiches to golden perfection, oozing with melted cheese. I cut into triangles and before I had the full dinner served the panini platter was empty.

I served with Operation Pantry Cleanout Minestrone and Grilled Zucchini. A perfect dinner.

Beauty

I just love these arrangements by Poppies & Posies. Gorgeous.

Watercolor Menu

from paper taste buds

Adorable!

You could recreate something like this for your next dinner party.

A Visit, and What Really Happened

A good Modern Love story from May (I'm so behind on these)....

"A Visit, and What Really Happened"

You should...

what you're doing and read these...



10 Lessons That Will Help You Find Greatness

10 Things That Are Non-Negotiable

Love the Look

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Great bags. They make the look. Via Jak & Jil.

Operation Pantry Cleanout: Red Lentil Soup with Lime

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Tonight's Operation Pantry Cleanout recipe was Red Lentil Soup with Lime. The photo has had my mouth watering for months but I just finally got around to making it.

I had fresh spinach from the farmers market to use up so I swapped it out for the kale. I was able to use basmati rice and red lentils from the old pantry stash so it was a win-win-win for using up stuff.

Only a few more months years before I get through the rest of the pantry. Any favorite recipes involving canned beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, quinoa, udon noodles, brown rice or tomato sauce???? Please share! I'll take any recipe you love with one of those ingredients.
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A Powerful Truth

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If you haven't picked up Half the Sky, click here to watch a short but powerful video by Nicholas Kristof that will give you a small picture into what the book is about. Another great reminder of how educating women or giving them a small opportunity is the greatest way to fight poverty.
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Ricotta Binge

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I've been kind of freaking out over ricotta lately. Not the regular pre-packaged ricotta that you find near the sour cream and cottage cheese at the grocery store to use in lasagne, but the real deal ricotta. I have been buying a container of it every time I'm within a few miles of Pike Place. I feel like if I'm close enough, I will make the effort to park and run in to DeLaurenti to get some fresh ricotta (and my favorite salami Fra' Mani's Salame Nostrano). The only thing better than buying fresh ricotta from a great deli would be to make it yourself. That intimidates me, but if you're up for the challenge I'm sure that would be even more delicious.

While on my weekend ricotta binge I made Pasta with Tomato Sauce & Ricotta for dinner, my revised Orange Ricotta Pancakes both Saturday and Sunday morning (to which my husband said, "I'm really not a pancake guy but these are the best pancakes I've ever had!") and a new ricotta gem of a recipe... Smitten Kitchen's Ricotta Crostinis.

All of the crostinis were good but the toasted bread with ricotta, honey and sea salt was amazing. I think the key is using both a good quality ricotta and honey.

A note on honey: I buy Fireweed Honey from Golden Harvest Bee Ranch, sold at the farmers market in Ballard every Sunday. It's delicious.

Have you made ricotta before? It's easy, right? I should not be intimidated?
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Secrets of Their Success

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If you don't get Bon Appetite, check out the spread "Kitchen Confident" where chef's share their tips for kitchen organization, prep, and efficiency.
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Pan-Fried Pork Chops

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A few weeks ago I bought pork chops at the farmers market from Skagit River Ranch and was looking for a new recipe to prepare them. I settled on the Pioneer Woman's Pan-Fried Pork Chops. They were delicious and everyone gobbled them up. The ones I bought were bone-in and a bit thick so I pounded them thinner avoiding the bone. As usual I bought more than we needed knowing that I could use leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. I had the perfect amount of leftover meat to stretch into a delicious pork fried rice dinner. Two recipes worth making.

The Coast with the Most

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From Sunset's Best in the West to Bon Appetite's The Coast with the Most.

Check out Bon Appetits's three-day travel itinerary from Seattle to Vancouver.

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More Weekend Reading Assignments

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Mindful Eating as Food for Thought
A concept based on Buddhist teachings encourages people to eat slowly, paying close attention to the sensation and purpose of each morsel.

The Fat Trap
Science is uncovering a painful truth about obesity - that in the battle to lose weight, and keep it off, our bodies are fighting against us.

Marathon Swimmer Diana Nyad Takes On the Demons of the Sea
Why the 62-year-old can’t stay out of the water. Despite the jellyfish.

Pieces of a (Very Young) Man
The first, worst gig of a future radical-poet-musician.

Why Does it Matter That Families Eat Together?

Best in the West

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This is a great list from Sunset magazine to file away in your travel folder:

"25 Best Hotels in the West"

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What to Wear, What to Wear???

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Interesting observations from Garance Doré:

"Party Dressing: New York vs Paris"
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I'm So Over This Trend

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This is a hilarious mini-article about "Small Plates".

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Look of the Day

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Photo credit: The Sartorialist

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Impress Your Brunch Guests...

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My friends and I did a third cooking class with Dana and once again it was fun, filling, and full of great food, tips and recipes. This time around we did a "brunch" cooking class. Let me just say that there is no better way to start a Sunday morning than with Dana's homemade Classic Currant Scones with homemade honey butter. The scones were heavenly.

The next thing to come out of the oven, flaky and delicious, were Dana's Petits Pain au Chocolat. Who knew making homemade pain au chocolat could be so easy and what a fun thing to make for a snack with your kids or the next time you host a brunch. What guest wouldn't be impressed to be offered a homemade croissant fresh out of the oven upon arrival?!

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Dana had a few recommendations for the pain au chocolat. For starters, use a good quality puff pastry (and avoid Pillsbury Puff Pastry if you can). She stocks up at Delaurenti in Pike Place and throws it in the freezer. The night before you need it throw it in the fridge to thaw. Dana used Semisweet Pain au Chocolat Sticks from the King Arthur Flour website (just ordered mine today for Christmas morning!). They are the perfect size and shape for petite pain au chocolate, or you can use two sticks for a larger version.

Give these recipes a try. You won't be sorry!

Look of the Day: Rad Pantelones

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Photo credit: Who What Wear

Click here for more great looks from Elin Kling.
I love her style.

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