I’ve never been a fan of lima beans. Growing up, my mom sometimes served frozen mixed vegetables (warmed in the microwave with a pat of butter) with meat loaf or teriyaki. I’d always stick to the corn, carrots, peas and green beans and push the lima beans aside, even if there were just a few floating in the medley. Something about the color and sheer size of the legumes made them entirely unappealing. Not much has changed since then….
Farro Salad with Fava Beans, Peas and Arugula
Our trip to Wine Country went by in a blink. In two days, we crammed in tastings at V. Sattui Winery and Heitz Cellar, dinner at Morimoto Napa and Mustards Grill, and countless trips to Oxbow Public Market (at my insistence). Napa Valley truly is a foodie’s dream. Everything we drank and ate was delicious – just don’t ask Jason about the Niman Ranch barbecued baby back ribs he ordered at Mustards Grill.
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Saffron Tomato Confit and Basil Vinaigrette
I’ve been known to plan a meal around bread, and that’s exactly what I did when I hosted my first dinner party two weekends ago. I think my friend – one of the guests – was a little concerned when I proposed the idea of a bruschetta bar as the main course. Would we have enough food? Turns out, we had plenty – and then some….
Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant Caponata
I love summer. The days are longer, the weather is warmer and my favorite produce is at its peak. Farmers markets open for business and free fruit from family, friends and coworkers (with cherry, plum and lemon trees) abounds. Prices drop at the grocery store. Suddenly my biggest challenge when menu planning becomes not “What can I cook?” but “What should I cook?” because there are so many options….
Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta
It’s officially summer. We’re already more than halfway through the year and my husband and I have yet to plan a vacation. Short of a few long weekends and holidays, we’ve been working nonstop since our honeymoon to France two Septembers ago. In fact, I’ve accumulated 352 hours (and counting) of paid time off. That’s 44 days!…
Speedy Spinach Lasagna
I knew it was going to be a busy weekend, starting with a trip to the mechanic for an oil change (not fun), followed by a stop at the mall to pick up a new kitchen gadget and then the grocery store to replenish my fridge and pantry (more fun). My Saturday morning was spent and I had to tackle a few additional chores in the afternoon (knowing I’d be out for most of Sunday), leaving me little time to get dinner on the table in the evening….
