weeknight wonders: angel hair with cherry tomatoes and kale

Can you believe it's June?  June!  How the heck did that happen?  

Every year, I feel like the pace picks up a little more and a little more.  Like I'm plowing through life on a train and with each passing year the conductor ups the speed just a tad.  Life is passing by so fast, this year especially.  Jason and I just got back from vacation, summer is in full swing here in Virginia, and in just under three months our baby will be here.  Life is surging, changing, rushing, leaping forward...  I just want to savor these last few months, try not to let them slip away.

This recipe is definitely a time saver and is perfect for warm weather.  Boil a little pasta and kale, sauté some tomatoes, toss in a dollop of ricotta, and top with spices.  It's a light, easy, one-pot meal that is on the table in minutes.  Because it's packed with fresh herbs, kale, and tomatoes, I don't mind serving it without a salad. Another great meal for crazy weeknights.  The best part is that Jason loved this meal.  In spite of him initially prickling at the idea of no meat, he downed two servings in minutes. Enjoy and happy Monday! 

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caprese bruschetta

Jason LOVES Italian food. LOVES IT!  Spaghetti, lasagna, baked ziti, alfredo… You name it.  That boy will eat it.  His favorite restaurant is Olive Garden.  We head there at least once a month for date night and he goes all out, appetizer, salad, marinara sauce for the bread sticks.   My favorite food is definitely  Tex-Mex, that glorious mix of American and Mexican, but I do to make a lot of it and Jason will get a little tired of it after about three or four meals in single week.  “Babe, not everything has to have salsa…”  Italian, however, he does not get sick of.  One month, I made only Italian food for dinner for nearly two weeks straight just to see if he could get sick of it.  I think it may have been the best two weeks of his life.  Unfortunately, by the end, I burst into tears at the sight of uncooked pasta or tomatoes.

Bruschetta is the salsa of Italian foods. It is one of those dishes that can easily be a meal, side dish, or appetizer.  It goes great on crusty bread or grilled chicken or stirred into cold pasta.  Sometimes, for lunch, I’ll whip this recipe up and enjoy it all by my lonesome.  Other days, I might serve it as a starter or plate it alongside Spaghetti or Mediterranean Chicken.  This bruschetta is divine.  Inspired by Caprese salad, it has juicy tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and lots of basil.  The bread is lightly toasted in a little bit of olive oil and garlic. I eat mine on Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread, but I usually make Jason’s with Ciabatta or a loaf of crusty French bread.  It’s delicious either way!  Enjoy and have a great, Friday folks!

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weeknight wonders: mediterranean salmon

Sometimes, the best outfits are those little dresses you just throw on and walk out the door.  You look great and it's no fuss.  Do you have one of those dresses?  I hope you do.  They can certainly get you out of a jam... Or, sometimes, the best friends are the ones that can come over for dinner and spend the whole evening just talking over drinks and dessert.  No games, no event, no movie, no need for entertainment... Conversation rules the day.  Sometimes, a thing doesn't have to be complicated or over thought to be fabulous. 

Broiled salmon is one of those things.  Elegant, savory, and fresh, this dish only takes about 30 minutes to get on the table.  Salmon filets, seasoned with rosemary, thyme, garlic, and oregano, are broiled for a mere 12 minutes. Then, served with quinoa or rice and topped with roasted tomatoes and onions.  Simple can be quite elegant.  The real prep work for this dish happens about 8 hours before... In the morning before work, I whisk up the marinade and pour it over the salmon, onions, and tomatoes.  Let all the goodness soak in and when I get home from work, I put some quinoa on, broil the salmon, and steam some veggies in the microwave.  It's the perfect meal for nights when we have plans after dinner because cooking it is a breeze.  We can eat and be out the door on time, but we still get a healthy, sit down dinner. Meals like that tend to be a little breathe of fresh air in the midst of an otherwise crazy schedule and a reminder that practical can still be classy.   

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