Have you ever heard the term “so ugly, it’s cute”? Typically this refers to animals and babies, not to food. And it shouldn’t. Actually I’ve never seen anything so ugly that it became cute. Cats with no hair…ugly! Smashed up face dogs with ubers of wrinkles…ugly. Your newborn baby…sorry moms…ugly (but not forever of course). Croc shoes…ugly! But oh so comfortable. Just because something is ugly doesn’t mean that it’s not likable, lovable or delicious for that matter. Continue reading “Uniq Citrus and Cucumber Salad” »
As I sit here and write this, it is snowing outside and my house is at a not so balmy 50°F. I have a blanket wrapped around me like a burrito, my sweatshirt is zipped to the top and a kerchief dons my head to keep my ears warm. A cup of coffee warms my fingers and core in between typing.
Spring in Montana! Only last week the temperatures were up to the low 60’s and warm breezes were making their way through the lands. My daffodils responded whole’heartedly announcing to the world that indeed spring was here. I could feel the serious itch to start my veggie garden but I resisted…this is very typical of a Montana spring. It lures you into spring fever and then slam, it gives you a reminder that spring is hardly but a wink before we hit the summer.
Evidently McGyver had decided it was time to turn off the heat and not give me the memo. So I’ve been sitting here all morning freezing (in a home sense) before I thought to check the thermostat (my office is always a little cooler than the rest of the house). Unfortunately it’s taking longer to warm up my little bungalow than I’d like. Despite the chill, I still have a case of culinary spring fever! Which is perfect since Simone at Junglefrog Cooking has revealed the theme for this months photography and styling contest: Spring! Continue reading “Strawberry and Jicama Salad with a Lemon Basil Vinaigrette” »
This is the last in my series of recipes for Breakfast in Bed. In my opinion, I saved the best for last. But then again, it’s no secret, my love for all things citrusy. It’s a simple easy dish, there are very few ingredients that make up this dish, which is always a winner in my book. The most difficult part of the entire thing is the grapefruit prep, but even that is not so difficult if you know the proper technique (see video). Continue reading “Glazed Grapefruit and Breakfast in Bed Tips” »
Say what? Are my eyes really seeing what they see? Does that sign say ‘Heirloom Tomatoes’? It’s the middle of winter…must be a mistake. But they look like heirloom tomatoes. They have variegated colors and bumpy exteriors, they must be heirlooms.
Imported from Mexico….ahhh, that’s right, not every place in the world right now has two feet of snow. I just couldn’t resist taking home a little bit of someone else’s better weather conditions into my own home. Everyone deserves a reprise, and since a vaca to Hawaii is not in my near future, these tomatoes will have to do.
Plus they give me the perfect opportunity to discuss a little food photography. Sometimes it’s hard to decide how to photograph food. Picking out all the accessories is fun, but shooting food in a unique and different way, well…it’s difficult.
I knew that I wanted to keep my recipe very simple to highlight my wonderful tomatoes. I also thought they might look beautiful just shot by themselves. I put them in a gorgeous bamboo bowl and set them down on my hardwood floors, a nice tone on tone look so you only notice the tomatoes….that is until you get photo bombed by Summer (the dog).
It seems like everyone has a dish that they judge a restaurant by. For some it’s hamburgers, or steaks or seafood and in the case of my son-in-law Jodus daughter Leah, it’s the Cobb Salad (evidently my memory is going faster than I thought, my daughter corrected me, she’s the one that judges by it…see the comments). It is by this salad alone whether the restaurant gets a thumbs up, a meh or a thumbs down. I see why he she uses it as a measure. It’s a fairly simple composed salad but if the freshest ingredients aren’t used and the dressing isn’t right the salad is a total bomb. Really what better way to measure a restaurant than my a simple salad composed of many ingredients.
I always thought that the name Cobb Salad was odd, since there wasn’t any cob (as in corn) in the salad. I’ve had this very conversation with my family and friends. Can you picture a ‘Seinfield’ type moment at a restaurant with a conversation that may have gone something like this:
“What does it mean by Cobb salad?”
“If there is no cob, how can you call it a Cobb salad?”
“And who spells Cobb with two b’s?”
“Is a spelling error, a menu misprint?”
“If it’s just a menu error, then why isn’t there any cob in the Cobb salad?”
“Excuse me miss (to the waitress), can you explain why there is no cob in a Cobb salad and why it’s spelled with two b’s?”
For some reason in my mind I thought Cobb salad had baby corn cob in it, hence the ‘Cobb’ part of the salad. I guess I just thought spelling it with two b’s was to make it look unique, like exchanging s for z.
One these days I’m going to count how many recipes that I’ve posted that have lemon as an ingredient? Perhaps I shouldn’t or I might find out exactly how freakishly obsessed I am with all things lemony. Sometimes is just better not to know.
I’m finally posting my the recipe that I eluded to in one of my photography school update posts. I was in my Food & Product class at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, taught by Joe Lavine from when our assignment was to shoot pasta. Personally I can’t just set-up food for a photograph shoot and then throw it away (my girth is also proof of that). Plus, this was a perfect opportunity for me to do school work and get a little blog work done also. Don’t ya just love it when you get a two fer one?
I thought long and hard about what type of pasta to make, honestly my first thought was of asparagus and not the lemon. Asparagus are just so darn pretty, it’s hard not to have a good photo if you have asparagus. Naturally lemon and asparagus go together. What totally solidified it for me was a trip to the mall and a visit to the Oil and Vinegar store.
We’ve certainly had an unusual winter this year, not much snow but a lot more grey days. Deep dark depressing grey days. Days that make you want to cuddle up on the couch with a good book or movie and some hot tea and not leave the house (or couch) at all. It was one of those days when I was doing some reading, blog reading, when I ran across Lea Ann’s (from Cooking at the Ranch) Rocky Mountain Steak Salad.
For Valentine’s Day, it was Lobster Palooza at our house (expect several more recipes). I wanted to make something special, out of the ordinary and luxurious. Then lobster tails went on sale…we bought 10. That’s 10 tails for 3 people, nearly ridiculous, but only nearly. The tails were small, not langoustine small, but definitely on the small side. We started off our meal with these refreshing Lobster Verrine.
Confession time. My husband and I started Weight Watcher’s 1 1/2 weeks ago. I haven’t really talked about our change because so many people are on their New Year’s Resolution Band Wagon to get healthy and fit. The decision to do WW isn’t about any New Year’s resolution, it merely was about the fact that we need to shed some pounds, seriously need too.
