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This weekend was good for the soul… sunshine and friends, good food and a bit of relaxation. The only problem with weekends like this, is they make Mondays a bit tough. There was a barbecue in Dolores Park, giant beers and pretzels at the Biergarten, the best spicy crab and garlic noodles at PPQ, ice cream and movie time to start.
But as the weekend left, so did the sunshine. Which, being in San Francisco, I have to get used to as “summer” heads our way. I think tonight might just call for a simple roast chicken… That and the promise of a long weekend, might just get us through this week after all.
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A few recent conversations with friends, sometimes over morning coffee, other times late into the night, have had me thinking about happiness. Everyone has a different outlook on things, but more often than not, I try not to dwell on the negatives. I am optimistic by nature, or more likely, by teaching – my mom is crazy positive, even when you would least expect it. Of course there are rough patches (hell, some patches seem like they will be indefinite) but even during those times, there can be bits in the everyday that bring us joy.
I read this post this morning, as well as the recent string of Things I’m Afraid to Tell You posts on many blogs, and they were good reminders to that trying to be happy really can help.
I think I am going to pick up The Happiness Project for my next read – and see how it goes. Anyone else want to join in?
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Billy and I spend the past weekend down in Palm Desert, celebrating a dear friend’s wedding and soaking up some serious sunshine! I’m talking 104ºF — which is crazy hot, particularly in April!
Although warm, it was such a treat to hang in the pool with friends during the day and then dance our tootsies off at night. And perhaps enjoy a few margs along the way.
It sure makes me excited for summer, and a few other short trips we have planned in the next few months. And considering San Francisco is not known for its summer – these little getaways are so great!
Do you have any trips planned?
Also, how great is this house we drove by … quintessential Palm Springs!
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I have long held that I have no interest in liquid calories minus alcohol. Only partly kidding, but sodas and juices have never really been my bag.
However, in the past few years, as vegetable juices have turned {more} mainstream, they are the one place I make exception. Green juice in the morning is one of my favorite things!
So when this weekend’s dinner included dear friends Michelle and Bryan, who happen to be the lovely owners of local fave Living Greens, I couldn’t hide my excitement when they brought a few flavors for us. We broke into two to sample as a group after dinner – Mahalopeño {pineapple, kale, cucumber, jalapeño} and C Booster {carrot, apple, lemon, ginger}. Sooo good - even the veg-shy Mr. is a giant fan!
Plus, I think they helped stave off the effects of perhaps too much wine. And the bonus of a Coconut Smoothie {fresh young coconut water blended with coconut meat} in the fridge for morning helped any lingering ailments.
If you are in SF, I highly recommend checking them out! And regardless of where you are, it’s time to add juice to the menu.
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This past Saturday, we had a few friends over for an early Easter dinner. After a few busy weekends with work, it was my first foray into the kitchen since spring goodies started to pop up at the markets.
And seeing has how it had been almost a year since we last saw English peas, baby artichokes, and the like, I may have gone a bit overboard. But, truthfully, I hardly need such an excuse!
We started with ...
Fresh Pea & Mint Crostini
I essentially used this version from Jamie Oliver, but without the favas, as the one booth at my Farmer’s Market that had them this early sold out fast. Also, he recommends keeping the peas raw, which I find to be a bit starchy, so I blanch half and keep half raw to keep it super fresh.
and for dinner...
Roasted Leg of Lamb
It was studded with bits of garlic and chopped anchovy — a tip I saw in a cookbook while buying the lamb [alas, I cannot remember the name] and from this Food 52 recipe — and a rosemary, parsley, lemon zest crust. I am not sure if it was the anchovy or just Fatted Calf’s superb meat, but it was some of the best lamb any of us had ever had!!
Fried Baby Artichokes
So good – I rarely fry because it seems super decedent and what to do with all that oil – but wow, these were such a hit! There were six of us and 8 baby artichokes since there was a full menu, but I should’ve done 12 for sure. We could’ve all gone for more. This step-by-step from Food 52 (of course) also makes them super easy.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
Made simply with olive oil and flaky salt (I skipped the rosemary, as there was plenty with the lamb), but with a trick I picked up from GOOP – first boil, then drain and shake with the lid on, to fluff up the outsides, which allows for the perfect little crust once you roast.
Asparagus Mimosa
This traditional method keeps asparagus super simple but the additional of grated eggs and capers makes it particularly springy. You could wing it, but I used the recipe from Plenty (a favorite veg-centric cookbook).
Little Gems with Lemon Vinaigrette
This dressing from April Bloomfield is crazy good – and super puckery, which is a great balance to all the richness above.
and for dessert...
lest you think we ended there, in addition to the copious amounts of wine, dessert was a riff on this Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble from 101 cookbooks. I didn’t think we needed a whole baked option, and rhubarb hasn’t shown up quite yet, so I turned it into a sundae of sorts.
Vanilla Ice Cream with Balsamic Strawberries & Black Pepper-Pine Nut Crumble
I baked the crumb topping on its own from the recipe, and used it in place of nuts for the crunch in the sundaes, and the ice cream was my favorite vanilla from David Lebovitz.
Such a feast, combined with good company (and perhaps an impromptu dance party) made for the perfect night!
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Don’t mind me if I am a bit distracted, but it is hard to concentrate when know that just a few hours are separating me from my MegaMillions!
I’m generally not a lotto gal, but at $540 million, the $5 quick picks are worth it for the day dreams alone…
Do you have a ticket in hand? What visions is it stirring up for you?
I have a long standing love affair with pizza — good pizzeria style, thin and blistery but a bit chewy being my favorite, with a close second coming to those made at home. Now, without a wood burning oven, mine don’t always match the perfection of the professionals, but the fun of it all makes them seem almost better.
So it seemed obvious that we would have a little pizza party while at the beach. Always on the look out for a good at-home crust, I have finally settled on one that I keep coming back to – the crust from Mozza as featured in Saveur. They did a great write up, with tips as well as the recipe. Bonus that you get 4 pies out of one recipe, which is perfect for a group!
Although, I have been reading quite a bit about Jim Lahey’s no-knead pizza crust which I may have to sample, but it does require a 18 hour lead time. So basically, there is a good chance of more pizza posts in the future…
As for toppings, I think it is fun to mix it up. Here is what we did:
- Fresh tomato sauce {San Marzano, of course} with Burrata and Basil
- Brussels Sprouts (shaved and whole leaves) with Lardons and Mozzarella (no sauce, just garlic and chili infused olive oil as a base)
- Spicy Sausage with Sautéed Mushrooms and Mozzarella and Pecorino
- Pepperoni with Roasted Tomatoes and Mozzarella
We bypassed my usual favorite of broccoli rabe with oil-cured olives and I must say, I LOVED the brussels sprout and lardon combo. So good!
What are your favorites for pizza night?
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This past weekend, in a attempt to get some warmth and sunshine, we had plans to head south to the beach with some friends. However the rain that poured down on all of California derailed the sunshine bit, so we were ‘forced’ to stay inside and cook. And boy did we ever!
It was a weekend with lots of leisurely time in the kitchen, and long stretches at the table — engrossed in good conversation with plenty of food and wine. It was such a treat that I can now (3 days later) face the fact that it is over and download a few pictures. I was planning to put them all together, but there is so much goodness, I may space it out a bit, if you don’t mind…
And for the good part, Friday night’s menu:
Pimento Cheese (with homemade mayo) with radishes and celery
Panko Crusted Sole with lemon and tartar sauce
Roasted Potato Wedges
Coleslaw with a bit of blue cheese
Roasted Carrots
and, of course
Vanilla and Banana Ice Cream with Salted Caramel and Peanuts
And the decadence just continued from there …
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Two straight days of rain (and more on the horizon) coupled with the time change, phew, it’s no wonder that I am ready for the weekend. And arguably the biggest baby about both those things right now. Thankfully we have dinner tonight at a favorite neighborhood spot with some dear friends (and wine) and 7:00 couldn’t come soon enough!
What do you do when the weather’s got you down?
I am not the best with routine, wanting to change things up more than is probably good for me. But I know that routines are in fact good and even necessary, and some I even become rather fond of.
Take my morning walks with a friend – we meet in the early hours and manage to clock in some decent mileage, all the while chatting feverishly and drowning out our steps. And the views aren’t too bad either…
But even routines can use some spice, so when serious winds caused us to take a different route the other morning, it was so exciting to see the city in new light. I forgot what a fresh perspective could do for my psyche.
So perhaps this weekend, let’s all look at something in a new way!
Have a great weekend! xx –
Top photo from the new route, looking down at the city. Most mornings offer the Golden Gate and the beach, which is pretty awesome too!
(both taken via instagram)
