Kitchen Tool of the Week...

Index Cutting Boards

I don't own these & there is no way I have any room left in my kitchen for another cutting board. But, I love this idea! The set contains four cutting boards. Labeled for vegetables, fish, raw meat & cooked food.

Raw Tomato Sauce

This recipe is super easy & can be loosely adapted to suit your taste. This is pretty much the only time of year it can be made, when ripe tomatoes are easily available.
I had a bunch this weekend & didn't feel like ruining their fresh flavor by cooking them.

Begin with 4 pounds of ripe tomatoes. There are lots of ways you can proceed here. You can peel & seed them. Or, leave them the way they are.
You can chop them by hand for a chunkier sauce, or puree them slightly for a thinner sauce.

I don't have any problem eating tomato skins, or seeds. So, I left mine as is.
I did decide to puree them slightly, due to the fact that Bozo #2 can be fussy about big chunks of tomato in his pasta.
I did this in a food processor & pulsed them for a few seconds.

Next, mince 2 cloves of garlic & using the side of your knife blade, mash them with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, until a paste is formed.

Add the garlic to the tomatoes,

along with a 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves.
Stir the mixture up & set aside for about an hour, for the flavors to meld.

After the sauce has had a rest, boil one pound of pasta. I would recommend using a tubular, or spiral pasta, to hold the sauce well.
But, DH showed up, about a half hour before dinner, with some fresh pasta from Arthur Avenue, he had been given.
So, I used that.

When the pasta is cooked, drain it & immediately mix with the sauce. I like to throw in some cubed fresh mozzarella cheese too.

Serve right away, while it is still warm.

Raw Tomato Sauce

Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta

4 pounds red-ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, smashed into a paste with 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Chop the tomatoes, or blend in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
Add the garlic paste, sliced basil, olive oil & salt to taste. Mix to combine & let the sauce sit for about an hour to blend the flavors.
Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with some cubed fresh mozzarella cheese, if desired.
Click here for the printable recipe.

2009 Garden~After

I meant to do this post a few weeks ago, when everything in the garden was at it's peak loveliness. It's still looking great, but some of the plants have begun their slow decline. This shot is from our perennial garden out front. You can click here to see the "2009 Garden~Before" shot. It certainly has come quite a way.

{Globe Thistle}

{Coneflowers}


DH found these flower boxes in the trash & brought them home. I painted them & now they're happily decorating our front porch.
There was only slim pickings at the garden center by the time I filled them a few weeks ago. But, I managed to find some Bacopa, Geraniums & Verbena.

{Bacopa}

We replaced a large, overgrown Forsythia in our front yard with some new perennials.

{Petunias}

Ferns.

{Begonia, Diamond Frost Euphorbia & Lobelia}
I planted the Diamond Frost last year for the first time. It flowers over & over, with no fuss. I planted several pots of it again this year & love it.

Our tomato plants.
The cherry tomatoes are finally starting to ripen...can't wait!

{Verbena}
I used to be Petunia crazy, but now I'm Verbena crazy. Like Petunias, this variety is great for containers, because it trails. But, it stays healthy longer & doesn't get leggy as quickly.

And finally, our first summer harvest. Small, but amazing.
I must note that anything I've learned about gardening in recent years {because I am still a novice}, is from my sister, Lauren. She's my go-to gardening resource.
My backup is the book, Northeastern Garden, which she bought me a few years ago.

Fattoush

As I have mentioned before, I love Lebanese food. DH & I used to eat at a restaurant named, Moustache, on Atlantic Avenue, in Brooklyn very regularly. I always ordered the Fattoush, which is a chopped green salad with toasted pita bread, in a lemony-minty dressing.
I've never made it at home, until now. This recipe is very much how I remember it...delicious!

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees.
Lay 4-8" round pita breads on a rimmed baking sheet & toast for 7-10 minutes, or until dried & crispy, but not brown. Flip them halfway through, to crisp evenly.
Let them sit at room temperature.

Next, to make the dressing, add a 1/4 cup each of minced fresh mint & minced fresh parsley to a mixing bowl.

Add in a 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, the juice of 2 lemons & kosher salt to taste. Whisk it up.

Chop 2 heads of romaine lettuce & add it to a large serving bowl.

Then add 2 large ripe tomatoes {chopped},

3 scallions {thinly sliced},

1 medium cucumber {seeded, peeled & diced},

and the toasted pitas {cut, or torn into bite-sized pieces}.

Toss the salad with the herb dressing & serve.
So easy & so good!

Fattoush

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine: Summer Entertaining
Serves 6

4-8" pita breads
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, minced
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, minced
2 lemons, juiced
Kosher salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (or 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced)
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & diced
2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped (about 6 cups)

Preheat the oven to 375. Lay the pita bread out on a rimmed baking sheet & toast for 7-10 minutes, or until dry & crisp, but not brown.
Let them cool to room temperature, while you prepare the salad.
Whisk the olive oil, mint, parsley, & lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Add salt to taste.
Cut the pita in to bite-sized chunks.
Toss the lettuce, tomato, scallions, cucumber, pita wedges & herb dressing in a large bowl & serve.
Click here for the printable recipe.

Grilled Chicken Kebabs

I picked up copy of "Summer Entertaining" magazine, by the people at Cooks Illustrated. It is full of delicious looking summer recipes. Lots of which are Mediterranean in origin. I tried this one first & it was a big hit. DH declared that I must make this on vacation this summer.

Begin by cutting 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves into 1" cubes. Set aside in a resealable plastic bag, or a plastic container.

Next, make the marinade.
Put 3/4 cup of plain yogurt in a medium mixing bowl.

Add 6 tablespoons of olive oil,

4 teaspoons of minced garlic,

1 tablespoon each of fresh thyme & oregano,

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt,

some freshly ground black pepper & and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Stir to combine & pour over the chicken. Chill for 3-6 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat a grill on high heat for 15 minutes.
Quarter two large red onions

& slice into 1" pieces.

Then, seed 3 red bell peppers & slice into 1" pieces.

Thread the skewers...starting with 2 pieces of pepper, followed by 1 piece of onion & 2 pieces of chicken. Repeat twice for each skewer.

Lower the heat on the grill to medium high & cook for 10-12 minutes, uncovered.

Turn the skewers several times while cooking.

Transfer the kebabs to a platter & serve.

Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Adapted from Cooks Illustrated Magazine: Summer Entertaining Serves 6 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt 6 tablespoons olive oil 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste pinch cayenne pepper 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1" cubes 3 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded & cut into 1" pieces 2 large red onions, quartered & sliced into 1" pieces Place in cubed chicken in a large resealable bag, or storage container. Whisk the yogurt, oil, garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper & cayenne in a mixing bowl. Pour over the chicken, stir & chill for 3-4 hours. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread each skewer with 2 pieces pepper, 1 piece onion, and 2 pieces chicken. Repeat twice. Prepare a grill: Preheat on high for 15 minutes. Clean & oil the grates. Lower the heat to medium-heat & grill the kebabs, uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Rotate them several times while cooking. Remove when the chicken is cooked through & the center is no longer pink. Transfer to a platter & serve. Click here for the printable recipe.

Kitchen Tool of the Week...

Citrus Juicer

If you follow my blog, you know that I use this tool all the time. I actually only have the lemon juicer. But, I use it for limes too & it works well for either.
I love that it takes up little space in my already cluttered kitchen drawers. It's also super easy to use & clean.

Pasta Salad with Fresh Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Olives

This pasta salad has many of my favorites all wrapped up in one dish. I love olives, fresh mozzarella, basil, Parmesan & sun-dried tomatoes. I knew, before I ever made it, that I'd love it.
I first made it for Bozo #2's birthday party back in June. Then, again this weekend, for a small catering job I was doing.
Because I was making a large batch, the photos show higher quantities than what the recipe calls for. So, just ignore that & follow the recipe below for the correct proportions. Or, double it, for a large crowd, like I did here.

Begin by making the sun-dried tomato dressing.
Drain 1/2 cup of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.

Into the bowl of a food processor, add 1 clove of chopped garlic,

1 tablespoon of drained capers,

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar,

and 6 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add in the sun-dried tomatoes,

and process until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set the dressing aside for now.

Next, bring a large pot of salted water to boil & cook 1 pound of Campanelle pasta. You can use any pasta you'd like, but I love the shape of this pasta & it holds the dressing very well. Cook until barely al dente. I do 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions.
Drain the pasta & pour into a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the dressing, while the pasta is still hot.
The hot pasta will soak up the dressing as it sits. Let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

While the pasta is cooling, start the other ingredients.
Add 1/2 cup of pitted & halved oil-cured black olives to a separate mixing bowl.

Next, add in 8 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese {cubed},

1 large red-ripe tomato {diced},

1 cup of thinly sliced fresh basil leaves,

and 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Add to the mixing bowl with the pasta & stir to combine.
Transfer to a serving bowl & serve at room temperature.

Pasta Salad with Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Olives

Adapted from Bon Appétit
Makes 12 servings

6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoons capers, drained
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 pound Campenelle pasta
1 large red-ripe tomato, diced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted & halved

Add the olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, capers, & garlic to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Drain & transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the dressing & toss to coat. Cool to room temperature, tossing occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan, & olives. Toss to combine. Taste & season with salt & pepper, if needed.
Click here for the printable recipe.