The girls slept in the morning. Does anyone else consider 6:30 sleeping in? Lulu still nurses in the morning before we get up and going for the day. We lie in bed and she nurses while simultaneously trying to pet the cat. It’s amusing, a little awkward, and a little uncomfortable. But the cat and Lulu think it’s great fun. After she’s done nursing/petting Calypso, torturing me, we usually have a slow roll out into our day. But today, the forecast predicts it’s going to be close to 95 degrees so I hopped out of bed, threw on a tank top, shorts, a bandana to keep my hair out of my face, and a little sunscreen all before I had even set the coffee to steep.
If you have ever been unfortunate enough to have spent a morning with me, you would know that this is highly unusual. I usually don’t even get out of bed before I have coffee in my hand. In fact, I usually start the morning by sending Kyle a text that is two emoji images: a coffee cup and a baby. Code for: come get the baby and bring me a cup of coffee (please) (now). But Kyle went to work early this morning so I was on my own to start the day.
PINSince it’s going to be really hot, I needed to get the garden chores done as early as possible. I started the laundry, poured myself a cup of coffee, and headed out to the backyard to water the vegetables, strawberries, and herbs. It takes a good half hour to water, especially when we have to give everything a good soak in anticipation of extra hot summer days. I watered the plants, filled the wading pool up for the kids, and headed back inside for cup of coffee number two. Then I loaded up the laundry basket with the freshly laundered clothes and hung them up to dry on our clothesline. So, now here I am at 9am, with my whole “outdoor” list done. It usually takes me until noon, sometimes even later, to get that list checked off!
I love tending to the garden in the early morning and enjoying it in the evening. Last night Kyle and I sat outside on the patio sipping rosé. The garden looked so bright and full and green. It amazes me how certain plants, like squash and beans and peas seem to double in size every day. We don’t have much in the way of vegetables yet but we have lots of foliage. Everything in the garden looks so vibrant and healthy. I can’t wait to be out in the morning picking zucchini, harvesting onions, trimming green beans… and cooking using those vegetables at dinner time. Of course, on a day with temperatures like today I try to keep the cooking to a minimum. One of the easiest things to cook when the weather is hot and the garden is green is vegetables tossed with pasta.
This particular recipe is takes about fifteen minutes to put together once your veggies are chopped up. I love to cook time consuming, elaborate meals, but not when it’s hot out. When it’s sweltering I dread the stove so anything that means less than half an hour of cooking time is wonderful! The bright, green vegetables in this dish soak up the garlicky oil, and the light heat from the red pepper flakes permeates throughout the dish, complimented by the pepper basil and bright flecks of lemon zest. This dish is delicious warm, or at room temperature. You could add a little sprinkle of Parmesan if desired.
PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, ASPARAGUS, BASIL, GARLIC AND RED PEPPER FLAKES
Ingredients.
1/2 lb. spaghetti
1 zucchini, ends trimmed and discarded, sliced in half lengthwise and into half moons
12 asparagus spears, tops trimmed, stalks peeled into ribbons
3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
large handful basil, cut into thin strips
kosher salt
large pinch red pepper flakes
extra virgin olive oil
lemon zest
Directions.
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the zucchini until it’s softened and starting to turn slightly brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add in the asparagus spears and sauté for another 4 minutes. Season with a bit of salt.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of water and cook until al dente – according to the instructions on the package. Drain and toss into a large bowl.
Add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, allow it to heat up before adding the asparagus ribbons, garlic slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss and sauté for a few minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and the ribbons are vibrant. Transfer everything from the pan, including every last drop of olive oil, to the bowl with the pasta. Toss together gently and allow to cool for a few minutes. Season to taste with salt. Transfer into large serving bowls or plates, top with basil, a bit of lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil.
One of my favorite things to plant in the garden, and one of the first things in the garden that are ready to eat, are French Breakfast Radishes. I love the way the little round, brown seeds roll around in my palm while I make a shallow groove in the soil with my other hand. Then, one by one I drop the seeds into the dirt, about one inch apart, and then I gently brush a bit of soil back over the radish seeds before I start on the next row. I usually do about three rows at a time, planting more rows every couple of weeks. It’s only a few days before the little radish leaves pop up out of the dirt. They seem to double in size every couple of days until their fuchsia-colored flesh breaks through the soil.
Pulling radishes, or anything that we’ve grown, from the soil is obviously the most rewarding part of gardening. Most things that grow underground; carrots, onions, potatoes, leeks, etc. take a lot longer than three weeks before they’re ready to harvest. Radishes are ready in just about 21 days and are the first thing to harvest, and therefore my favorite. It is important to note that you should be aware who you harvest a radish in front of… my best friend was visiting a couple weeks ago with her two year old son who watched my pull one radish from the bed and proceeded to pull all of the radishes out of the soil when no one was looking. Luckily they were ready to harvest!
PINWith twenty or so radishes coming into the kitchen at a time we are finding a variety of ways to use them. I’ve made Cilantro-Radish Salsa from the current issue of Bon Apettit; we slice them thinly and toss them into salads (with lettuce also from the garden!); we like to throw some in a bag alongside a small container of butter and Maldon salt to take along on picnics or hikes. The radish with butter and salt combo is probably my favorite way to enjoy radishes. That simple combination is probably the most classic and traditional way to serve them.
The first time I had radishes with butter was when Kyle and I were on our honeymoon in Paris. We went to a wonderful restaurant that our friend, BIll, had recommended called L’Affriole located at 17 rue Malar in the 7th Arrondissement, just a few blocks from the apartment we stay at when we’re there. The radishes were served alongside some freshly baked bread, flaky salt, and a small dish of black olive butter. Not only was it my first experience with this classic combination, but it was my first experience with French Breakfast radishes which are slender and long with a lovely bright color that fades to white at the tip.
There’s something about the butter and salt that cuts through the spiciness of the radishes, so you get to really enjoy the flavor of the radishes, with just a subtle bite to keep things interesting. Between the crazy amount of bread that Kyle is baking, and the number of beautiful radishes bursting from the garden, my favorite thing to make is toast with butter, radishes and salt. In essence this is another tartine (I told you I had more tartine recipes for you). These are the simplest things in the world to assemble… the challenge is keeping your kids from congregating around your plate with their mouths open like little birds and eating all of it before you can get any yourself. These little sandwiches make a wonderful breakfast, lunch, or snack!
Ingredients.
slices of bread
radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced or julienned
unsalted butter
Maldon salt
Directions.
Preheat your broiler. Smear a little butter on one side of the slices of bread, place them on a baking sheet, and pop them under the broiler for a few minutes, until they are golden brown.
Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool a little bit so the next spread of butter doesn’t melt completely. Smear a bit more butter on the cooled toasts, followed by a layer of radishes, and a sprinkle of salt.
Cynthia -Hi! I found your lovely blog via another blog. Your recipes are outstanding and I’ve already decided to try a few this coming week. I was reading through some of your old post and I thought of another blogger you may like – Jessica, she has two blogs actually – House of Habit and The Ma Books. No, I don’t know her personally! I just think your blog is intelligent and insightful and I think this is something refreshing and rather rare in the mommy blogging world – Jessica has the same sensibilities. I’m a grandmother now (loving it!) so I see things from a different prospective. So many blogs for young mothers seem to focus primarily on shopping and spending and I think this could be very disillusioning for young women – I know my daughter is tired of it. She would love your blog, she loves to try out new recipes – I’ll tell her about it! Thank You!ReplyCancel
kacieblogs@gmail.com-Cynthia,
Thank you so much for the comment. I will look up Jessica’s blogs. Thank you! … and please let me know how your cooking goes!ReplyCancel
We live paycheck to paycheck. We are on a pretty tight budge. We talk about every thing we purchase, even something little like a new book, baby wipes, olive oil, or socks. I recently went on a trip to Target by myself and realized how much anxiety I have over spending money! I often find things I like, or want, or need but then, as I reassess my cart before heading to checkout, I panic and put most things back on the shelf. I look at the things and think, “I don’t really need that. I can make do with what we have.”
Sometimes that spending-related anxiety is frustrating, but most of the time I’m grateful for it. I can’t shake my mom’s classic, and somewhat old fashioned advice, which was to always think, “Is that worth __ hours of work?”, before purchasing something. I think about our car loan, my student loan, and the our minimal credit card debt. I also think about the trip we want to take, the weekend we want to spend at the coast, and the gas money it takes to get up to Seattle to visit our families. Suddenly, the cheap “3 for $24” tank tops from Target start to look unnecessary and spendy – even if I’m still wearing beat up tank tops that are a decade old. Sometimes I make the purchase, but it’s always weighed very carefully.
When we were staying with Kyle’s parents up in Seattle a couple weeks back, I was looking around and realizing the number of times that Kyle’s mom has said, “That was a wedding gift.”, about something in their home. It’s funny because I’d never really looked our belongings that way. I’d never looked at our pots and pans, most of which we’ve had for ten years or so, and thought, “We’ll have that same pot in 40 years.” Part of the process of getting rid of a lot of our stuff is that it’s getting whittled down to the bare necessities and the things that are going to stand the test of time. It’s not easy to be “make do” people. We are constantly encouraged to the upgrade our things, to get the newest iPhone, and to want more. But choosing to “make do” is becoming a big part of our lives.
As I continue to simplify our space, I am constantly surprised by what having less stuff has allowed me to see. I now see clearly what we have, which makes it easier for me to assess the shopping cart accurately. It’s incredibly satisfying to save our pennies (and pennies is about all we can save at the moment), and knowing that those pennies will eventually add up to something more substantial… maybe even something substantial enough to earn our family some stamps in our passports.
Choosing to make do with what we have and to pocket that five dollar bill for something special is a really great feeling. Making do with what we have is a sometimes-difficult choice, and in the moment it’s easy to feel envious, deprived, and frustrated, but when I zoom out and look at the big picture and the years to come, I can see that it’s actually more rewarding and fruitful. I find myself looking into the future and looking forward to the day that I will cook something for my grandchildren in a the Le Creuset dutch oven that Kyle’s patents gave me for my 30th birthday and tell them, “I’ve been making meals for my family in this pot for forty years!”
It’s definitely “in” to want the newest and latest, and my way of thinking may be old fashioned, but it feels good to think ahead, and to really look carefully at the things we own and the things that we buy. If that’s old fashioned – sign me up! In fact, I’ll add it to the list of all my other old fashioned attributes: an undying love for films like Casablanca, The Apartment, and Sabrina; a thing for aprons; an addiction to PG Tips; a desire to learn how to knit; a real enjoyment for tea parties with our retired neighbor, Elizabeth; a love for silence; and an obsession with watching old episodes of The French Chef with Julia Child. Maybe I am a bit old fashioned… and that is just fine with me.
One other old fashioned thing I love is Old Fashioned Cocktails. It’s actually moving up the list to join Hot Toddys at the top of my favorite whiskey based drinks. For Christmas this year I bought Kyle all of the key ingredients to make a fabulous Old Fashioned: Fee Brothers Bitters, Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters, Boissiere Sweet Vermouth, and Toschi Cherries. I got this list of ingredients from my friend who’s a bartender at one of my favorite restaurants. He makes a great Old Fashioned and when I asked him for his list he went above and beyond and actually helped get me the ingredients. I’ve been experimenting for the past several months and what I’ve come up with is a simple, sparkling, slightly sweet, slightly bitter Old Fashioned Cocktail.
I used to think of Old Fashioned Cocktails as something you would have maybe greeted your husband at the door with circa 1950, while dinner warmed in the oven, you wore a cute (but functional) apron, and sported a fabulous shade of red lipstick. Is it old fashioned of me to admit I wouldn’t mind doing that? Maybe I’ve watched too much Mad Men… or not enough? Anyway, since it’s not 1950, I’m happy to report that I’ve discovered that these fabulous drinks are great while sitting on the stoop with a girlfriend; passing an evening in the garden on your own; or enjoying episode after episode of Orange is the New Black with your husband. The options are endless really, but the best way, in my opinion, to enjoy these cocktails is while watching Casablanca. There’s something satisfying about taking a sip while listening to Bogart say, “ Go ahead and shoot. You’ll be doing me a favor.” Or, alternatively, you could watch Sabrina because there’s also something satisfying about taking a sip while listening to Bogart say, “How am I ever going to get along in Paris without someone like you? Who’ll be there to help me with my French, to turn down the brim of my hat?” So pop in your favorite Humphrey Bogart film, or take this as an opportunity to discover one, make this cocktail, and embrace being a little old fashioned.
PINOLD FASHIONED COCKTAILS (I’ve listed the ingredients with my favorite brands but feel free to sub with your favorites.)
Directions.
In a cocktail glass, pour 1 oz. club soda, 1/2 tsp. sugar, one cherry, and 1/2 tsp of syrup from the cherries, and muddle until the cherry is well broken up and the sugar is dissolved.
Add in a dash of the bitters, cherry bitters, and a small splash of sweet vermouth, 2 more cherries, 2 more ounces of club soda, and 1 1/2 ounce of whisky. Stir to combine. Add a few ice cubes, and garnish with an orange slice.
Elizabeth-Loved this post, Kacie. And not just the *perfect* classic yet creative old fashioneds. I totally relate to scraping by, pinching pennies, and taking waaaaay too much time at Target to sort the things we really, really need from the things we can do without. Before this never ending recession, I wasn’t good at being frugal. Though I’d like to have some not quite as leans times, like you, I’m glad for the simplicity of it all. Consumerism is the worst, and 40 year old Dutch ovens are the best. Cheers!ReplyCancel
kacieblogs@gmail.com-Thanks, Elizabeth. In this little internet world of ours it can be easy to feel alone in the “we’re realllly broke” category. Cheers to 40 year old pots and pans, and hopefully some not-so-lean times to come. 😉ReplyCancel
Mary -I so appreciate this post because my family too lives paycheck to paycheck. Just yesterday I was mulling over my wardrobe and how I desperately need some new summer clothes but how anxiety-inducing it is to shop. I was debating taking a trip to the mall but ended up a local thrift store instead. Before having a child and buying a home, I did not hesitate to burn up our expendable income on meaningless junk. It’s difficult to simplify in our consumer-driven culture. I’ve cut Target out of my shopping rotation – it’s so easy to fall into the trap of a $100 trip when you only walked in to buy toothpaste!
I’m definitely going to have to try this recipe. Part of my husband’s father’s day gift was a set of whiskey stones as he’s a huge old fashioned fan.ReplyCancel
kacieblogs@gmail.com-Mary,
I’m so glad this post connected with you. The ingredients for this are a bit of a splurge themselves but they last for ages! Sometimes I hate that we don’t live anywhere near a target, but I’m actually really grateful! SO easy to spend there!ReplyCancel
gaby-loved this post kacie! we’re very similar, you and i. except that i haven’t yet jumped on the whiskey based cocktails bandwagon, i just can’t stomach them!
p.s. i’d love to Skype sometime! i’ve been meaning to tell you that for ages, sorry for the delayed reaction. what’s your username? xReplyCancel
kacieblogs@gmail.com-Gaby,
We are very similar! In so many ways. Whiskey is the only hard alcohol I like! I can handle a little rum if it’s in a mojito but the rest of it is too much for me. YES. I never use Skype anymore… but I should! If I set it up on my new computer I’ll email you my username!ReplyCancel
Lulu has become fascinated with my laptop. Anytime I’m using it, like now, she’s right by my side, laughing hysterically, jabbering nonsensically, and saying, “Dee-doo!” (thank you) over and over, which is how she let’s you know she wants something. It’s pretty darn cute, but also pretty distracting. I attempt to sidetrack her in the way that you might distract a not-so-bright puppy, by tossing toys onto the carpet behind her, hoping to entice her into a game of “fetch” that will allow me to get things done in 30 second intervals. It’s not working very well. We don’t have a big agenda for the day so I’m enjoying her antics quite a bit.
It’s a rainy, grey Friday morning here and I’m kind of happy about it. What I really want to do today is put on jeans and a sweater and get things organized and cleaned up from the week. We had a pretty quiet week, actually, which means that the house is in a state where I might be able to get it properly clean, as opposed to most other busy weeks where I can just manage to get it somewhat picked up at the end of the week. What I really want to do is to fold laundry during nap time while watching You’ve Got Mail and English Breakfast tea; clean our bedroom and spritz lavender oil on our freshly-made bed; organize the laundry room… pretty thrilling stuff.
At some point today we do need to go to the grocery store since at this point in the week we’ve run out of everything. We don’t even have cheese which means that most “random pantry meals” in my repertoire are out of question. Besides that, while I don’t mind a good panty raid, I certainly don’t feel inspired by it. One of the reasons I love to cook is that I am a goal-oriented person and having a meals planned, preferably things that’s exciting or creative or challenging, helps me stay focused and energized throughout the day.
With that, I’m signing off for a quiet, productive day with the girls, followed by a fun, relaxing weekend with the whole family. But I’m leaving you with my new favorite recipe, something we’ve made quite a few times already this season and a new cooking video for the recipe! It may in fact be another tartine! Are you sick of them yet? I hope not because I have more heading your way in the coming weeks.
PINPINThese Grilled Eggplant Tartines with Arugula, Feta, Green Olives and Honey was inspired by a Spilled Milk Podcast on eggplants I listened to months ago in which the combination of eggplant, feta, green olives, and honey was mentioned. Since I’m tartine obsessed these days, my brain naturally went in that direction. By adding a thyme-spiked aoili and some bright, bitter arugula, I created a delicious sandwich that offers a great marriage of some wonderful Greek flavors. This makes a great vegetarian lunch or dinner, and is perfect paired with a chilled glass of white wine, like a Grüner; or a great Pinot Noir. The ingredients for these sandwiches can be made ahead of time and pulled together, and easily assembled when you’re ready for a meal!
GRILLED EGGPLANT TARTINES WITH ARUGULA, FETA, GREEN OLIVES AND HONEY
Ingredients.
loaf of french bread, sliced
two medium eggplants, sliced into 1/4 inch discs
baby arugula
1/4 cup mayonnaise
a pinch of fresh thyme
feta cheese
green olives, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
honey
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Directions.
Lay the eggplant slices out on paper towels or thin dishtowels. Sprinkle the slices of eggplant with a tiny bit of kosher salt, flip and repeat. Lay another layer of towels over the top of the eggplant slices. Place a large roasting pan, with a heavy cookbook on top, to help press out a bit of the moisture for twenty minutes. Paint or drizzle both sides of the eggplant with a bit of olive oil and grill on medium high heat until nicely browned. Set them aside and allow them to cool a little while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise with the thyme and a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a little pepper. Smear a very thin layer of the aioli onto your toasts, and pop them under the broiler until they are slightly bubbly and golden. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.
Spread the rest of the aioli on the cooled toasts, top them each with a small handful of arugula, a few slices of eggplant, some crumbled feta, and sliced olives. Finally, drizzle each toast with a little slightly warmed honey, olive oil, and a little freshly ground black pepper.
Jess -I love the re-worked site, but find the font very hard to read. This is especially so on my iPhone, but also on my laptop. I find your recipes to be very tasty and I make them time and time again. Keep up the good work!
coco-hello Kacie,
I found your blog through Sally’s. This grilled E looks so good
for me to try and i also love your recipe site. It is so beautifully designed and love it.
I love cooking and will come vist your recipe note again. thanks for sharing your beautiful life.ReplyCancel
Lina -I have been reading your blog for a while now and I just had to pop and say that I love LOVE your recipes!
For this recipe, I was just wondering if we can replace the mayonnaise with something else?ReplyCancel
kacieblogs@gmail.com-Lina,
First of all, thank you so much! That made my day! YES. You could absolutely use Vegenaise to replace the mayonnaise. It might not combine quite as well with the olive oil for the aoili but it should work and taste fine! Does that help?
Well, the second half of our week in Seattle didn’t turn out quite as planned. In fact, it was downright rotten. We all came down with the stomach flu, and were basically a house of walking zombies for a few days. I didn’t think things could get much worse, but after being sick all night, I was lying on the floor in the bathroom feeling about as awful as I ever have, and Kyle called to tell me some very sad news: a friend had died unexpectedly. I got off the phone and just cried. It was about 6am and, luckily, the girls were still sleeping so I just laid on the floor for a while feeling terribly sick, and terribly sad.
After a day of recovery the girls and I packed up and headed home; calling it quits on our trip a few days earlier than plan. We got home on Saturday, after stopping halfway at my friend’s house for a night, dropped the girls with the neighbors, and headed to our friend’s memorial service. Needless to say, I’m completely exhausted in all capacities. I spent all day yesterday puttering; pacing from room to room unpacking and just trying to stay awake.
You know when you’re really, really mentally and physically fatigued and just focusing your eyes feels like a challenge? That was me all day. Meanwhile, Kyle who is finished with school now, hummed around me accomplishing things. He simultaneously baked bread from his own sourdough start, washed both cars, and built a trellis for the cucumbers in the garden. I did nothing other than vaguely think about what I can use this week’s round of fresh baked sourdough bread for.
Kyle is a bit of a perfectionist. So, when he’s doing something, especially something that involves fermentation, he takes it to the next level. Which means that we have been eating a lot of fresh-baked sourdough bread lately… which is just fine by me. I’ve been making the simplest tartines during the day; little open-faced sandwiches that take hardly any time to throw together.
This recipe for Tartine with Ricotta, Thyme, Lemon Zest, Arugula and Honey is about as simple as it gets. It makes a really light, easy lunch, but may just end up on our dinner table tonight since I really can’t imagine making anything more complicated than that given the state of things around here. Not that I need an excuse to make these; I’ve been making tartines for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! There’s something pretty fantastic about crust bread and just about any topping. I love that they can be eaten without silverware, while sitting cross-legged on the floor with the kids, or alone at the table with a good book balanced in my non-sandwich holding hand. This recipe, with the light ricotta, sweet honey, and bitter arugula is one of my favorites.
PINTARTINE WITH RICOTTA, THYME, LEMON ZEST, ARUGULA AND HONEY
Ingredients.
four slices of french or sourdough bread
1 cup whole milk ricotta
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1-2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons shallots, finely minced
a few handfuls of arugula
feta cheese extra virgin olive oil
Maldon or kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons honey, plus more for topping
Directions. Drizzle your sliced bread with a bit of olive oil, pop it under the broiler until it’s golden brown. Remove from the broiler and allow the toast to cool while you mix your ricotta and herbs.
In a small bowl mix together the ricotta, thyme, lemon zest, shallot, 2 teaspoons of honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Top each toast with 1/4 cup of the ricotta mixture, a little crumbled feta, and a small handful of arugula. Then drizzle a bit of barely warm honey, and a little olive oil over each of the sandwiches, followed with a little drizzle of olive oil, a quick turn of freshly ground pepper, and a good pinch of Maldon salt.
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Since it’s going to be really hot, I needed to get the garden chores done as early as possible. I started the laundry, poured myself a cup of coffee, and headed out to the backyard to water the vegetables, strawberries, and herbs. It takes a good half hour to water, especially when we have to give everything a good soak in anticipation of extra hot summer days. I watered the plants, filled the wading pool up for the kids, and headed back inside for cup of coffee number two. Then I loaded up the laundry basket with the freshly laundered clothes and hung them up to dry on our clothesline. So, now here I am at 9am, with my whole “outdoor” list done. It usually takes me until noon, sometimes even later, to get that list checked off!.jpg)
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anja_cieri - Lulu est mignonne! Nice second shot… Happy Sunday!