t o m a t o e s & t e q u i l a

Hi friends! No, I am not dead - I am alive and here and happy....just haven't had any time to post! September was CRAZY. Let me list for you all the things that went on in September between the hubby and I:

1. 3 trips to California - one of them we drove out and back
2. 2 weddings
3. 2 rehearsal dinners
4. My sisters 30th B-day
5. 2 bachelor parties
6. 1 cousin visiting from New Zealand

Isn't that nuts!?

So anyway - here I am, back and ready to get cooking. Except that what I have to share with you today isn't even my own! My friend Katie and her hubby came over last weekend for dinner and she made this amazing side dish so I decided it needed to be shared with everyone. It's from SmittenKitchen, which of course we all love.

Enjoy!

ZUCCHINI SAUTE WITH ALMONDS RECIPE
(SmittenKitchen, Originally Inspired by the Red Cat, NYC)

2 tbl. olive oil
2 tbl. thinly sliced almonds
1 to 2 small zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks with a knife or julienne blade on a mandoline
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Few ounces pecorino Romano or paremsan, in thin slices — a peeler works great for this (you can just grate this too)

Heat the oil on high in a large skillet. When it is hot but not smoking, add the almonds to the pan. Cook them, while stirring, until the almonds are golden-brown, approximately a minute or two.
Add the zucchini to the pan, tossing it with the oil and almonds until it just begins to glisten, about one minute. The idea is not to cook the zucchini so much as warm it.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately, with or without cheese on top.

This past weekend was a friend's 30th birthday. My sister will be 30 this year as will my husband. I find that when people around me turn 30, it makes me feel old. I met my husband when he was 20...20 people! That is a decade ago! I just don't understand where the time goes.

It's like one day I am a carefree college student worried about whether my friends and I should make regular or strawberry margaritas, and how late I can stay out and still do okay on my test tomorrow, to suddenly, Did we pay that bill? and Shouldn't we be saving for a house? and oh by the way I need to figure out what the heck I am doing with my life.

I feel like real life is this secret that the "grown-ups" in your world keep from you until you are 22 and then it's like, "Surprise!!! Welcome to real life! ... p.s., it kind of sucks so good luck!"

I find that when I start to feel the burdens of being a grown-up, the best thing to do is just embrace it and make the fun times that much more fun. I can't change the fact that I should be saving for a house and that I have to pay my bills, but, I can embrace the good times I have with my family and friends.

So that's what I did. Totally embraced a wonderful, crazy Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday.

And, to balance out my crazy Saturday I made this healthy, very-adult like salad. Which also happened to be delicious. I got several requests from the party-goers for this recipe. Enjoy!

LENTIL SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS AND ARUGULA RECIPE
(Not Without Salt)

1 c. green lentils
4 c. arugula
½ c. parsley
½ c. olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 tbl. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 bunch asparagus
Salt and pepper
Parmeson

Wash the lentils then simmer in a saucepan covered with plenty of water. Simmer until tender but not mushy – about 15 minutes. Drain any remaining water after cooking.

While the lentils cook put half the arugula, the parsley, oil, garlic, vinegar, lemon zest and a hearty pinch of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed or a squeeze of lemon.

Add this pesto to the warm lentils then set aside. Taste again and add salt if needed, most likely it will need it.

Roast or grill the asparagus until charred in places and cooked through. Cut into 1-2” inch pieces.

Toss the asparagus and remaining arugula with the lentils. Top with plenty of shaved pecorino. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Last weekend in Colorado we had the most gorgeous weather. It was about 80 degrees (which here feels really hot due to what I call the "laser-beam" sun) all weekend. We gardened, grilled and ate dinner al fresco for the first time all year. I was one happy camper.

In the summer spirit, I made Asian marinated grilled chicken and this fresh, crisp sugar snap pea salad on the side. This salad is ridiculously easy to make, fast, nutritious and delicious. It was the perfect summer salad to enjoy before the snow came back - ick. (My sister-in-law calls the spring weather in Colorado bi-polar and that is a very good word for it.)

I omitted the mushrooms since I am not a huge fan of mushrooms. You could easily add other veggies or skip some of those listed in the recipe.

SUGAR SNAP PEA SALAD WITH SWEET GINGER-SOY DRESSING RECIPE
(Cooking Light)

Dressing:
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
1 tbl. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tbl. minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbl. oyster sauce
1 tbl. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbl. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt


Salad:
1 lb. sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 c. julienne-cut carrot
1/2 c. drained, canned sliced water chestnuts
1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. julienne-cut red bell pepper
2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

To prepare dressing, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger; sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 minute. Stir in oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and salt; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; cool.

To prepare salad, cook peas in boiling water 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Combine peas and remaining ingredients except sesame seeds. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss well. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

1 1/2  pounds  peeled Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tsp.  salt, divided
Cooking spray
2  tbl.  minced shallots
1/4  c. all-purpose flour
2  c.  1% low-fat milk, divided
3/4  c.  (3 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
1/4  c.  chopped fresh chives
1/4  tsp.  freshly ground black pepper
4  bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/4  c.  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

This pasta salad is SO simple (4 ingredients) and SO good. I don't know what it is about it - perhaps it's just the simple but delicious combination of basic ingredients. I make this often because I usually have the ingredients on hand and I can throw it together just before friends arrive or up to two days in advance. It keeps well in the fridge and makes an nice accompaniment at lunch time. It would also be good with some chopped olives or shaved Parmesan instead of feta.

You just can't go wrong with this!

PESTO PASTA SALAD RECIPE
(serves 8 people)

1 16oz. box of pasta (something small and curvy so it grabs the pesto well)
1/2c. pesto (or more, if you like)
1/3c. sun dried tomatoes
1/4c. crumbled feta

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Strain when al dente and pour back into cooking pot.

Add the pesto, sun dried tomatoes and feta to pasta and mix well.

Keeps for a few days in the fridge, can be served warm or cold.

• Maple-glazed pork loin (slow cooker - I also purchased a pre-made chutney from The Apple Farm)
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples
• Dinner Rolls (my Mom made these)
• Wild Rice and Barley Salad (prepared the day before, garnished just before dinner)
• Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes and Garlic (my Mother-in-law made this)
• Pumpkin Pie with Whipped Cream