Disclaimer

Vegetarian food is not good for kitties.  Unless it's my nieces' cat Trixie (not the kitty in the pic, though similar looking), who I'll have to bond with over spinach.  =)

Marinated Cauliflower, Olive & Arugula Salad

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
6 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets (about 6 cups)
2 cups Kalamata olives, pitted, halved
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
16 cups arugula (about 10oz)

1) Whisk vinegar and mustard in small bowl; gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper. Combine cauliflower, olives, and celery in large bowl. Add 3/4 cup dressing; toss to coat. Cover salad and remaining dressing separately; chill overnight.
2) Mix green onions and parsley into salad. Arrange arugula on platter; drizzle with remaining dressing. Top arugula with cauliflower mixture. Sprinkle with pepper.

Review: Once again, I substituted baby spinach for the arugula. I think it’s a better taste, but it’s also a better bargain. We buy a big box of organic baby spinach every week at Costco for less than $4. I really liked this and thought it had a great tang to it. However, Mike thought it was too bitter. I’m sure that could be remedied with some tweaking of the dressing.

Creamy Pasta With Peas

coarse salt and ground pepper
12 oz farfalle pasta
1 pkg (10oz) frozen green peas
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs pine nuts
1 bunch (5oz) arugula, tough stems removed, chopped

1) In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; add peas 1 minute before end of cooking. Drain; return pasta and peas to pot.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet, combine cream and chicken broth; simmer until thickened slightly, 7 minutes. Stir in Parmesan until melted.
3) Add sauce to pasta and peas; toss to combine. Season with salt. Divide half the pasta among serving bowls; reserve remaining in pot for the adults.
4) Toast pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add to reserved pasta along with arugula; season with pepper. Toss to combine, and serve immediately.

Review: I substituted baby spinach for the arugula, because it’s much easier to find in Idaho. It worked just fine. I have learned that combining vegetable broth and cream is an incredibly yummy sauce that I fall in love with each time I make it. However, each time I look at a new recipe using the combo, I think it sounds weird. It’s incredibly savory and easy to make, though.

Gardening

Idaho has not been good to us this year.  It has snowed in May and both May and June have given us hail.  We've also had a slew of freezing temps after I planted my garden.

Despite this, we have baby strawberries!!!  And my heirloom tomato is blooming.  My squash plants are slowly growing, my bell pepper seems frozen in time and my morning glories seem to be too scared to venture out of the soil.  Ah, but I still have hope!!

Vacationing In France

I won a trip to France and have been enjoying my week in La Baule.  I get to stay at a 5 star restaurant and get one gourmet meal a day.  I've had some incredibly fancy appetizers and desserts.  My favorite so far was a puff pastry filled with goat cheese and honey.  Mmmm.  However, my entrees have been a little less than spectacular.  Why?  Apparently France doesn't have many vegetarians.  The wait staff and chef have been incredibly gracious in designing dishes for me, but are admittedly at a loss for ideas.  Bummer.

Oh, and I may have committed a cardinal sin, per my New Haven CT friends.  I ate French pizza and LOOOOOOOOVED it.  The crust was so thin and flaky, there were spices on the bottom of the crust and the flavor combination was wonderful.  I may now be banned from Wooster Street . . . .

But, I do plan on learning how to make chocolate croissants.  Yum.

 creamed asparagus with goat cheese

 ice cream with Grand Marnier brulee and a cookie

chocolate cake

Southwestern Salad With Avocado-Lime Dressing

2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 15oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado
3/4 cup prepared (not chunky) salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
3 Tbs lime juice
4 drops Tabasco sauce, optional
1/3 cup crushed corn tortilla chips (about 20 chips)

1) Combine lettuce, beans, tomatoes and corn in a bowl. Sprinkle green onions and cilantro on top.
2) Mash avocado in separate bowl, and whisk in salsa, sour cream and lime juice. Season with hot sauce (if using), and salt and pepper, if desired. Pour dressing over salad, toss well, and top with crushed corn chips.

Review: I let Mike mix things up and it ended up not being a layered salad. We used spinach instead of romaine lettuce, two cans of beans and I quartered the tomatoes. I ended up forgetting to put in the cilantro and left out the scallions. I used a small can of salsa from the ethnic aisle and it had a great, chipotle flavor. I loved this salad, but Mike thought I made it too hot.

Hominy Salad With Basil Shallot Vinaigrette

1 small shallot, minced (2 Tbs)
2 Tbs white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1 15oz can white hominy, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed
1 cup halved grape or teardrop tomatoes
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup crumbled fresh goat cheese or shaved Asiago cheese

1) Whisk together shallot and vinegar in small bowl. Whisk in oil until emulsified, then whisk in basil. Add white pepper and salt, if desired.
2) Toss together hominy, lima beans, tomatoes and bell pepper in serving bowl. Drizzle with dressing, and toss again to coat. Sprinkle with cheese, and serve.

Review: My shallot yielded more than 2 Tbs, but I didn’t think too much of it. After serving a bowl, I regretted using the whole shallot. Whoo, it was overpowering! Make sure not to use too much, and you’ll love this dish. It had a great mix of vegetables and flavors. I’d recommend doubling the recipe to make it a main dish. And, once again, I wish champagne vinegar wasn’t horribly expensive. I’m watching for it at T.J. Maxx, but have not scored a deal yet.