Fried egg with sauteed cherry tomatoes

I like to start my day with protein, so a gently fried egg on whole grain toast is standard fare for me. Today I added some delicious cherry tomatoes.

Preparation:
Toast a piece of whole grain bread.  I like to butter it, but that's optional. Gently saute an organic or farm fresh egg (I break the yolk as it's less messy to eat) until cooked through. That should be a minute or two on each side. Cook the egg slowly over low heat to keep it tender. Place the egg on the toast and then add a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the saute pan. Add 3-4 sliced cherry tomatoes and a few slices of fresh basil. Saute for about 2 minutes. Pour the tomatoes over the egg and enjoy! Tomatoes are a wonderful addition this time of year.

June in Provence

For years I dreamed of seeing the lavender fields in bloom, and my dream came true in 2007. Now when June rolls around I dream of seeing, and smelling, them once again. Maybe next year...

Happy Spring! If you'd like to see more pictures of Provence visit my Provence and Paris page. Enjoy!

The Big Salad

This is most definitely my favorite lunch. I work from home, so I can easily run downstairs and throw together 'the big salad' with whatever veggies that I have on hand. When I did work in an office I would make it for transport and dress it at work. Yes, I kept extra virgin olive oil and balsamic in my office, however, you can easily mix that in a small container and dress your salad right before eating it.

I start with chopped romaine, baby romaine or mesclun greens. All organic, if possible. Then add tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, turkey or ham, beets, and whatever other veggies I have in the fridge. For dressing I use extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic and red wine vinegar. Cooked beans are also a nice addition (for the vegetarians), and I love slivered almonds on top. I usually sprinkle with a little Pecorino Romano cheese, or you could use your favorite hard cheese.Some thin sliced fresh basil is also a nice touch.

Treat yourself to a nice lunch. Enjoy!

Arugula Salad with Chevre Toast

Last nights dinner was a salad with a side of chevre toast. I used baby arugula that was tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, a little balsamic and red wine vinegar. This became the base for roasted cherry tomatoes and whole wheat cheese tortellini. Accompanied with a side of chevre toast and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, it was a perfect summer dinner.

Toss baby arugula with a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a very small amount of red wine vinegar. Always dress lightly, as you can add more if needed. Greens taste much better when they are not drenched in dressing.
Cook a good quality cheese tortellini until it's just al-dente, rinse and toss with a little bit of extra-virgin olive oil.
Roast cherry tomatoes (sprinkle with a little olive oil) in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or just until they start to split. Salt and pepper to taste.

Toast a good whole wheat bread (I used the whole wheat from Pain D'Avignon) and then place it on a cookie sheet with slices of chevre (use one with a rind) and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Place the dressed greens in a bowl, then add the roasted tomatoes and cooked tortellini. Pour a glass of wine (or not) and you have a nice light summer dinner. It would also make a great lunch. Enjoy!

Mango Sorbet - thank you David Lebovitz

While reading a tweet today from another foodie (forget who it was) I came across David Lebovitz's recipe for mango sorbet. I just received an ice cream/sorbet maker for Mother's day so the timing was right. I've always been a fan of a good mango sorbet.  It was easy to make and tastes delicious!

Mango Sorbet - Adapted from The Perfect Scoop
Ingredients:
2 large, ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
5 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch of salt
Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth:

Pour the liquid into an ice cream maker and allow to mix for about 20 minutes:

Place the sorbet into an airtight container in the freezer (if it actually lasts that long):

Enjoy! I do love sorbet...so this looks to be the start of something great!

Pesto...another summertime favorite

Homemade pasta with pesto just screams summertime. Now is the time to make it, enjoy it, or freeze it for later. I purchased a large bunch of basil, which I didn't get around to using, so I made a batch for the freezer.

Remove leaves from the stems and wash well, being sure to rinse off any dirt, and then spin dry in a salad spinner. My bunch yielded about 2 cups of leaves.

Peel one large clove of garlic:

Measure out one tbsp of pignoli nuts and place the garlic, nuts, and basil leaves into the food processor. Add 1/2 cup of grated cheese (parm or romano):

Cover and pulse until the leaves are all chopped:

Replace cover and turn on the processor.  While running add 1/4 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil and allow to mix until it forms a paste. Place in an airtight container in the refrigerator (should last a week), or freeze it to use later. Yield is about 1 1/2 cups of pesto which is about the amount you will need for one pound (that's before cooking) of pasta. Enjoy!