Shrimp and Scallops "alla griglia"

When I think back on people who inspired me to cook, my friend Barbara tops the list. She was the first person I knew who was a "foodie" and she got me interested in food magazines and exploring recipes I would have never found on my own. This recipe came from her collection and I think of her every time I make it. The original recipe calls for broiling, but we've gotten excellent results on the grill. Makes a wonderful appetizer or main course dish - also fantastic over pasta. 


Shrimp and Scallops "alla griglia"
serves 4-6


Ingredients
1 lb. medium shrimp
1 lb. scallops
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup chopped prsley
3 garlic clovers, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry unflavored breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
lemon wedges


Shell and devein shrimp. Wash shrimp and scallops under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine oil, parsley, garlic, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper. Add shrimp and scallops to mixture. Mix until well coated. Let stand 1 hour. Preheat grill (or broiler). Remove shrimp and scallops from marinade. Gently press some extra breadcrumb mixture onto shrimp and scallops (this is an art...pack on too much and the crumbs won't get crispy, too few and you'll wish you'd added more). Grill on indirect medium heat (or broil on hi) 2 minutes, or until underside is golden. Turn skewers over and grill or broil on the other side 2 minutes more, or until shrimp is opaque and crumbs are golden. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Plum and Strawberry Jam with Rosemary

"Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken." 

- Oscar Wilde

This week I started a new job. There aren't that many times as an adult when you have to learn something new or  meet all kinds of new people and learn all kinds of new things all at once. So I thought I'd ease into it by doing a little jam making on Monday night. What could be better than handing out a little bit of fruity fabulousness to new friends?

The recipe from Blue Chair Fruit called for Santa Rosa plums - which are my all time favorite - but they didn't have any at the farmer's market, so I substituted a combination of Black Splendor and wild plums. The rosemary came from our garden and it was the perfect compliment to the fruit. So easy, and so delicious!

For baby H

It was pretty difficult to contain myself when I found out my friend Sophie was pregnant. Harder still when I found out that she's expecting a girl. (Oh! The fabric choices!) But I was secretly jumping for joy (and yes, perhaps doing mental "jazz hands") when she told me she had decided on pink, coral and turquoise as colors for the nursery. As it just so happens - great minds think alike! Now I just have to figure out what to choose for the back.

Avocado Sandwiches

My friend Lorraine got me hooked on these sandwiches years ago. They are perfect for a warm summer afternoon and, in my opinion, best eaten outdoors. If you want to go for gold, top them off with a nice bunch of arugula or spicy watercress. Delicious!


Ingredients
serves 2


1 gorgeously ripe avocado
goat cheese
loaf of your favorite crusty bread (we like Acme's walnut levain)
citrus vinaigrette
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Toast up a couple of thick slices of bread. While toast is still warm, spread on a layer of goat cheese, top with avocado slices, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle a generous amount of citrus vinaigrette on top. Add a handful of arugula or watercress, if desired. Enjoy immediately.


Tip: if you're doing a lot of these - toast the bread using your oven's broiler, set to high. Place sliced bread on a cookie sheet and be sure to turn often, watching carefully so they don't burn.

Travel bags

I was trying to think of a perfect gift for a friend of mine recently. She's got a big trip coming up (to Italy no less!) and I was thinking about that when it hit me. Travel bags! Of course. So I picked three of my favorite stash fabrics and got to work. I just love having these bags around, especially for traveling. They're great for shoes and dirty laundry, or for delicate things that might snag. They also help provide cover for things that you'd rather not expose to TSA or customs and the different fabric patterns make it easy to remember what's in each bag. So much fun and easy to make.

Favorite Minestrone

I couldn't believe the color of these beans when I took them out of their shells. They were a fantastical array of blues to purple - even steely gray. Incredible. I knew instantly that I would need to honor them properly by making one of my very favorite soups. This minestrone comes from The Art of Simple Food. Alice offers variations for each season - but I like the Fall best of all.


Fall Minestrone
Serves 8


Ingredients
1 cup dried cannellini or borlotti beans (to yield 2 1/2-3 cups cooked) - or fresh beans if available
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
5 thyme sprigs
1 long sprig fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 bunch kale (lacinato), stemmed and chopped
1 small can tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup bean cooking liquid


If using dried beans, soak overnight and cook until tender before beginning the soup. (Here's a basic recipe.) Save 1-2 cups of the cooking liquid to add to the soup later.


Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. When warm, add 1/4 cup olive oil followed by the onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes and kale. Cook for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic cloves, thyme, rosemary and salt and cook for 5 more minutes. 


Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Turn soup down to a lively simmer, adding the butternut squash. Continue cooking until squash is tender - about 10-15 minutes. Add the cooked beans, and 1 cup cooking liquid. Cook for 5 more minutes. if soup is too think - add more bean cooking liquid. Remove rosemary stem. Taste for salt and adjust seasonings to taste. Optional: use an immersion blender to puree a small portion of the soup before serving - to add body. 


Portion soup out into bowls, drizzling olive oil over top and adding a sprinkling of parmesan, if desired. 

S is for slow

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do 
with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver

This quote and a few others are hanging in the air today. It's a perfect Sunday: the sun's out, our resident mockingbird has an endless amount to say, and sitting here in the garden seems to be the way to start the day. All of the things I should do have been taken off the list. Instead - I think the day should be called "S is for Slow" - starting with a leisurely breakfast and a wonderful hike outside. Doesn't that seem right?