Garnish Gently

More Mint
I don't remember the recipe on this one, but it involves melting sherbet and adding in frozen berries and bananas. Refreeze in fancy dessert dishes, and garnish with fresh mint!

Parsley Bonus!
And here's how we garnish a Loftus family favorite - spaetzle! Also, if you've never had corn from the Midwest, you haven't had corn.

Mint it!

Easy Cranberry Mint Romaine Salad

Here's a quick one I love. Romaine lettuce, cranberries, walnuts, raspberry-walnut vinaigrette, feta cheese, and fresh candy mint from the garden!

SWE Salad aka Lisa B's variation on Lebanese Fattoush Salad

Lettuce - romaine or any variety good leaf lettuce or spring mix
Tomatoes - I like grape tomatoes
Cucumber - the long skinny European ones preferably
Sweet bell peppers - red, yellow, orange or green
Green Onions
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Mint - I like to add a lot of parsley and mint

Cut everything in chunks and toss with dressing. Can either top the salad or toss in pieces of toasted pita bread. I like to use Pita Chips.

Dressing:
Olive Oil
Lemon Juice - equal parts
Minced Garlic - 1-2 tsp or to taste
Sugar - 1+ tbsp or to taste
Salt and Pepper

Add grilled chicken and it's whole meal!

Mac 'N Cheese Mangiamo

A few weeks ago I was in the kind of bind where I hadn't been shopping since before I left for Poland and had what was in my freezer and cupboard to work with in terms of making dinner. I was also coming out of a week of a body that was not very happy with me for switching time zones and eating heavy food for two weeks. I needed something comforting, and I needed protein. So here's what I had: Mac 'N Cheese mix from the cupboard, and ground beef from the freezer. Okay, that's easy enough. Luckily I was on the phone with a semi-Italian friend and foodie who gave me a list of ingredients and suggestions. Here's what I ended up with.

(1) Defrost meat with Olive Oil PAM on frying pan. Once browned, add minced garlic and minced onion.
(2) Make Mac 'N Cheese according to directions, but leave out the last 1/3 of the cheese packet.
(3) Add the meat to the Mac and stir.
(4) Obtain fresh thyme from Sarah's garden that has been hanging upside down in the kitchen for approximately 1 week (wohoo!) and chop dried Rosemary leaves from Shaw's.
(5) Add herbs while saying "Mangiamo!" in the most ridiculous Italian accent you can muster.

Stir, take a deep breath, and enjoy on a rainy day with a good episode of that TV show you love.

Joy

I believe in finding the joy in small things, tender mercies from the Lord. One such mercy is the bush of flowers that I get to pass every morning on my way to work. This particular cluster of flowers said good morning to me for my first two months. They were gone when I returned from Poland, so this is in honor of their memory. Pardon me while I spread some joy :-)

I Need Flavor Now Part II

Here’s how to put a little zing into your BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) diet (when you're not feeling well). For dinner after being too daring with your food: raspberry jello with fresh mint leaves on top or cherry jello with key lime pie yogurt stirred in. For breakfast on the go: toast two pieces of white wonderbread, put some quality honey in the middle, and enjoy as you start walking to the subway stop. For a nice morning snack: put pretzels in cinnamon applesauce. Remember, Chocolate is NOT your friend right now, stay away stay away stay away…

What Zucchini Does When You Aren't Looking

"I always knew... it was gonna be the [zucchini]!" A month ago I planted three zucchini seeds. They took well to the soil and grew into some nice little zucchini bushes:

Then I went to Poland for two weeks. When I returned I found that they had exploded in size. Observe:

My little sister and I have a favorite SNL skit that is about a man who is very afraid of plants. The best way to explain this is to show you:


And so you see the inspiration for the added security measures I took against my zucchini plants.

I know I am not the first to accomplish such a feat, but this day shall ever be remembered as... the day I blogged about googly eyes. Just remember...

the eyes are the windows to your face

so make 'em smile!

"I Need Flavor Now!"

So here's the deal. When you spend two weeks in a European country eating heavy food and working insane hours only to return with jetlag and a very angry tummy, you turn into me right now. After three days on the BRAT (bananas, rice, apple sauce, and toast) diet, I was becoming desperate to eat something with flavor [have I mentioned I have Belgian chocolate in my refrigerator?]. So I went foraging in my cupboards and lo and behold, there it was -- a pack of raspberry Jello calling my name.

Later that day I decided I should try freezing and drying some of my herbs to keep the crowded plants healthy and useful over the winter. As soon as I reached my designated chair of jello enjoyment a culinary voice inside my head told me mint would go great in that! So here you go -- the tastiest dinner I have yet discovered for the times in your life when pepto bismol is your only comfort.