Spring, Asparagus, and Ditalini… What???

This is ditalini…..

Everybody is talking about spring.

Wondering if winter is ever going to let go here in Virginia. Looking forward to warmer weather and longer days. I think I’ve mentioned spring in all my blogs this week.

It’s also asparagus season. I haven’t heard anyone talking much about that.

I know I haven’t heard anyone talking about ditalini.

Well, I love asparagus, and I want to start an asparagus bed this year. Which means I want the ZMan to start an asparagus bed this year.

So, in the spirit of celebrating spring, asparagus, and ditalini and looking forward to warmer weather, I made this lovely asparagus ditalini pasta salad this week.

Asparagus Ditalini Pasta Salad

1 box of ditalini pasta
1 bunch of asparagus – chopped
¼ cup of good olive oil
1 can of dark red kidney beans – drained and rinsed
1 can of artichoke hearts in brine – drained and lightly chopped
2 red bell peppers – chopped
1 can of large olives – sliced in half
1 ½ cup of feta cheese – crumbled
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil pasta by box instructions. Don’t forget to salt the pasta water. In the last 2 minutes of the boiling time add the asparagus. Drain and let cool. Transfer pasta and asparagus to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

I like using ditalini pasta for this salad because the chopped asparagus is the same shape and size as the pasta.

This is a great summer salad for entertaining as it does not have mayonnaise to worry about spoiling.

The measurements don’t have to be exact (it’s a salad) and you can add more or less of any ingredient if you choose.

This is another recipe where I have to suggest using a really good olive oil. It really makes a difference.

Serving this with some grilled lemon chicken…. Well, YUM!!!

I suppose this is my attempt to will warmer weather our way… As I look out the window and the snow is falling and we already have about 3 inches on the ground.

Oh well, let them eat ditalini.

Y’all Take Care!

Lori

It’s About Time To Talk DIRT

I LOVE to cook. I love the entire process, the shopping, the chopping, the mixing, the cooking, the smelling, and the eating.

That’s why when I couldn’t cook a decent meal not too long ago in the early stages of stopping smoking, I’m not gonna lie, it really SUCKED! Not only was I not having fun, but everything I made tasted awful and ended up in the trash.

Well, fast forward a few weeks and I’m doing ok now. Disclaimer here… I’m not a trained chef, as a matter of fact I’ve only been trained in the school of my Mother, Food Network and Cooking Channel.

My Mother (I Love You!) taught me how to preserve food. As a child I remember many of the meals being from food we had “put up” from my Father’s (I Love You!) garden. (Working the garden back then, well that’s another post for another day, but what wonderful memories they are. I always thought my Father could plant a rock and get a tomato. I also was about 14 years old before I figured out my name wasn’t weed the beans!)

The ZMan is an excellent gardener too…

As you can see these are pictures of last years garden.

We have already started some of our seeds, just waiting for them to start popping up.

We “put up” a lot of the food from the gardens too, but there is no better taste than fresh from ZMan’s garden to my table.

Me and the ZMan have a very special date night when the potatoes are ready to dig.

The ZMan digs me some new potatoes from the garden and I make salt potatoes and grill steaks. We eat our dinner outside by the pool and when we take that first bite of our garden potatoes that are dripping with butter infused olive oil…. it’s… it’s just…. it’s just Mmmmmmmmm!!!! YUM!!!!

Hands down that is the best bite of food I have all year. It’s my favorite.

My mouth is watering right now.

We plant two decent size gardens with the usuals such as potatoes, several varieties of tomatoes, green beans, bell and jalapeno peppers, lettuce, cabbage, brussel sprouts, yellow and green squash, watermelon, and a decent variety of herbs.

It’s supposed to be about 70 this Saturday, so I plan to play in the dirt a bit and get the herb beds and big planter pots ready for planting.

I can’t wait!!! It’s been a long hard winter and we are ready for Spring!!!

Hhhmmm, by the way… What DIRT did you think I was gonna talk about??? Ah Ha Ha, shame on you 🙂

We would love to know what your garden plans are. If you have any gardening questions for the ZMan, I might be able to get him to answer your questions in a post.

Y’all take care!

P.S. salt potatoes are just whole potatoes boiled in very salty water. The water should remind you of the ocean, that’s how salty it should be. (kosher salt, please)

Lori

Because It’s Good For You….

I’m not at all a big fan of eating something just because it’s good for me. I’ve got to like it, and it’s got to taste good for it to be good for me, otherwise it’s not happening.

Yogurt for example. I use plain greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream all the time. But, to just dig into a cup of yogurt and eat it isn’t happening. I want to like to eat yogurt, but I just don’t. I think it’s a texture thing.

The Zman likes the cookie jar filled with granola or trail mix, so he can grab a handful from time to time in passing. Honestly, he doesn’t eat unless I say EAT! Actually, I keep the cookie jar full to prevent me from finding him sprawled out on the floor from starvation. I swear the man can go all day without a bite to eat. I don’t get it. I literally wake up thinking about food and what I’m going to make today. I guess that’s one of those Mars and Venus things. Whatever…

Anyway…. here is a picture of our cookie jar with my latest wonderful granola recipe in it.

I found a recipe for olive oil granola on the Dinner A Love Story website (one of my favorite sites) and adapted it to what I had on hand. It was a snow day, I wanted to cook so I used what I had and it turned out great!

I know what you’re thinking…. Olive oil granola??? What???

Well let me tell you it’s awesome.

And if you’re not using predominantly olive oil or coconut oil in your recipes, you are missing out. That is just about all I ever use. Sure, if I’m frying something (which is a rare occasion) then I will use canola oil. Otherwise it’s olive or coconut oil.

Another confession, I am an olive oil snob. Actually, I am an olive oil and balsamic vinegar snob. Here is a few bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar that I use. But, only in recipes that have a few ingredients where you want the flavors to shine through.

Yes, they are a bit pricy…. but a little goes a long way because the flavors are so prominent.

Oh, a drizzle of each over roasted veggies, salad, fresh fruit, or to dip fresh-baked bread in…. OMG, it’s just bliss.

You’ll need to try it. Trust me. The flavor that you get from good olive oil and balsamic vinegar is not something you should miss.

When I run out I get the bottles refilled, so there is nothing going into the garbage as waste. Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.

I’ve used the big box store, big bottles of olive oil for years, and I still have it on hand when I need an oil to “cook” with. But honestly, those big bottle oils do not have much flavor. Well, not enough flavor to use in this recipe.

I mean if you’re going to make olive oil granola, then you need to use the good stuff.

Olive & Coconut Oil Granola

4 cups of oats (not quick cook)
1 1/2 cup of raisins
1 cup of walnuts
1 Tbsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of salt
1/3 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of good honey
3/4 cup of good olive oil
1/2 cup of coconut oil (that has been warmed to a liquid form)

Mix the first 6 ingredients together then add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread out on two large baking sheet (with sides) and bake at 300 for 45 minutes. Half way through the baking time, you’ll want to flip and mix the granola so it bakes evenly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Store in airtight container, or cookie jar just ’cause it’s pretty, and I like pretty things.

You can substitute any dried fruits and any nuts you prefer.

Guess what….. it’s absolutely AWESOME on a cup of greek yogurt. And now I can feel good about eating something just “because it’s good for me” (I also save my empty yogurt container to start my garden seeds / plants in) Always trying to think…… Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle.

Y’all take care!

Lori

Friday Fun with Lori Likes….

It’s Friday, It’s Friday!!! Yea Yea, Yea Yea! It’s Friday, It’s Friday!!! Yea Yea, Yea Yea.

Go ahead you know you want to.

Nobody’s looking. Do it. Sing with me.

It’s Friday, It’s Friday!!! Yea Yea, Yea Yea!!

Thank you, I feel much better now, knowing I’m part of your day. FA-REAKY! 🙂

Don’t forget to “spring forward” this weekend. Set your clocks forward an hour on Saturday before you go to bed. Yep, spring is on the way! YYYAAAYYY

OK, there are some things in this world that I like. But there are some things in this world that I (honestly) consider as must haves! Anyone who knows me will agree that I love my…..

Yes, I love my lipstick and chapstick! These are just the ones I have right now in my purse. I can’t stand dry lips!!!! I feel like I can’t talk without my lipstick on. And, I’m sure sometimes the Zman wishes he could hide them all from me for that very reason. Which is exactly why I keep them stashed around the house, car, and my purse.

And, I’ll also share with you that I love big hair. Yep, I love big hair and I can not lie…. (got you singing again didn’t I) 🙂

Lipstick and big hair. Yep, those are two of my favorite things.

What? C’mon ladies, we should NOT blend in with the woodwork! We are BEAUTIFUL!!!

So, pull out your lipstick and hairspray and rock the big hair and hot lips this weekend! Be proud of it. Be confident. Be BEAUTIFUL!!!

I hope you have a Fun Friday and a lovely weekend!

P.S. You know what this means, right? Another one of my favorite things…