Last Look at Toronto - For Now Anyway

We're back in Halifax for the next part of our vacation....toodling about Nova Scotia, spending time at Camp Kadimah visiting kids and grand kids. After all that gorging in Montreal and Toronto, we're also back on The South Beach Diet Supercharged. The trip definitely sent us over the tipping point, so stay tuned for lots of great SBD friendly recipes.

That said, I thought I'd share an amazing dinner at my Cousin Arlene's. A trip to Toronto would not be complete without one of her awesome dinners. This time around, most of the meal was actually very South Beach friendly....

Pork & Chicken & Chorizo Skewers on the BBQ from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. I'd have to forgo the chorizo until SBD Phase Two

Grilled Green Beans with Lemon, from Weber's Way to Grill (I couldn't actually find the recipe, but the grilled asparagus, seems similar. I know she added quartered lemons to the grill....delicious and definitely SBD friendly.

Baby Bok Choy & Cashew Salad from this month's Martha Stewart Living - superb! and SBD worthy, so I'll be making lots this summer...once I find the baby bok choy, that is.

Okay, not quite so SBD friendly...but lovely once in a while when we hit Phase Two...Lemony Orzo also from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.

And the killer blow...not for quite a while on SBD - perhaps for the celebration when I reach my goal...but you can enjoy it anytime...
Angelfood Cake with Strawberries & Lemon Cream from Canadian Living Magazine. Arlene substituted Lemoncello for the sherry...a perfect choice for over-the-top ending to a very filling trip! So thanks, Ar...for all of it.

And for the next while, stay tuned for some very tasty South Beach dishes.

Presto Pasta Night #119

We are still enjoying our vacation but I do have to say a very big thanks to Kait for hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup over at Pots and Plots. Great job, Kait! and terrific job to all of you who contributed those delicious dishes. Can't wait to try them when I get back home.

Next week, Katerina of Daily Unadventures in Cooking will be our fabulous host. Send your entries to dailyunadventures (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.

And enjoy the pasta!

Presto Pasta is Coming

I probably won't be able to link to this week's Presto Pasta Night roundup until tonight. We are on vacation and running around, taking it all in before we head back to Halifax. So keep on checking Kait's Pots and Plots for this week's roundup. I've been sneaking peeks at some of the entries...and they all look fantastic.

Katerina of Daily Unadventures in Cooking will be our fabulous host next week. Send your entries to dailyunadventures (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.

Montreal - Memory Meals

My Honey (in white shirt) & cousin Sheldon

Montreal, my real hometown...born, raised and lived until I was 40+, is a fantastic foodie city. The French influence is awesome...from bread to charcuterie to five star restaurants. Greek, Italian, Vietnamese have made their mark over time as well. But I'm not doing THAT kind of trip. This time around (actually, just about everytime we come to town) is about visiting with family and taking a walk down memory lane.

And I'm talking about childhood and teenage memories, before I actually developed a sense of adventure in eating.

So the first stop... (actually the second - first was a breakfast at La Belle Province, the diner that is a close second to Picasso's which closed since our last trip to town)...was the Orange Julep, the giant orange drive in landmark for hot dogs, burgers and, of course, the very frothy orange julep. I'm still not sure about the ingredients, but it's sweet, thick and orangey. (top photo)

The Orange Julep has always been a teen hangout. And...dating myself, naturally, when I first started going, the waitresses (yes, that's what they were called and there were only pretty young things, in very short skirts and tight sweaters), who would come to the car, take your order and then bring it back on a tray that was affixed to the driver's window. Rock and roll music blared from the cars and everyone socialized. There was even a period when servers wore roller skates, but these days you go up to the "Orange", order your food and either bring it back to the car or eat at picnic tables. The dogs, fries and Orange Julep were as remembered...the burgers...not so much.

Next food stop...dinner at my uncle's. He's over 90 and can't get out so "the boys", my cousins brought Chinese Take-out.

Yantze Eggrolls - best in the world & BBQ Pork with hot mustard (my dad's favorite dish)

Egg rolls, Cantonese lobster sauce and...
"Ruby Foo's" spareribs from Yangtze (definitely reminded me of my Grandmother's kosher version served at Friday Night dinners) and because my cousin D has very upscale tastes...the rest came from New Dynasty in Chinatown.

Chinese Broccoli in a very tasty garlic sauce, Lemon chicken ( boneless chicken breast, fried in batter and sliced across served with a sweet lemon sauce),

Crispy chicken, some lovely noodley dish, a tofu dish (I left that for the others) and the star...my hands were obviously shaking too much in anticipation....lobster Cantonese...I'm still drooling about that one.

The food was delicious, but what made it all really special was the gathering of the clan. Five kids ranging from 8 months to 21 years old, cousins and wives catching up on "life". The cacophony was beautiful...just like being at my Grandmother's when we were kids...18 grandchildren, their parents (my grandparents had seven kids)...

So full...I couldn't even begin to decide which memory to feed today. I'll keep you posted.

We're On Vacation - But First a Lobster

We're on vacation, so I won't be posting as often as usual for the next couple of weeks. That said, I couldn't leave without sharing last night's dinner. Joanna will be celebrating a big birthday...I'll never tell which one...so the in-laws invited us over to their place for lobster. Of course there were a couple of hold-outs who preferred steak...more for the rest of us to share.

It was a pretty "Eat Local" meal...lobster from off the coast of Nova Scotia, local new potatoes and fresh mixed greens and herbs for the salads. And for the hold outs...Canadian beef steaks.

Here's the best lobster recipe anywhere from Clearwater who believe in sustainability and responsible stewardship, and the ones we had...1 1/2 pound/680 grams of the juiciest, sweetest, most delicious lobsters found anywhere.

I brought the salads...usually at local Nova Scotian Lobster Suppers, you'll also find potato salad, and I wanted to take it beyond the usual, very mayo versions found around here.

Roasted Potato & Garlic Salad with Mint (somehow, I don't have a photo...too bad, it's almost as pretty as it is delicious) still has some mayo (I like Hellmann's with Olive Oil) and some white wine vinegar. The real stars are the roasted garlic and fresh mint.

Instead of coleslaw, I made an Asian Mango Salad made with local mixed greens with blackberries as well.

The Birthday Girl wanted some of my Katherine Hepburn Brownies for her cake. How could I say no? Lots of candles to blow out, so Boaz helped his mummy.

Dinner was delicious, filled with lots of local goodies and now we're off to Montreal and Toronto. I'm sure I'll get some time to share some photos of our food journey. Don't be jealous.

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #118

Daphne of More Than Words did a fantastic job of hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night.

Everyone surpassed themselves this week...each and every dish is awesome! But don't take my word for it, check it out yourself.

Next week, the fabulous Kait of Pots and Plots jumps right in as host.

Send your entries to potsandplots (at) gmail(dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com and check for the roundup on June 26.

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. August 28th is available as well as lots of dates in the fall. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Thanks everyone for a truly wonderful roundup this week. Couldn't do it without you all!

My Baby is in Town

My angels now and....

...then. Not sure which photo I love more, but it's wonderful to have them both here at the same time. Last night we ate an old family favorite....

Grandma Hazel's Spaghetti

I'm sending it off to Daphne of More Than Words, our gracious host . Send your entries to her - daphnesu16 (at) yahoo (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. , August 28th is available as well as lots of dates in the fall. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

See you at the roundup!

Organic Free Range Eggs

Like many, I thought "really? $3.56 for organic, free range eggs? Almost a dollar more than regular - why bother?" Eggs are eggs, aren't they? Funny, because I always look for organic free-range chickens when I'm planning on cooking. I guess it's just that original sticker shock.

You can't really see how creamy golden these eggs are from the photo, but just the color is enough to change my world view on eggs. And (since I used my trusty calculator) it actually works out to - at most - 6 cents an egg more than the regular.

I won't even go into the health factor. You can check that out here. And all you have to do is google "organic eggs" and you'll come up with a host of gross facts about how regular chickens are kept. I won't link here...way too unappetizing.

Moving along....

That scramble we had yesterday...awesome, just add some fresh herbs (I used oregano & parsley), some sliced mushrooms and (for the carnivores like us) a few slices of pancetta, diced and sauteed until crisp, along with the mushrooms. Add a little freshly ground pepper and you have an amazing breakfast dish.

Definitely worth shelling out an extra nickel!

I'm much slower to shout about this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup. Fortunately for all of us, Katie of Thyme for Cooking managed brilliantly to put it all together early today. She did an awesome job hosting and every one of the nineteen entries are fantastic.

But enough about me...thanks all for your great dishes and for always being ready with a pasta pot (and post).

Next week Daphne of More Than Words, fresh back from a honeymoon, will be our gracious host . Send your entries to her - daphnesu16 (at) yahoo (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. July 31, August 28th are available as well as lots of dates in the fall. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Thanks everyone for a truly wonderful roundup this week. Couldn't do it without you all!

Thursday Delight - Boaz & Indian Food

I love my Thursdays with Boaz - yesterday we watched Shrek 3D. Of course Bo loved his "glasses" so much, he tried walking around in them...not a great idea.

I also had Indian food on the brain, wanting to make some very tasty looking treats from my newest cookbook...more later. Supper-making was definitely going to be a challenge though.

My daughter was going to come by with the baby, but needed to eat an early dinner because she was off to write an exam (she did fine, by the way), her husband was not quite sure about his ETA (shopping with his sister for an anniversary present for his parents), and my Honey, who was supposed to be home around 5:30 to get in his "kids fix", ended up having to work late.

All in all a very staggered meal. And let me preface by saying that although I love Indian food, I rarely make it. That's because I think it takes all day...and that's because when I do make it, I make a gazillion dishes. The truth is...most dishes are either very quick, last minute or long slow cooking that takes but a few minutes to prepare and then left alone, filling the house with exotic aromas.

These Palak Pakoras (hard to tell they're golf-sized balls from the photo) are the exception to the rule. The "batter" doesn't take long to throw together, but you have to deep fry them...no gasping, please. If you do that at medium high heat (360F/180C) they take about 5 minutes per batch (I can only do 4 at a time) and come out crispy, not greasy. So it took me about 45 minutes. My challenge was to do them before Bo arrived. Somehow exceedingly hot oil and a curious two year old don't mix well. That meant a very early start to the day.

This awesome Masala Shrimp & Avocado (my Honey's not a fan of avocados and he didn't even notice...just thought the dish, heavenly) took less than 5 minutes to saute after letting the peeled shrimp sit in their rub for about 15 minutes.

An old family favorite Turmeric Rice (very aromatic) is from one of my favorite Indian Cookbooks -Madhur Jaffrey's Illustrated Indian Cookery. It was easy to do between reading a bunch of new Thomas the Tank Engine books a friend gave us and him reading them to me.

And, because I never think I have enough food...I roasted some salmon fillets just dusted with a gorgeous red Tandoor masala powder. No recipe required...unfortunately...no photo either. But trust me, it was beautiful on the table beside that vivid yellow rice, light green shrimp and the dark green pakoras.

Oh...and did I mention that Boaz made the papadum. He was very good at pressing the right microwave buttons and letting me know when it stopped turning around on the plate.

When Life is Crazy, There's Always Pasta

Most crazy days, I make pasta because I've run out of time and I'm brain dead and can't even think about following a real recipe. Then there are days like today...hard to explain in a nutshell, so let me walk you through part of it....or you could just skip to the recipe, but where's the fun in that?

I recently received a copy of The Flavors of Asia which is a beautiful cookbook with photos and recipes from China, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Korea and India. More about the book later this week, but for now, just know that it had my head spinning (including lots of noodle dishes for PPN).

Instead of the usual blank after a long day of writing, I had way too many ideas....most of them having nothing to do with pasta and I really wanted to get my entry in to Katie of Thyme for Cooking, this week's wonderful Presto Pasta Night host. I bought salmon, thinking I'd just roast it and make a very simple herb, oil and garlic pasta side dish. Then I thought that, since I'm planning some Indian dishes tomorrow, I'll use the salmon tandoor-style. I have shrimp in the freezer and I bought some baby arugula because there's an awesome looking recipe in Jamie Oliver's new magazine - Jamie Magazine (what else would it be called?!), but I want to make either the Goan Shrimp Curry or the Masala Shrimp & Avocado tomorrow too. And will I be able to make these things tomorrow when my wonderful grandson is over...probably not too much (unless I start really, really early - before he gets here).

Big sigh.....so what should I make for supper? Easy - the package of fresh sacchetti in the fridge that caught my eye earlier in the week - the little pouches are stuffed with brie, ricotta and roasted garlic. How could I resist. Throw in a handful of arugula and some fresh oregano and mix it all together with my favorite Ran-Cher Acres goat cheese seasoned with cayenne pepper and has quite a kick. I fluctuate from cayenne to Italian herb or chive, but never, never stray from Ran-Cher, which has the best goat cheese in Nova Scotia - perhaps all of Canada....but I digress...and here is the very tasty, very easy...

Spicy Sacchettini with Olives, Arugula & Goat Cheese

So what are you making for Presto Pasta Night this week? Link to Thyme for Cooking and send your entries to thyme2.kate (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

And we're still looking for guest hosts for July 10, 31 and August 28th. If you're interested, just send me an email.

Eat Real, Eat Local, Eat Fine!

We've all done it...promised ourselves to go to a certain restaurant and yet somehow never make it. One of those restaurants for us is Fid Resto, in downtown Halifax. We've been meaning to go ever since we moved to Halifax from Toronto. Their motto...on their brochures, website and chalkboard is - Local By Nature. Dennis Johnston, chef/proprietor and his wife Monique have been long time advocates of using fresh ingredients and promoting local producers. Last year they did a revamp of the restaurant to make fine dining more casual and relaxed and more affordable. In fact, this year they won The Coast's 2009 Best Restaurant Award for their efforts.

And finally, last night, long overdue...we went and had a truly lovely dinner. But first, let me explain the photo at the top of this post...I personally love a restaurant with a view to the kitchen. It shares a very intimate place with the diners out front and to me, it means that I'm part of the whole experience, not just the eating part. And that blur you see is Dennis, really enjoying himself (you can't see the smile, but I did).

We arrived early and Dennis actually came out of the kitchen to make sure we were taken care of (and that was before I told him I wanted to write about Fid) - in fact, I'll be going back to have a discussion with him next week about how he got to where he is today (he actually grew up in Halifax and went off to France to hone his exceptional skills) and hopefully share some advice for us home cooks.

But enough yakking, let me share my dinner with you...in a nutshell....from start to finish...

For starters, we couldn't resist the Lobster Roll - juicy Nova Scotia lobster meat with cilantro wrapped in rice paper wrapping - a lovely play on a traditional Nova Scotian lobster roll (usually served up in a hot dog bun) with an Asian twist. It's worth the trip to Fid Resto just for this! And I do hope it makes it's way from the "daily special" on the chalk board to the main menu.

W also shared an extraordinary plate of local goose proscuito (cured at Fid and totally awesome - chewy, salty, and in a word- HEAVENLY!) served with tiny sour gerkins and red cabbage.

My Honey, being the carnivore that he is, went with the 7 Day Marinated Hanger Steak with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (and left not a speck on his plate!) . He's already got his eye on the the Portuguese inspired Roasted Monkfish for our next visit.

I went with the Farmer's Market Inspiration which is vegetarian and presented in a black and red bento box. Being a carnivore myself, I thought perhaps I'd still be hungry - or at least not satisfied after the meal (it often happens), but felt - for the sake of this post, that I wanted to see what the chef picked up at the market and what sort of dish he would create. In fact, lots of my favorite Spring veggies made it to the table- fiddleheads, asparagus, baby bok choi, tiny new beets and potatoes and even some Jerusalem artichoke. A tasty dipping sauce for the vegetables, some of which were roasted and others stir fried and all served with a heaping spoonful of the most delicious, creamiest polenta I've ever had....which is saying a lot, since I've never really been a fan of polenta. The glass of Annapolis Valley winery star Grand Pre Vintners Reserve Acadian Blanc (similar to Chardonnay) went perfectly with the meal.

And although we really were both full, we managed to share a dessert. It was hard to choose. Everything sounded delicious - Moelleux au chocolat; sticky toffee pudding; Fid trifle - but we had to go with a twist on one of our favorite desserts - the Banana Creme Brulee that took the traditional creme brulee to a whole new level. Not sure I can do it justice with words...perhaps a return trip is necessary.

So what's your favorite restaurant that makes it a point of using local ingredients and showcasing local producers?

A Perfect Picnic Standby

Weekend cooking often starts on Thursday at my house. Why, pray tell??? Because I like to have things on hand, since we rarely plan our weekends, choosing to be spontaneous most of the time, especially now that we might actually have beautiful weather and the opportunity to go exploring this lovely province.

And nothing says "be prepared" like roasting a chicken on Thursday. Three reasons in my house....1) Boaz usually spends the day and I like to focus on him rather than spend the time cooking, plus he likes it; 2) my Honey has an aversion to whole chickens ever since his summer working in a chicken processing plant...need I say more; 3) it's perfect for whipping up tasty treats like the Asian Chicken Wrap we had on the weekend.

Seriously, what could be easier than the 5 minutes it takes to clean the chicken (I like the Eden Valley Farms chicken because it's from local Nova Scotian farms) and then just pop it in the oven, stuffed with a sprig or two of your favorite herb, a chunk of onion or garlic, some lemon or orange and smell the goodness.

In crummy weather, the chicken meat gets added to quick soups, frittatas and of course pastas. Now that the weather is fantastic, it makes excellent sandwiches and salads perfect for picnics.

What's your favorite "have on hand" for the weekend?

Presto Pasta Night #116 Correction

Well it's official...I'm a ditz. I gave you all the wrong email address for Katie over at Thyme for Cooking. How can you send her your entries for Presto Pasta Night #116 if you have the wrong address?!

So....please send your entries to - thyme2.kate (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. There are still some open slots for June and lots of dates in the summer. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Delicious Roast Beef - Times Three

Normally, when I find a bargain at the meat department of my local grocery store, I quickly realize that you get what you pay for. Usually it's with the first tough & way too chewy bite. But I couldn't resist the Sterling Silver Premium sirloin tip roast ($7 and enough to feed four!)...and man-oh-man...it was delicious -not just delicious...but Melt-in-your-mouth-oh-my-G-d!!!! delicious. So delicious that after Thursday night's chaos - I forgot to take a picture...I ran out on Friday to buy some more. And believe it or not...we actually had it again for supper- roast beef two nights in a row!!!

It was just as tender the second time around and so I had to do a little research and find out a little more about Sterling Silver meat. It's part of Cargill Meat Solutions which has facilities across North America (and around the world, for that matter) that handle the brand and, although the label didn't specifically state where my roasts came from, I'm going to assume either Guelph, Ontario or High River, Alberta. And my eyes nearly popped right out of my head when I saw their daily production rates....4500 head of cattle and 3 million pounds of beef from High River alone! That's a lot of carnivores out there! Amazing...but let's get back to dinner, shall we?

Roast Beef with Garlic Mustard Rub

Thursday: because it was my weekly date with Boaz and we have way too much fun to waste time in the kitchen, I wanted to make something I could just throw in the oven and not worry about. So along with the roast, I made a tray of roasted cauliflower and baby beets and did a stir fry of beet greens as well.

Friday: lots of sauteed fiddleheads - hey, they won't be around much longer.

Sunday: After a lovely day wandering around the city (it was sunny and breezy and would have been a sin to stay inside), what could be better than a giant salad with all good things from the market - baby greens and asparagus plus the last of the roast beef and cauliflower. A perfect ending to a perfect weekend.

Eating Locally Produced Food

I'm rarely accused of standing on soap boxes spouting my points of view. And I'm often guilty of eating fruit and vegetables out of season...or that I just can't get here..like the mangos I bought yesterday that come from Columbia. And I'm aware ...very aware of our long, cold Canadian winters where the only foods grown are done so in a hot house.

But seriously people....when you can choose produce, meat and fish that grown/fished in your neck of the woods; food that tastes sweeter, fresher and ...well just better - why would anyone not choose to eat food grown close by!?! I hope you watch this clip and consider your options, wherever you live.

Presto Pasta Night Roundup #116

Once again, it's my turn to host this week's Presto Pasta Night Roundup, but first I want to thank Sara of I’m a Food Blog who did a spectacular job as host last week. And a huge thanks to all who sent in their pastas. I never get tired of checking them out and always, always, always find something totally new to try.

As for this week's entries... Spring is definitely in the air! So let's just get started so you can agonize over which one to try first.

Kevin, my favorite Closet Cooking genius, definitely knows the way to my heart....Pasta with Fiddlehead Shrimp Scampi...when can I move in?
Graziana of Erbe in Cucina made this lovely dish of Four Cheese Pasta with Marjoram which isn't usually my favorite herb...but I think this is the one recipe to change my mind!
Lisa of Lisa's Kitchen has another new flavor for me...Rye Pasta with a Sun-dried Tomato Sauce. I'm definitely going to be hunting for some rye pasta. What a healthy alternative to the more traditional.

Katerina of Culinary Flavors is under the weather-poor baby...cold season still lingering at her house. Although we don't want her cold, we all could use a dose of this comfort food...Lasagna Bolognese. Feel better soon!
Joanne..who Eats Well with Others, whipped up a very tasty sounding dish of Pumbkin Pasta with Trees. Now if only my two year old grandson would get over his "I don't eat green" phase...oh well, he's only here one day a week, which means lots of opportunities for the rest of us.
Kitchenetta of Got No Milk may not use real cheese, but this is one fabulous Orzo with Chicken and "Cheese" that everyone will love. Every week, Kitchenetta does a great PPN Follow-up post. Check out this last one. I was smiling all day.
Sara of I Like to Cook was missing Vietnamese restaurants when she moved from Calgary. I share her loss...just a few here in Halifax compared to a million in each neighborhood in Toronto. Oh well, she made an awesome Vietnamese Pork & Noodle dish that I can make right here at home.
Soma of eCurry made this stunning - and I know awesome dish of Pasta with Roasted Garlic & Tomato Sauce. So glad I roasted that head of garlic with our roast beef dinner last night!
Dellene of Cooking and the City, came up with this perfect Penne with Beef Ragu that had a secret ingredient...well you didn't think I'd tell you here, did you...go check it out.
The Sweet Kitchen usually likes to eat local (who doesn't when given the choice) and even though it's too early in the season for "out of the ground", these hot house beauties taste just fine, thanks. Spaghetti Pomodoro with hothouse tomatoes is an excellent option.
Margot of Coffee & Vanilla always cooks up something wonderful and today is no different. I love the simplicity of her Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Tomatoes, Garlic & Herbs.
Tigerfish of Teczcape almost didn't play this week. I'm glad she did - just check out her awesome Summer Soba Delight. I want a bowlful right now!
Daphne of More Than Words feeds us in two ways...great photos of one of her wedding parties (they're gorgeous) and a fantastic Spicy Seafood Marinara Pasta. Thanks for sharing both and best wishes for a long and happy life together.
Katie of Thyme for Cooking (next week's PPN host extraordinaire) made this stunning Tomato & Herb Orzo...is it not spectacular!
and my creation Penne with fresh local mushrooms, dried chorizo and Chimichurri, packed with lots of fresh herbs from my market. It really does pay to eat real food, from local sources.
Well that's it for this week and a big thank you to all the fabulous cooks for joining in the fun.

Next week Katie of Thyme for Cooking never has much to do...just kidding - I don't know many people juggling more balls than Katie. Anyway, as I said before when you were too busy drooling over her entry...she's our gracious host . Send your entries to her - thyme2.kate (at) gmail (dot) com and cc me ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com

Guidelines to share your pasta dishes.

And if you'd like to host a Presto Pasta Night Roundup yourself, just send me an email. There are still some open slots for June and lots of dates in the summer. What are you waiting for...it's great fun and a fabulous way to get introduced to other awesome bloggers.

Thanks everyone for a truly wonderful roundup this week. Couldn't do it without you all!