One-Armed Saga of Simple Meals Continues

Every cloud has a silver lining.  Mine has many.  My very dramatic fall, complete with the arrival of fire truck and ambulance trip to emergency, surgery - I now have a titanium plate in my forearm - at least was on my left wrist - first silver lining.  Although you'd be surprised at how dependent we are on our non-dominant hand.

Another silver lining... my family

My New Pesto Addiction

I've written about David Rocco's latest Book Made in Italy , and I've shared a recipe or two already, but now I have to confess my latest addiction and I blame it all on him.

Love My Meat, Love My Butchers

I read a couple of articles this morning about Organic vs non-organic foods and the recent research that states that nutritionally, there is no (or at least little) difference between the two.  Although there is definitely the benefit of fewer pesticides and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in organic food.  And did you know that 80% of all antibiotics produced in the States go to farm animals!   But don't get me side-tracked...

Too Hot to Boil Water

Perhaps it will cool down later, but the last couple of days have been too hot to cook.   When I say to hot to boil water... I DO mean on the stove!   So last night's dinner, which was supposed to be pasta...after all, I am this week's Presto Pasta Night host... consisted of a simple salad to accompany another great grilled flank steak.   True, I already have lots of my own variations and a bazillion more bookmarked or pinned, but I was in too much of a hurry Monday morning  to actually look them up.

Good thing the awesome ingredients sort of made the meal themselves.  

Meat At Last, Meat At Last

For all my carnivorous friends who have been waiting for something to really sink your teeth into..

Grilled Chilean Flank Steak with Pebre Sauce

I did serve it with some lovely mashed sweet potatoes flavored with thyme, butter and a little pepper and ...

... a rapini stir fry.  If you're like me and find rapini bitter there are two things to try.... ONE: blanch the rapini in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, dip into ice water to stop the cooking, drain well and proceed to stir fry - a little oil, saute some coarsely chopped onion & garlic, add the rapini, toss, taste for seasoning (I added a bit of the Pebre Sauce and some drained fire roasted tomatoes to the pan.  Or TWO:  substitute broccoli for the rapini.   Either choice... delicious!

And, unfortunately, not a bit of leftovers.   Best part of this meal, everything is local and all purchased at the Halifax Seaport Farmers Market - flank steak from Getaway Farm, vegetables from a variety of farmers.   Now I have to find something to do with the gorgeous Swiss Chard and leeks before I head back to the market in two days!  Perhaps I'll try it with some Cavena Nuda - a Canadian grown wheat free grain I was given to sample... I think adding Swiss Chard & Leeks to their Mushroom Soup would be wonderful.  Then again, for the meat lovers out there... this Red Lentil Soup sounds delicious too - with or without the Swiss Chard.   Stay tuned....