things that make me smile.

7/17/2013

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there are lots of little things this week that are making me smile. here are few of them :) 


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my pretty 1950's inspired strawberry apron!
seriously, it just makes me happy :) 


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little bowls of frozen fruit!
I started with grapes , but with so much yummy summer produce available ( and affordable) I've been freezing all sorts of treats!


chilled pitchers of flavored water.... it feels fancy even thought it's really just... water!
my retro blue ball jars!  I saw these online a few months ago and thought that I haaad  to get them.. QUICK! before they sell out!  So I bought 3 cases. 

turns out they are in Target, Hardware stores, etc...  so the mad rush did not have to happen. It's ok.. I still love them.

and how about those super- bendy straws? just. plain. fun. 


pasta pie. have you seen it floating around on pinterest? welp, I made it this week and I'm kinda infatuated with it.


basically, you set up your cooked ziti ( tossed with olive oil and some cheese) with the ziti standing up all around the pan like little soldiers ( I used a springform pan)  ( so that all the holes in the pasta are facing up.)

then pour your sauce over-top, top with cheese and bake.  Allow to cool for a minute, remove springform pan and...


YUM!   I cannot wait to play around with other flavors... spinach and cheese... chicken broccoli alfredo..hmm...


unexpectedly having some of my kids here.  it's just so nice to have them here.. to enjoy thunderstorms, walks in the park, Friday night pizza trips and of course, the beloved Bonnie brae ice cream...



and despite that they are 18 & 20, they still love a good ol-fashioned tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich for lunch :) 



what's making you smile ? 
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as promised...grilled chicken with blackberry- basil sauce

7/16/2013

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a recipe! 

in my last post I mentioned that i have found a new favorite store....  Sprouts.

Now I found it quite by accident.... while driving around aimlessly ( my new favorite pastime in the afternoons ) and I * purposely * took a wrong turn and saw the big green sign and just knew that I had  to stop in 
now if you are from one of the few states that House a Sprouts, then you are probably thinking, " yeah, big deal"  Buuut , I'm a New England girl, transplanted and currently in awe of so much that is around me.

Trust me... I am finding an excuse just about every day to make my way to this store.


it's a cross between a Trader Joes, A Health food store, A farmers market, a high end butcher and well, its a dream come true for this shoe-less girl..

imagine how my heart skipped a beat when I turned the corner to see this

I'll give you a minute... I certainly needed one.   I bought 3 containers and went home to make grilled chicken with blackberry- basil sauce.

I started by marinating the chicken breast in a mixture of crushed garlic, chopped rosemary & thyme, lemon juice olive oil & s&p


I covered it with plastic wrap and marinated for about an hour. ( not too much longer, or the lemon juice will start to ' cook' the chicken, resulting in a less than desirable texture.


when I preheated the grill I started to make the sauce on the stove top.

I added 1 container of blackberries ( blueberries would work here too) 
a handful of basil leaves, shredded.
about a tablespoon of honey  ( taste your berries, if they are overly sweet, then omit or decrease honey)
a few thyme leaves
pinch of sea salt





cook over medium het, stirring often and in a few minutes, magic will happen.


now since I had soo many blackberries ( and I knew I would look for an excuse to go again the next day) I made an arugula salad with goat cheese, almonds and blackberries with a simple vinegarette. 

Grill the chicken to an internal temp of 165, let rest for about 5 minutes, slice into strips and top with sauce.


summer flavors perfected. 

I did go back and get more blackberries.. I mean really, how could I not? 

If you find yourself with a deal on berries this summer and want to freeze them, it is super easy. Just rinse them, dry them, lay flat on a plate or platter and stick in the freezer



once they are frozen, then add them to a large freezer bag ( this keeps them from freezing into a big solid bunch, allowing you to take as many as you need at a time for the rest of the season) 

I froze 3 batches of these babies.

I can hardly wait for the next sale!

xoxoxo~ shel
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