Insalata Caprese, Tomato and Buffalo Mozzarella Salad

While studying abroad in London during college I took a holiday to Paris for the weekend. I got in late and was STARVING. After checking into my hotel I decided to go wander around and find a place to get a bite to eat. Paris seems to never sleep and there were so many amazing sites and smells all around me, but a cozy little pizza place called my name. After traveling in a foreign country, here I felt at home. This restaurant, of all places, was where I had Insalata Caprese, or Tomato Mozzarella Salad, for the first time. A classic Italian salad while in Paris, France! No better place really, it created a special memory that I'll never forget. What's even better is that it is SO EASY to recreate, and has become a summertime staple in our home.

Insalata Caprese

3-4 large Tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 large balls of Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella, thickly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, leaves stripped from the stems
Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Glaze

Alternate thick slices of fresh Tomato (look for nice big ones!), Buffalo Mozzarella and Basil leaves around a large platter. Season generously with coarse sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a Balsamic Glaze. And then dig in!


This salad goes with just about anything. We equally love it alongside a juicy steak as with nice dippy eggs at breakfast. Sooooo good. While the tomatoes are still showing up in your CSA bag and at roadside stands, be sure to give this recipe a try! You'll see it's the perfect kiss of summer.

And here's a little tip.  Instead of buying the expensive basil in the plastic clam shell packs in the produce department (that seem to go bad way before you have time to use them all!) buy the fresh cut stems.  Then when you get home, place them in a glass or mason jar of water on your windowsill. You can pinch off the leaves as you need it when cooking and after time, your basil will start to take root! Eventually you can plant them in a pot for a kitchen cutting garden or in your back yard!

Chicken in a Tomato and Caper Sauce

This dish comes together in just under 20 minutes, making it a perfect meal for a work night.  But the flavors are so robust and delicious, also making it special enough for a date night or when entertaining with friends.  I love, love this recipe!  Every time I eat capers I talk about how much I love them.  They are briny and salty, and have a unique flavor all their own. They should definitely be seen in more recipes.  Yum! You will probably want to have a nice crusty loaf of bread at the table too to sop up all the sauce. Nothing should be left behind with this one!

Chicken in a Tomato and Caper Sauce

4 chicken breasts (1 lb)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can stewed tomatoes, undrained (I used Italian style, but traditional would work also)
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in pan over medium heat.  Sauté chicken until nicely browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Melt butter in pan and add the sliced onion and garlic.  Sauté until translucent. Add the tomatoes, pine nuts, parsley, thyme and chicken stock.   Season with salt and pepper.  Stir well to deglaze the pan, scrapping the bottom to incorporate all of the chicken juices and seasonings.  Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Gently smash the capers on your cutting board to bring out their flavors and then add them to the pan.   Cook 1 minute.  Return chicken to the skillet and cook until heated through.

Serve over smashed potatoes or rice.

My Favorite Go-To Lunch: Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One- plus Homemade Montreal Steak Seasoning

This dish is my favorite quick and easy lunch.  If you happen to have some leftover pasta or rice, it comes together in seconds, and is easily adaptable depending on what else you may have in the fridge.  I make this for my family for dinner too, and they all love it.  But for some reason I generally enjoy this one solo.  I think because this recipe originated back in my college days when I was just beginning to really cook for myself. My roommate, Andrea and I would make various versions of this on an almost daily basis and somehow never tired of it.  I'm not sure if she still cooks it at home- but I sure do!  Honestly I really do need to make it more often for the family because it works great as a fast, weeknight meal.  It is fresh and light and just plain delicious.  

Quick and Easy Pasta (or Rice) for One

1 cup cooked pasta or rice (yay for leftovers!)
1 tomato, chopped (do not discard the seeds and juice, they help to sauce up the dish)
1 scallion, chopped
freshly grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
garlic salt and fresh ground black pepper (I like to use the coarsely ground setting for this pasta), to taste
Montreal Steak Seasoning, McCormick's makes a good one or make your own (recipe follows)
a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a microwave safe bowl and toss.  Heat in the microwave for a minute and a half then add in the tomatoes, stir and heat an additional minute.  You can also heat this dish on the stove top over medium heat, but I generally use the microwave because it is nice and fast!  Once heated through, top with another light drizzle of olive oil and a good handful of extra parmesan cheese and enjoy!

This is the very basic recipe, which I love as is.  Give me a big bowl and I am a happy girl!  But depending on what I may have in the fridge, I will sometimes throw in other goodies.  Chicken or shrimp is yummy, roasted or grilled vegetables, shelled edamame, fresh herbs (don't bother chopping, we are just making this up quick, remember.  Just tear them up and throw them in, either before heating or after), Uncooked leafy spinach (just let it wilt in the heated pasta), sautéed mushrooms and onions....

Montreal Steak Seasoning
Makes 2/3 Cup

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dill seeds

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce

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Caramelized Onion, Pumpkin and Ricotta Tortellini's with a Walnut and Sage Brown Butter Sauce
makes 50-60 tortellini's, one serving is 6-8 prepared.

Ingredients
1 package Won Ton Wrappers
small bowl of water

For the Filling
1 cup pumpkin- NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING!!!! (about 1/2 of a 15 oz. can)
1 cup ricotta
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence (this is a common blend of herbs from France, containing savory, rosemary, thyme, fennel seed, oregano, basil, and marjoram. If you don't have any Herbs de Provence or can't seem to find this in a store, any combination of these would still be nice.)

For the Sauce
4 Tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
a small bunch of fresh sage leaves, whole of roughly chopped
fresh ground black pepper

In a saute pan over medium heat, melt one teaspoon butter.  Once it begins to froth, turn down your heat, add the onions and saute for 15-20 minutes on low so they caramelize and turn into an almost jam-like consistancy.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin, ricotta, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and Herbs de Provence.  Once the onions are at the right consistancy, add them to pumpkin/ricotta mixture. Taste your mixture to make sure the seasoning is correct.  Adjust as needed.

On a cutting board, lay out 4-6 wonton wrappers and spoon just under a teaspoon filling into the center of each one.  Dip a finger into the small bowl of water and wet around all four sides of the wonton.  Fold in half, corner to corner making a triangle.  Making sure there are no air pockets, press down firmly to seal.  Bring both corners up to meet each other and seal with a bit of water, making a little purse-like bundle.

Set aside on a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet while you are working.

If freezing, put entire tray of tortellini into your freezer.  Once frozen, remove from freezer and divide into servings in ziplock bags for future dinners and refreeze.

To cook your tortellini's, fill a medium stock pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.  Once you get a nice rolling boil, add a teaspoon salt and carefully add the tortellini's.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, or just until they float to the top.  If cooking from frozen, add 2-3 more minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon.

For the sauce
In a DRY medium saute pan over medium heat, add your chopped walnuts and toast, tossing often, until they begin to lightly brown and give off a nice nutty fragrance.   Add your butter to the walnuts.  Once the butter is melted add the sage leaves.  Swirl the butter, watching it closely.  It will foam and then start to become a beautiful chestnut colored brown.  You will also smell the wonderful nuttiness the butter gives off when it browns.  This means it is ready.  Be careful no to overcook the sauce- it can turn from brown butter to burnt butter very fast.  Once finished cooking, remove from heat and add a couple grinds of black pepper.  Pour over the raviolis and serve.  The crispy sage leaves are completely edible- don't you dare pick them out!  They look so pretty and add such a wonderful flavor to the dish.  

This dinner exceeded all of my expectations.  The torellinin's were exactly what I had a taste for in my mind. The meal was elegant, rich, and very gourmet.  Yet it was so simple to prepare.  Scott was a little unsure of how he would care for pumpkin tortellini's, thinking they would be too sweet for his taste.  But they have a much more savory flavor, with just a touch of sweetness that balances out the richness of the butter and walnuts.  He said they were delicious and was very impressed with the results.  Jackson gobbled his up, no questions asked!  I thought for sure he would at least ask me what was inside the noodles, but no!  He ate every single last bite.  This recipe was a winner with my whole family.  I am so excited I have quite a few more servings in my freezer for a quick dinner- or a pretty little lunch for myself during the week.

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

For my birthday this year I got to celebrate with not one but 3 amazing dinners!  On friday I went on a very special date night (our first since having Owen!) at Jonathan Sawyer's restaurant, Greenhouse Tavern down on East 4th Street.  It was cozy, special, and easily our new favorite restaurant.  We can't wait to go back! Saturday evening we entertained at our house with one of my lovely sets of in-laws, Sandy and Don (check back tomorrow for the wonderful Cioppino recipe!).  And on Sunday I celebrated my birthday along with my sisters at my parents home.  A fun tradition we have with my family is that on our birthday's we get to choose what our birthday dinner will be.  Bonnie and I collaborated and we came up with Chicken Marsala.  Neither of us have had this dish in ages but both just love it.  My mom and dad did a wonderful rendition of Giada De Laurentiis' recipe, Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce.  The addition of the mascarpone cheese made the sauce deliciously creamy and soooooo good.  Thank you mom and dad for yet another perfect birthday.  Love you!

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, plus whole sprigs, for garnish
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain. Toss the fettuccine with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Swirl the fettuccine onto serving plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over top. Garnish with parsley sprigs and serve.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Spaghetti and Meatball Pie

This is a super yummy dish that is a nice change up for the regular stand-by of spaghetti and meatballs.  Everyone in our house loves it, including my 3 1/2 year old.  It is creamy, jam-packed of flavor and incredibly satisfying.

In the summer when the zucchini's are lining up our countertops and filling my fridge I like to grate some up ahead of time and store in re-sealable plastic bags.  This way it is super easy to grab a handful here or there and throw it into whatever it is I am making at the moment.  Spaghetti sauce is the perfect place to sneak more vegetables into your families diet.  When shredded or diced you honestly have no idea it is there, visually.  But it adds so much extra flavor and nutrition to your meals.  Your kids will never ever know it is there.  If you don't have zucchini on hand you can totally skip it.  This is a nice dish to add or subtract ingredients with whatever you happen to have in your fridge.  But by all means, if you have it use it; grated or matchstick carrots, sliced or chopped mushrooms, grated zucchini, chopped bell peppers... etc.  I have done this dish with no veggies except onions and it turns out good too.  But we all prefer it with the extra veggies.  

Spaghetti and Meatball Pie
8 oz. dry spaghetti noodles (half a box)
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 well-beaten eggs
1 lb ground turkey or beef, divided (1/4 for meatballs and 3/4 for in the skillet sauce)
1/2 cup sliced onion
1/2 cup-1 cup shredded zucchini (optional)
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 (8-oz.) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (don’t drain) or 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese (I prefer cottage cheese for this, but both work.  I use whatever I happen to have on hand)
1/2 cup Mozzarella or Moneterey Jack cheese, shredded

For the meatballs (makes about 4-6 meatballs)

the reserved 1/4 lb ground meat

8 ritz crackers, crushed (or 1/4 cup bread crumbs)

1 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped

1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped

salt and fresh ground black pepper

combine all ingredients and roll into golfball-sized meatballs.  Brown on all sides and set aside.  

For the pie
Cook spaghetti noodles. Drain. Stir margarine into hot noodles until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese and eggs. Form pasta mixture into a crust shape in a buttered 9-inch pie plate.

In skillet, cook ground beef and onions, bell pepper and mushrooms until meat is browned. Drain. Add to meat mixture, tomatoes, zucchini, tomato paste, oregano and garlic. Heat through. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust.

Top with tomato/meat mixture.  Cut the meatballs in half and arrange on top.

Sprinkle grated cheese over all.

Lightly cover pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is lightly browned.  Cut into pie wedges and serve.

Special Note: You can also prepare this dish ahead of time and freeze for later.  If you want to go this route, you will cover your pie pan with foil right after assembly; label and freeze.  When you are ready to serve: Thaw. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes at 350 F. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes more until cheese is lightly browned.

Cooking with Herbs- Crostini and Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Last night Bonnie and Dawn came over to my house for our monthly Cooking with Friends night in.  Since my herb garden is in full abundance right now we went with the theme Cooking with Herbs.  There is so much that you can do with fresh herbs, and honestly we only just scratched the surface!  But our dinner was delicious and absolutely bursting with herbs!  Bonnie chose to make a pasta that incorporated the use of a bunch of herbs, that really showcased their flavor.  They were easily the star of the show.  It was so yummy and one I will totally be making again and again.  I think the addition of some chopped garden tomatoes would be lovely too.  

I went with a mixed variety of Crostini, some hot and some cold, all using different fresh herbs to show a lot of versatility in one basic little dish.  They all turned out delicious and we had a tough time deciding on a favorite.  But two stood out a little more then the rest- the Roasted Garlic Topping and also the Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping.  These two packed a ton of flavor in just very simple ingredients.   I was thrilled with the outcome of all the crostini and will definitely be making them again. What a perfect appetizer for a dinner party!  ....Although I doubt I will be waiting until a party to make these again- they are too good!  

from left to right: Roasted Garlic with Parmesan Cheese, Basil Pesto with Buffalo Mozzarella and Bruschetta Tomatoes,  Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping

Basic Crostini
1 french bread baguette, sliced thin on the diagonal (about 1/4-inch thick)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place butter and olive oil in a small sauce pan over low heat and stir until butter is melted.  Brush both sides of the bread slices with the mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated oven, turning once, until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.  Allow crostini to cool, then place in an airtight container until ready to use.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Topping
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
healthy drizzle extra virgin olive oil
shaved Parmesan Cheese

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside, unrefrigerated for at least 30 minutes.  Place onto toasted crostini and top with slices of shaved Parmesan Cheese.

Classic Fresh Tomato Bruschetta Crostini 

Roasted Garlic Topping
from Outer Banks The Bountiful Coastal Carolina Cookbook by Chyrel B. Austin
3 heads of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel garlic cloves and place in a small oven proof dish.  Pour oilve oil over the cloves; oil should cover the garlic cloves completely.  Cover the dish tightly with a double thickness of foil.  Place on the center shelf of oven and bake until cloves are tender.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.  Reserve the oil.  Place the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil in a food processor and process until pureed.  Season with pepper, transfer to airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 days.

To serve, spread each crostini with a teaspoon of the roasted garlic mixture.  place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until crostini are warm, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve warm.

Asiago Cheese and Onion Topping
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 yellow or white onions, very thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (we used fresh, so it would be 1 tablespoon instead)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cups grated Asiago cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onions. Let onions cook at least 3 minutes before stirring (they should start to brown before you move them around). Continue to cook, stirring only occasionally, about 20 minutes, until onions are well browned. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Spread bread slices with a little mustard. Divide onion mixture evenly over bread slices then top each with cheese.

Place on a foil-lined baking sheet; bake 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts, tosasted
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Next add the cheese right into the food processor and just blended for a quick couple of seconds to incorporate.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

*for the crostini, I spread the pesto lightly onto the toast, topped them with slices of fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese and a spoonful of the Classic Bruschetta Topping.

Shrimp and Sausage with Asiago Cheese

Shrimp & Sausage with Asiago Cheese Topping
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 lb. Italian hot or sweet sausage, casing removed
1/2 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup coarsely grated Asiago cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook, stirring, until onion is wilted about 3 minutes. Add sausage meat and cook, stirring to break up lumps until no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp and garlic, cooking just until shrimp turns pink. Remove from heat and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary.

Preheat broiler. Place Basic Bruschetta slices on a baking sheet. Top with shrimp and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil just until cheese melts (3-4 minutes). Do not let brown. Remove from oven, cut into 2-inch pieces and serve hot. Serves 4.

Pasta with Fresh Herbs

Pasta with Fresh Herbs
1/2 lb uncooked pasta
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon dried marjoram (we used fresh since I am growing it! Make it 1 Tablespoon if using fresh.  Note:if you can't find Marjoram you can use oregano instead. They are in the same family.)
1 teaspoon ground savory (fresh here again- 1 tablespoon)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sliced black olives (we added more because we all love olives)

Cook pasta acording to package directions.  Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.  Stir in the herbs.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl.  Add the butter mixture and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with black olives.  Garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The big, wonderful bowl of pasta- yum!

*I didn't make this one last night, just ran out of time and bread!  But I want to share the recipe for future use because it sounds wonderful!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Topping

Adapted slightly from Williams Sonoma 

2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and

coarsely chopped

2 Tb. slivered almonds or toasted pine nuts

3 Tbs. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 c finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 oz. goat cheese 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the red peppers on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Bake for approx 40-45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Let them cool and then, seed, peel and chop them.

In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand blender, combine the red peppers, the remaining garlic clove, nuts, cheese, 3 Tbs of the parsley, lemon juice, 2 tsp olive oil and the cayenne pepper. Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.

Reduce the oven to 350°F.

With the crostini in a single layer on a baking sheet, spread about 2 tsp of the goat cheese on each crostini. Bake until the cheese is slightly soft and the crostini are warm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a platter and top each with about 1 Tbs of the red pepper pesto. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbs. parsley.

Fridays, Feasting With Friends- Featuring Lindsay Stull

"One of the delights of life is eating with friends, second to that is talking about eating. And, for an unsurpassed double whammy, there is talking about eating while you are eating with friends."

~Laurie Colwin 'Home Cooking'

Lindsay Stull

For today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends I would love to introduce you to my wonderfully creative friend, Lindsay Stull.  Along with having a personality that perfectly matches her beauty, you need to see the amazing knitting she creates.  This ain't your grandma's afghan!  Lindsay Knits is her etsy shop, and it is a perfect place for you to snag up some little lovelies.  She has purses and wallets that I am dreaming sweet nothings of (Scott if you are reading, think green *wink, wink*) And oh my goodness, the precious infant sweaters are even more adorable in person.  I am already picturing my own Baby Owen in the hoodie, and he isn't even born yet!  If you aren't wise to the etsy scene yet, let this be your invite to go, buy handmade and never need to shop in a "big box" store ever again.  This Christmas could be 100% stress free and all of your friends can be sporting these fabulous finds.   You won't be disappointed!

Along with her craftiness, Lindsay is also a wonderful cook!  She and her boyfriend Paul are always having great fun playing around with food.  She hasn't said so, but I think they both understand the way to a love's heart is guided through the kitchen!  Easily my favorite date is to cook a fabulous meal together and then sit down to enjoy the wonderful things you just created.  And these two totally have a blast doing just that.  I always enjoy reading the menus that come out of their home.  Yum!

So for today's Fridays, Feasting with Friends I am thrilled to introduce you to my lovely friend Lindsay Stull.

What is your favorite thing to cook? 
Fish. Salmon, tilapia, orange roughy...love the simplicity it takes to really make a flavorful dinner!

How about your least favorite thing to cook? 
Cookies. I just don't have the knack...

What is your favorite local restaurant and what is one you are dying to try out?
The Greenhouse Tavern is at the top of my list as well as Johnny Mango and Wine Bar Rocky River :) I have been dying to try the tasting menu at Dantes

Music and food go together so beautifully. You are hosting a dinner party, what would be on your playlist? 
My iPod has a jazz playlist with miles Davis and Billie Holiday, or there's always my girl power playlist which includes Kate Nash, rilo kiley, Ingrid Michaelson, etc.

What would you choose to be your last meal on earth?
Goat cheese mac n cheese with rosemary. maybe with lobster. :)

What are you currently reading?
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

What is your favorite Kitchen Gadget?
Food processor/blender...I love making homemade pesto and of course...fruit smoothies....my recent favorite is cantaloupe and rasberries! :)

Do you have a signature go-to dish?
When in season, I love to use plums to make what my mom always calls a "plum cake" but it's made with a struessel on top! YUM!

What do you love most about the Cleveland area? 
I love living so close to the West Side Market which is such a gem!

Do you have a favorite meal from your childhood and do you cook it today?
My Mom's paprikash (with homemade spaetzle of course) is amazing as well as her german soups. I make a great paprikash and spaetzle, still working on the soups :)

Top 3 Movies of all time?
Dead Poets Society, When Harry Met Sally & Star Wars

What was your happiest moment in life?
Everyday gets happier and I know the best is still to come :)

Lindsay and her boyfriend, Paul

Where do you do your grocery shopping?
Depending on what I'm looking for, West Side Market, Heinens, and Giant Eagle :)

What is your favorite guilty pleasure when it comes to food?
I love to "dip"...taco dip, veggie dip, sauces...mmmm!

Can you tell me about what you are most proud of?
Teaching. I am constantly amazed at how emotional and challenging teaching is and still love it more as time goes on.

Do you have Culinary Resolutions that you would like to accomplish this year?
I want to work on learning to make a beurre blanc sauce. My boyfriend is classically French trained and promises me he'll teach me and that it's easy....we shall see. ;)

One word that best describes you is: creative

I'll have what she's having!

My recipe to share is a cheesy baked pasta with spinach and artichokes. (from Real Simple Magazine) simple and delicious!!!

Cheesy Baked Pasta with Spinach and Artichokes

Ingredients:
8 ounces mezzi rigatoni or some other short pasta (1/2 a box)
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, rinsed and quartered (I actually diced mine)
1 9-ounce package frozen creamed spinach, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
2 cups grated mozzarella (8 ounces)
black pepper

Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and return it to the pot. Heat broiler.  Add the artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan, half of the mozzarella, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to pasta and toss to combine.  Transfer the mixture to a shallow 2-quart (or 8-inch square) broilerproof baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is browned in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

Angel Hair with Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon and Green Onions

One of my most favorite things about summer time is the wonderful bounty I get to reap the benefits of from my parents amazing vegetable garden.  There really isn't much better then vegetable's that come straight out of the dirt and go directly into your kitchen.  This evening at dinner I found myself the proud owner of big, beautiful green onions.

Oh how I love green onions!  I can eat them any way... raw dipped in salt, scrambled in eggs, sliced into large sections and sauteed with stir fries,  grilled, I could go on and on.  So, when I say proud owner- I mean it!

As much as I love onions, I HATE canned tomatoes- that is unless they are canned by my mom or they are high quality San Marzano's.  But my dad told me about this product he stumbled across at Marc's.  They are Italian cherry tomatoes canned in their own sauce by the company Rienzi.  Both him and my mom have raved about how good they were, so the last time I was at Marc's I snagged some up.  They are also available in Picante style, so be watchful- they will be much spicier!  Delicious, but a bit of a different taste.

So tonight I was thinking pasta.  A simple homemade sauce made from these beautiful green onions, I'd give the tomatoes a whirl, a little garlic, herbs from my garden and some bacon for good measure. The outcome was wonderful!  The tomatoes tasted very fresh and are very plump and juicy- not at all what you would expect from these canned little guys.  I will most certainly be buying them again.  A definite new pantry staple.  Yum! Thanks Mom and Dad for the recommendation!

Capellini with Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon and Green Onions

Half a box Capellini Pasta (Angel Hair), cooked al dente (7-8 minutes)
4 strips Apple Wood Smoked Bacon, cooked and set to drain on paper towels, chopped
2-4 green onions (depending on size), both green and white parts chopped
half yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets 
2 garlic cloves, minced
a nice bunch fresh herbs; Basil, Italian Parsley, and Oregano, Chiffonade (cut into long thin strips)
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Saute the yellow onion in the olive oil until translucent.  Add the green onion and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, but still colorful.  Carefully pour in the tomatoes, with the sauce and add the broccoli.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the fresh herbs, reserving some basil for garnish.  Cover and let simmer about 10 minutes.  Add bacon, toss with pasta and top each serving with the reserved basil and fresh  parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately.