Baba Ghanoush

As you can see, from my previous eggplant posting, that we love eggplant, of any kind, but Baba Ganoush, the Middle Eastern dish is one of our all time favorite. It is easy to just simply roast in the oven and cut it open, let it cool a little, and scoop out all that goodness from the pulp. Just chop it up with a potato masher, and add all the nice spices that it calls for...and don't forget the Tahini!

 Baba Ghanoush

2 large eggplants

1/4 to 1/2 cup Tahini (sesame paste)

3 garlic cloves, minced

juice of 1 lemon

a pinch of ground cumin

a pinch of dry oregano (fresh is even better)

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

a small handful of fresh chopped parsley

1/4 cup brine-cured black olives, or Kalamata olives

On a baking sheet, line aluminum foil, prick the eggplants all over with a fork, drizzle with a small amount  of vegetable oil and roll it around, so that it's all covered with the oil. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35t-45 minutes and test to see if it's soft. (It has to be totally soft.)

Remove from the oven, and cut in half, as show in photo, let it cool a little before scooping the pulp out. Place the eggplant in a bowl, and with a potato masher mash it to a nice paste. Add the Tahini, the garlic, the spices and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning, if needed. Transfer the mixture to a nice serving dish and drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with the parsley, and place the olives around the sides. Serve with toasted pita bread, or crostini. Naan is very good too to serve with. Serves 6.




 

Perciatelli Carbonara

I did a crop, and a close up photo of my carbonara pasta, so you could see the nice sauce, with the pepper flakes, the diced red bell pepper, the bacon, and fresh parsley, the Parmesan cheese had already melted deliciously, on the top. My easy recipe, to follow. 

Perciatelli Carbonara 
(for 2)


1/2 box of a 1lb. Perciatelli or Spaghetti
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red, (or any color) bell pepper, diced
a dash of pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste,
4 slices of bacon fried crisp, and crumbled
2 eggs, mixed with 1/4 heavy cream
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1Tbsp. bacon fat


First step, which is the most important step...In a large high heat resistant skillet, fry the bacon until crisp, and lay them on double thick paper towel to absorb the grease., and chop or crumble into small pieces. Next, drain but leave about 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease, and add to it the1 Tbsp. of the olive oil. Saute  the onion, the chili pepper flakes, garlic, and bell pepper, in the reserved bacon grease, and olive oil.
In the meantime, boil pasta to al dente, saving 1/2 cup of the cooking water, if needed, to thin out the sauce, (which you most like don't have to) 
Scramble the eggs with the cream till nicely blended, and set aside. Drain the pasta, leaving about 1/2 cooking liquid, and set that aside. Pull the skillet off the heat, and add the pasta right into the skillet, pour the eggs, and cream mixture, right over the top, and mix together, adding the Parmesan cheese, and serve, with additional cheese, and chopped parsley, with a generous grinding of black pepper. 
note:
Be sure to pull off the skillet, from the heat, to add the eggs, and cream, otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs, and not a nice, smooth sauce. One good thing is, for adding the cream...you will not have to use a lot of eggs, and save on fat, and cholesterol. You can use a mixture of butter, and olive oil to saute the onions, and the peppers, but the bacon grease gives it a nice, rich, flavor.

Sweet and Spicy Salmon

As much as I love spices, and spicy foods, I have not ventured out of my sphere yet...hoping to be more adventurous in exotic spices, and cuisine. I cropped these photos, really focusing on the beautiful sweet, and spicy salmon, which was marinating rubbed with the spices, of hot paprika, chili powder, cumin, zest of 1 lemon, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and rubbed 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil (to prevent from dryness, )marinated  it in the frig.  for about 25 minutes...broiled for about 6 minutes, and laced with a Tbsp of honey and the juice of 1 lemon, to finish broiling for another minute...no longer, for a 6 oz. fillet.

When you are dining alone, and you want to make a quick and healthy dinner, not to mention somewhat elegant...after all, you deserve it! Look, what just 1 nice piece of Norwegian salmon can do for you. Livens up your "thrift find" 69 cents plate...LOL...the pepperoncini, which I always like to buy a nice large jar  of and of and the amazing jar of black olives, from Peru purchased at the Latina market, the mesclum fresh salad, and the jasmine rice, which only takes 20 minutes. This truly is a 30 minute meal, from start to finish, and hardly any messy clean up...and you did it for YOURSELF!...So, start to enjoy gourmet, for 1, or 2, at home!

Fresh Plum Cobbler

I'll be honest with you! There's nothing more satisfying, than a nice portion of fresh fruit cobbler, even in the fall, which happens to be a plum cobbler. So beautiful, and robust color, the sweetness is totally divine. Just a touch of cinnamon and sugar, really livens up the flavors, it's so irresistible!

Just look at the natural colors, and the flaky homemade biscuit topping. Easy to prepare, yet it's so elegant!

Perfect fall dessert...no fuss...no mess...just simply down home "all American" No substitute!

 Fresh Plum Cobbler

3/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp of sugar
10 fresh plums, about 4 cups, sliced and seeded
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the 3/4 cup sugar, plums, cornstarch and cinnamon. Place the fruit mixture in a 2 quart ovenproof casserole. In a medium bowl, combine remaining. 2 Tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt . Cut the butter with a fork, or pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk, mixed with 1 egg, and blend the mixture, just until blended.  Drop batter with a large soup spoon, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes,  till it gets lightly golden, and fruit mixture starts bubbling. Serves 6.

Mediterranean Eggplant with Peppers, and Onions

So much for making my Eggplant balls. My daughter bought a ton of baby Japanese eggplants from our local Latina Produce market for about 10 for $1.00. Wow, how can you not want to get some? The trick is, finding a way of making these babies so they can still "shine" and show off their cute and tiny appearance. Unfortunately, after being roasted in a 375 degree oven, they come out looking like an over baked...or should I say "over tanned" wrinkled old lady. But do not "fret."...that's the best part. You can now, savor the flavor, of the tender,  little eggplants.
Treat them gently, and not peel them to discard their skins, or mash them up into a "Baba Ganoush" which I was about to do. Just let them be, and let their personalities flourish!

Mediterranean Eggplants with Peppers, and Onions
10 small Japanese eggplants
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 large tomato
1 green pepper
1 red, and/or yellow pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 sprig fresh rosemary, peeled
2 Tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano (fresh better, if you have it)
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick the eggplants a few places with a fork, and lay them on a baking sheet with aluminum foil lined, drizzle them with a Tablespoon of olive oil a few drops of water, and bake them for about 45 minutes. They should feel soft to the touch, brown and somewhat wrinkly. If you have room on the same sheet, (I prefer a separate baking sheet) for the vegetables, and bake them at the same time as the eggplant.
To prepare the vegetables:
Cut peppers in half and clean out the seeds, cut onion in half and cut slices lengthwise also.Cut tomatoes in large cubes. In a bowl, mix them all together with the chopped garlic, the rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper, and place them on the baking sheet, adding the wine, and roast them at the same time, as the eggplant. When both are done, wait for the eggplant to cool a little so you can slice them in thirds and in an oven proof dish, carefully mix the two together. By now, they have gotten a little cool; you can serve them this way, or put the dish back into to oven for about 15 minutes, to thoroughly heat through. Serves 4.





Recipe for the: Light and Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs

 Light and Easy Spaghetti and Meatballs
for the meatballs
  
1 lb ground sirloin
1/2 lb ground chuck
1 whole onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 eggs
1/2 cup cracker meal (or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs)

1 handful chopped parsley, (or about 1 teaspoon dry parsley)

a few fresh basil leaves (or 1 teaspoon dry)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, Romano (I used grated Granana Padana)
2 bay leaves
2 Tablespoons olive oil for frying meatballs, and onion

salt and pepper to taste



22 uniform sizes, no getting your hands all dirty, and just gently roll them together with wet palms, ready to brown them in olive oil, and throw them into the sauce. You don't have to use all of them. After frying, you can freeze probably half, it's up to you.

Meatballs should look like these, nice and brown. They're ready to go in the sauce when all pink is browned evenly.

 

Combine all your ingredients for the meatball, and just lightly form them, scooping them out with the 1 1/2 inch scooper. If you like, use 1/2 of the onions in the meatball mixture, and use the other half to saute them to put into the sauce.

Easy Spaghetti Sauce 

In a blender, blend each 28 oz can of Marzano tomatoes, one at a time, give it a whirl, and it's done. Pour into a med.large sauce pan, just like that, and start heating it at med.high. Saute half the onions if you like, and add them in the sauce, along with some of the parsley, the basil, bay, leaf and a small amount of chopped garlic. A generous grinding of fresh black pepper, kosher, or sea salt...PLEASE NO SUGAR! Tomatoes are sweet as honey...HONEST! When meatballs are browned, just throw them in there, partially cover the pot, and on med.low cook for about 4 minutes, or until you see the liquid evaporating. You won't be sorry you followed this method, because sometimes you just want to make a vegetarian sauce, and leave out the meat. Serves 6.




 



The easiest way to chop garlic and onion, is to first, buy a plastic jar container of whole peeled garlic, and put them into a food processor, larger than this size, and process them till they're finely chopped, and spoon them into a small mason jar, fill them with canola or vegetable, and use them for whatever your garlic calls for. Sure beats all that chopping by hand. This little food processor I got at Goodwill  $2.99, and whenever I just want to chop onion in it, just quarter the pieces and drop them in there. For meatballs, or meat loaf, they are especially goo, because you don't have all the large unwanted pieces in there, that usually don't cook all the way. This is such a time savor. The garlic will last you at leas a good whole month.



Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake (The Boondt)

Inspired by the Big Fat Greek Wedding, I pulled out my old bundt cake pan which I probably have not used in at least over 20 years. Still looks great, nice design, and sturdy. Cannot find another today exactly like that. Fire engine red, kind of wearing out, but the inside is solid non-stick, and it's really heavy duty. Actually someone gave me any idea to bake a whole chicken in the bundt, standing it upright. Not a bad idea, but somehow, I'd feel weird baking a cake in it afterwards. Certain wares, are made for certain things, and not to be used for anything else. I would not be able to get the propped up chicken out of my mind, next time I would bake a cake...also knowing that certain family members are vegetarian, and I could not lie to them that prior to the cake a chicken was basking in it, in the oven.

Getting back to the "Boondt." I loved the movie, and loved that one particular scene, where the future mother-in-law brings a bundt cake to the engagement party of the Greek family. Here's an excerpt from the scene.

Toula’s father introduces each and every family member to Millers and when all the introductions are through, Mrs. Miller holds out a bundt cake. Completely confused, Toula’s mother asks, “What’s this?”

“It’s a bundt cake.” Mrs. Miller says.

Completely dumbfounded, Toula’s mother repeats, “Boondt?”

“Yes, Bundt.”

“Boondt?”

“BUNDT!!!”

“Oh…It’s a cake!” She finally confirms. “This cake has a hole in it…”

 

So, without further adieu...let me introduce you to my BOONDT...Bundt Cake!



...



Did I forget to mention, that this wonderful Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake, is topped with a yummy Caramel glaze? It is so easy to make, just like the cake too. Like I mentioned in previous banana bread recipes, I always have extra bananas left over, and when it gets down to the "magic 3" amount, and it has little brown spots on them, it's time to make something with it.


Hi Friends!
Yesterday, I was gone all day, and just now, I noticed I wiped out the entire photos, and recipes...so now I have to start back again to copy from my scribbled note the recipe, all over again.

Also, thanking everybody for the nice comments, regarding my BOONDT...bundt cake, with the caramel icing. The cake is all gone now, so on to my next adventure. So sorry, for any inconvenience, here's the recipe once more.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
dash of salt
3 ripe bananas mashed
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz pkg. Nestle semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease, and flour a 12 cup bundt pan. (you can use the cooking spray for baking)
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and dash of salt. In a medium bowl, mix sugar, butter, and the eggs, with an electric mixer, till nice and creamy. In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Add the ingredients from the medium bowl, which has the egg mixture, to the flower mixture, and mix at a low speed to combine. Now, mix in the bananas, the heavy cream, and the vanilla, and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, by hand, and mix lightly. Pour into the bundt pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Lower temperature to 325 degrees, and bake for an additional 30 minutes, Top should be a nice golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before flipping cake over, on a plate. Cool for another 10 minutes, before drizzling on the glaze. Serve 6 regular sizes, or 8 larger slices.

Caramel Glaze


1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium saucepan, melt sugar with the butter, on medium high heat, until it comes to a bubble. Add the cream, and vanilla, and lower the heat. Keep stirring until it thickens, and comes to a bubble. It should get a nice amber color, thick and gooey! Immediately take it off the heat, and with a soup spoon, start drizzling the cake evenly, all around. It will set in a few minutes, and will have a beautiful shine to it from the butter, and the cream. The flavor of the caramel, banana, and chocolate chips, will be fantastic.

Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup

Today, is one of those South Florida days, that you welcome a nice bowl of soup. It's raining, and a nice breeze, but still a hot 82 degrees. We're not seeing fall or falling leaves around here, that's for sure! I connected with a lot of nice friends through Foodbuzz, and they are from all over the United States, and the World. I'm glad that I have the Google Translator on my blog, so other people with different languages can actually translate it to their own. I think it's so cool to have that widget. Sure brings a lot of us together...and not have to have the mishap of the biblical Tower of Babel. We're all ONE...and one thing I'm sure of is that we all share common interests, being FOODIES!
I didn't feel like going to the store to pick up any specialty items, my "good old standby" bag of shrimp in the freezer always is a good "friend." Ready, when I am...sounds kind of corny, but it really is true. For the Thai shrimp noodle soup, all you need is the shrimp, the rice noodles, some vegetable, and don't forget the spices. The Thai sweet, and spicy chili sauce, always works, and it's good for dipping as well. Instead of posting the recipe later, I will start now. I hope you enjoy a different soup, instead of the same old...same old, and also really good if you're a vegetarian, No meats of any kind that is in the soup. Just all fresh ingredients. I wanted to keep the broth separate, and the shrimps separate, but decided to combine the two, so instead of eating a vegetable soup, and shrimp with vegetables on the side the best of the two are happily joined together.

The first thing I do, is saute the onions, garlic, and peppers, add some chopped fresh cilantro, and the strained cooking liquid from the shrimp shells and tails, and add it to the heated up vegetable broth that already has the sugar snap peas in it.

...and here's the finished product. The shrimp goes in with the sauteed vegetables, at the very last minute, when vegetables are soft and just tender, and let shrimp turn pink. Add together the shrimp and vegetable mixture, and serve it in a nice soup terrine. This is not just any soup terrine.

Did I get lucky?...or did I get luck! A Graf von Hennenberg Porzellana 1777, from The German Democratic Republic. It has the green crest on the bottom, and the coat of arms. Truly a beautiful porcelain work of art. Don't know what year, don't know what it's worth, but I would not want to sell this beauty. It's a keeper! Paid $7.99 for this truly antique at World Thrift, in West Palm Beach. The elderly couple that some me buy it, suggested that I take it to the  antique fair that we have here, to have it appraised! I just might do that out of curiosity.

Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup

1/2 lb. shells and tail on, large deveined shrimp
(you can use 1lb. if you like)
32 oz carton all natural. vegetable broth, or 2 16 oz. cans
1 cup water
2 1/4 in. thick slices of peeled fresh ginger
( or 1 teaspoon of good quality powdered ginger)
1 red bell pepper, sliced diagonally, or
(1 orange, or yellow bell pepper)
1 green bell pepper sliced diagonally, or
(you can stay with just the yellow, orange or red)
1 medium onion cut in half, and sliced diagonally
3 oz. fresh snap peas, string removed from the back
( you can use frozen pea pods if you like instead of fresh)
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 Tablespoon vegetable oil
juice of 1 lime
handful of fresh cilantro chopped
3 oz. rice sticks (rice noodles)
1 Tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce (also used for dipping)

Remove shells and tails from shrimp, and boil them in the 1 cup water, strain the liquid, and set aside. In a large skillet,over medium high heat. Saute the onions, peppers, garlic and ginger, (or add the ginger powder) in the vegetable oil. When the onion starts to get wilted, add the cilantro, and saute for another few minutes. Add the chili  Add the shrimp, the chili sauce, the juice of the lime, and  the reserved strained water. Let the shrimp get nice and pink and take it off the heat. Have the broth ready at this time, warming it up, adding the snap peas, At this time, you can add all the ingredients from the shrimp, and mix it into heated broth. It's ready to ladle out, adding a little more chopped cilantro on the top. Serves 4.
note:
This is not too spicy, but you can add more chili sauce to the individual bowls, and also extra lime juice.

Italian Sausage and Peppers

I was not going to post this...seems like I'm contradicting myself about eating healthy. Actually this is not so bad, considering I made it as light as possible. No grease, no extra fat...this would certainly can be categorized in the Atkins diet, maybe even Weight Watchers?...been there, done all that...and so, the saga continues.

Before I post the recipe for my Italian sausage and peppers, I will proudly show off my Suzanne Somers stainless steel skillet, 10 in. in diameter, has a nice non-skid handle, and the best part was, that this skillet has never been used by any one. I paid $2.99 for it, at Goodwill, and I've had it for over 1 year. In order to cook or fry on high heat, you must either have a cast iron skillet, or a calphalon, or a heavy duty stainless steel, as it is in this case. You will only destroy you nice non-stick pan. I absolutely love this frying skillet, it's easy to clean, even if you get burns on there. When you soak it in hot soapy water, the stain just rolls off. I am all green practically, with cleaning supplies. Just simply scour it with baking soda...takes the place of the strong chemical scouring powder, and you can also clean your sink with the baking soda, and will freshen up your garbage disposal. So now, on to my recipe...actually not really a recipe, just the instruction of how I came up with this great idea for the sausage and peppers. Not drowning it in oil, not letting it get lost in red sauce, but everything fresh from my refrigarator, that needs to be used up, anyway.

Italian Sausage and Peppers

2 links of mild Italian sausage
1 link of hot Italian sausage
(about 1 lb.)
1 green bell pepper
2 Hungarian wax peppers (or banana peppers
or Cubanelle, you can variate the peppers of your choice)
1 large onion
1 or 2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium tomatoes (fresh)
1/2 cup vegetable broth or plain water is good
salt and peppers, (optional)
(sausage and peppers, are hot and salty enough)
1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika
Cut sausages with a sharp blade knife, to 3 inch pieces. ( slices will just fall apart, so this is suggested.) Cut peppers lenghtwise into about 1 inch strips, (not too thin) Cut onion in half, and cut fairly thick slices, lengthwise, also. Tomatoes cut in half, and also sliced thick into lentghwies slices. (Everything is cut lenghtwise, so they look nice and uniformed.)  First, start with the sausage to brown them in the vegetable oil, on med.high heat, for about 10 minutes, so they get nice and brown. Lower the heat, and just cook them low, for an additional 15 minutes. Add all the peppers, onion, garlic, and tomatoes, and saute them, leaving the sausages in the skillet, but at this time, add half of the broth or water. It will start to caramelize it, and keep cooking them for an additional 15-20 minutes, adding the rest of the broth to keep getting nice and juicy, this way it will not burn, or get dry. You should end up with perfectly cooked sausages, and just the right texture of the peppers, and onions. The tomatoes will stay nice and soft, and not falling apart. Serves 2.
note: 
Leftovers are great for the next morning with scrambled eggs, or reheated and served in a hoagie roll with melted mozzarella. (that is if you're cooking this for 1, but if for 2, you will not have any leftovers.) If you like pork, this is an ultimate comfort food!
Another excerpt, from WOMEN FOOD AND GOD

The shape of your body obeys the shape of your beliefs about love, value and possibility. To change your body, you must first understand that which is shaping it. Not deprive it. Not shame it. Not do anything but accept--yes, Virginia--understand it. Because if you force and deprive and shame yourself into being thin, you end up a deprived, shamed fearful person who will also be thin for ten minutes. When you abuse yourself (by taunting or threatening yourself) you become a bruised human being no matter how much you weigh.

A Nice Salad, and "WOMEN FOOD AND GOD"

I've been obsessing the last couple weeks, about my life,  and doing a little (lot) of soul searching, what is it with us women that we always have to be worrying about our weight? It should be more of a problem how you look, and how you feel, not because of that magic number which could be either joyful, or detrimental to our self image. If you feel good, and you are comfortable with yourself, no matter the size, (except obesity)-which is another subject, then why torture yourself, "what if I loose 10 lbs, 30 lbs, or maybe 50? Well, if you set your mind on it and you really want to do it, then by all means set your goal.
I ordered this "gently used" book from Amazon.com ( remember? I'm a thrifter.) I just cant' seem to put it down, it is really intriguing, and tugging at your "heart sleeve" about these stories of women that have been trying to lose weight for years with all the diets that are out there, only to lose it and gain more weight back. So, stop dieting, and concentrate on being happy with who you are, the way you are, and get to know YOU! You will start to have a clearer focus of what you are actually feeding your stomach, and your soul.
Since I've been blogging about FOOD, and THRIFTING, just for about a few months, I've been so focused with all the helpful information out there, through my Twitter friends, and my Foodie friends, from Foodbuzz. I did not even imagine all the wonderful people out there that have so much to give, and share. So, do yourself a favor, and check out all these amazing food blogs, and the great people that contribute them from the heart. You will not be sorry...and you will make lots of friends in the interim.
Note:
I did not express this minor confession for the reason that I have these issues, but then we all have some sort of issues that we have to, or have had to work out, and FOOD is one of them for most people. Either you get passionate about it, and start realizing that there are so many fresh and nutritious things are out there, there is no excuse for any of us not to start a new chapter in our lives, with our love of GOOD FOOD, and not obsessing about it like a "lost love"...maybe a lost puppy! ...hope not.

Here are some deep excerpts, from WOMEN FOOD AND GOD by: Geneen Roth


I don't believe in the God that most people call God, but I do know the the only definition of God that makes any sense is one that  uses this human life and its suffering--the very things we believe we nee to hide or fix--as a path to the heart of love itself. Which is why the relationship with food is a perfect doorway.
While I realize that some people find the word God explosive and potentially divisive, and that others have a deeply satisfying relationship with God, I us the word in this book because it evokes a vast expanse that we cannot penetrate with our minds, although we can know it through silence or poetry or simply sensing what is always here.
And because pairing food with God fizzles the mind--the two seem as unrelated as titanium computers and scarlet peonies-- all that you believe about food and God can fall away.
UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD IS A DIRECT PATH TO COMING HOME AFTER A LIFETIME OF BEING EXILED.
PERHAPS THAT HOME IS WHAT GOD WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE.

After reading a few chapters of my book, I wanted to be more aware of what I'm going to make for lunch for myself. Romaine salad, always on hand in the frig, better than the ready bags of salads. This one, you cut it yourself, and it's more economical, and lasts longer,. Three nice heads of Romaine, is equivalent to a bag of cut up salad, and (you can feed an army with the Romaine)...and lasts longer when it's not cut up. Cucumbers, sliced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and a few olives Top it off with hard boiled, sliced eggs, and freshly grated carrots...use nothing but your best extra virgin olive oil, and a little drizzle of your favorite vinegar. I like white balsamic, lately. Oh, and the plate, I bought 2, just to make myself happy...it looks so nice on the photos. Isaac Mizrahi plates, from Target, purchased ate Goodwill, for 79 cents, each. Now, isn't that special!?

A simple Lipton ice tea, made with the real tea bags, specifically just for ice tea. One tea bag will make a huge pitcher of ice tea. I love it with lime, lately, since lime is so cheap to buy, you can get about 10-15 limes for just $1.00. The glass is a Coca Cola collectible glass, @ 69 cents a piece, I was able to get two, so now I have a set of two special collectors glasses.