isn’t this the most perfect-looking asparagus ever?!?!
i’m still eating it as much as i can while it’s still (barely) in season… we had a late spring/summer so i am very thankful to still have access to it at local markets!
my favourite way to prepare it is simple (of course!)
rinse, trim, blanch, ice bath, lightly sauté, serve with S&P… nom nom!
do you also love asparagus like i do?!
as many of you already know, i am sometimes referred to as “sally salad” because well… as the kids are saying these days, IYKYK. 😛
i created this big salad a couple weeks ago for a gathering and people often comment on how good my salads are. to be honest, i’m actually not sure why haha. it could be because of the dressing i use {it’s kind of a trade secret but i don’t gate-keep – so feel free to comment or ask}. that said, what i feel may be the case, is that i put a lot of love into food that I prepare/cook. it is truly a love language for me. it’s like – being in the kitchen is one of the only ways i feel i have any sort of control most of the time. i get to create on my own terms, in my own way, with my own rules, on my own time. and i deeply love that… especially in todays world. but also, i truly do enjoy sharing food with others and so i tend to believe that people can feel that when they eat the food i make. it’s a beautiful thing, really.
so anyway here’s a pretty salad i recently made 🙂
starts with a bed of super crispy romaine lettuce… with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, carrots, celery, sweet onions, fresh parsley. sometimes i like to add cabbage or artichokes… or in this case, i did add a little heat with some peperoncinos. always finished with my favourite champagne vinaigrette. very much the epitome of “eat the rainbow” 🙂
nom nom!
most of the time… it’s just… the simplest things… that bring me happiness…
like this perfectly cooked sunny-side up egg from a local chicken mama friend… lightly pan-fried in local grass-fed butter… with a beautifully-coloured yolk and custardy-center… isn’t it so pretty?!
if you saw my last post, you know that my sweet kitty is no longer with me… and i still feel that loss on the daily… especially when i make eggs… callee always loved them and she could smell them from all the way on the other side of my apartment when i was making them in the kitchen… after i was done eating, i would always let her lick the plate… and in her later days in life, i would make a special egg just for her… because she was always worth it… ❤
#nomnom!
how do you like your eggs?
how silly is it that i had never made chicken cutlets before yesterday?! haha. my best friend and i were talking about this the other day and was asking how i should prepare them. i did a lot of research and took his advice, but ultimately added my own little flair to it 😉
and basically it doesn’t matter that i had never made them before or that i was making it up as i went along… because when i finally made them, they were AHH-mazing!
after pounding out some already-thinly-sliced chicken breasts…
i created a seasoned flour/egg mixture/parmesan breadcrumb dredging station…
fried in some coconut oil… then i finished them in the air fryer for a perfect crisp… and dusted with parmigiano reggiano…
finally, dressed the cutlets with an arugula salad doused in meyer lemon and olive oil…
OH MY WORD! so good!!!
#nomnom!
this has quickly become one of my new favourite staples in the food and foto kitchen! what is your favourite way to enjoy chicken cutlets?!?!
i’m a little late posting this, considering the season is over now. but this is one of my favourite things of ALL TIME! and i was so excited this year when i was able to get my hands on not only one but TWO yellow watermelons! the first time was from a dear friend who shared her CSA {community supported agriculture} box with me when she was on vacation. and the second time was randomly at an amish market – both times were locally-grown, which makes this foodie super happy.
i was thinking the other day about how many farms there are where i live… i literally drive through so many of them on a daily basis, all within 30 minutes in any direction. and i love knowing where my food comes from. seeing the actual field where this watermelon was grown is SO COOL and i believe it makes it taste better! 🙂
the farmer i spoke to about this watermelon said they even grow orange watermelons! so next year i have to make sure to look out for that! i would love to get a red, orange, and yellow and compare them side-by-side.
for me, yellow watermelon has a slightly different taste and texture. it’s hard to explain but i prefer yellow over red. if you have a chance to get your hands on one, i guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
they are usually in season and available in late july or early august… nom nom!
happy farmer audrey 🙂
have you ever had yellow watermelon? i truly hope one year i can try to grow my own!
dill is one of my favourite herbs and it is very easy to grow!
and check out how pretty it looks when harvested in this stage – 😀
this simple concept will definitely remain a new staple in the food and foto kitchen!
as many of you already know, i love to eat my veggies! specifically – lettuce! one of my nicknames is “sally salad” because i’m always the one that brings the salad to any gathering or potluck. 🙂
i also love snacks. and there’s something about eating lettuce this way that makes it feel more like a snack. simply cut the lettuce into little chunks and dip it in your favourite dressing. i used romaine lettuce hearts and ranch dressing… but sometimes i like to mix it up with french dressing or caesar, or a mix… it’s just fun to eat and something different, and it’s nice and refreshing on these super hot summer days!
and the crunch is the best part!
#nomnom
well i’m just full of firsts in 2024! especially in the kitchen!
recently, i randomly decided to make my own reuben sandwich at home. it is most certainly my all-time favourite sammy! there was a glorious place in denver called masterpiece delicatessen and they made THE BEST reuben sandwich! {recently found out they closed, bummer!} and since then, i’ve been trying to find a place that creates one in the same way… alas – to no avail, i have yet to.
BUT! – as usual, when i can’t find what i want, i try to make it myself. and i feel like i was able to artfully recreate this specialty in my own kitchen, and i must’ve eaten one every day for like a week – haha!
complete with homemade russian-style {aka thousand island} dressing and homemade saurkraut! 🙂
this totally hit the spot… perfectly toasted marble rye bread, superbly savory pastrami {sliced thin and stacked high, of course}, delightfully melty swiss cheese, crunchy and punchy {and gut-healthy} sauerkraut, and slightly sweet tangy russian dressing… *chef’s kiss*
what’s there not to love?!
nom nom!
food & foto 