That’s Shallota Flavor Spaghetti

I tried this recipe from Rachael Ray recently and it turned out pretty good. It’s a mix of pasta tossed with garlic, shallots, olive oil, and parsley. I omitted the cheese obviously and added more garlic. It was a yummy lunch and could easily be made heartier by adding some veggies.   Simple but tasty food.  I would make this again when I’m feeling lazy in the kitchen.

Since it’s May, I thought I should mention my gardening plans. Unfortunately, I won’t be having a community garden plot this year. I can’t stand Joni Mitchell but I have to quote her: “they paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.  Yes, they moved the garden plots to make way for a parking lot. The new plots are smaller and they can’t guarantee when they will have running water available.  They aren’t even finished with the parking lot construction, which is right next to where they moved the plots. Instead of a community garden plot, I going to do a small container garden on our tiny patio with some hot peppers, tomatoes, and a variety of herbs. I also planted some “disco mix” marigolds in a planter out front. What are your plans for a garden this year?

Hope you have a fabulous day

Limeade (and recipe)

With temps in the 70’s and 80’s, it’s time for one of my favorite warm weather beverages….Limeade. I usually use the Martha Stewart recipe which is also in her cookbook: Martha Stewart Living: The New Classics. Last week Caputo’s had limes on sale 10/$1 which I thought was a pretty good deal. I was wrong. This week, limes were 15/$1 so I bought 30 limes. The cashier gave me an odd look when she asked how many limes and I replied 30. I guess she doesn’t make her own limeade. What a weirdo.

Limeade:

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice. plus lime wedges for garnish (14 to 16 limes total)

Directions:

Heat the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir together the lime juice and 5 cups water in a large pitcher, stir in the sugar syrup. Refrigerate until cold. Garnish each serving with a lime wedge.

Nordicware Waffler and Vegan Waffles

I had been searching for a waffle iron for quite some time now. I had a Cuisinart one that didn’t hold up very well. My mom has this great vintage (heck, it’s probably an antique) waffle iron but it is big and bulky. Unfortunately, kitchen space is at an absolute premium in our small kitchen in the condo we are renting.

I saw the Nordicware Waffler and thought it would work well for my needs. It’s easy to store too. The best part about it? You put the pan right on the stove so you can control the heat. You just flip the pan over to cook the other side. It’s really simple to use and clean-up is pretty easy. (Well, in my case, Rob is on clean-up duties so let me say it’s super easy cleanup. ha ha). The hardest thing to figure out is the right amount of batter to use. I don’t fill the waffler as full so my waffles are rounded, not square. I find this prevents them from sticking, even if you spray the waffler with a little bit of oil before using.

What’s a waffle iron post without a picture of the actual waffles (before toppings). I’ve had good luck modifying and tweaking the recipe from Soy Not Oi. These waffles also got the non-vegan stamp of approval. My parents loved the waffles when they were here back in March. As for waffle toppings, I eat mine with Earth Balance and jam. Rob is the exact opposite and pours lots of maple syrup on his waffles. I like maple syrup and use it often, but I just don’t like it on top of waffles or pancakes. Go figure?

Ooooooh, and I have to mention that I have been also playing with another new kitchen appliance……I got a Vita-Mix. It’s fabulous and I will be doing a full post on it soon.

Hope you have a wonderful day

Rustic Nectarine Tart

I made this the first night my parents arrived and they loved it. I saw the recipe on Everyday Baking on PBS and knew I had to make it. I actually made two tarts so I had some left for breakfast the next day. You could take more time to arrange the nectarine slices perfectly but I think mine looks more rustic this way. LOL The recipe is a cinch to prepare and even tastes yummy the next day too. I’m not sure how well it keeps after a day because both tarts were gone within 24 hours.

Rob is Doing Good

Hi all! Thank you so much for your kind comments and emails. Rob’s surgery was last week and everything went well. He has some pain and a large scar on his neck but is feeling pretty good otherwise. Rob went back to work this week. My parents came out for 10 days to help take care of Rob after his surgery. I was able to take two vacation days off of work. I just wanted to post a quick update. I will back to my regular blogging this weekend. Take Care!!!!!