Summer Linguine

Oh sweet summer, how kind you have been to me.
Thank you for keeping me up late at night watching gorgeous skies of pinks and purples while I sip on sweet, fruity wine.
Thank you for the beautiful bounty you have given and the tomatoes that are growing eagerly on my balcony.
For the sand in places I can't name.
For my sun kissed skin.
For countless road trips around the province, boat rides and bug bites.
Thank you for continually reminding me why you are my favourite (shhh!.. don't tell the other seasons!)
And finally, thank you for making it so hot outside that I have banned my oven from being turned on until the fall.

Spaghetti alla Trapanese

Where is the one place on this planet you HAVE to visit?
What country, city, ocean, forest, mountain do you have to see before your time here is gone?
There is so much to see and do in this world it is hard to pick just one spot.
For me it is Italy.
The food, wine, culture, landscape, everything about it is calling my name and has been for a long time.

If I could eat one thing for the rest of my life it would be pasta.
Dress it with olive oil and Parmesan and I'm happy.
Douse it in Alfredo sauce and I'm in heaven.
Toss it in roasted tomatoes and goat cheese and I'll kiss you on the mouth. That's real.
Coat it in fresh homemade pesto... well, there are no words!

Potato Salad

This is nothing new

Nothing fancy.

Everyone has a potato salad recipe.

But it's summer and summer equals salads, specifically potato and pasta!

Green salads are a staple year round but for some reason potato and pasta salads are best in the summer. They are easy to take along to picnics, parties and making ahead for a week of lunches!

Either you like it mayo or vinegar style.
I am a mayo girl.
If I am eating french fries, you better believe I am dipping them in mayo.
Don't give me that look! I'm half dutch, what do you expect?

Herbed Ricotta Bruschetta

Sometimes life gets crazy. Crazy busy.

One week is full of traveling, tears and family. The next is celebrating love, dancing till your feet hurt and drinking too much apple pie moonshine (for real). 

That is life. It's up one day and down the next, you never know what the new day will bring. 

When life gets crazy and people need you, you need to be there. Drop your prior commitments and be there.

And that's why I haven't been here, but now I am back and have a few things up my sleeves to post this week. 

Quesadillas!

Here is a simple recipe that is perfect for busy weeknights! In my case, I made these one night when I was cooking for just me, they turned out so good I made them the next day for my fiance and he loved them. They are sweet and very cheesy!
One of the ingredients that makes this recipe taste so good is the addition of chili sauce, I used a style of chili sauce that had chunks of peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Rosemary and Garlic Chicken with Roasted Beets and Sauteed Beet Greens

I was a little skeptical half way through making this meal that it wasn't going to be very good.
Don't you hate that? You've dedicated your time and effort and you're not feeling positive about the final results.

Sometimes my doubts are for good reasons and the meal is a dud, it happens, I eat it and I don't make it again. But other times, I hit the jackpot and the meal totally exceeds my expectations! Yes! I did it right! Gold star!

Strawberry Compote

Once upon a time I was allergic to strawberries. Yes, this beautiful red fruit was once my enemy.

It wasn't always this way, I could eat them by the handfuls and be fine. Then one day red spots started showing up all over my body and from that point on, I was cut off.

How could you cut a little girl off from her favourite fruit?! It was pure torture, not just for me but for my whole family as my dear Mother didn't let them come into the house. I think everyone secretly resented me...

Qunioa Cakes

I have been wanting to make these for awhile.

I spotted them on other food blogs and each one was different and looked delicious.

The recipe comes from the beautiful cookbook - Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson, this is the second recipe I have tried since picking up this book a few months ago. The first one, a rice and mushroom casserole, didn't turn out the way I was imagining but these Quinoa Cakes, are better than I thought they would be.

A true test to them being as delicious as everyone says - my fiance had second helpings! Second helpings of something that has no meat! I struck meatless-meal gold with this recipe!

Peanut Pasta with Chicken

This recipe is my attempt at recreating one of Ryan's (my fiance) favourite dishes that he orders whenever we go out for Thai food. With trying to save money and also to test out my abilities in the kitchen when the craving for peanut pasta kicked in, I decided to attempt it on my own. I have never cooked anything Thai before so I did some research and used what I had on hand to create this dish.

Baked Falafel

These are not your traditional felafel's.

I love felafel's but dislike that they are deep fried. I am trying to stay away from deep fried food (it's hard.. everything tastes so good deep fried!) so when I came across this recipe I was super psyched to try it out!

Macaroni and Cheese

OK, so this may not fall into the "healthy" category of my lifestyle but I do feel strongly about the right to indulge every once in awhile! When the mood for comfort food hits, mac and cheese is the winner! Creamy, cheesy, goodness on a cold winter day... now that is comforting!

Tomato Soup

Today was gloomy. Grey skies and rain were just begging me to come home, put my PJ's on and relax.
Unfortunately I have a lover who is under the weather and needed some comforting. What better way to sooth an achey soul than a bowl of homemade soup! This tomato soup is easy to prepare with items you would typically find in your pantry. It is ready in no time and so comforting on a cold fall day.
As the days grow shorter and the rain just won't stop, try making a pot of this soup and you will begin to warm up the moment you take your first sip.

Zucchini Boats



Toot! Toot! All aboard this delicious supper!!
Zucchini boats are easy to make, totally versatile and a great way to use up the last of the lovely vegetables in your garden!

A Simple Supper for One - Quinoa with Teriyaki Broccoli and Spinach

I do love cooking a big meal for my boyfriend and I but every once in awhile I get the house to myself and am able to cook whatever I want, no questions asked!

Tonight I made quinoa with broccoli and spinach mixed with some herbs and teriyaki sauce, it was flavourful and kept me full for a long time.

This can definitely be doubled for two people or keep it as is and use it for a side dish!