Summer on the Eve of Flurries

Why is it that when it was actually winter, I hated the cold - but now that its a weird cold spell in April, I'm really digging it?

You'd never know it wasn't the middle of summer after the dinner we just had. All it needed, really, was a side of juicy hamburger and fries.... or maybe a nice potato salad.

Went really well with a nice, cold beer. I'll have to file this away and bring it out for the next bbq we go to. (hint hint!)

Found in and adapted from Vegetarian Times (Thanks go to Lori P. for letting me ogle her magazine!)

Chopped Black Bean and Avocado Salad (With Shrimp)

Serves 4, 30 minutes or fewer

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 tbs. whole-grain mustard

2 tbs. olive oil

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed

2 avocado, diced

1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup diced celery

2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and sauteed

Whisk together lemon juice and mustard in large bowl. Add oil, and whisk until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

See the recipe...

My First Post!

I'll explain egg-fish eventually, I promise!!

For the time being, I'm going to mess with the settings/look/feel a bit.

Now, the recipe originally called for spaghetti, but we didn't have any, so I used gobbetti (my favorite is by Bionaturae) and it worked out well. I also roasted two chicken breasts in a 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes, chopped them up, and tossed them in. No photo because I didn't know I was going to be a blogger! :)

I really enjoyed what we had for dinner last night, even if D. was frightened of it when I described it to him. Adapted from The Passionate Cook's recipe, dinner was as follows:

Gobbetti with Avocado & Cashew Pesto
(serves 4)

5 oz cashew nuts
5 oz g parmesan
4 cloves garlic
3 oz basil
¼ tsp dried crushed chili flakes
3 avocados
4 oz olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
14 oz pasta

optional: 2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

Toast the cashews in a dry, non-stick pan until browning and fragrant. Add to a food processor with the garlic cloves and grind until very fine. Grinding the garlic with the hot cashews will almost "cook" it - rendering the garlic less sharp and smoother in taste.

Chop the basil in the food processor - of you're having trouble with the blades pushing the leaves up too much without chopping them, add some of the nuts to weigh them down. You can also start adding some oil. When all the basil and nuts are combined, reserve in a bowl. Mash the avocados in the food processor (or with a fork) very finely, then combine with the nuts & basil. Add olive oil to achieve a smooth paste. Season with lemon juice and chili flakes, add half the parmesan, and salt & pepper to taste.

If preparing this in advance, leave one stone of the avocados in the pesto, smooth the top of the pesto and tightly cover with cling film.

Cook 14 oz pasta to packages instructions. Drain, then stir in the pesto and serve immediately, topping with remaining parmesan.

See the recipe...