BUT WAIT!

I did make a sandwich for lunch today.

Ingredients...

Millet Bread from Small Planet Bakery

Panchetta

Avocado

Tomato

Red Onion

Cream Cheese

Panchetta is heaven. In anything. I tend to eat it Tony Soprano style by ripping the slices apart aggressively, tilting the head back, mouth open and munch... Usually with the mouth still open because it is so good that I don't care.

I wont be mentioning The Sopranos again.

IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT FROZEN PIZZA & TONY SOPRANO

Sorry...

Too hot to cook. No energy. Eating frozen pizza. The somewhat healthy kind that you can get at 17th St. Market in the frozen section. I got the 3 cheese with tomato and then added my own red onion and artichoke hearts. This was especially tasty with Season 2 of The Sopranos. Cooked in the oven for 15 minutes on a stone. Summertime laze with televison and mosquitos. This is just where I am at....

BAKED PERCIATELLI & A SLICE TO THE THUMB

THIS ISN'T ONE OF THE BEST, FOLKS!

This is actually quite a weird one. Any real chef would think this isn't right. But while I was slicing the garlic I almost took my thumb out. So we will blame the sequence of how this was prepared on the loss of blood.

Ingredients...

Perciatelli

Roma Tomatoes

Garden Style Sauce

Asiago Cheese

Garlic

Olive Oil

Salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice tomatoes, chop garlic and place on a sheet pan with drizzled olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. During this time you should have water boiling for the perciatelli. Once the perciatelli is al dente, I took a round glass dish and started with some garden style red sauce, then the perciatelli, topped with the baked tomatoes and showered the dish with asiago. Let it bake for about 10 minutes.

*This post is proof that I do not lie and pretend that I am some marvelous cook. But, it was tasty and I am having the leftovers for lunch today.

LAST NIGHTS DINNER WITH BOBBY FROM LOS ANGELES & CARINA FROM CINCINNATI

Ingredients...


THE FISH
Yellow Tail Chunks
Ahi Tuna Chunks
Garlic
Butter
Lemon


THE GREENS
Dandelion Greens
White Onion
Mango
Walnuts
Orange
Apple Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Balsamic Cream
Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place fish chunks in a deep bowl. In a little ceramic mug I put a huge chunk of butter and my freshly chopped garlic and heated it up. Pour all over the fish and squeeze 1 lemon on top. Stir, getting it completely saturated. Once you have done that transfer that goodness to a glass dish and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

GET OUT THE BOWLS
Bowl #1:
Soak your dandelion greens in water for 15 minutes to soften them up.
Bowl #2:
Sliced onions drenched in apple cider vinegar.
Bowl #3:
Chopped mango soaking in balsamic cream

In a little olive oiled pan on high heat, add your walnuts, then some butter and some sugar. When they are browned add these beauties to bowl #3. When the dandelion greens have softened combine bowls #1 and #2 and squeeze some orange on top. Then add bowl #3 and mix. Nice salad.

ARTICHOKES ARE ANGELS

Ingredients...

Angel Hair Pasta

Artichokes

Brie

Butter

Salt

Sauteed those amazing artichokes in butter while your angel hair is cooking. Once pasta is done, throw in dime size bits of brie and stir for awhile so it becomes as creamy as it can get. Add in the artichokes and some pinches of salt to taste.

This is the I-got-home-late-last-night-and-didn't-have-dinner version. Sorry, it could be a lot more fancy by maybe making a brie type cream sauce or something.... But, sometimes less is more. I scarfed it down in like 3 minutes and had sweet dreams about artichokes with wings and halos.

I HEART WILD CHINA

Anytime 17th St. Market has a "wild mix" of random fish cuttings, I get it. It is always super cheap and fresh and not to mention very pretty. This particular mix was full of little bits like squid and octopus. Last night's dinner was a stunning color combination: Green, Red, Butternut Yellow, Blue, White, and Glossy Dark Brown (Balsamic).

Ingredients...

1/2 LB of Wild China Mix

Romaine Hearts

Blueberries

Balsamic Glaze

Olive Oil

Flour

Salt & Pepper

Wild China needs to be locked in a bag full of flour and salt and pepper for a couple of minutes while you are waiting for your oil to get piping hot. Once hot, throw those beauties in and turn over when they are a golden butternut yellow.

Salad is as easy as it can get. Just some romaine hearts with blueberries and a olive oil and balsamic glaze. Very light. I couldn't get over all of the colors on the plate, there was a piece of fish that was in my mix that I couldn't identify, but it was the nicest hue of those really red sunsets that we are lucky to see every once in awhile in Tucson.

Eaten after the rain with a glass of white wine while listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Someday never comes....

SATURDAY'S SAUTEED SUMMER SALAD CHILLED

Ingredients...

Summer Squash
Asparagus
Avocado
Garlic
Almonds
Nutritional Yeast
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

In a large pan with many drops of olive oil, sauteed some asparagus tips and summer squash. 3 minutes before you turn off the stove, add some fresh chopped garlic. Transfer to a glass bowl and add the almonds, dashes of salt and pepper and nutritional yeast, because it is good for you. Place in refrigerator to chill out. When ready to serve, top with avocado.

If you are a meat eater I believe this would be excellect with procuitto.
Even better: Crispy procuitto

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

A light summer lasagna, if your tough enough to crank up that oven.

The Love...

Shataki Mushrooms
1/4 of a Glass of Red Wine that was left from the night before

Because the Shataki's have deep love for some red wine, give them a room in a medium sized glass bowl and christen them with some pinches of salt. Make them dizzy with a fork and then let them rest.

The Lasagna...

Lasagna Noodles
Garden Style Red Sauce
Fresh Shredded Romano
THE LOVE

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauce pan on high, start with the garden sauce (it came from a jar, sorry) and add the drunken lovers. Let simmer. After about 15 minutes you can turn off the heat and start assembling your lasagna. In a rectangle glass dish, start with the sauce, then Romano, topped with noodles and repeat. Bake in the oven until noodles are soft and cheese is golden brown.

Of course, traditionally if you eat lasagna there surly is ricotta sandwiched in there but I didn't have any and this. So, who says we have to have any? But, take note: It is hot here, this heat is already slowing us down and if you are going to cook lasagna in a kitchen that already feels like an oven, well you just might want to skip the extra cheese and meat. Save it for the wintertime.

WHEN IT IS 104 DEGREES WITH HUMIDITY AT 23%

A no brain-er for the fried brain-er.

Ingredients...

Romaine Lettuce
Red Onion
Plum Tomatoes
Radishes
Corn
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Nothing special. But light. Good to put in the body, little bites through out the work day... because it is so painfully hot and the swamp cooler isn't working.

POTATO SCALLOPS, IF WE LIVED IN NEW SOUTH WHALES

Also known as Potato Latkes, Potato Pancakes, Potato Patties...

Makes 3 basic cakes.

Ingredients...

1 Very Large Yukon Gold Potato
1 Egg
Garlic
Flour
Olive Oil or Butter
Salt & Pepper

Grate your Yukon Gold. Transfer your shavings to a colander and start squeezing as much of the potato liquid as you can. Place in bowl and crack open an egg. Add your freshly chopped garlic and about 1/4 cup of flour. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Shape into patty style. Fry in sizzling butter or olive oil or both.

This is just the starter. Now you can be creative and add whatever you like to make them a bit more interesting. Whether it be sauteed spinach, mushrooms, curry powder, red bell peppers, green onion, some type of shredded cheese...... What have you.

Some people put a dollop of sour cream on top, I would be more inclined to have sliced avocado on mine. Actually, if I were to have a potato cake in the morning time, I would add bacon. Hello grease, I love you.

SUMMERTIME VACATION BREAKFAST WITH NOAH

On vacation. But, I have been eating wonderful delish bites, including this one with Noah of Trickhouse.


1st Course: Grilled Shrimp with Fresh Peaches & Cherries.


2nd Course: Buttermilk Pancakes with Butter and Maple Syrup & Bacon


3rd Course: Frittata with Fresh Basil and Tomatoes from Noah's Garden Topped with Roasted Garlic and Romano Cheese

Out of control. And, we weren't even planning on eating like royalty.

Returning with recipes on the 13th of July. It is Preen's 2nd anniversary. Please come down for fashion festivities this Monday at 8:30 sharp!

HOLY SANDWICH MATRIMONY

Ingredients...

2 Slices of Small Planet Bakery's Millet Bread
Fresh Figs that were delivered to me (Thank You)
Bacon
Avocado
Gorgonzola

Double toasted bread with melted gorgonzola on just one of the slices. Figs placed on top of the cheese. Other slice: Spread avocado and top with bacon. Marriage will unite these 2 lovelies blessed from the gods.

WAITING FOR THE MONSOONS

A Salad.

Ingredients...

Asparagus
Radishes
Carrot
Cucumber
Cream Cheese
Avocado
Garlic
Butter
Salt & Pepper

Heat oven at 375. Melt as much butter as you want and mix with lots of garlic. pour over and massage into asparagus. Stick in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. In a bowl you should have some chopped radishes and some shredded carrot. When asparagus is done, cut in 1 inch bits and toss in the bowl with the radishes and carrot. Next, a nice healthy scoop of cream cheese. You want this to be on the top of the asparagus so it can have an easier time melting. Mix well. Place in refrigerator for about 5 to 10 minutes to cool off completely. When that is done, you will then toss in the bowl some chopped cucumber and avocado. Dashes of sesame oil always a must and salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect salad to eat outside while sweating to the monsoon teasers.

Come on now, already....