flatten out

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With Father’s Day this weekend you might be doing some grilling. Here are a few ideas from a get together we had a few weeks ago. While steaks might be a favorite, sometimes poultry’s the thing, especially with a big group.

Bought 7 organic whole chickens from the market and Ina’s recipe called for them to be flattened. Flattened? Young butcher behind the counter had no idea what I was talking about so decided to just take those birds home and get it done. You can learn anything with your laptop and google. Put that thing right up on the kitchen windowsill and went to work. All those years of sewing and cutting fabric on the bias totally helped out.

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Asparagus, leeks, fennel, peas, and chives went in the risotto stirred with vegetable broth. Sweetened it all up with a bit of marscapone cheese. Mesclun and a mustard vinaigrette rounded things out.

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Sweet cherries and cookies, baked in the city and brought to the country, flat boots, bare feet, flat sandals, and blue jeans. We were all pretty much happily flattened out.

Photos below are not for the vegetarians, vegans, or those that don’t like to mess it up in the kitchen. They show what really went on.

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Every day dress, not afraid to flatten out.

Happy upcoming Father’s Day.

 

 

 

 

 

stay with the plan

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photo 7Saturday night in June with plans to have good friends out to the country for wine and casual steaks on the grill.

When you’re a parent your mood can often be determined by that of your children. One of six going through a rough spot. Feel the pain. Wanted to cancel the get together and wallow a while and simply pull weeds for hours on end in the garden.

Having a strong partnership with those around you is always a good thing. Husband said he could go either way, he understood, but was looking forward to our friends visit.

After coffee and clarity decided to stay with the plan. Friends visited, started with a nice Rosé, moved into Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, a California Cab, finished with a campfire side glass of port. So better than solitary wallowing and weeding.

Food and table simple. Local asparagus and tomatoes roasted in the oven with olive oil and kosher salt. Yellow beets and farm fresh eggs boiled, peeled, and plated. Kale caesar salad, sliced strawberries and drop cookies. Table was a compilation of things acquired over the years; a tablecloth bought in Calistoga CA, linen napkins from Italy, steak knives from a winery in Napa and the canning jar that held the lambs ear and garden flowers from late grandmother’s cellar.

Thank you friends, so glad we stayed with the plan. Love to all.

 

 

every day cook

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There are a couple of things we all need to do every day, most of us at least, and that would be to put some clothes on and eat a few times.

My blog is kind of devoted to those daily habits, dress, love, work, cook, eat, exercise. Here’s hoping you have a couple of good outfits you can throw on without thinking that look good and have a couple of things you can prepare for dinner in 15 minutes flat that taste great.

Here are today’s offerings: wild salmon, pictured here, and wild cod, not pictured here, for husband that doesn’t like pink fish, local lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and squash. Fish on the grill, lettuce, tomatoes, and cukes tossed, zucchini and squash pan-fried. A little Italian white to round things out.

Outfit has been posted before. Get a few things together and repeat repeat repeat. Worth New York top, J Brand Capri Empress jeans, and close-up of sandals I have been absolutely living in all summer long.