The Naptime Chef

This summer I’ve been thinking about expanding my writing to encompass wines. I frequently suggest pairing food with wine at each meal but never go more in the depth than that. This is mostly because my wine vocabulary is somewhat limited and I don’t want to sound dumb when I try to articulate what kind of wine I like and why. The best way to remedy this is to dive into the subject ready to learn as much as I can. I won’t become a wine writing genius overnight, or even in a year, but I’ve got to start somewhere. Today I’m going to begin with writing what I know, which is about three summer wines we’ve been enjoying at home lately.

Earlier this week Talenti Gelato sent me the most ah-mazing care package. I’ve always loved their brand but it seemed particularly fitting to get a gigantic box of it during National Ice Cream Month. It also came during one of our hottest months which means we are eating ice cream left and right. Yes, I’ve even considered serving it for dinner and skipping the healthy stuff altogether. Here are a few ways we’ve been enjoying it:

We are about halfway through our first gardening season in the new yard and it is time for an update. So far I’m happy to report that my year of experimentation is going fairly well. I’ve learned quite a bit about our climate, the sun patterns, and what critters I have to contend with around here. Here are some photos if you’d like to see:

Sometimes I like a new recipe so much that I make it a little too frequently. That is what happened with this simple ham and cheese tart. The first try was such a resounding success that it quickly took center stage in my weekly dinner repertoire. I admit it is a bit decadent for an everyday dinner. But, we are all sold on it, so I’ll keep making it until something new comes into play. The genius of this dish is in the simplicity of the ingredients: quality Dijon mustard, creamy Arla Dofino Havarti cheese, thin slices of smoked ham, all insulated by buttery puff pastry.

I am a bit of a mayo-phobe so I am always looking for substitutes when I make classics like chicken salad, potato salad, and the like. Usually I end up swapping regular mayo for a sauce that is heavy on yogurt or sour cream. They serve the same purpose, to moisten and flavor a dish, but tastes vastly different than mayonnaise to me. Last weekend I took my first crack at a mayo-free potato salad and made it with tzatziki sauce instead. My friend make Greek chicken skewers as the main course, so the cool cucumber-y salad was the perfect side.

A few weeks ago The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from My Cabin in the Woods by Erin Gleeson landed on my doorstep and I instantly deemed it the most gorgeous cookbook I’d ever seen. Not only is it full of delicious vegetarian recipes, it is a colorful feast of Erin’s watercolors, typography, photography, and more. Each recipe features it’s own watercolor by Erin, a unique layout, and original photography. On top of that, the recipes feature vegetables in ways I haven’t seen before. The butternut caprese, for example, is the perfect twist on an everyday favorite. I also love her cool watermelon “cake”, and ideas for vegetable ribbon salads. The first recipe I made from it was the strawberry salsa, it was such a hit at our block party!

Today I am sharing a great chat I had with Erin, the delicious salsa recipe, and a chance to win a copy of this book. I swear, once you crack the cover you won’t be able to stop reading it and you’ll tab just about every recipe to try tout de suite!

I write regularly for Momtastic and was so excited to work with them on this cool campaign called Let’s Get Her to Camp which is being run by Nestlé Crunch in conjunction with the Girl Scouts. As a former Girl Scout I am a huge advocate of camping and wilderness skills for girls. I also believe girls benefit from a little time away in the summer when it is age appropriate. Check out all the cool information about this campaign and maybe you can find ways to participate in it in your area! Read More…