Waiting for Spring: Bird Seed Wreath

For Christmas, my mom treated us all to various bird feeders.  We had so much fun watching all the birds (and squirrels) at the wreath that we decided to make a new one after they devoured the first.

We found this recipe here and had fun picking out birdseed.  Can you see the pistachios and dried fruit in it?  It almost looks good enough for people to eat!
 

After a good amount of drying time, it was ready to hang.  Once the birds discovered it, it was gone in just a few days (the squirrel does help speed the process along).  Time to make a new one for all those spring birds I'm starting to hear.

Hope you are starting to get a taste of spring!

 

 

Cranberry Orange Relish

Every year, we like to give a little something for the holidays.  This year, I wanted to share my mom's Cranberry Orange Relish.  The color is gorgeous, and its sweet and sour combination is perfect on a sandwich or as a side dish. I have eaten more than my fair share this season!

Living in Massachusetts, we are lucky to find fresh bog berries (three times the size of the Ocean Spray ones!) at the local market.  This recipe is so easy, yet makes a unique treat.

Cranberry Orange Relish

4 cups cranberries, washed and picked over
1 whole navel orange, washed, ends cut off, and cut into eighths
1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)

Place cranberries, orange pieces and sugar in the food processor.  Pulse until cranberries are finely chopped.

Let relish sit in refrigerator overnight.  Taste and add more sugar as desired.

That's it!

I'm roasting a chicken now just so I can eat the relish tonight.  It's also so tasty on a turkey cheddar panini!

Enjoy!

Accidental Sushi Salad

Sometimes the best things come from mistakes, right?  I definitely think so in the case of this salad.  An error in rice to water ratio yielded WAY more rice than intended one night.  I then had the brilliant idea that I would make avocado rolls with the remaining rice (notice there are no photos of those - I just can't get them to look pretty!).  But, not daunted yet, I decided the taste of the rolls was good, just not the presentation, so why not just throw the ingredients in a bowl and call it salad?  Hence, the Accidental Sushi Salad.*



For mine, I used left over rice, cubed avocado, cubed cucumber, sesame seeds, and one sheet nori (found in Asian section of grocery store).  For the dressing, I mixed 1/4 cup soy and one minced garlic clove. 

Using water, stick the nori down to your bowl.  Scoop in your rice.

Place your vegetables on top (you can add whatever you like, including proteins here).

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 

 Drizzle with dressing and enjoy a surprisingly delicious kitchen blunder!

*After making my accidental sushi salad,  I got curious and researched a bit about sushi.  The common factor of all forms of sushi is vinegared rice (oops! mine is not) and there is actually a form called "chirashizushi", which means "scattered sushi".  I wonder if some Japanese chef years ago couldn't master rolling maki, either! 

Peach Basil Mozzarella Salad

This week's (belated) recipe is a rendition of Heather Ross's Peach and Basil Salad, published in Weekend Sewing: More Than 40 Projects and Ideas for Inspired Stitching .

While she stacks the fruit, cheese and basil, I simply chop mine and toss with the dressing.  Also, I use golden balsamic vinegar so that the vibrant oranges and reds retain their gorgeous color.

Seems fitting to make this salad - look at my camera strap!  I've been taking photos of salads for weeks with Heather Ross's fabric around my neck.  It's about time I featured her salad too.

I have had this fabric in my stash for years.  It is one of those treasured cuts that doesn't often get used in my sewing room because I don't want to run out!  It is a special project, a bit of pampering, to use this fabric. 

In case you love her fabric too, here's a hostess apron in my etsy shop made out of her adorable "Lightning Bugs and Other Mysteries" fabric.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do - just like the fabric, it is such a treat!

Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint

For this week's recipe, I'm serving up something new in my salad repertoire.  I've seen this salad at different picnics and have been intrigued.  What follows is a compilation of many recipes, and makes for one very easy, quite unique salad.  As a simple girl, I love the fact that I can create such an interesting salad with only a few ingredients - one of which is growing rampant in my yard!  (No complaints, though - that fresh mint also goes very well in a fresh mojito!)

For this Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint, you will need:

• 10 cups cubed watermelon (approx. 5 lb)
• 1/2 c. mint (approx. 40 leaves)
• 2 limes (oops!  are there three in the photo?)
• 1 c. crumbled feta
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1/2 t. kosher salt

Measure out 1/4 c. oil and pour into small bowl.

 

Juice two limes and pour into oil.

 

Measure a generous 1/2 t. salt and pour into oil/lime juice mixture.

 

Whisk together and set aside.

 

Now, to prepare the watermelon - does anybody else find it tricky to turn an oval into small squares?  I figured out this method to get the most even-sized cubes.

First, cut off the end of the watermelon.

 

Quarter the watermelon.

 

From the top of each quarter, make 1 inch slices down.

 

From each of these pieces, cut along the rind and remove.

 

Lay the remaining piece flat and cut 1 inch lengths.

 

Then, cut across these with more 1 inch cuts.

 

Repeat for the remaining quarters of watermelon - lovely 1 inch cubes of watermelon!  (If your watermelon is extra juicy, you can strain in a colander before mixing the remaining ingredients.)

 

Here's a handy way to cut your mint, too!  Rinse and dry approximately 40 leaves.

 

Stack your leaves (about 20 at a time) and pinch tight.

 

Use your kitchen shears to cut across the leaves to create thin strips.

Sprinkle your cut mint over the watermelon.

Sprinkle the feta over the watermelon.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat. 

 

There you have it!  A simple summer treat that perfectly blends sweet, salty, citrus and spice for such a flavor explosion!  Try it with some spicy grilled chicken.

Have fun surprising your friends with something new and different!



Pasta Estate a la Capri

This week's recipe is extra special.  I get to feature my mom, who has made this dish for me for as long as I can remember.  It is one of my all-time favorite summer dishes, and is so versatile.  While the actual recipe is quite simple, you can do so much with it, it's a must-have.  As an added bonus for me, we are at the beach this week - a place that holds so many childhood memories, and promises to be a place of memories with my girls now.

One of the main ingredients of this week's recipe is tomatoes, which calls for a trip to the local vegetable stand.  I have been going to this stand with my mom for as long as I can remember - always pulling in for ripe, red tomatoes or juicy fresh peaches.  One time, I was picking wildflowers on the side of the stand while waiting.  My mom apologized to the owner, thinking he might be offended.  He just said, "Oh, no problem.  Katherine Hepburn was here earlier doing the same." 

To give you a flavor of the season, and of this beautiful place, I'm including a few photos of the stand.  Scroll down for the recipe.

 

For this week's recipe, you will need:

• 3-4 large ripe tomatoes
• olive oil
• 1 6 oz. can black olives
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup basil (about 25 large leaves)

 

Measure 1 cup olive oil and pour into a large bowl.

 

Press garlic cloves and add to oil.  Stir to mix.

Chop olives (reserve a few for snacking while you work) and add to bowl.

Chop tomatoes and add to bowl.

Chop basil (at home, I use my kitchen shears for long, thin strips) and add to bowl.

Add a scant teaspoon of salt and mix well.

You can serve the salad at this point, use as a bruschetta topping, or toss with freshly cooked hot pasta and mozzarella.  Lately, I've been cubing day-old bread and mixing it in - much less messy than bruschetta but just as tasty. 

 

Thank you, mamacita, for sharing one of my favorites this week!  You're the best!