Mediterranean Miss

Archive for the ‘Fridgespiration’ Category

Good mooooorning! It’s seven thirty and raining over here (boo) but we’ve just had the most incredible couple of days of sun. A little overcast weather won’t hurt, and I know the MM mom used to tell me that this last bit of rainfall was that push the earth needed to really burst into bloom. I’m excited for leaves! I’m surrounded by parks here and I can’t wait for them to green over.

As I write this I’m enjoying some Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats with yogurt and chia seeds – yum. I love rotating through oat bran, oat meal, overnight oats and oatmeal pancakes for breakfast. This was delicious:

Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 smooshed banana, 1 heaping tbsp chia seeds, 1/4 cup oats, let sit overnight, then top with blueberries and millet flakes in the a.m.

So, now that you know what I’m nibbling on for breakfast, how were your Easters? From what I saw, they looked great: delish and filled with family fun. As promised here’s my recap of the incredible feast we had laid out for us on Sunday:

• Italian Wedding Soup (I knew better than to ask for seconds this early on, but it was so good).
• Bowtie Pasta salad with sun dried tomatoes & bocconcini
• Roasted Cauliflower (the cauliflower was purple!!)
• Green Bean Salad
• Tossed Salad
• Roasted Potatoes
• Polpettes (a kind of meatball)
• Homemade Sausages
• Grilled lamb chop, rack of lamb and LEG of lamb (my goodness)
• Homemade bread
• Coconut cake
• Strawberry Shortcake
• Biscotti, Baci chocolates & other misc sweets with our coffee/tea

There were only 11 of us there. This easily could have fed an army! It was all delicious, and by the sounds people were making, the things I wasn’t able to try were incredible too. One of my favorite parts of these dinners are the Baci Chocolates (hazelnut chocolates with cute love sayings on the wrapper) that I never eat anywhere else. They’re so addictive. I can’t get enough of the boy’s family, either. They’re such a loud, happy, loving bunch of people!

Along with dinner we all enjoyed some of Nono’s homemade wine. The stuff is delicious, but deceptively fruity. I’ve been straight-up tipsy after two small glasses so I was only able to take a sip or two because I was driving the new car home. We all made an exciting plan, though:

• At the end of the summer we’re going to get together and make fresh wine and tomato sauce!!

Not only am I very excited to be seeing Andrew’s family again, but I’m delighted that they’re letting me in on such a special family tradition. The fact that I’m going to have a ton of fresh wine and delicious fresh tomato sauce is such a plus, as well.

• Have you ever made homemade wine?
• What are some of your family’s cooking traditions?

Last night I had a dinner party for some of my favorite people. We’re coming up to the end of the term, and with finals to study for and work deadlines to rush to, I know that I’m going to be too busy to see them as much as I want to.

The party was what I love to call a “BYOT Pizza Party,” meaning ‘Bring your own Topping’. The premis is simple: I provide homemade pizza dough, sauce, and some standard toppings. You bring the rest. This means that everybody gets exactly what they want :3 I made two whole pies that disappeared too fast for me to snap a picture. By the end of it, all that was left were these lonely pieces:

I love how doughy the crust turns out <3

The recipe is very easy to follow:

• 4 cups white all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Combine the yeast and the warm water and let sit for about ten minutes.
2. Make a pile of your flours and salts with a well (or indentation) in the center.
3. Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the center well and knead until dough becomes elastic and smooth. You want that stickiness to go away
4. Let rise in a bowl covered by a dry towel for 1/2 an hour.
5. Dress, then pop in your oven for 20 minutes at 475, or until the crust has turned golden and the cheese is melted and bubbling.

This recipe is not gluten-free by ANY means. I had to make a little something for myself on the side. Everybody raved about how delicious this was, though, and I’ve made it many times so I feel confident in sharing it with you without having really tried it.

My friends make wonderful houseguests. They all brought over little things to serve with dinner/for me to sip, enjoy and devour on my own:

Gluten-free chocolate coconut cookies!!

Crumbly and delicious - but not too sweet. Win and win.

Even Dolce, that wine connoisseur, was impressed by the selection they brought over (and then left with me, oh yeah)

The bottle in the front left is a 2008 Gallo Family Pinot Grigio. I’m still learning about wines, but I can tell you that this is by far my favorite white . It’s crisp with tones of granny smith and citrus and is a real treat when nicely chilled. I’ve already got two bottles stocked up of this affordable nectar, even though I’ve always thought of myself as a red wine girl.

• Do you prefer red wines, white wines, or do you match both to the food you’re eating?
• What are some of your favorite wines?

I get a lot of information from snooth.com. It’s a site that allows you to read user reviews and food pairings and it also displays useful information such as detailed flavor descriptions, price listings and background on the vineyard and type of wine itself. I love it! I’m learning more and more about wines as I buy them, and can’t wait to go on a wine tour someday.

While my friends were here helping me prepare dinner my fridge got a lot of attention. I always forget how pretty it is, but guests aren’t used to it and always exclaim when they open the door to my greening bounty:

Fridgespiration Crazy kale monster in the corner, haha

• How are your fridgespirations going? Don’t forget to send me those pictures!! I’d love to see what you’ve got going on, and don’t worry if your fridge isn’t as ‘green’ as mine – I’m very restricted in terms of what I can eat so I always have to be sure to have tons of salad ingredients at hand.
• What’s your favorite way to enjoy fresh artichokes? I love the jarred artichokes, but I’ve never made them fresh. I bought three on a whim and I’m going to be giving them a go tonight.

Thanks for your suggestions! I’ve never made them before and I’m a little apprehensive – they look like little prickly grenades, not like the flavorful folds of yum that I like to eat straight out of the jar.

Have great Tuesdays!