Mediterranean Miss

Yasas blogloves!

Let me start by saying thank you so much for the support on my last post. It was very difficult to publish that on here, and I so appreciate your advice/opinions! This is why the blogworld is so great – you make it happen, bloggies <3

Yesterday, as I mentioned, Andrew came over and he and I played host to a couple-friend of ours, Ken and Kate. I was very excited to have friends over for a “formal” dinner party – it seemed so grown up. I’m coming to grips with the fact that I’m an adult a little bit more every day. Sometimes I still think of myself as a little girl.

As happy as I was, Dolce may have been even more enthusiastic. New people = new playmates. He always gets a lot of attention because he is honestly just the cutest thing in the world.  Kate grabbed his favorite feathery toy about two minutes in and they went to town:

Dolce loves it when new friends come to play

But then.. he did this. Destructor-dolch ruined the toy, then decided to play in this bag instead.

Whole Foods bag + feather wand carnage = best toy ever

As it was supposed to thunder last night (which never happened, the Florida-girl in me loves a summer storm) we decided to make dinner inside as opposed to grilling. Being Italian, Andrew whipped up his speciality. It’s his go-to recipe and is at its best right now while everything is in season. This is about as authentic as it gets:

This made my gluten-free heart weep - don't forget to use gluten-free pasta!

Pasta al Regazzo

• 2-3 gloves fresh garlic
• 1/2 of a sweet white onion
• 2 zucchini (we used one yellow squash, one zuch)
• 1 bunch asparagus (look for slim, snappy stalks with tight buds)
• 2 packages button mushrooms
• extra virgin olive oil
• italian seasoning (dried parsley, basil, oregano and salt)
• fresh parmigiano-reggiano

1. Sautee the onion and garlic in olive oil on medium-low heat until the onion is translucent and the smell is almost TOO delicious.
2. Add italian seasoning (we’re generous here) to the pan. Chop and prepare all of your veggies (we slice everything thinly)
3. Add veggies to your pot and stir occasionally to ensure even coating. Season to taste while you’re doing so, and add olive oil as needed.
4. Set water to boil. **
5. Cook, strain and replace pasta in pasta pot. Pour veggies in with pasta, mix well, then bring the whole pot to the table for an authentic Italian feast.

** Andrew’s family adds salt and olive oil to the pasta water. I strongly encourage you to do this, too! It makes the pasta that much better.

We paired his pasta with two salads, one, a fresh green salad with romaine, and two, this steamed bean salad that I can’t get enough of right now as everything is so fresh and in season:

Fresh green beans with sweet onion, olive oil, rose salt and white balsamic vinegar

We set a pretty fine table, then sat down to feast with glasses of the wine K&K brought.

Not a bad spread if I do say so myself :3 Pictured: Bean salad, Pasta al Regazzo and Tuscan Rotisserie Chicken. Success!

Now this is how you can tell if you’re friends with the right people. As Andrew and I cooked last night, Ken and Kate were determined to tidy the place up. I had made sure that the loft was spotless before they came over, and it was spotless when they left! It was great to not worry about dishes, dirty countertops, etc.

A few short minutes later, the loft was sparkling again, the dishwasher was humming, and we sat down to dessert, beginning with a seasonal treat – champagne grapes:

These are so good, they're light and very sweet - they totally remind you of champagne

Afterwards, everybody enjoyed some peach-raspberry pie that they had brought from Whole Foods. To my delight, Kate brought me a little something special, too!

So sweet of Kate to bring me a GF dessert; Carrot Cake from Whole Foods

This was really, really good. I had half for dessert last night, and the other half for breakfast. Bad idea (sugar crash and BURN), but great idea (delicious. Just delicious.)

In all, I was really happy with our menu.

• Do you throw dinner parties? What types of menu do you prepare in advance? It’s tough to find a balance of things that can be made ahead vs freshness so that you can enjoy a delish meal, but still chat while you’re making it.

That’s it for my recap, so I’ll leave you with something fun. The lovely Sara tagged me in a questionnaire. I love these little things, so I’m going to answer it. Please answer this yourself with a comment! I’m interested in reading what you’d say, too

Q&A

1. Who was your first celebrity crush/obsession?

My very very first celebrity crush is actually kind of creepy when you think about it because he was old enough to be my grandfather (he was born in 1939, NBD) when I liked him at age, oh, 10, I’d say. Ready? The knife-toting, damsel-rescuing, nature-loving Crocodile Dundee, Paul Hogan.

G'day baby.

2. What was your favorite lunch to take to school when you were little?

I always, always wanted those easy-go snack pack lunches that had you like make your own tiny pizza or whatever. And dunkaroos. Sadly, I was not allowed either, although I thank my mom for it now, those things are narsty.

3. What cartoons did you watch as a kid?

I was more of a reader than a t.v. watcher (my childhood was strongly influened by Sweet Valley High and The Babysitter’s club – remember those?). I was really into Sailor Moon for awhile, and I liked the Saturday Morning Lineup. I also watched a lot of Rugrats, Dexter’s Lab (the way he says Deedee, omg, I’m dying, DEEDEE, ahahahah) and Doug when we were in Florida – yeaah Nicktoons!

4. What was the grossest thing you ate as a kid?

Liver. Oh, does that not count? I’m sure I’ve eaten my share of grass and bugs and things. Actually, I ate an ant once by accident and that was gross – it tasted so sour :\ Also, sandwiches with mayo. I had one once by accident when I was about .. eight? Never again. I’d take the ant over that stuff any day.

5. What was your favorite Disney movie when you were little?

The Little Mermaid. Too easy. (I still pretend I’m a mermaid when I go swimming. I totally could be one, too, my last name means “of the sea” after all ^~ just call me Ariel.)

6. What was your best Halloween costume?

My best friend and I went as a conscience! She was a devil, I was an angel and we blew up this huge balloon that we carried between us that we painted a face on. Too funny.

7. What was your favorite cereal back in the day?

Golden Grahams, baby. I miss them so much! Please come up with a GF version, somebody.

8. Did you have a special beanie baby in your life when you were little.

Heck YES! I loved beanie babies. I still have most of my collection, actually. My favorite one was Magic, the White Dragon.

Magic, the White Dragon

She’s “rare,” and cost $30 at the flea market. I cleaned the whole house that week to get extra allowance to be able to buy her. I ran to the vendor’s stall the next weekend because I was so worried that somebody else had bought her before I had the chance to come back.

Looking forward to reading your answers, bloggies!

x

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