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A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Charred Mexican Salad.

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My goodness this summer has gotten the best of me. Time to write has not been super easy to find between sports and moving and Montana and construction and kids galore. It’s all been SO FUN but has left little time for me to fire away at the laptop. 

The summer days seem to never end, right? I will wake up thinking ‘ok, we are going to have a PRODUCTIVE day today!’ I’m going to make it to the store. And fold some laundry. We will only stay 1.5 hours at the pool. But then B’s friend shows up who he hasn’t seen in FOREVER and suddenly it’s four hours later and the laundry and home have been neglected, again. But we are all sunkissed and happy and exhausted so there is some good in that as well, am I right?

Last Monday was one of those days. I told myself no matter who texts or calls I am saying NO. I’m going to be mean mom today. I am going to make B take a MUCH. NEEDED. NAP. and I am not getting up from my laptop for 2.5 hours and I’m going to share some delicious recipes. Awesome. Good plan, mom.

We arrived home from our morning errands and sure enough the neighbors ran over…..’CAN YOU GUYS COME TO THE BILTMORE POOL WITH US?’ Commence L and B jumping up and down, practically ripping of their clothes already to get into their swimsuits.

This has been my summer.

Zero structure and it was finally affecting me. I stood strong, for a change, and texted the darling mom next door and said I just really needed to buckle down at home even though I was really wanting to go with her and play in the sunshine.

I can take your boys?

WHAT? Like both of them? Without me?

A total angel for sure. We got her three boys and my two into swimsuits and sunscreen and all buckled up in a million car seats and boosters and I don’t think L and B have ever been smiling so big. How fun to go on such a treat….and without mom! 

I walked back to an empty and quiet home which I have not had since purchasing it. It was oddly unsettling. I gave myself one hour for chores and 1.5 to edit and write and I felt like a completely new woman. So productive, it was exactly what I had been craving. Happy. mama. 

Alright, this quick and easy recipe has been something I’ve wanted to share for weeks. Because that’s what it’s been about around here these days: quick and easy. I love the concept of charring romaine, think of it as a big summer wedge salad. Where you go from there is up to you. I leaned Mexican, topping it with cotija cheese, tomatoes, charred shallots (killer) grilled corn, and avocado. A homemade avocado dressing on top would be lovely….or you can do what I did and grab this one from the store. So easy.

It’s the absolute perfect salad to sit next to some grilled flank steak. Hold the carbs because with this meal….who needs them?

This felt so good to write, I’ve missed you ALFS! <3 Hope everyone is having an absolutely lovely summer.

Charred Mexican Salad
A perfect summer grilled salad!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 large heads of romaine
  2. 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  3. handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
  4. 1 avocado, chunked
  5. 1 ear corn, grilled
  6. cotija cheese
  7. avocado dressing
Instructions
  1. Cook the shallots: slice up and toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Char in a 450 oven for 10-15 minutes or so, until the edges are browned and slightly crispy.
  2. Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Rub the ear of corn with olive oil and grill until browned. Cut the corn off the cob and set aside.
  3. Char each side of the lettuce for a minute or so, until you get the nice grill marks.
  4. Set on a large platter and top with all of your toppings. Enjoy!
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Caprese salad with burrata.

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IMG_9518Hello pretty friends.

So, as you know, we moved. And it’s been absolutely fantastic. I still feel like I’m on cloud nine every single morning when I wake up. Someone pinch me, it’s not real, I live….here? 

I will never forget M’s words when we began looking: “I want to give you the entertaining home of your dreams.”

And boy did he ever.

It has been non stop over here. NON STOP. I am exhausted in the most happiest of ways. Doorbell ringing prior to 9AM and let. the. party. begin. The home is bursting at the seams with neighbors and friends and our contractor and parents and baseball players from 3 to 14. Yep, even the cool high school kids are hanging out at our digs. I tell myself it’s just because we are so way hip but I’m sure it has something to do with homemade chicken wings and chocolate chip cookies. Hey, it’s inevitable, if you make the good food….the boys will come. And stay. And it’s exactly what we wanted, exactly. 

So in the endless days of entertaining the kids in the new home I have learned a few things in adjusting to being that home. 1. Costco, almost daily. I can’t keep food in the house. 2. Shortcuts. It’s ok to serve the good frozen pizza, to pick up a delicious salad from your favorite pick up place. Huge bowls of popcorn and cut up strawberries and paper plates and napkins. Totally acceptable. 3. Buckets of ice and drinks for the kiddos outside otherwise they will all rotate asking you for something to drink the entire day. 4. Something special for the moms. Because boy moms deserve a little something girly in their day.

Think pink glasses, ice cold la croixs, light a pretty candle, and serve up something as beautiful and simple as this delicious caprese salad. 

I upped the anti a bit by adding avocado, burrata instead of fresh mozzarella, and finishing it off with buttery olive oil and a beautiful balsamic vinegar straight from a dear friend (thanks Tia!). No recipe needed, it’s as simple as slice, arrange, serve and drool.

Now, to keep the high school boys away from the moms food. Did you know they are into eating super healthy…? I guess something about looking good for the ladies. Regardless eat. Everyone. All of it. 

I’m oh so deliciously happy. 

 

 

 

 

Herbed butter baguettes with radishes.

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Mmmmm. We all know radishes + salted butter might just be the best combo ever, am I right? 

Enter radishes + herbed salted butter. On toasty bread. Dreamy.

I first got this idea while dining on the most amazing (what seemed like) twelve course dinner at Monteverde in the city. Unreal and hands down one of the best meals of my life, (thank you Cathy). One of the first courses were warm baguettes smeared with the good stuff: butter, herbs, lemon. On top sat slightly roasted radishes and the combination was just out. of. this. world. My favorite course by far. As far as I was concerned, bring me another platter and dinner was done. 

I didn’t know the exact recipe but I knew I could come close with Ina Garten’s. Hers had the key players: the dill, the lemon, and of course, the butter which I made in advance.

Come appetizer prep time (in between eight showings, ahem) I smeared the butter onto the warm bread and all was glorious in the world. It sort of sank into the crevasses in all the right spots. Topping with the crisp, slightly bitter, slightly peppery pink radish? Bam. You’ve got yourself one awesome summer app.

Herbed butter baguettes with radishes
A perfect summer app!
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 bunches radishes with the tops intact
  2. Sea salt
  3. herbed butter, recipe follows
  4. 1 French baguette, sliced diagonally, and lightly toasted in the oven
Herbed Butter
  1. 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  2. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced scallions
  3. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
  4. 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  5. 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  6. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  7. Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Herbed Butter
  1. Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed just until combined.
  2. Arrange the radishes on a bed of sea salt. Spread the butter on slices of warm toasted bread and arrange on a platter. Serve at room temperature.
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Strawberry salsa.

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IMG_8288Is this not the most delicious looking thing on earth?

I’m telling you, it is. Like best summer recipe to have ever graced the planet.

It all began while I was daydreaming during the six hour car ride home from Nana’s 95th birthday celebration at the farm. The boys were zoned out to Scooby Doo, M was jamming to his gangster rap, and I was busy scrolling on my phone for the most perfect recipe to celebrate 80 degrees and sunshine on a beautiful Sunday evening.

And then I saw it: strawberry salsa. My goodness was it just so beautiful.

We arrived home a bit tired and cranky as most people are after being in a car for hours. I threw the boys into the yard and told them absolutely no TV or electronics for the rest of time and off to the store I went.

And there they greeted me, in all their bright delicious summer glory: pounds upon pounds of juicy red strawberries. The kind that disappear for months around here and then reappear just begging to be made into something glorious.

In the cart they went, along with all the usual salsa contenders: cilantro, lime, jalapeno, red onion. Mmmmm.

Upon arriving home it was all chop chop chop and in the fridge it went to blend flavors while we took the boys out on the boat for a bit of fishing. One (almost) bass later, we arrived home to strawberry salsa and tortilla chips on the sunny patio. Very happy boys, very happy mama. My goodness I think it’s safe to say it….SUMMER IS HERE! (I hope).

Strawberry Salsa
A healthy and delicious summer twist on salsa!
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lbs fresh strawberries, chopped
  2. 1/2 red onion, minced
  3. 1/2 jalapeno, minced
  4. 1 juicy lime, squeezed
  5. 1 handful of cilantro, chopped
  6. 1 tsp sea salt
  7. sprinkle of sugar
Instructions
  1. Mix above ingredients together. I then let all the flavors hang out and blend together for an hour or so in the fridge. Serve with tortilla chips and a good margarita.
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/

Rainbow spring rolls.

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IMG_7445They say to eat the rainbow and my goodness do these rainbow spring rolls accomplish just that. Packed with fresh green herbs, red pepper, purple cabbage, orange carrots, and more I think at this point all we are missing is the color blue.

Look, homemade spring rolls aren’t really the way I typically roll. (Pun intended). They aren’t kid friendly (if your kids will eat these please don’t tell me that). They aren’t husband friendly (again, just don’t tell me). They are a bit tedious and require some patience and well…they are a project.

A project that I was so aching for on day three of our awesome (and by awesome I mean awful) spring days. I was dying for some sunshine and 60 degrees and since that was not happening anytime soon I resolved to take out my frustrations over where we live (why, why) in the kitchen.

Peel peel peel, slice slice slice, chop chop chop.

It always helps me. Always.

In the end not only did I make one of the most magnificent lunches I’ve ever eaten but I had fun playing with the rainbow in the meantime and my day did seem just a bit brighter.

That is, until baseball was canceled (again) and I was stuck inside the home (again) with two rowdy boys.

Spring…..hello? Are you there? We’d really like you to come out and play, please.

Rainbow Spring Rolls
A healthy and rainbow filled spring roll
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
25 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. Spring roll wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of the store)
  2. Cooked shrimp (roughly 10 or so)
  3. Cucumber, very thinly sliced
  4. Carrots, very thinly sliced
  5. Red pepper, very thinly sliced
  6. Purple cabbage,very thinly sliced
  7. Mint, torn
  8. Cilantro, torn
  9. Peanut sauce for dipping (found in the Asian section)
  10. Thin rice noodles (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prep all your veggies and herbs.
  2. Cook spring roll wrappers and rice noodles, if using, according to package directions. For the spring roll wrappers (they come hard I just dipped them very lightly in warm/hot water for a minute or so to soften and then laid on my countertops (quartz).
  3. Then, bundle your herbs and veggies on 1/3 of the wrapper and top with two shrimp. Roll, very tightly and gently, until sealed.
  4. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addition
Adapted from Sally's Baking Addition
A Life From Scratch. https://a-life-from-scratch.com/
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