Kale Salad w/ Crispy Pancetta*

Kale Salad w. Crispy Pancetta

I have to admit, I have been a little nervous about the kale movement that has been occurring. Widely accepted as the “it” leaf of the moment, Kale has officially replaced cilantro, avocado, spinach, Greek yogurt, and all the other famous super foods. Minimal calories and enough vitamins and nutrients to be considered one of the “world’s healthiest foods,” jumping on the Kale bandwagon is daunting. With support, encouragement, and downright consistent demands from my hubby I finally caved and gave the old kale salad a try…

What a delicious surprise. In one sitting, I can say I am a true convert. Maybe not enough to replace my classic romaine or assorted leafy greens, but definitely willing to add it to the weekly shopping list and place in heavy eating rotation! Check out this great Kale salad recipe and prepare yourself to see more like it!

Kale Salad w/ Crispy Pancetta*

1/3 cup olive oil

4-5 slices of pancetta

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup pure maple syrup (this is not an ingredient you would want to substitute for regular maple syrup)

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

1 8oz bushel of Kale

2-3 handfuls of blueberries

2-3 handfuls of chopped candied pecans, if desired (recipe here)

Combine the olive oil and pancetta in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, flipping frequently, until pancetta is golden and crispy (about 5 minutes total). Set pancetta aside and pour pan contents into a small bowl.

Chop the crispy pancetta into small pieces for garnish at the end.

Add the white wine vinegar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and whisk.

Combine the kale, blueberries, and candied pecans into a large bowl. Toss while adding the dressing, little by little, until the salad is well dressed (taste as you go).

 Garnish with the crispy pancetta.

*The salad dressing makes enough for two good size Kale salads!

Enjoy

e&e

Homemade Asiago Croutons

Homemade Asiago Croutons

We have had an unusually, gray, typical northwest rainy day, especially since it is the end of the July. I think in the three years that I have lived in Denver, Colorado I have yet to experience an entire day of weather like that of the Northwest so I have been taking full advantage of it. During the summer, I turn into an oven Nazi, so with the cool weather I turned on the oven and it was a welcome change!

I think there is one item that can not only take a simple salad and turn it into a truly delicious treat, but can also be a simple detail that gets you praise from any dinner guests. I have had my fair share of croutons, I am pretty sure that is the only reason I eat salad, plus I never count as a true carb because they are a garnish! I have also made my fair share of homemade croutons and until recently was still looking for the best recipe. These croutons are about the laziest “homemade” you can get, but they are very tasty! Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Asiago Croutons

2 loaves of Asiago Cheese Bread from Panera (you can really use any type of bread, I tried this on a whim because Panera gave me two free loafs that were a day old)

Sea Salt to taste

Cracked Peper to taste

Olive Oil to drizzle

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.

Cut both loaves so you get about 1-inch tall by ¼ inch wide small pieces (they tend to shrink while in the oven).

Spread them out on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and cracked pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes. Take out pans to stir and then bake for another 15 minutes.

Let cool and store in an air tight container or zip lock bag.

Enjoy!

e&e

Ten

He Truly Lived

Ten. Alone it might not mean all that much. Quantified in years, it still doesn’t seem to mean all that much. Thinking about the ten’s in my life, I haven’t had too many of them, just under 3 decades of living. There are really only two hobbies that I can say safely that I have done for longer than ten years: walking and skiing. According, to the experts it requires 10 years or 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in something. I have walked all over the world and summited peak upon peak. I am sure long ago all that walking added up to at least 10,000 hours; thus, I guess I am an expert. I have skied thousands of trails some hard with ice, others buried in glorious white champagne powder. For this, I can surely count a generous ten years of experience that has lead to total expertise.

This year marks the receipt of another ten-year chip: a chip in grief, loss, moments of loneliness, but more importantly living on. If you had asked me ten years ago today what areas I would claim myself to be an “expert” in, I probably would have only listed walking and skiing. It is funny the master plan that we are only privy to little by little. I have to say, that on the surface, this part of the plan was not ideal. But when I peel back the layers of loss and grief and the moments of loneliness I always find that beautiful center.  A center that any sailor lost at sea or any explorer trying to get back home prays they will find. As it was in this ultimate loss, that I found my beacon and my North Star—I found my ultimate way to live: to see the extraordinary in the ordinary, to aim beyond the standard, and to fall head first into my greatest love to date.

So yes, I guess I have earned my ten-year expert chip in the ups and downs of grief. I have earned my ten-year expert chip in navigating the devastating loss and I suppose I have earned my ten-year expert chip in over coming those moments when all you have is you. The ten-year chip I most proud in and the ten-year chip I know he would be most proud of…the chip of living on. And living on I have done: 2 years of sharing life with a partner who never lets me settle, seven years of higher education, ten years of traveling the world, and a lifetime of love and memories.

So world…bring on the next ten years and I will gladly take another chip! As I will continue to Live, because living is what he would have wanted and I know it through this living that his memory and his legacy lives on not only in me, but in those who I surround myself with.

Xoxo

E

Crab Cakes w/ Sweet Chili Sauce

Crab Cakes

I am not sure where the past several months have gone, but I am pretty sure that the beautiful Chanel Red Hutch in our dining room might be to blame. Last year my hubby decided to take woodworking, so I guess I decided to take up woodworking too! Out of this hobby has come a beautiful rustic dining table, a entryway/mail table with a copper top, and a beautiful and VERY large hutch (see pictures below). There have been many challenges to say the least. As “newlyweds” we are still very much learning about each other and woodworking together has given us a front row seat into “learning.” I am the visionary and my hubby is all about the details. I am striving for 80%, he is striving for 110%. The beautiful thing is that together as two polar opposite striving towards a unified goal, we can create some pretty awesome furniture and who knows maybe one day I will blog about it!

The Hutch..Finally Completed and in Place!

The Beautiful DoveTailing!

Now onto the food! There is one ingredient (some might call it a condiment, but my hubby just calls it a necessity) I can add to any meal and get guaranteed double thumbs up…Sweet Chili Sauce. I swear it is the key to all things hubby!

Crab Cakes w/ Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

16 oz drained Crab Meat

3 spring (green ) onions (I have also used white onions when out of spring onions)

Zest of 1 Lime

2 Dried Red Chili (minced)

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2-3 eggs

1 tbsp mayonnaise

2.5 cups panko crumbs (separated)

1-2 cups of oil for frying

Sweet Chili Sauce for dipping

Whisk two eggs in a bowl and pour 1.5 cups of panko crumbs on a plate and set aside. (used to finish the crab cakes)

Pour ½ inch of oil into a large skillet and warm over medium-high heat

Combine the crab meat, onions, lime zest, chili, fish sauce, oyster sauce, 1 egg, mayonnaise, 1 cup panko crumbs into a bowl and mix with your hands (you can use a food processor, but I like my crab cakes with large chunks of crab, so I mix with my hands)

Form crab cakes with combined mixture (I typically get 5-6 cakes, if you add additional panko crumbs you will get more cakes). Cakes should be about 2-3 inches in diameter. Please on a plate.

Dip the cakes in the whisked egg, then into the panko crumbs. Continue until all crab cakes have been covered with both egg and panko crumbs.

Test the oil temperature by flicking a drop of water and listening for a sizzle. Carefully place the crab cakes in the hot oil. Reduce heat slightly to prevent spattering and overheating.

Fry cakes for 3-4 minutes on either side OR until golden brown

Serve with sweet chili sauce

Enjoy!

e&e