SUNDAY
Grilled Top Sirloin Steaks | Summer Skillet Corn & Tomato Salad | Cold Cucumber Chips
MONDAY
Steak Tacos with Grilled Sweet Peppers & Onions
TUESDAY
Baked Eggs with Sausage, Tomatoes & Sweet Peppers
WEDNESDAY
Sweet Asian Chili Stir~Fry with Pork, Ginger & Sweet Peaches | Skillet Green Beans
“If ever there is a tomorrow when we are not together…there is something you must always remember: you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we are apart…I’ll always be with you.”
~ A. A. Milne, Winnie ~the~Pooh
Hello there, it has been a while…longer than I had anticipated but time has a way of speeding along. The last few weeks have been spent packing, organizing, and planning for Maddie’s move to the East coast. There were farewell dinners with friends, afternoon walks on the beach, ferry rides into San Francisco and one final food~centric tour of the City~by~the~Bay that left us full for days. And then, the few days I had tried so hard to block from my thoughts hit me head on…Friday, July 18th, King was loaded onto a horse transport to begin his three~day journey across the country. Maddie followed him three days later, arriving in Pennsylvania on Monday the 21st and, the following day, both were reunited at their new home, marking the end of a weekend full of goodbyes and tears and the beginning of a grand adventure. In the days, now weeks, since we have been discovering our new family lifestyle. To be honest, the first couple of days were hard…King’s empty stall at the barn, Maddie’s silent room here at home, an empty chair at the dinner table…but as those days passed, the void began to fill again. Phone calls, texts, “snap~chats” from Maddie minimized the distance; Max, now the oldest sibling in the house, passed his DMV Learner’s Permit test just a few short hours after Maddie’s plane departed SFO, thereby creating a whole new adventure for us here; and Mallory’s days at the barn, previously spent with her sister, have become precious time for us to share. We are gradually falling into a new daily rhythm, enjoying new stories and adventures and although one of us may be miles away, we are still very much together.
As for dinners, I have been cooking simply, without recipes. Steaks, chicken and unbelievably fresh fish {caught by our neighbor, Dave} cooked on the grill and served with sweet cucumbers and tomatoes, seasoned simply with sea salt and freshly ground pepper, or sweet white corn {served on the cob or tossed in a salad}, or garden lettuces dressed with the simplest of vinaigrettes. No frills cooking well suited for late summer harvests. This week at the farmers’ market, corn {both sweet white and bi~color} and peaches still reign supreme, with beautiful sweet peppers making a strong showing {I love that purple “Lavender Bell” pepper in the photo above}. I have yet to find vibrant heirloom tomatoes but the Early Girl variety has proven to be exceptional so far this season along with the various cherry tomatoes. Glorious green beans, sweet Mediterranean cucumbers, Shanghai bok~choy, tender scallions, huge bunches of parsley and sweet yellow peaches filled our cart this week.
A few notes on this week’s menu…
SUNDAY: Steaks on the grill will be served with an easy, warm corn & tomato salad that we have been eating often this summer and I look forward to sharing the recipe with you this week. Also, sweet cucumbers will be sliced and sprinkled with salt and pepper to round out this simple summer Sunday dinner.
MONDAY: Cooking a bit of extra steak last night will make this evening’s dinner prep quick and easy. Sweet peppers and onions will be sliced and sautéed in a cast iron skillet until caramelized and then tossed with this Taco Seasoning. The leftover steak will be allowed to come to room temperature for 20 minutes, or so, and then sliced and tossed with the seasoned vegetables in the hot skillet until just heated through. Sour cream mixed with a squeeze of lime and a dash of salt will make a refreshing “crema” for topping our tacos.
TUESDAY: The Saturday before Maddie left, we all headed into San Francisco and enjoyed brunch at MarketBar. That morning, Maddie enjoyed the “Baked Eggs a la Nicole”, an amazing dish that features eggs baked over a bed of ground sausage, peppers and tomatoes bubbling in juices and topped with melted ricotta cheese. It was a hit with everyone at the table that morning and I created my oven version here at home last week with great success. These eggs, served with a simple green salad, make a wonderful weeknight dinner. I will post the recipe soon!
WEDNESDAY: When I saw the Shanghai bok choy at the market this week I immediately thought of this dish, one of our favorites. I needed to find a seasonal substitute for the mandarin oranges used in the recipe and decided on super sweet and juicy yellow peaches. I love peaches and pork together and the fresh ginger also pairs well with peaches…fingers crossed, I will let you know how this one turns out.
A short week at home for me as Mallory and I leave on Thursday for a horse show. Hope you all have a wonderful week!
