Monochrome Monday: Insalata Caprese

Caprese Salad Ingredients

Locally grown organic tomatoes
Locally grown organic purple basil
Fresh mozzarella
Drizzle of balsamic vinegar and unfiltered olive oil
Dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Savor each bite as summer fades

Swiss Chard, Tomato, and Ricotta Calzones

Swiss Chard, Tomato, and Ricotta Calzone

Please send help. The Swiss chard has established a stronghold in our garden and won’t surrender. It’s been going strong since springtime and shows no sign of slowing down. It may have wilted during the hottest, driest days but has never failed to rejuvenate itself overnight. I wish I could say the same for the tomatoes, radishes, and carrots that we planted. Swiss chard has definitely been the superhero of our garden this year and at this rate, these same plants may just be the superhero of next year’s garden too.

Continue reading “Swiss Chard, Tomato, and Ricotta Calzones” »

Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Cutlets

Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Cutlets with Tomato Wine Sauce

I’ve only had polenta once before, when my boyfriend cooked it for me. He loves a good cooking experiment just as much as I do. We had been intrigued by it in the store, not quite knowing what to make of the large yellow tube that appeared ready to burst at any moment. We decided that it was pretty tasty, and I vowed to use it again.

When I came across a recipe for polenta made from scratch, I knew I had to try it. Plus, the addition of mushrooms in this recipe forced me to push my comfort zone. I don’t like mushrooms very much. It’s definitely a texture thing, so I figured that if I chopped them finely enough (and tried not to think about it) I could enjoy this dish.

Continue reading “Sun-Dried Tomato Polenta Cutlets” »