Instant Love: Summer Panzanella

It's been a long time since I've written on this blog. It's been so long now I feel like what I write should be fantastic, so I've been avoiding it.  Kind of like when you meet someone interesting, and you're thinking about calling them, but then you don't for whatever reason and then too much time passes and the whole thing is just too darn stressful.  Too much time has passed! I feel the same way when I don't cook for a while - after a few weeks I don't want to make anything unless it's going to be fabulous, because now there's anticipation.  So I procrastinate (and eat a lot of quesadillas and frozen Kashi meals).

That's why I was excited when Roomie showed me her new idea for this "Instant Love" section of the blog.  It reminds me of the "Like" button on Facebook: non-committal yet effective.  Also, it's perfect for those mid-week meals that I love, but don't feel like writing out a recipe for.  The throw together meals of last-minute inspiration and cravings.

Panzanella's are one of my favorite go-to meals, especially when I just need to get myself back into the cooking vibe (say, after traveling in South America for a month). Panzanella is just a bread salad, with crusty country bed, tomatoes, onions, and whatever other veggies or greens you'd like.  You can also do sweet versions, tossed with berries and almonds and a little whipped cream/creme fraiche. Plus, it's a salad with bread.  I mean, seriously, how good is that?

All you need is some day-old bread (a half loaf usually works for me), cut or torn into chunks (you can also toast it in the oven for a few minutes to get the desired crunched).  I tossed this one with fresh tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers from the farmers market, and some chopped basil from the garden.  My tomatoes were super juicy, so I didn't need any extra vinegar for the dressing.  Toss it all together in a big bowl with some olive oil, salt, and pepper and let it sit at room temperature for few minutes before serving.  Voila!

Perfect Pasta Caprese

In theory, Pasta Caprese should be a delicious and simple dish.  You take the beloved, classic Italian trio (fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella), toss it with some al dente pasta, add some olive oil, and voila--heaven in a dish, right?  More often than not, this deceptively simple combination turns out all wrong--too wet from the tomato innards, or too greasy from the olive oil, or simply too bland, with no zing or unifying element to highlight the main flavors.

Zucchini Bonanza, Part 2: Zucchini Three Ways!

This is a long overdue post, considering this meal was prepared, photographed, and consumed more than a month ago!  It's been a busy summer and as I've prioritized other postings in the past few weeks, this one got left behind.

Here are three delicious things to do with the zucchini abundance and their flowers:

Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Smoked Farmer's Cheese

Raw Zucchini "Pappardelle" with Fresh Basil Pesto

Whole Wheat Pizzettas with Zucchini Salsa

--K, high on the abundant summer produce

Basic Basil Pesto

Here is some pesto from this batch, lovingly spooned on some raw zucchini "pappardelle" 

Everyone has their own preferred ingredients and method for making pesto.  Some people like pesto nice and sharp and salty with lots of cheese, some prefer it light and lemony, some like to use certain kinds of oils or nuts in place of the traditional olive oil and pine nuts.  I thought I'd share mine since now is a great time of year to make big batches of it and freeze it for colder seasons.

I like a complex pesto that balances the sweetness of fresh basil, the creaminess of pine nuts and oil, the bite of garlic, and the sharpness of lemon, salt, and cheese.

--K, who never gets tired of pesto of any sort