To kick off Week 7, we got subs from 8 1/2 and had the first cucumber and tomato salad of the year. I never get over how such simple ingredients (cucumber, tomato, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, salt, pepper) can turn into such a subliminal combination of tastes. This year's tomato crop has been sweet and beautiful so far, perfect for my staple summertime salad.
The next night we raided the fridge to eliminate some of last week's stragglers, and wound up with kale and potato quesadillas. The kale and potatoes were already cooked, so they took almost no time at all to make. I need to remember that almost all vegetables taste good encased in a tortilla, warmed with cheese, and served with salsa.
Last Thursday was the NBA Draft, which has turned into a notable event in our house. I got some frozen Trader Joe's goodies (including the transcendent fried mac and cheese balls), and made sauteed cabbage to ensure that we consumed something healthy that evening. The cabbage, as I mentioned in Week 6, had the appropriate balance of tenderness and crunch, and with soy sauce and sesame oil, blended in nicely with the rest of our spread.
The final culinary endeavor of the week was a white pizza. We'd obtained a beautiful piece of Brigid's Abbey cheese from River City Cellars, and I shaved several pieces off to layer onto the pizza crust. For the next layer, I sauteed a small portion of one of Shannon's giant zucchinis with onions and garlic until the onions were transparent and the zucchini started to soften around the edges. The vegetables went on top of the cheese, followed by a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, grated parmesan, and additional shavings of the creamy Brigid's Abbey.
The next night we raided the fridge to eliminate some of last week's stragglers, and wound up with kale and potato quesadillas. The kale and potatoes were already cooked, so they took almost no time at all to make. I need to remember that almost all vegetables taste good encased in a tortilla, warmed with cheese, and served with salsa.
Last Thursday was the NBA Draft, which has turned into a notable event in our house. I got some frozen Trader Joe's goodies (including the transcendent fried mac and cheese balls), and made sauteed cabbage to ensure that we consumed something healthy that evening. The cabbage, as I mentioned in Week 6, had the appropriate balance of tenderness and crunch, and with soy sauce and sesame oil, blended in nicely with the rest of our spread.
The final culinary endeavor of the week was a white pizza. We'd obtained a beautiful piece of Brigid's Abbey cheese from River City Cellars, and I shaved several pieces off to layer onto the pizza crust. For the next layer, I sauteed a small portion of one of Shannon's giant zucchinis with onions and garlic until the onions were transparent and the zucchini started to soften around the edges. The vegetables went on top of the cheese, followed by a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, grated parmesan, and additional shavings of the creamy Brigid's Abbey.
We let the pizza warm up for five minutes in the oven, then added chopped tomato, and put it back in for a few more minutes. The cheese had a hint of brown when I pulled the pizza out and sprinkled it with several leaves of amethyst basil.
It was an aesthetically pleasing pizza, and also loyal to the season, which made it all the more satisfying to devour. As long as the tomatoes continue to be this wonderful, I'm going to try to use them in dishes that aren't (all) salads featuring them with cucumber.
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