We enjoyed this hearty salad for dinner tonight!  It was soooooo tasty!  There's a little bit of prep involved, but the best part is that you can do all of it in advance! I worked on the onions, croutons & nuts late this morning so we could have it for dinner at 6pm. It was my first time making caramelized onions and it definitely won't be my last. You will be delighted at how easy each step of this salad is!

Let's talk about the taste! Oh boy! The sweetness of the onions & candied walnuts pairs nicely with the tangy goat cheese and the peppery arugula. The croutons were pretty darn good, and I don't really need to get into how much I love croutons.  It's just obscene and we will leave it at that.  Look at that glazed walnut teasing my fork. Sexy huh?

This recipe makes a lot of salad.  Now that you have all of your prep done, you can easily make something else with the candied walnuts or caramelized onions!  I plan on making more salad tomorrow night with the leftovers and will add some roasted beets to the mix!  I am unfortunately out of croutons... Can you guess why?  By the way, those onions would be great on a burger!

So this is what you are going to work on:

Let's get started!

Melt some butter and brown sugar in a pan with water.

After a minute of boiling, stir in the nuts.

Spread them out on foil and let them dry a bit.

Cut up bread, toss with olive oil and spread out the bread on a baking sheet. Bake. Croutons! Done!

Now slice up the red onions! I used a mandoline. It is equally terrifying and amazing!  Watch those digits!

Toss them into an oiled/heated pan and cook for 18 minutes.

At the very end, add some balsamic vinegar. I used a reduced vinegar so it was extra gooey!

All that and now you have this little bowl of wonder!!! Fancy huh?

Crumble some goat cheese with a fork. Set aside.

Make your dressing.  It's just olive oil and balsamic. Easy peasy!

Take all of your ingredients and toss it in a huge bowl. Add the dressing.

Tada!  Look what you have! A wonderful salad.  Your mouth will thank you.

Arugula Salad w/ Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese & Candied Walnuts

(recipe Bon Bon Appétit)

Caramelized onions:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/4 pounds red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used a reduction)

Candied walnuts:

• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• Large pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups walnut halves

Croutons:

• 4 cups 1/2-inch cubes crustless country bread (I left the crust on mine!)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 5-ounce packages baby arugula
• 2 5-ounce packages soft goat cheese, broken into 1/2-inch pieces, chilled

For caramelized onions:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions. Sauté until golden, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with vinegar; stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

For candied walnuts:
Combine first 4 ingredients in another heavy large skillet. Bring to boil, whisking. Boil 1 minute. Add walnuts; stir. Toss until syrup forms glaze on nuts, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to sheet of foil and quickly separate nuts with forks. Cool. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For croutons:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Drizzle with oil, tossing constantly to coat evenly. Scatter cubes in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake croutons until crisp, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand on sheet at room temperature.

For salad:
Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.

Place arugula in very large bowl. Drop in onions, tossing to distribute evenly. Add nuts, croutons, and goat cheese. Toss with enough dressing to coat lightly.

**this recipe says you can do everything 2 hours in advance. 7 hours in advance was just fine here!***

I spend most of my commute home thinking about food. It's no joke.  I try to remember everything I have in our pantry & fridge and make up recipes in my head while I'm cruising down the freeway.  During tonight's commute, I thought I'd make more Kale Chips since I had  2 bunches of kale in the fridge but quickly abandoned that idea because Casey wouldn't be happy eating kale chips for dinner.  Me? I could do it. No problem.  Then I thought about making the Spaghetti with Braised Kale recipe I saw in Bon Appetit recently.  The sheer simplicity of the recipe made that idea the winner.  It is a Monday night after all.  The last thing I wanna do is spend hours in the kitchen.  A half hour after I got home, a very satisfying dinner was served.

I could have eaten the entire pot of braised kale on its own without the pasta.  The marriage of the lemon, tender kale and garlic was superb! Casey really enjoyed this dish too, but wished there was less kale and more pasta.  He LOVES pasta. I LOVE kale. So I was delighted when there was extra kale waiting for me in the pot after I plated our dinner.  Next time I make this recipe I'll be sure to take most of his kale and transfer it directly to my mouth.  I might also add some red pepper flakes to spice it up or top our pasta mounds with some aged balsamic vinegar for a sweet tang.  It would be lovely with a fried egg on top too!

Start with your kale prep. Take the leaves off the stalks and chop them up.

Chop up the onion and thinly slice the garlic.

Saute the onion in olive oil until translucent and then add the garlic. Cook for a bit.

Now add your kale to the pan.

Add the lemon zest to the kale. Put the lid on and let it braise.  Now start cooking your pasta.

Look! Your kale is done. Take a taste. It's good huh?

Stop eating it! Your not going to have anything left!!  Quick! Add it to the pasta!

Squeeze the lemon into the pot and add the reserved pasta water to lubricate the noodles.

Now add a HEALTHY dose of Parmesan & get ready to plate!

Doesn't it look yummy?

Pasta with Braised Kale

(recipe adapted from Bon Appetit)

• 1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)--I used a red onion
• 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound linguine (the original recipe calls for spaghetti)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice & the zest a whole lemon
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and cover pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve!

The second I saw Dana's recent post for Honey Nut Squares, I died.

Honey + Roasted Nuts+ Buttery Crumb Crust= YES PLEASE!!

I just finished cutting up squares and have packed some up for my neighbors.  I seriously need to get them out of my sight.  I've eaten three so far and I can hear them calling my name from the kitchen counter.  "Traaaaacy!!  Eat us! We are crunchy and sweet and slightly salty. You know how you love that combo TRACY! We are waaaaaiting! Look at the golden roasted cashew hanging off the edge. Just pull that off Tracy. Take a nibble!"

God, I love Dana Treats!  I just wish I could have one from Dana herself, but that's another story.  Some day!  Thank you Dana for making it possible for me to have a slice of you in the kitchen!  Did that just sound weird? You get what I mean.

Prepare to give some away because no person should be left alone in a kitchen with a plate full of these!! I am serious.  Sooo good!

Let's get started!

Figure out your nut situation. A combo of three nuts is best!  I used almonds, cashews & pine nuts.

Get your dough ingredients into the food processor and start pulsing!

Take an egg and pour it into the dough and pulse until well combined.

Pour your dough onto your work surface.

Separate the dough into 4 sections.

Push down each of the sections with the heel of your palm to blend. Scrape up the dough.

Place the dough in your foiled/lubed pan.

Press the dough in and flatten.  Now you are ready to bake it!

Now let's start with your topping.  Add the honey and brown sugar to the pot.

Once the sugar dissolves and it boils a bit, add the cream and butter.

After it bubbles and boils, it's time to put your nuts into the pot!

Stir the nuts thoroughly.

After the crust comes out of the oven and cools, spread the nuts on. Back into the oven it goes!

It's gets all toasty and bubbly!  Those nuts are dark and roasted!

After cooling, cut into squares!  I made mine kinda big.  Who cares?

See how glossy the nuts are?  Scrumptious!  I dare you to eat just one.

Nuts are a good fat right?  So it's OK if I keep eating these squares, huh?

Thanks for your permission!  I am off to indulge my appetite.

Honey Nut Squares

(recipe via Dana Treat- who adapted from Gourmet)
Makes 25 1-inch squares

For crust:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

For topping:

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon mild honey
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole almonds with skins, toasted
• 3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and any loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel (I used cashews instead)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

To make crust:
Butter a 9-inch square metal baking pan (2 inches deep) and line with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil.

Blend together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add egg and stir with a fork (or pulse) until a crumbly dough forms.

Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together with scraper.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Press dough evenly onto bottom (but not up sides) of baking pan and bake in middle of oven until edges are golden and begin to pull away from sides of pan, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.

To make topping:
Bring honey, brown sugar, and salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, without stirring, 2 minutes. Add butter and cream and boil, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in all nuts until completely coated.

Pour nut mixture over pastry crust, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until topping is caramelized and bubbling, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. Lift dessert out of pan using foil overhang and cut into 25 squares.

I know what you're thinking. Juice?? This is juice?? It looks like cola! Well friends, it's not! It's the juice that I hold responsible for giving me back my life on Sunday.  I was CRAZY sick on Saturday with a 24 hour flu, followed by a wicked sore throat.  I drank some of this on Sunday morning and felt amazingly recharged.  It could have been the 18 hours of sleep, but I am somewhat convinced it was this drink that helped.  Quick! Someone get sick and make this so we can test it out. OK, please don't. That would be sad.

Look what's in it:

This is not the sugary sweet juice you might be used to.  It's a savory juice along the lines of a V-8 without a huge dose of tomato.  The ginger gives it a spicy kick.  You can add less to your juice, but add a lot if you are sick!  It totally helps! With the addition of a few ice cubes, it's refreshing. Like HEALTHY refreshing.  You will taste notes of carrots, beet greens and the celery comes through subtly in each sip. The tomatoes are somewhat lost, but it's nice to know they are in there. It's a good juice if you're wanting to pack veggies into your day but you don't have the time to do so.  Imagine how long it would take you to eat all of these veggies!  It's making my jaw sore just thinking about it.

I juiced the carrots, tomatoes and ginger first.

And here we are in progress...

I could stop here...but I wanted a GREENS in there.

See what happens when the beet greens enter the picture?  Layering is fun!

Have I showed you the pulp?  I like to make vegetable stock with it.

I take the contents of each cup after juicing and mix them back and forth to evenly mix the juice.  It makes me feel like a chemist. Unfortunately there's no lab coat involved. :(

The after taste is nice.  It's a total palette cleanser!  Do it.

Carrot Tomato Celery Beet Greens Juice

• 6 medium carrots
• 1 bunch celery
• 1 gigantic handful grape tomatoes
• 3 inch knob ginger (I needed it)
• 2 bunches beet greens

Start juicing the carrots and tomatoes first.  Add the ginger. Then alternate the celery with beet greens.  The celery juice will help push the beet greens through the juicer because it's packed with watery juice!  Enough for 2 people.

Today I am discussing how I made my own baby food for Cooper!  They have some really cute links for baby bibs too!
Please check it out here!

Our old neighbors brought us some fresh eggs from their chickens Friday night!  Because these eggs are super special, I decided to make a fancy breakfast with them. My mom made us these eggs when Cooper was just a wee baby and I've thought about them ever since.  The herbs, cheese and garlic are a wonderful addition to the eggs.  You will delight in spearing the yolk with your toast because the combo creates a whole new dimension of garlic bread!  Oooey gooey garlic bread!

Check out the eggs!

Aren't they gorgeous???

You shouldn't fret if you don't have gratin dishes.  I don't have any myself so I used two square Pyrex dishes. I'm happy to report that it worked out well!  The butter & cream help make the eggs glide right out of the dishes so the cleanup is super easy.

Let's get started!

Chop the herbs and add them to the garlic & Parmesan. Now you have your herb mixture!

Crack open the eggs and put them into little bowls.  I wanted 2 eggs and Casey wanted 3.

Put the butter and cream in the baking dishes and pop them under the broiler.

After 3 minutes, the cream & butter will look like this.  Now you are ready to put your eggs in.

Carefully put the eggs in the dishes and sprinkle the herb mixture on top. Finish with salt & pepper.

After 6 minutes under the broiler you have this!

Now take a piece of toast and poke that yolk!  You know you want to.

Let the runny yolk drip off your bread and then place the toast spear directly into your mouth. YUM.

I'd say this is a breakfast worth waking up early for.

THANK YOU Rebecca and Curtis!  Your eggs are glorious.  You are totally right!  The yolks were a brilliant orange and super delicious. Thank you for all of your advice on raising chickens! Your eggs are a testament to all of your hard work, and I can't wait to crack into the rest of them. xoxoxo

Herbed-Baked Eggs

(recipe adapted from Ina Garten)

• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I used dried parsley)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, oregano, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won't be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It's very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren't cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread.

This recipe serves 2 people.

I am totally jumping on the band wagon here and I really think you should too! Have you been seeing baked kale chips all over the internet like I have? There's definitely a good reason for the buzz.  I finally made some today and I have to say that kale chips are exceptional!  They are healthy AND crunchy, which equates to a guiltless snack.

Ever had broccoli rabe? Do you like the taste of dried toasted seaweed?  You are in luck!

Totally disgusted? Don't make them! Go away!

Intrigued? DO IT. Come on!

The olive oil and the salt bring the kale to a new level of divinity. I imagine it would be a great topper for a soup or pasta.  Apparently it goes really well with popcorn!  Check out Stephanie's trick!

I have to buy more kale now, because I ate this entire plate.  I did save some for Cooper to try at dinner tonight.  Cross your fingers.

It would be very convenient if he loved them!  I am pretty sure lots of kids do.

Start by washing a bunch of kale.

Tear the leaves off the stems and put them in a bowl.

Toss the kale with a few glugs of olive oil and sprinkle the kale with salt!

Spread the kale out on a cookie sheet. I put parchment on the bottom of mine for easy cleanup.

350 degrees in the oven...12 minutes later....you have crispy crunchy baked kale!

You will not stop eating it. I swear.

Baked Kale Chips

(Recipe from thekitchn.com)

• 1 bunch of Kale
• a few glugs of olive oil
• salt

Preheat oven to 350. Tear kale into bite-sized pieces, avoiding the tough inner stalk. Rinse well in water and dry as best you can either in a spinner or on a tea towel. Pour a few glugs of olive oil on a baking sheet and add the kale. Sprinkle with salt and toss gently to evenly distribute the oil and salt, being careful not to toss the kale out of the tray. Place in oven and bake about 10-15 minutes, or until the kale is crisp. Best if eaten warm but not necessary.

I am not going to get wordy on this post.  Just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Biscuits this good should be illegal.  The addition of cheddar to the dough makes them utterly amazing.

The flavor? All I can say that it reminds me of a Cheez-It crossed with a buttery flaky biscuit.

Tangy, flaky, buttery goodness marbled with shreds of cheddar. Best when served hot!

I can't wait until you taste the bottom edge.  You will thank me & Ina Garten for bringing this to your attention.

Take a look at the three stars of this recipe!  Buttermilk, sharp cheddar and butter!

Mix the flour and baking soda with the butter in a stand mixer.

Add an egg to the buttermilk and mix it up.

Pour the buttermilk/egg mixture into the bowl to moisten the dough. Keep mixing!

Toss a little bit of flour in with the cheese.  This helps keep the cheese from clumping in the dough.

Add the cheese to the mixer and mix thoroughly.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times.

Roll out the dough & shape it into a rectangle.

Cut into rectangles. The edge pieces will look kind of like scones :)

Brush the top of each biscuit with the egg wash.

Sprinkle each biscuit with a little salt and pop the tray into the oven for 20-25 minutes.

They will come out like this!

They are nothing short of amazing.

Check out the flakes!

What are you waiting for? GO MAKE SOME!

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

(Recipe-Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, shaken
• 1 cold extra-large egg
• 1 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
• Maldon sea salt, optional

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the butter and mix until the butter is the size of peas.

Combine the buttermilk and egg in a small measuring cup and beat lightly with a fork. With the mixer still on low, quickly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix only until moistened. In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar with small handful of flour and, with the mixer still on low, add the cheese to the dough. Mix only until roughly combined.

Dump out onto a well-floured board and knead lightly about 6 times. Roll the dough out to a rectangle 10 by 5 inches. With a sharp, floured knife, cut the dough lengthwise in half and then across in quarters, making 8 rough rectangles (I made about 12 smaller ones). Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt, if using, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the biscuits are cooked through. Serve hot or warm.