theKitchenHelp

The recipe for this dish is from " High Flavor Low Labor" by J.M. Hirsh . It made for a quick, refreshingly delicious lunch. Mozzarella was added (or substituted in place of the parmigiano). It was the perfect after farmer's market lunch. The only thing I would change is the balsamic vinegar in the pesto. (Hirsh adds it and I would not.) The balsamic vinegar links to (at least in part) his philosophy for meal preparation in our too much to do, to little time world. Balsamic vinegar packs a punch in terms of flavor but fresh pesto made a day ahead is just as flavorful. And, that's how I would make this dish next time.

C ollard greens, green beans, salad mix, swiss chard, arugula, pak choi, dill and basil were the items in last weeks delivery from the Virginia Green Grocer. These items inspired the following highlights: pesto drenched tomatoes, orecchiette w/ greens, green apple and chard omelette, Ray Lee’s chicken choy, churizo and arugula fettuccine, fresh tomato soup w/ pesto. Since berries are in season a Black and Blue Tart was added as the weekly dessert. High Flavor Low Labor by J.M. Hirsh, The Breath of a Wok by Grace Wong and Alan Richardson, How to eat supper by Lynn Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, and The Naked Chef by Jaime Oliver provided the recipes. The fettuccine pasta recipe comes from Good Eats 2 by Alton Brown. (Yes, I rolled my own pasta and it was heavenly! My wife liked it enough to call from work!) The tart was a homemade creation based in part on Chez Panisse Fruit by Alice Waters and The Perfect Pie by Susan G. Purdy. Pictures and comments on the recipes will be posted s

T he Kitchen Help has arrived. No more planning meals, creating shopping lists, running to the market or cleaning up dirty dishes. It’s what we’ve dreamed of… and if you're not fabulously wealthy, it is not really going to happen. Like most many  some families in the US, we eat on a budget and we try to eat good food that is healthy. Organic for the dirty dozen (celery, carrots, lettuce, kale, peaches, pears, apples, nectarines, strawberries, imported grapes, cherries and bell peppers). Fresh from our CSA delivery (Virginia Green Grocer) and farmer's market weekly. So what you find in this (yet another food blog) is the meal planning, what we eat and how we make it. Most assuredly there will dishes and a kitchen to clean. (Though I probably won’t post pictures of the uncleaned dishes and kitchen.) Just remember this,  The kitchen is the best place at many parties and the dinner table is a great meeting place every night of the week.