Something sweet, sour and totally refreshing for these warm late spring days. It brings back memories of 7-11 slurpies in college. But way better, and without the food coloring.

I am a sucker for limeade, especially from a frozen can. Seriously.

But today I saw some fresh limeade at Trader Joes and I COULD NOT help myself. I threw it in the blender with strawberries and a bit of fresh mint.

L-O-V-E-L-Y!!! My girls and I thoroughly enjoyed them out in the sun this afternoon, but I suspect that Pete and I would enjoy them even more with a shot of tequila in them… Just a thought ☺

Strawberry Limeade Slushy
-2 handfuls ice
-1 ½ cups limeade
-1 cup strawberries
-3 leaves fresh mint

1) Combine everything in the jar of a blender and puree until smooth and slushy!

2) Serve immediately.

Helllloooooo!! I am back and refreshed after a very long weekend full of doing things like gobbling scones and cake. Because calories don’t count on Mother’s Day. Right?

So in the name of having a healthy week of balance, here is one of the salad recipes that I know I have been promising, promising. And this is the right time for this one, because I named it a “Spring Salad”. And well, Spring is coming to a close. So enjoy the beautiful flavors of sweet asparagus and peas, tender butter lettuce and creamy avocado tossed with a fresh mint vinaigrette while May still lingers. I love the addition of the soft boiled eggs because they not only compliment the rest of the salad, but they can make the salad a full meal.

I hope that you all had a beautiful Mother Day- thank you to my wonderful family for making it such a special day for me. I even got a nap ☺

Spring Salad, serves 4
-½ lb of asparagus, trimmed and sliced into ½ long pieces
-2 cups fresh peas (shelled) ( I know they have these at Trader Joes and Costco)
-6-7 leaves of fresh Butter Lettuce
-1 cup full of mache or mixed greens
-1 large avocado, peeled and diced
-½ cup mint vinaigrette
-4 soft boiled eggs

Mint Vinaigrette
-1 medium shallot, finely diced
-¼ cup fresh mint
-3 Tbs red wine vinegar
-¼ cup olive oil
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and peas. Boil for two minutes until the vegetables are bright green.

2) Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath.

3) Strain the vegetables and immediately plunge them into the ice bath. When the vegetables have cooled completely, drain them again and set aside.

4) In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, mint, vinegar and olive oil. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

5) Toss together the peas and asparagus with the vinaigrette and season with kosher salt and pepper.

6) On a platter, place the tender lettuce leaves to form a bowl.

7) Gently pour the asparagus and peas into the lettuce bowl.

Top with the chunks of avocado and sprinkle them with a tiny bit of kosher salt.

9) I then placed the soft boiled eggs around the edge of the salad, and garnished the top with a few pansy petals for color.

I think I have had about a million requests for salads lately. And I have the recipes all ready to go for you- I swear.

But then I made these Coconut Scones the other day. They were so freaking good that I truly felt it would be a criminal offense if I did not share them with you IMMEDIATLEY.

They are so, so moist, and stay that way for days. I slathered mine in raspberry jam and my eyes involuntarily rolled back in my head. That good.

Please, Please, someone tell me that their mom loves coconut and they will make these for her for Mothers Day? If your mom is a coconut lover (mine is) then she deserves these. She NEEDS them.

Speaking of Mothers Day, what are you doing on Sunday? I predict that I will squeeze 2 hours (please, please, please) of hard won quiet in between family gatherings. I would like to spend those in bed in solitary peace and quiet, while wearing sweatpants and watching Bravo. Ideally while eating these coconut scones. Is that so really much to ask? Realistically, I will settle for the dog not pooping on the carpet 10 times like last year.

Coconut Scones with Vanilla Glaze, yields 6 large scones
-2 cups flour
-½ cup sugar
-1tsp baking powder
-½ tsp baking soda
-½ tsp salt
-1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
-8 Tbs butter, cold and cut into 1” pieces
-1/3 cup coconut cream (the thick stuff on the top of a can of coconut milk)
-1/3 cup cold cream
-1 egg

Flour for rolling out the dough

Vanilla Glaze:
-½ cup powdered sugar
-1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
-2 Tbs cream

THIS IS WHAT THE COCONUT CREAM LOOKS LIKE. DON’T SHAKE THE CAN BEFORE YOU OPEN IT SO THAT THE CREAM STAYS IN A THICK LAYER ON TOP.

1)Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with parchment or a silpat.

2) In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut. Pulse to combine.

3) Add the butter and pulse until you have a coarse crumb.

4) In a small bowl, combine the coconut cream, the cold cream and the egg and whisk it together.

5) Pour the cream mixture into the food processor and pulse until you have a wet dough.

6) Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and gently form a disc.

7) Slice the disc into 6 equal wedges and transfer them to the sheet pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes.

9) While you are letting the scones cool for a few minutes, whip up the vanilla glaze.

10) In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla and cream until you have a smooth glaze.

11) Drizzle the glaze over the still hot scones.

12) Enjoy them immediately or keep them in an airtight container for up to several days.

Even as a very young child, if someone were to ask me what my favorite food was, I would never fail to answer “Artichokes.” More specifically steamed artichokes, dipped, no, DROWNED, in melted butter, lemon and garlic.

Because they were so hard to get, and relatively expensive, these were a real treat for us kids and we would anxiously look forward to them all day.

Now that you can buy artichokes 4 to a bag at Costco, I guess the treat is more about the vats of melted butter and less about the extravagant cost. But I threw caution (and love handles) to the wind when I made this pasta. And it was well worth it.

It evokes all of the same buttery, sour lemon, garlicky goodness, but spreads the flavor wealth all over the pasta. I added white wine and fresh herbs for good measure and served this with grilled trout. Ummmmm, divine.

*One last note- it is worth the trouble to use fresh artichoke hearts. I mean, I am the first to enjoy just opening a can and draining bunch of artichoke hearts, but the difference between them and a fresh artichoke heart is serious. If there is no way you can your hands on a fresh artichoke- use frozen hearts instead of canned- they don’t have the citric acid preservative that changes the artichoke flavor.

Artichoke Pasta with Butter, Lemon and Garlic, serves 4
-1 lb pasta (I used campanelle)

-3 Globe artichokes
-1 lemon, cut in half

-2 Tbs butter
-2 Tbs olive oil
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-2 lemons zest and juice (about 4 Tbs)
-¼ cup herbs, minced (parsley and chives)
-½ cup white wine
-Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finishing sauce
-2 Tbs butter
-2 Tbs lemon juice
-1 clove garlic, minced

Fresh parsley and chives for garnish (I used chive blossoms too)

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

2) While you are waiting for the water to boil, trim the 3 globe artichokes down to the heart, removing all of the tough outer leaves, stem and dark green from the tender whitish green flesh around the heart.

3) Next, cut the hearts in half and carefully cut the choke (the prickly fuzzy layer) off of the top of the heart.

4) Rub the trimmed artichokes with a half of a lemon and put them in a bowl of cold water with the lemon halves.

5) Add the artichoke heart halves and the lemon halves to the boiling water and boil 5 minutes.

6) Using a slotted spoon, pull the artichoke hearts from the boiling water and placed on a cutting board. (leave the lemon halves in the water)

7) Slice each artichoke heart half into 3 to 4 pieces.

In a medium pan, melt the butter with the olive oil and add the garlic, lemon zest and 2 Tbs of the fresh lemon juice. Let this simmer about 1 minute.

9) Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water that you cooked the artichokes in. Cook according to the manufacturers directions to al dente.

10) Add the artichoke heart pieces and the white wine to the pan and cook over medium heat, for 5 minutes.

11) Then place a lid on the pan and cook another 3-5 minutes or until the artichokes are fork tender.

12) Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot it was cooked in.

13) Add the artichokes and sauce to the pot and stir well to coat the pasta.

14) Immediately put the pan back on the stove, adding the butter, 2 Tbs lemon juice and minced garlic to the pan.

15) Simmer together until the butter has just melted and add it to the pasta.

16) Toss the pasta together season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

17) Garnish with a little fresh parsley. Serve immediately.

Hello Beautiful Blueberries. Plentiful in the grocery stores, and calling my name, I just couldn’t resist falling off the healthy program wagon I have been on, and diving head first into a bubbling blueberry crostata. Wouldn’t you if this was staring back at you from the kitchen counter?

This is my favorite kind of recipe. Easy.

With no worries about if it looks right, or if you followed all of the instructions. Free formed and “rustic,” but perfect at the same time.

Blueberry Crostata serves 8
-18 oz blueberries
-1 heaping Tb flour
-1 heaping Tbs sugar
-½ tsp cinnamon
-2 Tbs butter

-1 recipe pie crust (plus ½ tsp nutmeg), chilled
-2 tsp sugar

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a sheet pan with a silpat or a sheet of parchment paper.

2) Prepare one batch of Best Pie Crust, adding ½ tsp of nutmeg to the dough at the same time as the flour.

3) When you pull the dough disc from the refrigerator, place it between two sheets of wax paper. Roll it out into a large oval, about ¼” thick.

4) Peel the wax paper off one side of the dough. Gently lay it down on the prepared sheet pan and then peel off the other sheet of wax paper.

5) In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, flour, sugar and cinnamon.

6) Pour the fruit and dry ingredients into the center of the dough oval.

7) Dot the top of the fruit with the butter

Gently pull the sides of the dough up and around the fruit to hold it all in.
and sprinkle the folded over edges of the dough with the 2 tsp of sugar.

9) Bake the crostata at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling.

10) Slice into wedges and serve hot or at room temperature.

In case you are having friends over to celebrate tomorrow, or maybe bringing a dish to a friends party (as I am), or even just cooking for your family- here are a bunch of ideas for a delicious Cinco De Mayo Feast!

Oven Roasted Salsa

Shrimp Ceviche

Roasted Chicken Nachos

Waygu Beef Nachos

Salsa Verde

Bacon Tomatillo Salsa

Fresh Corn Salad with Mango

Taco Salad

Shrimp Tostadas with Corn Salsa

Shredded Pork Burritos

Carnitas

Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

None of these companies have sponsored me in any way. I am just rambling about my current obsessions, and plan to once a month for the foreseeable future. Ok with you?

Kari Grant Lip Whip (All natural, organic and wild-harvested!!)

The truth comes out. I am a product junkie. More specifically a chapstick junkie. I have been in a completely exclusive relationship with Blistex medex pots for coming on 14 years. It is the only one with the correct consistency. I have been known to buy 10-20 of these little pots every time I am in New York because they don’t sell it here in Seattle. But all that nonsense has changed. I discovered Kari Gran Lip Whip, and frankly I can’t get enough. Correct consistency? Check. Correct smell and flavor? Check. Check. Prettier than the little blue tub? Definitely.

And even better, all of this companies product’s are completely natural. They were developed by Kari Gran after she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder that opened her eyes to the unhealthy chemical cocktail most beauty products are made up of. She developed her line as n all natural, back to basics approach to elegant skincare. Everything is made in small batches to ensure freshness (the exp. Dates are written by hand!) I love everything about this stuff.

This stuff is handmade, and trust me, you can feel the love.

-Original Lip Whip (cinnamon-pimenta berry)
-Tinted Lip Whip (peppermint)

Flor De Sal D’es Trenc Majorcan salts

Um, yes. These are totally fancy in every way. These are all natural HAND HARVESTED sea salts! But for all of their beauty and glory, they are not exorbitantly priced. At $14.50 for more than 5 oz, you actually get quite the bang for your buck. The salts and the packaging are utterly gorgeous, making it one of my current top picks for a hostess gift. They have incredibly unique flavors, such as Hibiscus, Rose and Olive to name a few. They lend complexity to simple roast meat and fish, and turn a humble meal of pasta with oil and Parmesan into a delicate and uniquely flavored masterpiece. Check out their web-site for all of the drool inducing flavored salts.

Bissell Carpet Cleaner:

Proheat 2x Healthy Home Deep Cleaning System.

When you have young children that spill and a puppy the size of a small horse that you are potty training this is God sent. For a while I was using it almost everyday. I am not even a clean freak- but I will admit that I started cleaning the kid’s bedroom carpets and the chairs they use all the time every week, (As well as any of the other upholstery I could get my hands on.) It was just so gratifying. This Carpet Cleaner took getting the carpets cleaned from a splurge to an everyday thing.

Fleur 09 Perfume

My new favorite perfume, passed on word of mouth from a girlfriend who I almost dropped dead (in a good way) after I smelled her walk by. It is intoxicating. I love it. My husband loves it on me. I have been getting compliments out in public from strangers. Fleur09 is underground cult status already- you may have to put your name on a waiting list to get your hands on some, but it will be worth it.

fleur09sales@gmail.com
Or call (310) 276-4400 to order

The Hunger Games Series

Despite doing childish things like devouring the entire Harry Potter series and staying up into all hours of the night to finish the twilight series, (twice), I still had this hunch that The Hunger Games was all hype. I am here to tell you, I have terrible instincts. The Hunger Games will consume you. (Bad pun intended.)

I just cracked the third book, which means I will be done in approximately 6 hours.

Minnetonka Moccasins

I was in Palm Springs this winter, and while meandering along in a nice weather daze, popping in and out of shops, I experienced a blast from the past.

It came in a swift wave of nostalgia that almost made me well up with tears. It came in the form of Minnetonka Moccasins. Any children of the late 70’s, early 80’s will probably know what I am talking about.

I wore them for years and years as a child. Remind me to ask my parents why? Were they just fashionable then? Where did they get them?

Whatever the case, my husband just kind of scratched his head and declined to comment as I ran into buy a pair. Frankly I am really lucky they had a pair in my size. They probably double as water skis. But I am so happy they did, and I love them and wear them all of the time. They are super cute with ankle length skinny jeans. Not that I am fitting in my skinny jeans. But when I do again- they will be cute with them.

Healthy and delicious? I swear! We had vegetarian friend for dinner recently, and one was a vegan. As I am on my big health kick (for probably like 5 more minutes), I was up to the challenge of cooking a vegan (or mostly!) dinner.

This couscous salad was one of the dishes I prepared. Where I would normally add some briny feta, I added tons of fresh herbs, shallot and vinegar to make sure that the salad has plenty of flavor.

While this is a vegan dish, it could also be served alongside a crispy, golden roast chicken or a piece of delicious fish.

Couscous Salad, serves 4-6
3 cups couscous, dried
4 cups water

½ cup shallot, minced
½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 red bell peppers, small diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup flat leaf parsley, minced
1 handful basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the water and the couscous with a little salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and then put a lid on the pot and let sit with the heat off for about 510 minutes or until all of the water has been soaked up by the couscous.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the shallot, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large bowl combine the couscous, red pepper, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, fresh herbs and the vinaigrette.

Toss gently and season to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I thought with grilling season fast approaching that these burgers would answer some calls for new and creative ways to serve burgers.

These Asian Salmon Burgers deliver on every level. They are incredibly delicious, with rich salmon, subtle spices, fresh herbs and green onion. Then comes the
Cool and creamy Spicy Herb Dip and the crunchy Spicy Pickled Cucumbers and Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions.

These burgers not only wind up amazing in taste, but are totally stunning with their bright array of colors.

This is elegant casual BBQing, perfect for mothers day dinner!

Asian Salmon Burger, makes 6

-2 lbs Salmon, skinned and de-boned
-1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
-¼ cup cilantro, minced
-¼ cup parsley, minced
-½ jalapeno, minced
-2 eggs
-2 Tbs sesame oil
-1 tsp salt
-1 cup panko bread crumbs

-Spicy Herb Dip
-Spicy Pickled Cucumbers
-Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions
-6 buns

1) Using a large sharp knife, dice the salmon. Place in a bowl and set aside.

2) Add the green onion and the minced herbs, as well as the eggs, sesame oil and salt.

3) Mix really well and refrigerate for about an hour.

4) Preheat a BBQ grill to medium heat.

5) When the mixture is nice and cold, gently mix in the panko bread crumbs. You should have a thick enough consistency to form a patty.

6) On a sheet pan, form 6 patties.

7) BBQ the salmon patties for about 4 minutes on each side.

Generously spread the buns with the Spicy Herb Dip and then put the burger on the bottom bun.

9) Pile the Burger with the Spicy Pickled Cucumbers and the Sweet and Spicy Pickled Red Onions.

10) Top with the other half of the bun and enjoy immediately.

This creamy, spicy, fresh herb dip is refreshing and cooling while being packed with flavor.

I love it for dipping vegetables in or as a spread on sandwiches like my favorite Asian Salmon Burgers…

The nice thing is that it’s flavors lend this dip well to both Asian flavors (like the burger) or to Mexican flavors. Like I would love to use this dip with a big batch of Roasted Chicken Nacho’s, Taco Salad or Shredded Pork Burritos

Spicy Herb Dip, makes 2 cups
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cilantro
1/3 cup green onion
2 garlic cloves
½ jalapeno
2 limes, zest and juice
Kosher salt

In the bowl of a food processor, combine everything but the salt.

Puree until very smooth and season to taste with Kosher salt.

Refrigerate until ready to use.