This weekend I took on my final wedding cake dry run.

My last chance to learn something about decorating a cake before I make the official cake of matrimony.

And I did learn something very important. I needed to throw out my current decoration game plan and come up with something way WAY easier. Something where it intentionally looks messy. 

I finally feel better about making the cake for someone’s big day, but I don’t feel good about all the frosting I ate during this cakes production.

So I decided to cleanse myself with a light and tasty salad.

You will need…

 4 cups arugula

3 ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

5 radishes, sliced very thin

¼ cup toasted almonds (raw is fine too) slivers

¼ cup peeled pecarino romano cheese (use a vegetable peeler)

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the arugula and radish in a bowl or on a platter.

Then, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the arugula and radishes and toss well.

Top the salad with the peaches, almonds and cheese.

Toss again and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Arugula Salad with Peaches and Raddish

4 cups arugula

3 ripe peaches, pitted and thinly sliced

5 radishes, sliced very thin

¼ cup toasted almonds (raw is fine too) slivers

¼ cup peeled pecorino romano cheese (use a vegetable peeler)

¼ cup olive oil

2 lemons juiced

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining the arugula and radish in a bowl or on a platter.

Then, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and sugar. Season it well with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the arugula and radishes and toss well.

Top the salad with the peaches, almonds and cheese.

Toss again and serve.

T.G.I.Almost.F.

Never has a four-day work week felt longer.

Vacation depression has fully taken over my body and soul.

While sitting at my desk at work, sorting through the hundreds of emails I had upon returning from my Maui vacation, I often find mind wandering far away to palm trees and breaking waves.

Then I snap back to reality and realized I’m staring at a computer screen in a dimly lit office.

Dimly lit by my own choice of course. I love a little ambiance.

But with Friday comes the promise of a three-day weekend. A three-day chance to get out of my funk and back into the sun.

I’ll be celebrating my three-day weekend with a tasty dish.

Plus, it’s a great dish for the barbeque. Perfect for Labor Day and your party people.

You will need…

2 lbs thick cut (1 ½ to 2 inches) flank steak or London broil

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zest and juice

½ tablespoon anchovy paste (or 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped if you have them)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ tablespoon finely chopped oregano

½ tablespoon finely chopped mint

1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the grill

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by lightly oiling your grill and heating it to high heat.

Season the steak well with salt and pepper on both sides.

When the grill is nice and hot, add the steak to a hot spot and seer it on one side until it has good grill marks. About 4 minutes.

Flip the steak and seer the other side so it also has good grill marks.

Move the steak to a cooler part of the grill and cook until it is medium rare in the center. It should be 125 F in the center of the thickest part.

Remove the steak for the grill and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the steak is resting, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, anchovy paste, garlic, capers, parsley, oregano and mint in a small bowl. 

Season with salt if needed.

When the meat has rested, slice it into ½ inch slices against the grain.

Top with salsa verde and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Grilled Flank Steak with Salsa Verde

2 lbs thick cut (1 ½ to 2 inches) flank steak or London broil

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, zest and juice

½ tablespoon anchovy paste (or 2 anchovy fillets finely chopped if you have them)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

½ tablespoon finely chopped oregano

½ tablespoon finely chopped mint

1 tablespoon vegetable oil for the grill

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by lightly oiling your grill and heating it to high heat.

Season the steak well with salt and pepper on both sides.

When the grill is nice and hot, add the steak to a hot spot and seer it on one side until it has good grill marks. About 4 minutes.

Flip the steak and seer the other side so it also has good grill marks.

Move the steak to a cooler part of the grill and cook until it is medium rare in the center. It should be 125 F in the center of the thickest part.

Remove the steak for the grill and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

While the steak is resting, combine the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, anchovy paste, garlic, capers, parsley, oregano and mint in a small bowl. Season with salt if needed.

When the meat has rested, slice it into ½ to ¾ inch slices against the grain.

Top with salsa verde and serve.