I think I’m having some issues with denial.

Yup, I am in complete denial of the fact that summer is over and autumn is bearing down on us.

By the way. I strongly prefer the word autumn to the word fall. It just sounds so much more rich and important. Shocking. I’m off track.

The point is, autumn is now in our midst and so are the last days of my favorite summer things. Goodbye watermelon. Goodbye leaving work and still having hours of sunlight. Goodbye tan lines. And worst of all, good bye my dear heirloom tomatoes and fresh summer corn. You will all be dearly missed.

I’m sending them off with one last hurrah. Together.

And it is a damn tasty hurrah.

You will need…

2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)

3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Grilled Asparagus and Corn

Ingredients: 

• 2 ears summer corn in the husk (I found this pretty and tasty red corn)
• 3 tablespoons heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• 1 lb asparagus, rough ends removed
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste

The How To: 

Start by combining preheating your grill to a medium heat.

Set the corn in some water and let the husk soak for about 30 minutes.

Combine the vinegar and honey in a small bowl. Stir well and add in the onions. Set them aside to soak in the vinegar, stirring every so often.

After the corn has soaked, add it to the grill and cook for 20 to 30 minutes on the grill. Grill until the corn is cooked through with light grill marks, turning every five minutes.

While the corn is cooking, season the tomatoes well with salt and pepper and set them aside.

When the corn has about 5 minutes left, lightly coat the asparagus with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Grill the asparagus for about 5 minutes until they are tender and lightly grilled.

Remove the corn and asparagus and allow them to slightly.

Slice the corn off the cob and chop the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.

Pour the onions and vinegar in with the tomatoes. Add in the corn and asparagus and toss well.

Serve warm, at room temperature or cold. 

Ya know. I knew when I woke up on the day I turned twenty-seen. This was year was going to be the tough one. It seems that no matter who I talk to, most people have had a year in their life that really made them feel the reality of aging.

This is not to say that I am old. I’m many years young. If I’m lucky and do my best to take care of myself, I will live a long and full life. But this is the first year I really feel like I’ve grown up. I guess the best way I can describe it is that in my youthful mind, by twenty-seven I would have my shit together. Who knows why that was the year. Maybe because at seventeen, I thought I would have all four of my imaginary children would be popped out by thirty. Unless I get really busy and have a set of twins or two, that obviously isn’t happening.

Why praytell am I boring you with my long winded and mildly depressing monologue? Because this weekend was my college alumni weekend and it all came crashing down on my again.

Meeting new alumni who were not even at LMU when I graduated was pretty shocking. I have now been of college longer than I was IN COLLEGE. How did that happen?

But, hanging out with them help me see that I don’t want to go back there. Being five years out of college is SOOOO much better than being right out of college.

No part of me longs for the first days of my first job. The uncertainty of new tasks, rent, boys. Sure it was cool and exciting then. But it was stressful. Not only that, but it was a time before I found my real passion. Cooking.

These days, the food is better, the entertainment is better, the love is strong, and life is steady and beautiful. 

So while I will admit it was REALLY fun reliving my college days all weekend, I’m happy to be back to my steady life and awesome kitchen.

You will need…

4 cups broccoli florettes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 vine ripened tomatoes, diced

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken stock

½ cup cream

6 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped

½ cup parmesan, freshly grated plus extra for serving

1 lb fettucini, preferably 

homemade

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water has boiled, toss in the broccoli and cook until just barely tender. Immediately remove from the water and plunge into ice water. Let the broccoli soak until it has cooled and drain. Set aside.

Refill the water, add salt and bring it back to a boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the onions and cook till they are trasnslucent.

Add in the garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes and the white wine and bring the liquid to a simmer.

As soon as the liquid simmers, add in the chicken stock and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

Pour in the cream and stir until combined. Continue to slowly simmer the sauce until the pasta has cooked.

Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Add the pasta and ½ cup cheese to the sauce and stir will until the pasta is lightly coated.

Toss in the salmon, parsley and broccoli and toss until everything is well combined.

Serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Creamy Smoked Salmon Fettucini

Ingredients

• 4 cups broccoli florettes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 vine ripened tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup cream
• 6 ounces smoked salmon, roughly chopped
• ½ cup parmesan, freshly grated plus extra for serving
• 1 lb fettucini, preferably homemade 
• 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

The How To

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil.

When the water has boiled, toss in the broccoli and cook until just barely tender. Immediately remove from the water and plunge into ice water. Let the broccoli soak until it has cooled and drain. Set aside.

Refill the water, add salt and bring it back to a boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, heat the olive oil in a large pan.

When the oil is hot, add in the onions and cook till they are trasnslucent.

Add in the garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant. About 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes and the white wine and bring the liquid to a simmer.

As soon as the liquid simmers, add in the chicken stock and continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced slightly.

Pour in the cream and stir until combined. Continue to slowly simmer the sauce until the pasta has cooked.

Drain the pasta, but reserve 1 cup of pasta water.

Add the pasta and ½ cup cheese to the sauce and stir will until the pasta is lightly coated.

Toss in the salmon, parsley and broccoli and toss until everything is well combined.

Serve hot.