Yum.

I have one word to describe this "sandwich":  Yummy



photo: The Hubs



They are amazingly easy to make and almost too pretty to eat.  Almost.  Slices of panko-crusted eggplant serve as the 'bread' for these tomato, basil and chevre sandwiches.  Genius!  They are perfect for a lunch with the girls or as a light dinner when paired with a green salad and a glass of wine.   

I'm forever in my cooking gal pal's debt for choosing this recipe for us to try last summer.  We used standard eggplants then, but tonight I used baby eggplants and  loved how much more manageable it made the sandwiches.  One more tip: season every step of the way and don't forget to sprinkle the hot slices with salt as soon as they come out of the pan. 

Enjoy!

Spring Salad

I was so ready for spring to arrive this year.  I have enjoyed the clear, warm afternoons spent on the back porch after work recently.  I have adored the way springtime foods seem to awaken my palate after a winter of creamy and heavy foods.  There's nothing like the perfect salad this time of year to remind you what fresh tastes like.

photo: The Hubs

Although the grilled pork chops weren't bad, the real star of tonight's show was the Asian Citrus Salad.  Very simple: some arugula, spinach, dill, cilantro, & parsley, some thinly sliced red onion, a few blanched sugar snap peas, an orange and a handful of roasted cashews.  It was tossed with a simple vinaigrette made with the juice from the orange, a grated clove of garlic, a spoonful of orange marmalade, a splash of soy sauce, a couple of splashes of rice vinegar, some olive oil, salt and white pepper. 

Crisp, clean and perfect.

Hotel Aranjuez

What would your life be like if you could start every day with a breakfast like this?

...In a setting like this?

...With people like this?

Life would be very nice.

The only way it could be any nicer is if my kitchen had tile like this:

Yes, I seriously love this tile.  I know most people probably hate it and think it's hideous but I adore it and would give my eye teeth to get it put in my kitchen.