Chado Ralph Rucci

Chado Ralph Rucci Wool Jersey Kimono Dress from Neiman-Marcus

Fall 2011 RTW

Salmon and Fennel

Simple and delicious...

My new find:

Wash and cut fennel bulb into quarters or eighths, depending on size. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Throw into grilling basket and place on heated barbecue while preparing salmon.

Create a "boat" out of aluminum foil and place salmon inside. Brush wild salmon fillet generously with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill on barbecue until nearly done, brush with Vineyard Pantry Cherry Zinfandel Grilling Glaze and remove from grill while still not quite done in the middle (it will continue cooking after taken off grill).

Serve with extra sauce on the side and a baguette.

Love

I love, love, love this trenchcoat. Feminine, flirty, the pleated sleeves mirroring the pleats in the skirt; a classic updated and outdone.

Antonio Croce Pleated Double-Breasted Trenchcoat

Gazpacho

I love gazpacho. It's perfect on a warm day, cool, crisp & light. Add some crusty bread and it can be a meal.

We like chunkier gazpacho in our household; the pureed kind is good but we prefer some texture. After a too-long wait due to weather, tomatoes are looking great at the farmer's market and I stocked up on most of my necessary gazpacho ingredients Sunday for tonight's dinner. Mmmm.

Here's my favorite recipe:

Chunky Gazpacho

6+ c coarsely chopped tomato (about 3+ lb, I like to use a mix of heirlooms, diff colors)

1 (32-oz) bottle low-sodium tomato juice (I use RW Knudsen Very Veggie, Organic, Low-Sodium)
2 c coarsely chopped & peeled cucumber (about 2 medium)
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 1/4 c finely chopped sweet onion or red onion
1 c finely chopped celery (approx 1-2 ribs)
1 T olive oil
Balsamic vinegar to taste
1 T sherry vinegar, optional
1 T rice vinegar
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp hot sauce, optional
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used a few tsp of crushed garlic)

Oregon pink shrimp
Avocado, halved and sliced
Baby yellow tomatoes, quartered

Combine all ingredients except shrimp, avocado and yellow tomatoes in a large non-reactive bowl**, stir well. Puree a bit to thicken with a handheld blender (stick blender) or put a portion into a regular blender and puree slightly, then mix back into the larger portion.

Cover and chill.

Serve with shimp, avocado slices and quartered baby yellow tomatoes with crusty bread on the side with additional hot sauce and balsamic vinegar, to add to taste.

* If available, I like to substitute 1-2 lemon cucumbers for one of the green cucumbers.
** If you like to add more "good stuff" like tomatoes, mult kinds of cucumbers & peppers, make that a very large bowl.

pictures from the air

McQ by Alexander McQueen Hidden Placket Blouse available from Neiman-Marcus.

Simply stunning. The crisp, high collar and the smooth lines propel this cotton blouse from average to extraordinary.

Aug 4, 2011

Me, after hugging daughter: "Do you know what is the best thing ever?"
Daughter: "Me"

She's right.

Favorite Shoes

As much as I adore my high heels, age and parenthood have taught me that comfort is key for daily wear. Attilio Giusti Leombruni Ballet Flats are slipper-comfortable and look nice enough to wear to work or dinner. Butter-soft leather means you don't need to wear them in before they are comfortable.

The soles are leather so if you are hard on your shoes and want them to last longer, it's a good idea to take them to a cobbler and have a rubber sole applied.