so not cool

i came to the ugly realization on monday night that i am so not cool anymore.  i am so far from it.  i am the person i used to make fun of when i was in my twenties or even when hendrix was still a baby and i was working at the buv.  i also came to the realization that you can hold onto your coolness until your baby is mobile and has an opinion.  basically, once they won't sleep in their carrier while you have lunch with your girlfriends or dinner with your lover...you're screwed and you are done. done. you will then be spending all of your time chasing said baby around, cutting up food, taking them to the bathroom, and talking about monster trucks.
folks without children...you know that couple that walks into the hip, beautiful restaurant/ bar you are hanging out in?  you know the couple.  the ones with an almost gleeful, "we're free" look on their face.  the lady has nice dress on and the dude's got a polo on.  they might even get a little too tipsy, too fast.  well, you should be nice to them because they are on a date and they are pumped to not have to fill a sippy cup. or how about the group of ladies that showed up in the minivan and are a little overdressed? this is their girl's night, yo.  and these ladies just want to be in a pretty place with pretty people without cleaning their kids butt.  however, this realization does not mean that i will be wearing be-dazzled butt jeans anytime soon. or ed hardy. i do dream of getting a minivan, though.  also, i am still thrilled i had so much damn fun in my twenties.

liz asks about lemon verbena



liz asks: It's not a vegetable but I'd love any tips for an overabundance of lemon verbena. It is threatening to take over the lawn, and we only have a tiny garden. It has already eaten two footballs...

clementine's says: right off the top of my head...why not make some sun/ice tea and add the lemon verbena in with the tea bags or just brew it with the lemon verbena and some citrus peels? or make a homemade infused vinegar or...infused vodka with it? or a lemon verbena simple syrup to add to cocktails or sparkling water? oh, lemon verbena scones?!? you could make a double batch and freeze them.  also, how about chopping some up and throwing it into your salads to add some flavor and brightness. or drying it and making a fragrant wreath/flower arrangement.

to infuse vinegar: go here.
to infuse vodka: go here.
to make sun tea + simple syrup: go here.
to make scones: go here.

clementine's asks: what do you think liz should do with her aggressive lemon verbena?

thirty one



this weekend i turned 31, almost got a costco membership, ate at el bees for the first time, ate coconut cream pie (that my husband got for me at 9 o' clock at night), harvested those veggies you see above on sunday morning, had a kid (hendrix) get sick (on me!) at the bbq restaurant, had a peanut butter shake at zesto's in wahoo, got a canning utensil set at bomgaars....



....had breakfast at jimmy's egg, and made the most delicious steak dinner with potatoes, tomatoes, and chard from out garden and corn from our neighbor.  my life has a food problem. HA! in other news, i also officially took mike's name last week (whoa. we're legit). in more food related news, my brother somehow (in less than week) got me a signed copy of the dinner: a love story cookbook (!!!) for my birthday.  so sweet.  we all know my love for cookbooks and DALS.



GSW::eight

howdy! i finally made it out to a farmer's market last night and was so happy to see all the beautiful, colorful produce for sale.  our garden is really starting to offer up variety, as well.  this week's menu really celebrates the variety we are enjoying these days in zone 5 of nebraska. 
also, if you want to be served some locally and seasonally inspired foods {with a side of excellent reading material} check out edible omaha's summer release party tonight at dante from 4:30 to 6:30.  go here for more information.

.....

1. eggplant parmesan {weekend dinner alert!}
2. haricot vert with shallots served with dill tuna salad {prep ahead}
3. mexican stuffed peppers with quinoa and black beans {prep ahead}
4. swiss chard fritatta {super quick dinner alert!}
5. bbq chicken with campfire potatoes and cabbage + corn slaw {delicious dinner alert!}

the stone fruits are making an appearance, why not make this...
stone fruit lattice pie

hope this menu brings a lot of color and flavor to your dinners next week. xo!

garden updates



our garden is becoming very bountiful these days.  the eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers, chard, kale, collards, green beans, potatoes, and herbs have been providing pretty regularly these past couple of weeks.  it is really great because we have been able to share with our family and friends and still have plenty.  i hope the regular summer temps hold so that i can {comfortably} get some canning done this week.  i realized that i did not feature a garden last week, so while hendrix and i are on an adventure today, i will track an awesome garden down for {garden}REVOLUTION.  in the meantime, do have an overabundance of veggies in your garden or did you get something new in your co-op that you need to some cooking tips for?  email me at clementinespandp@gmail.com, leave a comment on this blog, or on facebook.  i'll send you some of my best ideas and we can share them with everyone right here.  i was lucky enough to work for almost three years in a restaurant where everything was made from scratch and seasonal ingredients...and the cooks were generous with their knowledge.  not everyone is, so let's all share our knowledge and tried & true tips.

signature dish

picture by andrea from her DALS book



andrea texted me yesterday to tell me that i had been published.  it seems that my kale, sausage, and bean stew recipe, that won a contest over at dinner a love story blog,  had now been published in the dinner a love story cookbook.  and let me tell you...that made my day!!  i have a huge crush on DALS and what jenny + andy talk about over there...so to have my go-to dish in jenny's book made me more than happy. a few asked for it yesterday, so here it is, my signature dish. also you can go here to see the recipe at dinner a love story. if you aren't already a regular reader of the DALS blog, i suggest you become one today.

sausage, bean, and kale stew 
 2-4 italian sausage links, cut
1 onion, chopped
2 T. olive oil
2-3 minced garlic cloves
1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cans of white beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
32 oz. of chicken or vegetable broth
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper
shredded parmesan
crusty bread
in a pot or dutch oven, heat oil and add sausage and onion.  cook until onions are soft and sausage is cooked through.  add garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds.  add broth, tomatoes, and beans. bring to a boil, reduce heat, and begin to add kale.  cook until kale begins to wilt and becomes bright green.  simmer for about 15 more minutes.  season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste.  serve with parmesan and crusty bread.  enjoy!

breakfast of champions



last week i mentioned that breakfast was my nemesis.  it used be lunch but now it is breakfast.  hendrix doesn't do well with a bowl of cereal and milk.  meaning...he won't eat it.  he will eat eggs.  eggs for days.  and i am over it.  so we are mixing things up.  here's what i came up with...with a little help from my friends. 
.....

these should all take about the time it takes for your coffee to brew.  or your tea to steep.

julie's almond butter + banana grilled breakfast sandwich
{optional: add mini chocolate chips &/or dip into a french toast batter before grilling}
the how to: smear bread of choice with almond butter and add some sliced bananas...grill & eat.

whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, tomato slices, and baby greens
the how to: toast bagel, smear with cream cheese, add baby greens and tomato slices. eat.

homemade granola with greek yogurt, honey, and fruit
{prep ahead: make a batch of granola weekly and keep in the freezer to preserve the crunch.  you can even make your own greek yogurt}
the how to: mix granola with yogurt.  top with honey and fresh fruit.

hard boiled eggs with "toddler" muffins (this is a running out the door breakfast)
{prep ahead: the muffins can be made ahead and frozen for up to a month.  the eggs can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week}
the how to: throw in it in your bag and eat it in the car.

quinoa pancakes with nut butter and fruit
{prep ahead: the pancakes can be made ahead and frozen for up to a month}
the how to: reheat pancakes in your toaster.  smear with nut butter (peanut, almond, whatever) and top with fruit. eat.

the tofu scramble
{prep ahead: save the bits of last night's veggies to throw into this scramble in the morning}
the how to: scramble your veggies with tofu just as you would with eggs. season well and eat.

cottage cheese with tomatoes, basil, and pepper
the how to: add chopped tomatoes and basil to cottage cheese.  mix.  top off with black pepper. eat.

these are for a more leisurely morning.  you can make all these while you drink a couple cups of coffee. or whatever your poison is.

julie's breakfast hash
{prep ahead: chop veggies up and keep in fridge for up to a week.}
the how to: shred a potato or a sweet potato (for each person) in your food processor, saute in a skillet with olive oil.  add veggies and cook until everything is softened.  season.  add an egg on top, if you please.  eat.

egg quesadillas
the how to: i'll let heidi of 101 cookbooks direct you on the ways of the egg quesadillas.  they are delicious.