Oh Sh*t It's Valentine's Day...

Rachel here.

Ok, so before I go any further, I feel like I need to disclose the fact that we--as in John and I--do not do Valentine's Day. Never have (except that one year that John broke the rule and got me a present and I felt horrible for not having broken the rule myself and gotten him one...) and most likely never really will. It's just not really our style. We don't do anniversaries, either, and I am here to say that despite our shirking of these social norms, we are still completely in love and there is plenty of romance.

But anyway...that's really neither here nor there because today is Valentine's Day and most likely you are here reading because of the title of the post which, most likely, means it has snuck up on you (either that or you're just a loyal reader and we *love* you for that). Anyway, if there's a person/people/whatever walking around today with hearts in their eyes and a bounce in their step because they just know you're going to do something sweet for them, I--the anti-valentine--am here to help.

There's a meal that we eat from time to time and, at least for my part, it's not only because it's delicious but also because it reminds me of the early days of John+Rachel, back when we went to the grocery store every day to pick out dinner, back when we lived in a studio apartment, back when there were no kids or kittens...ahhh, back in the good old days. It's really phenomenally simple but it's just decadent enough to feel out of the everyday, to feel a little bit special. Turn it into an impromptu picnic on the living room floor with some candles and wine (and hey, if you've got a little time, some homemade peanut butter cups...you can do it!) and everyone will be feeling love-ly in no time.

Here's what you need:
1 fresh baguette
1 heirloom tomato, sliced
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
arugula (2 handfuls? I don't know...)
balsamic vinegar
very thinly sliced rare roast beef (or skip this for a vegetarian meal...it's scrumptious either way)
blue cheese
salt and fresh pepper

Here's what you do:
Slice baguette in half and then into pieces roughly 6 inches long. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Pile arugula and onion and top with tomato. Fold roast beef on top and sprinkle salt over. Crumble blue cheese before a dash of fresh pepper. Eat and watch the sparks fly.

Rachel and Julia...Omelettes!

Rachel here: One of the perks to having a baby is the justification of television watching. We don't have cable at our house and so the options are often pretty grim. However, on Saturdays here, there are tons of cooking shows on public television. One recent Saturday there was a Julia Child marathon. The whole thing was awesome, but the episode that really caught my attention was the egg episode. Click here to watch a clip from the episode. I swear you, too, will want to make omelettes afterwards!

I should warn you, though. I can make an omelette, sure. But a Julia Child omelette is a whole different beast. While she makes it look effortless, as you might be able to tell from my picture (which is really only half an omelette since I had the brilliant idea to make a giant omelette for John and I to share...not recommended when you're trying to master a new technique. Fewer eggs would definitely have been easier!), it's a little more complex than Julia makes it seem.

I'm determined, though, to master these scrumptious french omelettes. John can make them and, really, they're superior to their overcooked counterpart that serves as the standard. When done right, they're incredibly soft and gooey. I'll keep you posted as my efforts continue. In the meantime, I can recommend the insides I chose to stuff our omelette with (heirloom tomatoes, white onion, ricotta and goat cheeses) and serving it with a side salad of arugula. Even in an overcooked omelette I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy your meal.

Pita Pizzas

Rachel here: The other night I made Pita Pizzas from the most recent issue of the Food Network magazine. In a miraculous twist of fate, M fell asleep while I was cooking. When this happened I started cooking as fast as I could and opted not to photograph any part of it in hopes of not only finishing cooking but also eating before she awoke. I lit candles in the dining room and poured glasses of wine before putting dinner on the table and calling John in to eat. Of course, M woke up 5 minutes after John and I sat down at the table, but for those 5 minutes John and I sat and not only ate together, but looked at each other and talked while we ate. When M awoke we took turns soothing her, determined to finish our dinner in just each other's company. Though I'm pretty sure we both liked the recipe (it was so simple and yummy with kalamata olives, arugula, tomatoes and grilled onions...click through here for photos and the recipe's details), the mini-date was hands down the best part.