Crisp and Clean

Rachel here.

First off, isn't that a pretty salad? We ate it with a baguette the other night, sitting in the yard as the sun sank and Maxine slept and it just felt so good. Spinach and basil and mixed greens, alfalfa sprouts and sweet grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds and scallions and red onions and chick peas, all tossed together and lightly dressed with homemade vinaigrette. Yummm...



In other news, I've been on a kitchen cleaning kick. We've got some ideas for a more general reorganization (it's funny how it takes a while living in a space before you really know how to best use it), but I've been focusing on the smaller details. My first stop was a major pantry clean-up. Everything's in cleaned jars with new labels now and cooking has been streamlined (as has grocery shopping). Plus, I just can't help but smile at how crisp it all looks when I open the cupboards.



We've been entertaining a lot this summer and finally, yesterday, our fridge was relatively empty again. Before loading in the new groceries, I went through each shelf, tossing old food and taking inventory before scrubbing the refrigerator thoroughly for the first time since Maxine was born. This is the kind of project that I find intensely satisfying. I love a good scrub, returning surfaces to a pristine state and putting like with like on the shelves. John and M played while I tackled the refrigerator. When I was done, I wiggled my fingers with satisfaction and announced to the open refrigerator door "Everything will be ok now". Unfortunately, John could see and hear me from the other room and he totally laughed at this moment of unfettered psychic revelation.

Yeah, it speaks volumes about me. Yeah, I don't care.

Anyone else out there a freak like me?

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.