Posted by Esther
on July 05, 2010
pasta /
4 Comments
Happy Independence Day! A special thanks to all those who sacrificed for our freedom. Hope everyone had an enjoyable long weekend with family and friends!
Puttanesca is an Italian dish that I’ve always enjoyed but never tried making at home. This dish is begins with some garlic and diced onions, then includes a harmonious blend of flavors from anchovies, capers, and tomatoes. It’s a great alternative regular tomato based sauces, and has a ton of flavor!
My friend J and I made this dish together for dinner, then had dessert wine and brownies.

I used real tomatoes, but that canned diced tomatoes may actually work better in this case. I also added kale as a way of incorporating some greens into the dish. If you are a fan of dark greens like kale, you should definitely give this a try!
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Tags: anchovy, capers, easy puttanesca, italian, kale, pasta, puttanesca, recipe
Posted by Esther
on July 15, 2009
CSA,
kale,
swiss chard /
6 Comments
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is when a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Interested consumers then purchase a share to receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. The produce is fairly priced, local grown, and in my case, organic.
This is something I whipped up together with a few ingredients I had on hand. I used a couple of pieces of anchovy fillets just to see what it would taste like. I was pleasantly surprised, as it added an entire new dimension of flavor to the salad that I didn’t expect! It was scrumptious!

There is nothing more delicious than eating fresh vegetables that are in season. Check out the gorgeous colors on this swiss chard!
This salad is delicious cold or hot, depending on your mood. A quick blanching of the vegetables seals the nutrients, as well as the crispness. I have a taste for root vegetables that are bitter. If you prefer to add a bit of sweetness, try adding some honey to the dressing. Give it a whirl; I promise you won’t be disappointed!
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Tags: CSA, kale, salad, swiss chard