CSA Day: Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes
September 2, 2010
Today, we celebrated my husband’s birthday (Happy birthday, honey!). The day started with a homemade breakfast of cheese omelets, homemade hashbrowns and chicken sausage. Then there was Will’s 5-year-old well-visit to the doctor followed by lunch (sandwiches from our fav deli), work and a special dinner with family.
It was a whirlwind.
So, I am keeping this post short today.
What to do with your produce:
- Nectarines – Nectarine Muffins @ Pinch My Salt
- Corn – 10 Fresh Summer Recipes for Sweet Corn @ The Kitchn
- Slicing tomatoes – A simple idea for heirloom tomatoes
- Tomatoes – Sundried Tomato Basil Hummus
- Cherry tomatoes – Whole Wheat Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
- Garlic – Grilled Marinated Steak Skewers
Enjoy!
P.S. Sarah’s Cucina Bella will be on hiatus until Sept. 7, 2010 so that I can enjoy my kids’ last days of summer. See you on the 7th!
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Review: Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Pizza
September 1, 2010
This is a sponsored review by BlogHer and Newman’s Own.
Can frozen pizza be enjoyable? Recently, I was asked to review Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Pizza. Since this is a product that I could consider buying anyway, I agreed. What did I (and the kids) think?
» Filed Under Reviews, Contests and More | 3 Comments
Cooking for Kids: Packing Healthy Snacks for School (A Video)
August 30, 2010
Wondering what to pack in your kid’s school lunch for a snack? These ideas make school snacks a cinch.
Check out the Sundried Tomato Hummus here.
Special thanks to Our Green House, a fabulous source for eco-friendly products, for inviting me to do this video. Also, thanks to Cate from Sweetnicks for the fabulous frozen grapes idea and to Shawn for taking over so I could go.
» Filed Under Feeding Kids, Raising Healthy Kids, School Lunches and Snacks | 1 Comment
Frugal Fridays: Grocery Edition
August 27, 2010
If you are a Sarah’s Cucina Bella fan on Facebook, you know that I was ridiculously excited about my grocery store purchases earlier this week. That photo above is what I purchased. And I spent (drum roll please!) $52.47.
Here’s what I got:
- 6 boxes of cereal (great for snacks and early morning breakfasts)
- 8 boxes of pasta
- 1 lb shrimp
- 2 packages of ground turkey (1 1/4 lbs each)
- 1 four pack of turkey burgers
- 2 boxes of brownie mix (yes, I use boxes. Sometimes.)
- 1 quart of half and half
- 1 sour cream
- 3 boxes of taco shells
- 1 package of taco seasoning (it was free — gave that away. I prefer homemade taco seasoning)
- 1 dozen cage-free eggs
- 3 cans kid-friendly pastas (good for rushed lunches … once in a blue moon)
- 2 cans of soup
- 1 jar peanut butter (gave this away after checking the ingredients, but it was only $0.99 with purchase)
- 1 loaf bread
- 2 salad dressings
- 1 mayo
- 1 box bakery brownies, from the day-old rack
When I told my friend, Angel, about this, her first question was HOW?!?
» Filed Under Budget Eating, Frugal Fridays | 1 Comment
Sundried Tomato Basil Hummus Recipe
August 27, 2010
Back to school is heavy on my mind these days. We are less than a week away from Will starting kindergarten. But as I wrote recently on Tablespoon, it’s Will’s school lunch that I think about most. Ok, think might be an understatement. I obsess.
I’ve checked out the lunch menu for his school and its … not good. A packed lunch it will be (and he’s okay with that!). Still, what do I pack? How do I keep it from getting too boring? Thank goodness for good friends like Cate, who give me fab ideas (like frozen grapes as a snack/way to keep the whole lunchbox cold. Love that!).
One snack that I know I will be packing is homemade hummus and veggies. Will adores hummus, as does Paige. Toss in some slices of cucumber, red peppers and carrots and you have a delish snack (or even a lunch item!).
This fast, easy hummus is filled with the warm, smoky-sweet flavor of sundried tomatoes and my very favorite herb: basil. I made it this afternoon for a very special video shoot (more on that later!) and it totally got rave reviews.
Now, I need some more ideas. What inventive foods do you pack in lunchboxes?
» Filed Under Appetizers, Beans, Budget Eating, Feeding Kids, Raising Healthy Kids, Recipes, spreads/dips, vegetables, vegetarian | 4 Comments
CSA Day: Roasted Beets, Leeks and Eggplant Recipe and Other Tasty Ideas
August 25, 2010
I love the taste of roasted leeks. Almost smoky … and so tender, with a hint of crisp. Then there’s the roasted beets, they get this beautiful sweetness to them. But the roasted eggplant? The crispy caramelization on the outside and creamy inside was sublime. As far as eggplant recipes go, this is a new fav. And the whole dish is infused with the roasted garlic which makes it all the better.
Roasted vegetables are really divine. I loved this dish. This roasted vegetables recipe is a perfect side dish for the chilly evenings we’ve been having. Unfortunately, the kids were less enthused. They both enjoyed the roasted beets in this dish, but were mixed on the other veggies. Shawn wouldn’t try it. Oh well. Can’t win every time, right?
Sadly, this week there were no beets, leeks or eggplant in the CSA box. But if you have leftovers from last week, then this is a great recipe to make. Or, you could just buy the ingredients and make it. Heck, I might do that.
» Filed Under Farm Fresh, Recipes, vegetables, vegetarian | 1 Comment
Whole Wheat Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
August 25, 2010
When I moved to New York (as in Manhattan) to go to college, I craved freedom and devoured the city. I walked everywhere, breathing in the skyscrapers and eying the fabulous fashion and amazing pace. Everything seemed so special, so amazing.
One of my favorite things was checking out the myriad grocery stores in the city. The small markets that dotted much of the Upper West Side where I dwelled were such a big change from the mega-sized supermarkets of upstate New York where I grew up. And the foods! They had fresh mozzarella, couscous salads and something completely unfamiliar called tabbouleh. I tried them all, one by one, discovering that I adored the fresh mozzarella and couscous salad, but not the tabbouleh.
So, yes, I am writing a post about a tabbouleh salad recipe, when I don’t like the stuff. But here’s the thing: this isn’t traditional tabbouleh. Adapted slightly from a Health Magazine recipe, this Whole Wheat Couscous Tabbouleh Salad is filled with fresh veggies and bright flavors. It’s lively and perfect for a hot summer day … and since it’s made with whole wheat couscous, it totally lacks the offputting crunch-factor that I don’t like about traditional tabbouleh made with wheatberries. I guess that makes it more of a couscous salad recipe, huh?
In any case, I loved it. This Whole Wheat Couscous Tabbouleh Salad is entering my lunch rotation …
Are you a fan of traditional tabbouleh? Couscous?
» Filed Under Budget Eating, Farm Fresh, Recipes, side dishes, vegetables, vegetarian | 1 Comment
Cooking with Kids: Balsamic Tomato, Corn and Cucumber Panzanella Recipe
August 23, 2010
Earlier this year, I made my first panzanella (aka bread salad). It was a fabulous, flavorful, fresh salad perfect for a summertime (and it’s so unfair of me to mention it, since that is one of the few recipes I kept to myself — I promise to reveal it someday). So, when I contemplated how to pair tomatoes and corn in a special dish for Foodie Fights!*, my mind jumped back to panzanella. (Psst! If you head over to the site, vote for my dish! Please?) What better way to use two of my favorite summer farmers’ market finds than in an easy summer salad?
Panzanella is a traditional Italian dish, typically served in the summer months. From what I’ve read in books and online, it’s big in Tuscany and other areas. Can’t you just imagine yourself eating this while sitting on the patio of a fabulous Tuscan villa? That’s what it totally reminds me of. Think Under the Tuscan Sun
This version of panzanella, my Balsamic Tomato, Corn and Cucumber Panzanella, has a lovely sweetness to it from both the fresh sweet corn and the lightly sweetened balsamic dressing. Bread salads like this aren’t just croutons on a tossed salad — the bread soaks in the dressing giving you spurts of freshness throughout. It’s delish.
Since this is a traditional type dish, it has a set of traditional ingredients that you’d normally find in it. Typically, it’s made with old bread, fresh tomatoes, onions, basil, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper, among other mix-ins. For this one, I skipped the onions and added cucumbers and fresh corn. Read more
» Filed Under Cooking with Kids, Eat Local, Farm Fresh, Raising Healthy Kids, Recipes, salad | 4 Comments
Frugal Fridays: 5 Ways to Save $1
August 21, 2010
Happy Weekend, everyone! It’s been a crazy week here, so I am going to keep this one brief.
This is a topic that I love — how to save a little money. Sure, saving a $1 is a small thing, but if you do it regularly, then you could save hundreds or thousands over a year. That’s no small thing at all, is it?
10 Ways to Save $1 or More
- Go bigger on soda. Skip the 16 or 20 fl oz soda and buy a 2 liter bottle. You will pay roughly the same or less for the 2 liter bottle as one 20 fl oz soda — but you will get more than three times as much soda.
- Pack your own water. Most people have a reusable bottle kicking around … but are you using it? If not, you should be. Bottles of water can cost anywhere from just under $1 to $2.50 or more. If you fill your reusable bottle at home, it’s virtually free.
- Pay attention to gas prices. This week, I saved $0.10/gallon by using my Stop and Shop Card at a Stop and Shop gas station. Because I had spent over $100 in groceries at the store in the past month, I earned 100 points, which translates to the $0.10 discount. Better yet, the gas price was already the cheapest in town. From the club card savings, I spent about $1.50 less for the tank … couple that with the savings over other stations ($0.10-$0.20), it was $3 or more in savings on that tank. Now, imagine that you did that every week — it really adds up.
- Take your own grocery bags. Bringing your own grocery bags to some grocery stores will score you a discount. It’s not much — maybe $0.05 per bag — but it adds up. Just think, if you bring five bags each week, that’s $0.25 discount per week and $1 over the course of a month.
- Use coupons. I know, it’s a hassle but it’s worth it on items you already buy. And most grocery stores automatically double coupons, so all it takes is 1 $0.50 off coupon or two $0.25 off coupons to save $1. Coupons can be found in circulars in the Sunday paper and also online at SmartSource.com. Also, keep an eye on the coupons that print out in the checkout line (known as Catalinas) … they can save you more money too.
» Filed Under Budget Eating | 1 Comment
Summer’s Sweet Kiss: Heirloom Tomatoes
August 20, 2010
This German Striped tomato came in my CSA box yesterday. The big, juicy, thin-skinned heirloom tomato was prime for slicing. We ate it tonight for dinner with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt and couple spoonfuls of crumbled blue cheese. Delish.
German Striped tomatoes are sweet, smooth and fabulous. If you haven’t tried them before, you should.
» Filed Under Farm Fresh | 1 Comment
