Beets in Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil with Herbs

Hello amici,

I found the most beautiful (and sweet) beets this weekend in the market, so I decided to make an Italian Beet Salad that my mother has been making for years. This recipe for beets has always been one of my favorite dishes. Whenever I go home to Iowa, my mother always has this recipe prepared and waiting for me to dig in voraciously! Gosh, we usually eat it straight from the serving bowl, we love this just that much!

This beet recipe is traditionally made with a simple blend of balsamic vinegar and olive oil, but we do something that really, REALLY steps this dressing up to the highest notch: We blend in one packet of Good Seasons Italian dressing spices. Either way that you prefer, this beet 'salad' is just one of the best summer recipes.

Gorgeous, HUGE red beets!

Pefect beet red color inside too!


Beets in Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil with Herbs

4 - 6 very large red beets
1 medium sweet (Vidalia or Maui) onion, cut into 1/3" pieces
1 packet Good Seasons Italian dressing herbs
Balsamic Vinegar -- add according to the directions on the packet
Extra Virgin Olive Oil -- add according to the directions on the packet
Freshly ground Italian Sea Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Trim the leaves and stems off of the beets.
Place in a large pot of boiling water. Add water as needed during boiling of beets.
Boil till beets are able to pierced by a fork, but not soft, but rather medium firm -- about 30 minutes; don't let them get too soft. I prefer my beets more on the firm side.
Strain the beets in a colander to drain out the water.
Let the beets cool naturally and then remove the skin off of the beets and cut of the ends.
Slice the beets into 1/4" to 1/3" thick slices, according to your preference and then slice again into quarters or thirds, again according to your preference.
Put about 1/3 cup of the dressing mixture in a large mixing bowl.
Add the beets and onions.
Pour another 1/3 cup of the dressing mixture on top.
Mix gently and well until all the beets and onions are covered with the dressing.
Allow the beets and onions to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to absorb the dressing (which happens much better when the beets are still warm, rather than in the refrigerator).

(Refrigerate any remaining beets that are not eaten). Pin It

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and BASIL Panini

It's PANINI time!

The garden's bounty is coming in big time! Tomatoes, lettuce, basil, peppers, and other herbs are ripening with this heat that we're now having ..... so that means that it is time to play catch up with eating and/or freezing everything as it ripens. We're STILL getting a lot of rhubarb on top of this . . . which I'm freezing.

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So today, I'm going to use some tomatoes, lettuce, and basil to make BACON, LETTUCE, TOMATO and BASIL PANINI!!! A twist on the traditional summer sandwich.

. Just ONE of our 7 basil plants . . . growing profusely (lots of pesto ahead!)

Use really good and FRESH Italian bread, large Basil leaves, and fresh tomatoes!

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The procedure is basically the same as a BLT sandwich, except to:

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  use ITALIAN BREAD instead
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  add 3 large leaves of basil for each sandwich
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  grill on a panini press

That's about it. Remember to cook the bacon (or Italian Pancetta) first and then add to the sandwich before grilling. Also add the lettuce AFTER the grilling so that it stays crisp. If you want, you can add the tomatoes after grilling as well; this way they won't soften up either.

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M-mmmmm, summer is certainly here!

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.LaLayer the cooked bacon, tomatoes, and basil on 2 slices of Italian bread (notice I left the lettuce off to prevent wilting in the panini press)

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Perfect summer tomatoes!

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One of the tomato raised garden beds . . . busting at the edges!

Our Panini press (I'm a huge Cuisinart fan)

I hope that you enjoy this summer-time panino! Pin It

Beautiful Nature On The Acreage . . . Not Just Cooking!

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Well, most of you who read my blog probably think that all we do around this little farm of ours is cook and eat. Not really . . . besides our teaching positions, we really spend a tremendous amount of time outdoors working on some project here or there. It's always something, as the saying goes! As my father seems to believe, "we bought ourselves a job"! But what a labor of love it is. It doesn't even seem like 'work' to us. Truthfully, more people in the USA should get off their rumps and get out and do more physical activities in the fresh air! It's so good for us!
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But other than cooking up delicious recipes, we truly love our little acreage. In the mornings and evenings when the temperatures lower back into the 70's, we spend nearly all of our time outside with the horses, the land, and our gardens. There's always something to do; we're never, ever bored. So here are a few more photos of life on La Bella Vita.
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A busy bee at work on the Echinacea, purple coneflower .

The rose trellis in full bloom with old-fashioned David Austin roses.

A luscious lemon yellow daylily with soft pink edges....sorry, I don't know the name of it!
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Spanish Lace, aka "Lacie", dirty from rolling on the ground, but stately, huh?

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This little mama bird is literally no bigger than 2 inches big . . .

but boy, is she ever guarding her eggs in the nest that she built in the horses' stable.

The early morning sunrise reflecting on this perfect pink daylily!

W.D. with our HUGE 1,300 pound American Saddlebred, Carolina Luck...."Lucky"

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Do blondes really have more fun? Miss Lacie after having her hair brushed.
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An equine prima donna in the making, I think, don't you?

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Here's little Caramel Sundae, "Sundae", a smaller horse, but beautiful & STRONG!

. And lastly, another superb rose-pink daylily in the flower gardens.

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I hope that your life is beautiful wherever you are today!

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Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Basil

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(the above photo is copyrighted to the original photographer:  Rosalind Corieri Paige.  Note to photo thieves:  I will find your copying this photo without your giving correct credit to my site and this photo.  Because of the popularity of this photo, I have resorted to prosecution of copyright violators through the appropriate avenues).

I am just SO excited and jazzed! All of this rain and warm weather with sunny days after the rains have contributed to an bountiful crop of tomatoes! That's right, it's only June and I'm harvesting tomatoes by the bucket-fulls!

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(the above photo is copyrighted to the original photographer:  Rosalind Corieri Paige.  Note to photo thieves:  I will find your copying this photo without your giving correct credit to my site and this photo.  Because of the popularity of this photo, I have resorted to prosecution of copyright violators through the appropriate avenues).

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So today I've made one of my all time favorite Italian dishes: Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes. Normally, I slice up nice some Roma tomatoes (or any tomato, really!), then slice up some fresh imported Mozzarella cheese, and finally, stack those with large basil leaves. I drizzle them with high-quality Extra Virgin First Pressed Italian Olive Oil and sprinkle them with Italian sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

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But with this bumper crop of grape tomatoes coming in, I chose to make a Caprese salad instead. This salad uses all of the same ingredients, just in smaller pieces. You can eat it by the fork or the spoonful! I also pass around fresh Italian bread to serve along with the salad for guests to spoon some salad on top and eat or to mop up the flavored olive oil! Mmmmm, just pure and simple heaven!

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(the above photo is copyrighted to the original photographer:  Rosalind Corieri Paige.  Note to photo thieves:  I will find your copying this photo without your giving correct credit to my site and this photo.  Because of the popularity of this photo, I have resorted to prosecution of copyright violators through the appropriate avenues).

Roz Corieri Paige's Caprese Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Basil

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4 - 5 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves

1 lb fresh imported Italian mozzarella, cut into 1/4 - 1/2" cubes

1/4 cup extra virgin, first preseed Italian olive oil

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or red wine vinegar for a more mild flavor)

10 - 15 large fresh basil leaves (to taste)

Italian sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh Italian bread

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Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

Tear the basil into large pieces and toss into the salad.

Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve immediately (can be refrigerated to serve a little bit later too).

Serve with fresh, crusty Italian bread.

Once again, notice to those who steal my blog photography:


Permission to use anything on this blog by Rosalind Corieri Paige is required with correct citation and linkage back to this site or legal prosecution of theft will result through my husband, who is an copyright attorney!

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Italian Photo Exhibit in NYC: "La Dolce Vita"

Hello Dear Amici,

There is a fabulous new Photography Exhibit soon to be shown this month of June, 2009 in New York City and traveling to other U.S. cities about "La Dolce Vita"......the sweet life in Italy after WWII when royalty, celebrities, and the wealthy visited Italy. It was quite a glamourous and sophisticated time of renewal after the horrors of the war.

Proceeds from this exhibit will go to helping children in Afghanistan. The exhibit will begin on June 26th.

Here is a YouTube video to preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imsIHOYKrHM



 

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I Fiori (The Flowers) on La Bella Vita!

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Hello Dear Amici,

The roses are blooming so abundantly this spring. I have had to spray for black spot due to all of the rain and moisture. It's not something that I like to do, but it is certainly a must-do for roses in the SE when it's moist. The beauty of these roses is so worth the time and effort that they take to care for!

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So far this spring, the weekly rainshowers have resulted in a magnificent display of flowers of all sorts. The daylilies are just now opening up and the roses are still in full bloom. It's been spectacular!
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"Guacamole" hosta -- what a perfect name; the lime green color just shouts out in the garden; it is absolutley one of my favorites!..

"Renee Michelle" Azalea -- one of our perennial winners every spring!

Purple-blue iris given to us by W.D.'s late father's Ohio garden 25 years ago; I don't know the name though. However, it is a very special flower to us.

PPerfect "Stargazer" oriental lily! Just amazing, huh?

..HHuge "Great Expectations" hostas and other varieties
surrounding the bird bath!
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"Nellie Moser" clematis climbing the lamp post to happily greet everyone!
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. CCheeCheerful, friendly, happy, blue Colombine that always leaves such a
good feeling inside to see in the spring!

.TOur Bleeding Hearts naturalize more and more each year and
are just a delicate joy in the front garden!
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Stately Foxglove that stubbornly grows in our garden; they aren't easy for us!

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And finally, a loving mother bird in her nest under the porch tops it all off

for life on La Bella Vita!

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Happy Gardening everyone!
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Amore',

~ bella

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Our Beautiful "BELLA" Vegetable Garden!

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Hello Dear Amici,
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Our veggie garden is doing so well this year; just look at the lettuce! Gorgeous!

Some herbs are in the front and tomatoes are in the back. That's a lone hollyhock that went to seed in the garden, so we just let it grow; it's huge!

Another shot of the rhubarb (in front) and some mint in the back.

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I hope that you're having a wonderful, rewarding, and bountiful garden this year too!

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Amore',

~ bella

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Strawberry Chambord Sauce

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I don't know about you and your area of the world, but boy, have we ever had a BUMPER crop of strawberries this spring due to all of the glorious weekly rains that we have received. So W.D. and I have just been whipping up all sorts of dishes to use these precious red beauties in. Trust me, we don't eat gourmet every day; in fact, we eat more simply on a day to day basis than otherwise.

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I'm married to a simple guy who loves simple things. Don't get me wrong, he loves it when I cook gourmet recipes; but he's just as happy with a simple dish any day. So here's one for you: a simple strawberry sauce to drizzle over just about anything. In this case, the sauce is drizzled over a strawberry layer cake with a cream cheese frosting. Nothing fancy at all, but made fancy by the addition of the strawberry sauce. How easy is that? And how yummy?

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Strawberry Sauce with Chambord

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2 pints fresh strawberries

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 - 4 Tbsps. Chambord (raspberry liquor) or Framboise or raspberry brandy

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Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries.

Process with a food processor or inversion blender (we call it our 'boat motor')

Add the sugar, lemon juice, and liquor.

Blend until smooth.

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The New Horses on the Acreage!

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Hello dear amici,

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Many thanks for all of you who wrote to me with so many comforting words when my Thoroughbred, Ace, died 3 months ago (see post of March 13th). As with all animals, humans need to grieve the loss. This process takes a bit of time as many of you who have lost an animal friend/companion know very well. And so I just slowed down with everything to deal with our loss. No other horse can possibly come close to the awesomeness of Ace's gentleness, riding abilities, and personality. But move on, we must all do at some point.

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So just a week or so ago, my hubbie, W.D. and I were able to find 2 sweet young Peruvians that are known for their smooth ride . . . which the older I get, the more I need to bounce around less!

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Here are a few photos of Spanish Lace, whom we are calling "Lacie". She is a palomino (light yellow body and white mane and tail).

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And here is Caramel Sundae, whom we are calling "Sundae". He is a dark caramel colored male with golden mane and tail. He is quite young and thus very small. We can't ride him yet, but we can work with him on trusting us 'on the ground'.

. .Both of these smaller horses are 'green' and so W.D. and I are just having fun working very slowly on just letting them get to know us and trust us. I have ridden Lacie, but not alone on the acreage yet. She is still pretty new at it.
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We think they are already getting very spoiled with 'the beautiful life', La Bella Vita, just like all the other critters on the place. But we love 'em, and that's what we do famously!

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Well, my fellow bloggin' buddies, I hope that you have a great day wherever you are in the world. I'm off to teach my summer classes, so I can't chat long this morning. Thanks for stopping by!

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Amore',

~ bella

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