Ravioli in a New Light - Deconstructed Pesto

Ever want to take something and dismantle it and put it back together in hopes that it would spring back to life?
I once tried to help an old boyfriend put together a car from the frame up.
There were missing pieces, a lot of swearing but in the end it ran well (I refuse to say that a 1981 camaro is a good looking machine).

As I sat perched on my dining room chair staring at some pesto chicken sausages that we picked up on one of our trips to the Mennonite butchers I got to thinking.... I could eat that with just about anything but I loved the idea that it had pesto all intertwined with the chicken.  And then I remembered the camaro.  Presto (teehee).
What about a sauce that had all the flavors of pesto but not in the traditional sense?
So out of my chair I bounded and into the kitchen a went.

It worked.
It was delicious.
We will have it again.

It was quite simple to prepare.  A few steps really.

Getting your sauce ingredients ready

Along with your ravioli stuffing

And I even cheated - I used wonton wrappers and then made em all pretty like with my pastry cutter!

Hope you'll try this out and enjoy it like we did!

I'm Listening to: I Love Rock n Roll - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (1981)

One More Reason to Love the Farmers Market

SQUEEEEEEEEE
Ok, I needed to get that out!
I'm better now.
No, wait, SQEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Ok NOW I'm good.

What's so exciting?
The Farmers Market of course!
Ive mentioned before just how much I love them, I wish we had year round ones in my area because I'd be there weekly come  hell snow or high water.
We still go weekly to pick our "veggie of the week" although now we're nearing a point where we've pretty much tried everything they've got to offer, except kohlrabi....I'm still a little hesitant.

We have a few markets that are in close proximity to my house (3 actually) but the most convenient and bountiful is the Pickering Town Centre Market which runs weekly on Tuesday's, May-October (OMG its almost done, sigh).
I think Tuesday is a perfect day to head to the market, it allows you to have fresh veggies and fruit all work week long!
They are open later for the after workers who want to pop in to perhaps pick up dinner items and the location couldn't be better....its in the MALL parking lot!
Shop for shoes, shop for squash, win win really.

So why else am I so excited?
Because they had a recipe contest, I entered.
I became a finalist, one of 3.
They had a local culinary school take our recipes and create them for judges.
I WON!  SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!

Please note I just came from work, thank goodness they didn't take a full body shot or they
woulda got the flour and buttercream on my pants :)

I mean, I like my food, the boys say they love my food but now 3 professionals confirmed that this dish was truly worthy :)
SQUEEEEEEEEEE

The recipe entered was a dish I like to prepare in the summer with veggies straight from the market, the balsamic vinegar caramelizes when it bakes down and adding the smooth creamy goat cheese really amps up the flavor profiles!
If you'd like the recipe you can click here

Thanks to the Pickering Farmers Market for hosting such a fun opportunity!

Goin Green - Healthy Smoothies for Life

I BOUGHT A VITAMIX!!!  (about a week ago but I've been lazy at posting, sorry)

Overpriced you say?
Maybe.  If you don't have one.
I thought the same thing....even though I wanted one.
BAD.

So here we were, walking around Costco and what do I peer?
A little stand with a big presence.
A woman, calmly and excitedly making soup, making ice cream, making rice flour passing the samples around.
I must have stood awestruck for a good 10 minutes (the whole time the Mr. is glaring at me, glaring at the price chart, glaring back at me).
That's it.
I'm roped in.
I can't help it.
I wanted it.
I bought it.

Now, what should I name it?!?!
Is it a male presence in the kitchen perhaps, because its rugged, tough, dare I say sexy?
Yup, its definitely a male.....stay tuned on his name.

So now put him to good use.
I figured the first step was to see what all the hype about making smoothies with this machine was about - that and its likely best to start with something less intimidating when you don't know what to expect from the machine itself.
I had bought a magic bullet because I saw the infomercials and people swore by them, I hated it.  It never broke down my ice for my cocktails the way I wanted it to be, it liked to overheat a lot it was a mess to clean....so glad I no longer need this device!!

So lets get down to the green (and I don't mean how much I spent, its a sore spot)

The beginning of a love affair.  It REALLY REALLY does what it says its going to do!



Here's what was in our very first GREEN smoothie.

handful of grapes
1 stalk celery, halved
1 in. round piece of pineapple (core or not)
1/2 an orange, most of the rind cut off (but left some on for nutritional value)
handful of spinach
1 c. ice
That's it

Starting on speed 1 and slowly moving to 10 then the "high" switch blend for about 45 seconds.
Could that really be all it takes?
Yes!

And....drink your fruits and veggies family :)

It is pretty easy to be green Kermit....