BLT Salad

Ok BLT sandwich, prepare to loose your title as my most favourite summer snack. There's a new BLT in town.

Poached Eggs with Asparagus

Last saturday after spending my morning at the farmers markets picking up my week's worth of local groceries, I made myself a delicious little brunch consisting of poached eggs atop steamed asparagus and sprinkled with grated gouda. It was delicious, fresh and hit the spot.
Today I made the same simple meal again but jazzed it up a bit with some fresh dill and scallions, and crispy proscuitto.

It has taken a bit of practice for me to master poached eggs. There are so many different tricks and tips you can find online related to making the perfect poached egg, but this post on Everybody Likes Sandwiches was definitely the most helpful for me.

Pizza Dough

Ok I've decided that I am truly enough of a pizza-holic that this blog needs a post dedicated to nothing else but pizza dough.

In my opinion the first (and most important) step to making amazing homemade pizza is the crust. And interestingly enough that's usually the step that people skip, opting out for store bought, because they think it's too difficult or time consuming.
Please promise me you will try making your own dough at least once, and in return I promise you you'll never buy another crust again.

Asparagus Pizza

I seriously don't know how much more of these grey rainy days I can take. It feels like the only thing that has been getting me through this month or more of awful weather has been meals like this.

Thin ribbons of asparagus, tangy lemony goat cheese and fresh cracked pepper on a thin crust. What more could I want?

Oh right. Sunshine. I still really want some sunshine, please.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Holidays are usually the only days my husband and I are guaranteed to be able to sleep in and enjoy a nice breakfast together. This morning the sun was shining (for what feels like the first time in months!) and our sunny patio was just the perfect setting for a simple breakfast of pancakes and fresh pressed juice. 

These are the moments I cherish.

Repurposed Tote Bag

Today I stopped by the post office to pick up a few books that I had ordered from Amazon.ca. I was surprised to see that they were packed in this odd woven plastic bag (as well as a cardboard box inside a bubble mailer; apparently Brits take their post pretty seriously). I didn't think too much of the weird packaging until I got home, unwrapped it and laid it out flat on the floor and saw the print of a crown and the words "Royal Mail".

As a lover of snail mail I just knew I had to do something with this amazing little find. Although I think that woven plastic as a medium could a bit limiting, it seemed quite suited to be made into a tote bag. A little floral lining to add visual softness and warmth, and some simple black straps made from scraps of an old dress. Et voila! 

Quick Pickle Potato Salad

Ok so I know I've been pretty glum what with all the cloudy days we've been having lately, and I tried my hardest to bring a piece of sun into my life (and mouth) with those cookies yesterday. But I think I'm starting to feel optimistic that the sun might actually one day return to our skies. The weather forecast still says I have to deal with another 4 days of clouds and rain, but now that I have this potato salad I think I'll be alright. This potato salad embodies summer for me, and after a long winter the crisp taste of pickled cucumber and fresh radishes just really hits the spot.

Lemon Almond Cookies

I'm in major need of some sunshine. But since it doesn't look like I'll be getting any anytime soon, I figured these cookies could act as a suitable replacement.

I made these cookies using this recipe from Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine. I found they needed to be baked closer to 12 minutes in my oven, but other than that I made them exactly as her recipe states.
Now all I need is a cup of tea and this gloomy day will be that much better.

Tabbouleh

As soon as I saw fresh parsley at the farmers market this morning I knew dinner tonight would involve tabbouleh.
I had never made tabbouleh before last summer but now I think it's safe to say it's become one of my warm weather staple salads. Making this salad reminds me that in the last year I've really had some eye- opening moments about seasoning, and this salad was one of them.

Bok Choy Salad

As my husband enjoyed his afternoon nap I cruised the internet for inspiration for dinner. Doing so on an empty stomach is never a good idea (almost as bad as grocery shopping while hungry), and couldn't help but whip up this quick little snack to tide myself over until dinner.

Log Cabin Pillows

Do you ever get a little too excited at those first few signs of spring? While I'm proud to say I'm not one of those weirdo's who starts wearing shorts and sandals in May, I do however have occasional delusional thoughts that as soon as the sun comes out it must mean that summer's just around the corner and I'd better start outfitting my home for it today. But of course in typical Nova Scotia fashion the sun disappears for another few weeks only to be replaced by rain, rain, fog, drizzle, and clouds.
Which perfectly describes today, the day I've finished some summery pillows for my patio seating. I know I should really just stuff them in the closet seeing as how they won't be used for another few weeks, but how can I hide my pretty new creations? (This is what I said to my husband when he asked why the couch was suddenly overrun with pillows)