Clearly, I had no time to deal with the food that isn't going to last forever. Here's what I did to process and preserve some of our CSA stash and make good use of the rest, all in a big hurry.

What we had

Our refrigerator still has leftovers from LAST week's CSA delivery. Those included:

• Two yellow squash.
• Four ears of corn.
• Two heads of cabbage.
• A head of lettuce.
• A sad, wilted bunch of kale. Do you know about our kale problem? We have much too much kale.
• And a watermelon that I hope will last till next week.

Plus, we have cucumbers, a bell pepper, a leek and a few other items.

Clearing it up

Before I get a CSA delivery, I try to clean out the fridge. I dumped Mr. Cheap's flu-killer soup (heavy on the cabbage, garlic and ginger ... not sure if it would EVER go bad for those reasons, but he's been well for at least two weeks). I dumped the remains of a cucumber-and-tomato salad and the sad bunch of kale, all into the compost bin.

I asked my massage therapist if her big family likes veggies. She said YES! So I gave her one head of cabbage (the bigger one), the four ears of corn and the yellow squash.

At last, some room in the fridge!

What we got

Today, our CSA box included:

• Some kind of melon.
• A huge bunch of chard.
• Tomatoes.
• Herbs - dill, parsley, cilantro.
• A head of lettuce.
• Three beets.
• Six ears of corn.
• A pattypan squash.
• An eggplant.
• Three little zucchini.
• Three yellow squash.

What I did

I managed our windfalls in several ways -- eating, planning and preserving.

Eating

We had lettuce, beets, a big container of blue cheese in the refrigerator, and fresh baguettes at the store, as well as pecans in the freezer. Beet salad!

Pressure cooker beets

The beets are easy to cook quickly in the pressure cooker. Wash them, put them in the pot, cover with water (being sure not to overfill the pot), and put the sealed lid on. Set on the burner and turn it on. When the pressure begins to hiss, set a timer for 7 minutes. Cool quickly, peel and slice.

Basic balsamic vinaigrette

Mr. Cheap arrived home in time to make his own dressing. In a little container, he mixed together about 3 parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar (this ratio is to mitigate Little Cheap's complaint that "it stings"; add more vinegar if you prefer). Then he finely chopped 1/2 a beet and added it, with some salt and pepper, and tossed it all well.

We toasted the pecans, mixed it all together, and enjoyed with sliced baguette and butter from the butter bell, which I've relaunched now that it's cooler.

Preserving

Next was making some of our bounty last longer.

Corn

I don't know about you, but I believe a girl can only eat so much corn on the cob. Corn off the cob, however, can be a useful addition to many meals.

It's easy to freeze corn. Shuck the ears and toss them into boiling water for about 10 minutes. Drain and cool. (You can also grill them; our grill has been out of commission all year because it would cost $70 to refill our propane canister.) Set the ear upright on a cutting board and slice downward with a knife, liberating the kernels. Place into a jar, bag or container and freeze.

Bread-machine peach-jalapeno jam

Peaches are a prime crop in Colorado. We've had a pile of them waiting for Mr. Cheap to convert them to peach-jalapeno jam ever since we bought some blueberry-jalapeno jam and ate it with bread and cheese a month ago. Tonight I took pity on Mr. Cheap's busy schedule and made the jam myself.

This morning, I peeled the peaches and mixed up the ingredients for half a recipe of peach-jalapeno jam (peaches, sugar and minced red jalapenos from our garden) in a big bowl. During the day, I stirred it a couple of times.

This evening, I put a bunch of jars, lids and bands in the dishwasher (with the dishes that were there) and started it up. I stirred the jam mixture some more and put it into the container of my bread machine. I turned it to "start" and let it stir for 5 minutes, per my instruction manual, then canceled the cycle. Then I turned it to "bake," which cooks it for an hour, and let it go.

When the dishwasher and the bread machine were done, I parceled out the jam into 5 1/2 jars, put on the lids and bands (these are pictured at the top of this post), and set them in the refrigerator to cool. Tomorrow, I'll put them in the freezer. (Freezer jam will keep safely for a few days in the refrigerator and a few months or so in the freezer.) It is really zippy, sweet and delicious. Fingers crossed it will set up well.

Planning

Because our box this week included squash and eggplant, and we have tomatoes, bell pepper and onions on hand, I'd like to make a bit batch of ratatouille. I have an easy recipe I pulled from Real Simple magazine in 2003. It's great to eat with rice, bread, quinoa or couscous, and you can freeze it. The leftovers make a nice stewlike dish, or drain off any liquid and put it on a pizza crust, topped with some goat cheese, for an easy dinner. The ratatouille itself is low in calories and packed with fiber and nutrients.

And there you have it -- the fast way to hack through a CSA delivery (and other fruit-and-veggie goodness) and get on with life, with three meals underway and more stashed and ready to go.

Chime in with any tricks you've picked up for quickly dealing with nature's bounty!

Mix the following-

• 1/4 cup mild olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons chicken broth, preferably homemade
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

Toss Together:
6-8 small globe tomatoes, large dice
5 small cucumbers, thickly sliced
1 small shallot, slice extra thin
2 tbs fresh chives, chopped
2 tbs fresh mint leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Dressing:
Whisk together 1/3 cup cider vinegar with about 1 tbs maple syrup.  Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil while whisking.

Toss the dressing with the salad and refrigerate for at least an hour.  Pour off any excess dressing before serving.

I typically make my vinaigrette 1:1 when it's just me, but I like things quite sour.  When I'm making salads for other people I go just a little less oily than the traditional 1:2 vinegar to oil ratio.  Instead of 1/3 cup vinegar to 2/3 cup oil, I use about a 1/2 cup oil.

Noodles: cook 1 package rotelle noodles according to directions. After straining, run cold water until cooled, stirring to make sure all the noodles quit cooking. I leave them in the strainer while I make the dressing.

Dressing: whisk together in large bowl

1/2 cup veggie oil (I'm out of olive oil, I would have used that instead)

1/2 red wine vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp pesto (I use a very nice pesto, or make my own)

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tsp oregano, rub fine between palms as you put it in-grinds it finer

1/2 tsp dill, rub as you put it in

dash celery seed

Then add:

1 cucumber, diced small

1/4 cup minced green bell pepper (I want to try this with my grill red peppers instead sometime)

1/2 cup tomatoes, small bite size

On tomatoes: I used grape tomatoes and quarterd them, I would dice regular size.

Then add in the noodles and stir to coat well. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, stirring often. At this point I have a small cup on the counter that I have been putting sample spoonfuls in to taste test. I found that before the cheese it was a little strong on the vinegar-the cheese actually mellowed it out a little. I had to put it away in the fridge or there would have been nothing left after all my 'tasting'.

For best results chill at least one hour before serving, stirring occaisonally if you can. Dressing will collect in the bottom.Stir and lightly sprinkle with more parmesan before serving and enjoy!

Also, this oil is a great complement to salads, pesto and bruschetta. Add the Traditional 18-Year Balsamic Vinegar for an outstanding vinaigrette!

Europe was proving to be a challenge. He made his way up to Denmark and Sweden but found that everyone he met only wanted to offer him flavored vodka or pear cider. Edamame certainly wasn't old enough for alcohol yet and

so had to politely decline all of the friendly offers he received. While wandering through Malmo, he heard someone whisper to him from an alley.

"Hey little ninja guy, come here!"

"Who are you?" Edamame asked?

"A friend who understands you. I can help you find what you're looking for."

"How can I trust you?"

"I give you my word. I know the pain that comes with choosing blue cheese dressing over a vinaigrette. Go to Argentina little ninja. A long time ago, the Argentines realized that they had a dreadful reaction to milk. As a result they banished all cows and developed their own, milk free dessert: Dulce de Leche. 'Leche' means milk and 'dulce de' means free of. The country will welcome you with open arms."

"They have no cows? I thought I had read somewhere that Argentina had cowboys..."

"Silence! If you plan to succeed on your quest, then go to Argentina."

Edamame's eyes brightened as he imagined a country filled with delicious milk free desserts. He made his way down South, passing through mountains, desserts, and waterfalls. He sped through to Buenos Aires and ran into a pastry shop. He tried asking the man in the store about dulce de leche, but he didn't understand Spanish. He found out quickly that it's pronounced "dool say" and not "dool che." The man in the shop chuckled and then gave him a large serving of it alongside a banana. "A banana!" Edamame thought. "This must truly be what I need!" With just one bite, Edamame was in love. It tasted good on almost every fruit, on bread, and even by itself. He was not able to control himself and spent days at a time eating it up. But, he realized that his stomach was grumbling all the time. It ached and felt kind of funny. He'd barely thought about the other members of his ninja clan. How had he let himself get so distracted? The meringues had never made him act this way. 

One morning he was not able to get out of bed as he found his tummy hurt too much. He slept for hours until he was eventually able to muster up enough energy to speak with the woman at the front desk of his hostel. "How does one make dulce de leche?" he asked her. She did not understand what he had said and so pulled out a container of dulce de leche. He shook his head and said, "Donde esta internet?" She pointed him in the direction of the nearest locutorio (or internet cafe) and gave him a few centavos. He looked up dulce de leche and discovered that "leche" did in fact mean milk, but "dulce de" most certainly did not mean free of. In fact, it roughly translated to milk candy, or milk-based syrup. His face dropped in horror as he realized how badly he had been tricked. How had he not noticed the fields filled with cows on his journey southward? One of Argentina's biggest exports was beef! In fact, Argentines ate beef all the time. Finally the phrases carne asada and parilla made sense. A typical Argentine barbecue consists of eating as much of the cow as possible! How that man had fooled him! No longer could he be as careless in his journeys. His enemy had learned of his existence and now knew his location. He would have to work harder to conceal himself and would certainly need to pay more attention to dessert ingredients!

Here are some new food nuggets from northwest Alabama and middle Tennessee:

1) Boskey's Grille on McMinnville Highway in Manchester, Tenn. in the Willowbrook Golf Club -- Had dinner here Saturday night with the Wood family. Menu focused on steak, pasta, chicken and seafood. The bar only had opened two weeks ago -- no fresh mint for my brother's motor and a limited wine/beer selection. Good variety of vegetable sides, including broccoli (cooked perfectly -- enough to get the bitterness out but still crisp), asparagus, sweet potatoes and smashed white potato. My two vegetarian daughters had the Autumn Salad, which had fresh greens with a tasty apple vinaigrette. Prompt and friendly service. Here's the link for Willowbrook, although the site doesn't have restaurant info. http://www.willowbrookgolfclub.com/. Boskey's Grille phone is (931) 723-7955.

2) The Nestlé Toll House Café, Athens, Ala., on Hwy. 72 next to Starbucks -- This is the first Nestlé Toll House Café in Alabama and it's been open since mid-July. This sounds like a super idea, doesn't? I mean, a whole bakery devoted to chocolate-chip cookies!!!  But don't make a special trip -- at least, not based on our experiences. While the wonderful chocolate-chip baking smell hits you as soon as you walk in the door and we could see that actual cookies were actually being baked, we were disappointed in the flavor of the cookies we bought. My daughter got a triple chocolate cookie and my husband got a Turtle brownie and the chocolate taste in each of them seemed off somehow. I thought it tasted artificial --not pleasant at all. I got a chocolate-chip peanut-butter cookie half-dipped in chocolate, and it was okay. Nothing I'd drive especially to Athens to get, though. None of our choices had the warm and melty homemade taste, either. You can also get cookie cakes there and ice cream and other goodies. I'll give it another try -- maybe Sunday afternoons aren't their best times -- but they'll have to work hard to impress me now. Here's a story from the Athens newspaper about it http://www.enewscourier.com/homepage/local_story_205222544.html/resources_printstory and here's the Nestle Cafe site: http://www.nestlecafe.com/. And, if you want the Best Chocolate Chip cookies ever, try this recipe from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html

3) Connors Steak and Seafood, Bridge Street Town Centre, Huntsville -- Liz, Nolan and I ate here with some book-club friends on Monday. This is part of The Chop House chain (not the lone and locally owned Chop House in Franklin, Tenn., but the University of Tennessee-centric Chop House franchise from Knoxville) and carries out the Chop House theme of upscale casual dining centered around meat quite successfully. Liz and I ordered the Baby Spinach and Strawberry Salad (everything was fresh but my salad could have used less dressing -- I'll remember to ask for it on the side next time) and I added some pan-seared ahi tuna, which was cut a little thicker than I like but was still good (my all-time favorite restaurant ahi tuna is Outback -- go figure!!!) Service was prompt and friendly and the place was packed with lunch-hour diners from nearby offices as well as Bridge Street shoppers. In fact, Liz and I had planned some shopping but it was way too hot for walking in the sun. We did manage some goodies from Chocolate Crocodile, though -- of course!!! Web sites are Bridge Street, http://www.bridgestreethuntsville.com; Connors, http://www.thechophouse.com/connors; and Chocolate Crocodile, http://thechocolatecrocodile.com/

4) But the best thing I ate all weekend were the blueberry-lemon bars my brother and nephew made from their own blueberries. I could have eaten the whole pan -- I tried, anyway! I'm still waiting for that recipe (Samuel?????) and will post it as soon as I get it. So, so yummy.

Happy eating!

Seems everyone’s reporting on idyllic picnics lately, on petite tarts with ambitious stacks of marinated summer vegetables sliced thin, on picturesque salads and scenery.

Here, then, is my contribution, a report on an unintentional roadside picnic, a picnic that was never meant to be any kind of production. There was no tablecloth. No brilliant containers. Just an open car door revealing disposable Tupperware and white paper napkins and an assortment of plastic utensils I’d scrounged from an out-of-sorts drawer.

Still, it was a photogenic picnic. We were surrounded by Kodak moments, despite the fact that we were eating on the side of a two-lane highway because we were stranded in totally stopped traffic, 22 miles south of Page, Arizona – which was supposed to have been our picnic destination.

But in an uncharacteristic move, I hadn’t packed my camera.

Why, oh why, didn’t I bring my camera? Because I was determined to pack light, that’s why. Because it was supposed to be a less-is-best kind of weekend, an up-and-back road trip, a jaunt requiring little more than a duffel stuffed with a change of clothes and trail runners.

Never mind that we’d be covering 1,800-plus total miles. I’d seen these miles flash before my windshield many times before, and never have I cared to photograph them. It’s the desert; it’s red rocks and red dirt, dust and scrub the color of sage. Big whoop.

But as we – my husband, our daughters and my younger sister – all sat on the side of the road, dinner in hand, things suddenly looked pretty. It wasn’t the rhythmic flicker of emergency vehicle lights, or the steep swoop of the helicopter indicating we’d be parked there a long while. It was that when necessity demanded that our picnic change venue and we started losing daylight, we made lemonade, so to speak.

We propped the cooler open in the backseat and used the lid as a surface to prep a pasta salad of whole-wheat penne, sliced olives, chopped cucumber and tomatoes, crumbled feta and basic vinaigrette. We put together sandwiches of smoked salmon and goat cheese on whole-wheat rolls.

And we ate.

It was still a picnic, even though we consumed it standing, plastic plates perched on our open palms, a meal enjoyed under a round sky full of summer storm clouds.

I’m admittedly unoriginal when it comes to description, but let me try to describe the scene for you, the images I would have captured if only I’d brought my camera: Silhouettes of jutting red rock formations against a plummeting sun; my five-year-old’s hands, clutching her sandwich; shafts of light through shifting clouds; the sunset meeting the desert floor, and the expansive sky it left behind. And then there was my sister, attempting while standing to stab her pasta with a dull plastic fork at the same time she was texting on her cell phone.

Basic Vinaigrette

This is my go-to vinaigrette. It can dress everything from pasta to vegetables to fish. Let your whims rule: add a teaspoon of your favorite mustard or some chopped herbs.

¼ C fresh lemon juice or white wine, red wine or balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 small shallot, finely minced

½ tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ to ½ C extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk together the lemon juice or vinegar with the honey, shallot, salt and pepper, to taste. Add the olive oil in a steady stream, whisking until emulsified.

Vinaigrette

2 T extra virgin olive oil

2 T fresh lemon juice (I always use fresh squeezed, but I heard the bottle from Costco is really good--I bought it to try it)

1 t dried oregano leaves

1/2 t salt (I always use sea salt, and I think it makes a difference)

Whisk it all together in a small bowl and voila!

H.K. and I were in the mood for salmon last night, which we usually have once a week, but we couldn't agree on how to have it. H.K. wanted the Bobby Flay Glaze (as we refer to it), which is really delicious, but kind of heavy and sweet. I really have to be in the mood for it and I wasn't, so I nixed that idea. I wanted a citrus reduction that I had made once before, but H.K. wasn't a big fan, so he nixed that idea. We decided to just go to the grocery store and wing it, which I don't usually do. I almost always have a list that I stick to (like a good little shopper), but last night I stood in the produce section until the grocery gods answered my prayer for a dinner idea.

We decided to have seared salmon with a beurre blanc, roasted asparagus with garlic, and a couscous salad. H.K. made the beurre blanc and I made the rest. I seared the salmon in a nonstick pan with a little olive oil. I tossed the asparagus with minced garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper and roasted it at 400° for about 8-10 minutes. The couscous salad I just kind of threw together without any particular recipe in mind.

Couscous is ridiculously simple to make, and I like to eat it in the summertime because it tastes good at room temperature. (I like asparagus in the summer for the same reason.) You bring some water to a boil (you can use broth too, if you're into that), add an equal amount of couscous, give it a stir, then take it off the heat and leave it covered for five minutes. Presto! You're done. To the couscous I added chopped grape tomatoes, avocado, green onions, and parsley, then tossed it all with a lemon vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette is one of those things that I think everyone should learn to make. It tastes significantly better than bottled dressing. Actually, that's an understatement---there's really no comparison between freshly made vinaigrette and vinaigrette in a bottle. One of the first cookbooks I ever owned was Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home, and that's where I learned the basic recipe for vinaigrette. (I think the last time I bought a bottle of salad dressing people were worrying about the Y2K crisis.) You can find Bittman's basic vinaigrette recipe at his New York Times blog.

For the couscous salad last night, I used lemon juice and a little rice vinegar as the acid. (Using lemon juice alone doesn't taste acidy enough to me.) To that I added a minced shallot, a dollop of Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Then I whisked in the olive oil. A ratio of 3:1 (olive oil:acid) is too oily for my taste, so I usually use about a 2:1 ratio.

Once you get the hang of the ratios (which of course you can adjust to your taste), you can bang out all kinds of different vinaigrettes that will taste far better and be much cheaper than bottled dressing. For Cobb salad, I use a combination of lemon juice and red wine vinegar and I add minced garlic and a few dashes of Worcestershire. For Asian salads, I use rice vinegar (to which I sometimes I add lime juice), soy sauce, a little sesame oil (it goes a long way), and some Sriracha. Depending on what's in the salad I sometimes throw in a little mirin or honey for sweetness or, if I want a nutty dressing, some peanut butter or tahini.

As you can see, I feel very strongly about vinaigrette. I'd like to make it my mission in life to convince every home cook to learn this basic recipe and abandon bottled dressings forever. It tastes infinitely better, it's cheaper, and you make just what you need for that meal, so you don't end up with eight different bottles of dressing in the fridge for all of the different kinds of salads you eat.

Cross-posted at Raging Red.

 Serves 6

8 medium Vine -ripened red tomatoes,peeled, seeded, and finely chopped.

2 tablespoons minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

6 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup fresh squeezed Lemon juice

1 cup basil olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 lbs Rigatoni or Orecchiette

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Mix together tomatoes, shallots, garlic, 1/4 cup parsley,lemon juice,basil oil,and salt and pepper to taste in a large ceramic bowl. If making ahead omit the salt till 15 minutes prior to serving or all the juices from the tomatoes will be drawn out.

When ready to eat, bring large pot of salted water to the boil and cook pasta till al dente. Drain well and toss with vinaigrette.

Add 1/2 cup cheese and mix well.

Serve

Please visit my pantry series for what to have on hand. A basic vinaigrette is nothing more than acid, oil and seasoning. But there are thousands of combinations that you can tailor to your own tastes once you know the rules.

An acid can be lemon or orange juice, cider vinegar, balsamic, sherry or raspberry vinegar. The oil should be extra virgin olive oil if lemon, balsamic are used. Otherwise use something tasteless like canola. Some higher-end dressings include walnut or hazelnut oils, which must be refrigerated.

If you're afraid the vinaigrette won't bind use a binder such as Dijon mustard. Get a Pyrex measuring cup and a good whisk. See if you can find a sauce whisk, which is quite straight to get into the corners of a sauce pan, rather than a balloon whisk that you'd use for egg whites.

Next thing is level of acidity. Depending upon the amount of dressing you need, the French say one part acid to 3-4 parts oil. I do more of a 1:2 ratio because I like the acidity (which is why I buy Jim fat-free Ranch at the store).

Take one part acid. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a teaspoon or so of Dijon mustard and whisk to combine. Whisking all the time, slowly drizzle in oil (that's why you're using a measuring cup) until you have 2X the amount of acid. Dip in a spoon and taste. Are the seasonings right? Do you want more oil? Doctor it up. This is to your taste, not mine.

Even if it "breaks," you'll know because it will have separated. Add another tsp mustard and whisk and it should come back together.

After you master the basic version there are so many permutations out there that it'll boggle the mind. I know, I was tested on them! Happy cooking!

Instead of storming a Parisian prison, storm into that kitchen and get cooking! Today's the day the French stormed the Bastille prison in 1789, an open act of rebellion against the monarchy that is considered a turning point of the French Revolution.

After the Revolution, "while their former bosses were fleeing the country or losing their heads to the guillotine, chefs of the royal court found themselves out on the rue without so much as a roux to whisk," said Carl Hanson.

Lucky for them, a promising new institution had begun popping up in Paris during the second half of the 18th century. This new-fangled thing was known as the restaurant. The first restaurants had opened in the 1760s and originally catered to those of fragile health. In fact, the word "restaurant" refers not to resting or ranting but to the "restorative" broths that were intended to return delicate Parisians and weary travelers to good health.

With the arrival of revolution, however, the restaurant became a venue for displaced chefs to practice their craft in a clean setting that, significantly, was open to all comers, not just royalty. For once, it did not require a noble pedigree to dine like a king, only sufficient funds to pay the check. And with that, the art of fine dining was born!

So, in celebration today, we made homemade croissants (the recipe is after the jump). And for a whole meal, check out a couple of our other favorite French-inspired recipes.

Simple & Healthy Crustless Quiche
Strawberry Tart with Basil Whipped Cream
Honey-Roasted Almond Vinaigrette
Foie Gras Toasts

Classic French Croissants
adapted from Epicurious

1 1/2 cups whole milk, heated to warm (105°F–110°F)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 3/4 to 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) really cold unsalted butter

Start by making the dough: Stir together warm milk, brown sugar, and yeast in bowl of standing mixer and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If it doesn’t foam, discard and start over - the yeast was dead.) Add 3 3/4 cups flour and salt and mix with dough hook at low speed until dough is smooth and very soft, about 7-9 minutes.

Transfer dough to a work surface and knead by hand 2 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, a little at a time, to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Form dough into a roughly 1 1/2-inch-thick rectangle and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until cold, about 1 hour.

Prepare and shape butter: After dough has chilled, arrange sticks of butter horizontally, their sides touching, on a work surface. Pound butter with a rolling pin to soften slightly (butter should be malleable but still cold). Scrape butter into a block and put on a kitchen towel (flour sack towels work best), then cover with other towel. Pound and roll out on both sides until butter forms a uniform 8- by 5-inch rectangle. Chill, wrapped in towels, while rolling out dough. (Don't skimp on the chilling - it's important to not let the butter "melt")

Roll out dough: Unwrap dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface, dusting with flour as necessary and lifting and stretching dough (especially in corners), into a 16- by 10-inch rectangle. Arrange dough with a short side nearest you. Put butter in center of dough so that long sides of butter are parallel to short sides of dough. Fold as you would a letter: bottom third of dough over butter, then top third down over dough. Brush off excess flour with pastry brush.

Roll out dough: Turn dough so a short side is nearest you, then flatten dough slightly by pressing down horizontally with rolling pin across dough at regular intervals, making uniform impressions. Roll out dough into a 15- by 10-inch rectangle, rolling just to but not over ends.

Brush off any excess flour. Fold in thirds like a letter, as above, stretching corners to square off dough, forming a 10- by 5-inch rectangle. (You have completed the first "fold.") Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, 1 hour.

Make remaining "folds": Make 3 more folds in same manner, chilling dough 1 hour after each fold, for a total of 4 folds. (If any butter oozes out while rolling, sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking.) Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours but no more than 18 (after 18 hours, dough may not rise sufficiently when baked).

Roll out and cut dough: Cut dough in half and chill 1 half, wrapped in plastic wrap. Roll out other half on a lightly floured surface, dusting with flour as necessary and stretching corners to maintain shape, into a 16- by 12-inch rectangle. Brush off excess flour with pastry brush and trim edges with a pizza wheel or sharp knife.

Arrange dough with a short side nearest you. Cut in half horizontally and chill 1 half. Cut remaining half vertically into thirds, forming 3 rectangles. Cut each rectangle diagonally in half to make 2 triangles, for a total of 6 triangles.

Shape croissants: Holding short side (side opposite tip) of 1 triangle in one hand, stretch dough, tugging and sliding with other hand toward tip to elongate by about 50 percent.

Return to work surface with short side of triangle nearest you. Beginning with short side, roll up triangle toward tip. (Croissant should overlap 3 times, with tip sticking out from underneath; you may need to stretch dough while rolling.)

Put croissant, tip side down, on a parchment-lined large baking sheet. (Curve ends inward to make a crescent shape if desired.)

Make more croissants with remaining 5 triangles, then with remaining rolled-out dough, arranging them 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Repeat rolling, cutting, and shaping procedures with chilled piece of dough.

Let croissants rise: Slide each baking sheet into a garbage bag, propping up top of bag with inverted glasses to keep it from touching croissants, and tuck open end under baking sheet.

Let croissants rise until slightly puffy and spongy to the touch, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Bake croissants: Adjust oven racks to upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 425°F.

Remove baking sheets from bags. Spritz inside oven generously with spray bottle and close door. Put croissants in oven, then spritz again before closing door. Reduce temperature to 400°F and bake 10 minutes without opening door.

Switch position of sheets in oven and rotate sheets 180°, then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake until croissants are deep golden, about 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!!!

Tesco's Finest "Dolce Verde Lettuce" beckons. However, and Vern, I think you'd be supremely positioned to give me your opinion (with a little help from Bourdain), the leaves are infested with wild life, giving a whole new meaning to 'dolce vita". By the time I will have washed off all those little creatures any vitamins will also have gone down the drain. Is it worth it? Have I become squeemish? Should I just shut my eyes and think of what?

I remember a friend of mine, we were about twelve years old, taking me down rows and rows of raspberry bushes near her home. We talked and we talked and we talked, in between picking the berries and stuffing our faces. Later it dawned on me that the offering had not been entirely vegetarian. Did it matter? Of course not. Fast forward a few years - and you need a fine toothcomb before putting most things into your mouth.

I am hungry; with you in a squeezing of a lemon,

U

3 firm nectarines
100g feta cheese, cubed
2 tbsp black olives
2 tbsp sharp vinaigrette
a handful of fresh mint leaves

Cut the nectarines, skin on, into small pieces and lay in a flat dish along with the feta and olives. Tear the mint leaves into small pieces and sprinkle over the rest of the ingredients, followed by the vinaigrette. Cover until ready to serve and only then gently toss the salad to combine all flavours.  Delicious with grilled meats and fish.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh button mushrooms, cleaned with stems trimmed
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Cooking Instructions
1. Put about 2 inches of water in a large pot, insert a rack or steamer basket into the pot and bring the water to a boil. Steam the mushrooms in the basket for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the basket and run under cold water to stop the cooking process.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard, sherry vinegar and lemon juice together. Add the shallots and slowly whisk in the olive oil and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Gently toss the mushrooms in the vinaigrette and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
4. After the mushrooms have marinated, gently toss in the cherry tomatoes. Serve at room temperature, or chilled.

Maybe it’s that the things I’ve been "discovering" have felt awfully simple: Bacon. Salad. Eggs.

(Have you ever made an egg quesadilla for breakfast? Heat the tortilla up on one side, flip it over, and crack the egg onto the hot side. Use a fork to break the yolk and spread the egg around on the tortilla, like Anita does with her savory crepes. Add shredded sharp cheddar cheese. When the egg has set, fold the tortilla in half: Breakfast burrito effect, without the egg pan. I just had it for lunch. Right now, I want to make it again tomorrow, but it certainly doesn't qualify as exciting.)

Or. Maybe it’s just that there’s not much to say.

I have been meaning to say thanks, though – to my neighbor for watching the dog, to friends for having us over for dinner. . . I’ve found just the thing. It’s my fantasy vinaigrette. From now on, I'll be making it by the gallon.

Maybe you have such a vinaigrette in mind, too – it’s creamy without being too fattening, tangy and interesting but not clingy or cloying, flexible but never pedestrian. I found mine at American Flatbread in Burlington, Vermont, on a mixed green salad served with goat cheese. When I asked the server what was in the dressing, she rattled off an ingredient list – tahini and ginger, she said, and the tang is raspberry vinegar. (Really? Raspberry vinegar and tahini? Oh, yes.)

I’ve recreated it, with even more success than I hoped for. I’ve already found a home for it on an easygoing Bibb salad with avocado, tomato, and cucumber, and also on a simple plate of arugula. We slathered it on grilled salmon, and frankly, with today's second batch, I plan to make a habit of eating it on a spoon, for snack. That is, unless I have a second quesadilla. In that case, I'll wait until dinner.

Fantasy Vinaigrette (PDF)
with tahini, ginger, and raspberry vinegar

Serve the vinaigrette as is, over anything that’ll hold liquid, or use it as a dressing for pasta or chopped vegetable salads. I can’t wait to try it on a carrot salad, with scallions, cilantro, and a dash of cumin.

TIME: 15 minutes
MAKES: About 3/4 cup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, smashed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons (well stirred) sesame tahini (I chose the roasted kind)
1/4 cup raspberry vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil

In a blender or food processor, whirl the first six ingredients until smooth and well blended. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream, and process until emulsified. The vinaigrette keeps, refrigerated, up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.

rating: 7

Colin Cowie's Vinaigrette
(from the January 2007 issue of O Magazine)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp chopped shallots
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil. Makes 1 1/3 cups dressing.

I'm almost out of olive oil, so I figured I'd use canola oil and sesame oil.  And I thought red wine vinegar would be good.  Not so much.  So I added some balsamic vinegar to it.  Still wasn't right.  Then I figured I was gonna throw it away anyways so I might as well experiment some more.  So I added some local raw honey.

Needless to say, I did NOT create a masterpiece.  But it is kind of edible. 

I guess I need to get some more olive oil....

{update}   It is not kind of edible.  *gag*  Back to the drawing board.  :)