It's shameful, downright shameful, how many successful recipes I have sitting around and gathering dust in my soon-to-post about folder. I'm practically taking on the behavior of such noted and beloved food bloggers as Orangette and The Smitten Kitchen, who frequently talk about recipes waiting "in the queue"! Let's face it, I'm no high-class food blogger. Clearly, I lack focus when it comes to blogging. I am, however, a burgeoning gardener and huge, die-hard fan of Jamie Oliver, two traits which led to my adoption of this most delicious, beautiful, and HEALTHY salad.
I've always wanted to be better about adding a decent green salad as a side to every meal. I know it's not as complicated, fussy, or tedious as I tend to make such a task, and that if I make it a habit, it won't be a hassle at all. Jamie O. would not be pleased with my reticence, I'm sure. He would probably hand me this recipe and tell me how easy it is. He is most certainly right.
This salad took all of five minutes to throw together. Thankfully, I had a mountain of fresh lettuce available-my garden is actually borderline out of control (the photo below was taken only a few weeks after planting)-as well as plentiful avocados (I'll really try to keep the bragging about my especially fruitful tree to a minimum). I had the rest of the ingredients on hand, but I'm sure it wouldn't have been the end of the world if there were no cucumber or green onions. As it is, this salad is unbelievably good, and undeniably simple. All that fine chopping means each precious bit of green is perfectly doused in the tangy homemade dressing, which is made even better (as are most things) with the creamy deliciousness of the avocado. In fact, I may have added an additional avocado to my salad. And possibly eaten most of a salad that was meant for four people. Perhaps that wasn't Jamie's intention...
Everyday green chopped salad, adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution, by Jamie Oliver
4 scallions 1/2 a cucumber a handful of fresh basil leaves 2 small, just ripe avocados 1 butterhead lettuce Large handful sprouted cress or alfalfa optional: 2 ounces Cheddar cheese extra virgin olive oil red wine vinegar English mustard sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Get yourself a big chopping board and a large sharp knife. It's best to start by chopping the harder, crunchier veggies first, so trim and chop your scallions and slice your cucumber. Slice your basil. Bring it all into the center of the board, and continue chopping and mixing together. Halve your avocados around the big pit. Carefully remove the pit and peel the skin off. Add the avocado flesh, lettuce leaves, and cress or alfalfa to the board. Crumble over the cheese, if using, and continue chopping. When everything is well chopped, you'll have a big mound of salad on the board. Make a well in the middle and drizzle in 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Add a teaspoon of English mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix up so everything gets well coated and serve on the board or in a bowl.
Why yes I do consider it my personal responsibility to stay up to speed on my fave stars' upcoming projects. As you can see, they're both rather bookish. Points to Kristen especially for taking on what really can't even be deemed a starring role in a literary classic. As for Water for Elephants, I literally cannot wait to see Rob squaring off against Christoph Waltz. Naysayers, he's playing with the big guns now!
Thanks to a considerable amount of wrestling with kayak.com, it's only a matter of time before she is here visiting me again! I cannot wait! Trips to the beach, hiking in the forest, biking across the Bridge...our days will be full! And the food, the FOOD! You can bet there will be another bacon doughnut in our future. Probably a trip to the Bi-Rite Creamery. More than likely, we'll spend some time walking around the Ferry Building sampling wares...okay, I'll admit it. The majority of our time will be spent eating. Always. Delicious food > sights and souvenirs.
P.S. You'll notice we're prone to speaking in an accent when we're together. We're aware.
Oh, how I remember those fabled days leading up the release of the highly-anticipated Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. It was the summer of 1991, and in the eyes of me and my best buds, Kevin Costner as Robin was a smoldering romantic hero. We loved his silly bantering with Maid Marian, were touched by the brotherly love he felt for that young rogue Christian Slater, and giggled when he decided to take a naked swim, a scene which by today's standards was quite chaste and also, completely ridiculous. Obviously, the considerable amount of wisdom I have gained over the years has eliminated the cheesy romantic film that obscured my vision, and I now see Kev for what he was: approaching middle-age, slightly pudgy, and possessing about as much acting talent as one of the stars of Gossip Girl (with the exception of Bull Durham, of course). Mightn't he have hired a dialect coach? Could he not even ATTEMPT an English accent?
As usual, my judgment (even at a young age, I felt it was fairly good!) was muddled by the interference of the deliciously lame romantic ballad, "Everything I Do (I Do it for You)." Yes, Bryan Adams is mostly to blame for my infatuation with Kevin Costner as Robin Hood, and my misguided teenage certainty that the love story depicted on screen was one for the ages. Preposterous! I am SUCH a sucker.
I'm pretty sure this most modern, most exciting take on the legend of the medieval outlaw won't be much like its predecessor. You probably won't catch me writing a shameful confession years later about how much I loved it.
Look at these beauties! I crafted them for the lingerie shower my sister and I will be having for our cousin in a few weeks. Actually makes me feel a bit guilty for going to a special stationery shop to purchase my fancy wedding invitations. One could have these lovely, delicate invitations for $35, a mere pittance compared to the monstrous expense of designer invites!
*First official still of Bel Ami. Henceforth to be known as the moment I began to panic imagining the transformation of paragon of tortured vampiric perfection Edward Cullen into the lecherous Georges Duroy.
Ah, the budding, blooming month of May. Time to (finally!) put away my rain coat, clear out a plot for my tomato plants, and open the windows each day so as to thoroughly enjoy the cool, fresh breeze. Time to start organizing my thoughts for the paper due at the end of the quarter. Time to start figuring out what I'm going to be wearing to the approximately 5,000 wedding events I'll be attending over the summer. And, despite the perfection of my last list, time to put together a soundtrack for the spring.
No Sound But the Wind-Editors. Yes, I know. It's a rather dramatic song. Or melodramatic, whichever you prefer. There is actually a lyric about "the kiss of the snow." Gah. Besides belonging to a lovely scene in my beloved Twilight saga, I was drawn to the song because of the constant reference to "carrying the fire", a poignant line oft-repeated in The Road, arguably one of the best books I've read this year. I'll write about it some time.
This Too Shall Pass-OK Go. I heard this song first because of the Rube Goldberg-inspired video, which is obviously awesome. I challenge you, however, to find a single person who doesn't find themselves smiling a bit as they listen. Let the morning come.
Cheated Hearts-Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The first of three, yes, THREE tracks that I flat-out stole from my BFF. I can't help it, her taste is incomparable!
Fader-The Temper Trap. I spent MANY an afternoon basking in the sun and listening to the Temper Trap's contribution to the 500 Days of Summer soundtrack, "Sweet Disposition." This one is almost as addictive, and perfect for the FINALLY warm days of spring.
Dead End Justice-Dakota Fanning + Kristen Stewart for The Runaways. Let it be known that I selected this number for my spring playlist simply because "I Love Playin' with Fire", the song Kristen sang alone for The Runaways, was not included on the soundtrack. Hence, the inclusion of Dakota Fanning. Don't get me wrong, Dakota was a perfectly acceptable Cherie Currie. But my Kstew? Not only did she completely capture Joan Jett's performance persona, she nailed the look. SHE GOT A MULLET.
Black Thumbnail-Kings of Leon. Sometimes I like my music to be a bit hardcore.
Giving up the Gun-Vampire Weekend. I find Vampire Weekend to be bright and uplifting, sort of in-your-face catchy. Their most recent album release was super-hyped, but I'm not sure I enjoy it as much as their earlier stuff. This particular song is an exception.
Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up)-Florence + the Machine. As I mentioned in my winter playlist, Florence + the Machine is a new find. I'm eating the album up! It's one of those "every song is worth the purchase" situations.
Darkness Is So Deep-Hurricane Bells. You can thank the Twilight saga for introducing Hurricane Bells to the world. Their song on the New Moon soundtrack was one of my favorites, as you can see, and I downloaded their debut album as soon as it was released. Oddly enough, the album as a whole couldn't sound more different from their offering on the soundtrack, but I still love it. Hints of My Morning Jacket, sort of eclectic and funky. Definitely worth a try.
Swim Until You Can't See Land-Frightened Rabbit. The one downside to my best friend's Twittering? I'm unable to resist looking up the songs that she hears, Shazams, and then tweets about. I purchased a whole album's worth of songs over the past few weeks! It's getting out of control! As usual, her ability to discern up-and-coming talent is incredible. A few days after downloading this delicious Frightened Rabbit song, I read an article about the British bands unable to make it to Coachella because of the smoking volcano. One of them was Frightened Rabbit. Of course, I thought.
Lover of Mine-Beach House. Melodic and haunting, the duo that makes up Beach House are apparently quite popular these days with the college crowd (according to monthly Rolling Stone top albums lists). I wish I had been that diverse in college, listening to unusual indie stuff instead of Jennifer Lopez-Ja Rule collaborations and Dave Matthews.
All for Love-Serena Ryder. My lovely and beloved sister introduced me to Serena Ryder, and I immediately understood why she loves her. The husky-voiced Canadian's angst-ridden, folksy-sounding pop is exceedingly pleasing, even if it breaks your heart.
Little Pieces-Gomez. "Pieces falling from me, you can have them for free..." Love these guys.
Abandon Ship-The Sorry Kisses. I might have to confess that I watch Grey's Anatomy just for the opportunity to hear bits of new music, like this one. It's pretty much all the show is good for, save any scenes featuring McSteamy's wit or the occasional Lexie Grey meltdown. I find those moments quite entertaining.
Keep the Car Running-Arcade Fire. Love this song. It inexplicably makes me feel hopeful.
I'll Build You a Fire-Seabear. A discovery from the Indie Spotlight Sampler that I raced to download, and incidentally, the only song on my list that I find myself humming constantly. I suppose you could say that it lingers more than the other songs.
Wicker Chair-Kings of Leon. One of three delectable KOL b-sides that I recently discovered. I listened to them incessantly and determined that "Wicker Chair" was my favorite and belonged on my spring playlist. Interestingly, I reread the Rolling Stone feature on the Kings recently and Caleb specifically referred to this song as being one of their best. I tend to agree.
Help Yourself-Sad Brad Smith. As we all know by now, I'm completely helpless when it comes to tunes sweetly placed in movies and television shows. This one lurked in "Up in the Air", waiting to snag me with its poignant and touching lyrics and soothing sound. "I know you'll help us when you're feeling better and we realize that it might not be for a long, long time..." A timely, wonderful song.
(bonus track) Married Life-original motion picture score, Up. I know that an instrumental track doesn't very well belong on an actual playlist, but I couldn't leave it out completely. I downloaded the track that belongs to the heartbreaking, pitch-perfect opening montage of the sweetest animated movie you'll ever see. If you must know, I was inspired to get it after the interpretative dance for each of the nominees for Best Song at the Academy Awards. Shoot, did I just undermine the entirety of my musical expertise with that confession?
It's shameful, downright shameful, how many successful recipes I have sitting around and gathering dust in my soon-to-post about folder. I'm practically taking on the behavior of such noted and beloved food bloggers as Orangette and The Smitten Kitchen, who frequently talk about recipes waiting "in the queue"! Let's face it, I'm no high-class food blogger. Clearly, I lack focus when it comes to blogging. I am, however, a burgeoning gardener and huge, die-hard fan of Jamie Oliver, two traits which led to my adoption of this most delicious, beautiful, and HEALTHY salad. 
Everyday green chopped salad, adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution, by Jamie Oliver
Get yourself a big chopping board and a large sharp knife. It's best to start by chopping the harder, crunchier veggies first, so trim and chop your scallions and slice your cucumber. Slice your basil. Bring it all into the center of the board, and continue chopping and mixing together. Halve your avocados around the big pit. Carefully remove the pit and peel the skin off. Add the avocado flesh, lettuce leaves, and cress or alfalfa to the board. Crumble over the cheese, if using, and continue chopping. When everything is well chopped, you'll have a big mound of salad on the board. Make a well in the middle and drizzle in 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. Add a teaspoon of English mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix up so everything gets well coated and serve on the board or in a bowl. 
