Savory Egg, Leek, Herb & Goat Cheese Crêpe Squares

I love making crepes. Albeit they take some practice so if you don’t get them on the first try keep trying, you will. Plus, eating the mistakes is a great perk! I made these for brunch this weekend. I’ve also made this version of them for brunch with my girl friends a while back (like last year!). They’re great to make ahead & to serve at room temperature. They also look super posh & make for a completely satisfying breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Guacamole & Salmon Sandwiches

We have salmon usually about once a week (if we’ve made it to the super market the weekend before the week gets going). I usually make salmon with a side of veggies & either potatoes or rice or some other starch.  This week I decided to take the salmon to some bread & make these salmon guacamole sandwiches for dinner.  We’ll definitely have these again maybe in a different variation - but salmon on bread is a winning combo for me (& Chris!).

Simple & Tangy Grilled Aspargus

I like skinny asparagus. Chris likes fat asparagus. I guess opposites do attract. We usually end up with the  asparagus on the skinnier side because - well because I’m married to a great man who likes whatever I cook & lets me have my way more often than not.

I love asparagus quickly cooked on the grill & then simply dressed with a little vinaigrette. Most of the time we end up snacking on them before the rest of dinner is done & we eat them with our fingers.

PS: Happiest Birthday Maggie! I love you! xoxo

Simple Vinaigrette

It’s unofficially summer - it’s just getting hotter & I love it! Every time the temps rise I want to eat cooling simple meals - mainly salads.  I rarely buy salad dressing at the super market with the exception of blue cheese dressing to compliment Chris’s love for anything buffalo sauced & that little packet of raspberry vinaigrette that comes in that delicious spinach salad mix from Trader Joe’s.  Other than those two exceptions I usually throw lemon juice or vinegar & some olive oil on my salads & call it a day.  Sometimes I like to make my own (like here & here).  This simple vinaigrette is great because it’s made from stuff you most likely shop for on a weekly basis & even if you don’t you can find them at the most basic grocery stores - no specialty stores necessary.  It’s a great dressing that turns plain mixed greens into a salad with no other toppings. We ate mixed greens tossed with this dressing with some pizza for dinner. The salad was so good I made two giant serving bowls of it & not a leaf was left!

If you’ve never made your own dressing, give it a try. It really is easy & usually tastes better than anything on the shelf. Oh & with this recipe you’ll be able to identify all the ingredients.

Strawberry-Basil-Lime Vinaigrette

I usually try to make my own salad dressing because if you've looked at the ingredients on a bottle of dressing lately you'll probably see words that don't even look like they would be food, most likely because they're chemicals (yuck!).  So I opt to keep it fresh with homemade dressings that will dress up even just simple mixed greens.

Ingredients

• 4 strawberries, roughly chopped with stems removed
• 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
• 5 basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn
• 1 lime, juice & zest
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Make it!

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
2. Store in an air tight bottle like this one I found at Fish's Eddy.

Crab Stacks

Inspired by the tasty crab stack we enjoyed in San Francisco I attempted my own version. I'd say it was a success! Oh and I should mention there's no cooking involved in this one either (just chopping and smooshing)! 

I got a little photo happy, so make sure to check out the photos & my recipe after the jump!