Caprese

Heirloom tomatoes are so pretty. Seriously, have you ever seen a prettier tomato?

Sadly for this particular tomato (but joyously for me), it soon became this:

(Yes, that's dried basil. I did not plan well. Don't judge me.)

I have a serious addiction to Caprese in all forms - salads, stacks, pizzas, pastas, you name it. If it's on a menu, I'll order it. If I have the stuff to make it, I'll make it. If tomatoes are in season...well, you get the idea.

Speaking of tomatoes in season...

My mother has a green thumb. Oddly, I inherited a black thumb from who-knows-where and I can't keep a plant (or a fish, for that matter) alive even if I try really, really hard.

So, my green-thumbed mother decided to grow a garden this year. In one of the hottest summers in Texas in a long time. 

It's thriving. Over-producing, even.

I think she's come to visit us simply to pawn off produce. Which I have no problem with.

She's grown cucumbers, jalepenos, beautiful red tomatoes, and the most delicious green tiger tomatoes in the history of the world.

So what did I do when she dumped the fruits of her labor off on me?

I'm telling you - OB. SESS. ION. Add in the love and sunshine from a homegrown tomato and there's no comparison.

A better summer meal than what is shown above does not exist. Period.

Unless you plan well enough to have fresh basil around.

My Big Fat Italian-Food-Filled Weekend

Weekends are heavenly.

This weekend consisted mostly of a reading marathon. 

{Pause to push glasses up on nose.} 

After weeks of not being able to get into The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I got finally got sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. Couple that with multiple glasses of wine, afternoon naps, an action movie at an air-conditioned theatre (holy crap it's hot), and a short trip to the pool, and you have one lazy, relaxing weekend.

Saturday night we engaged in one of our most favorite pastimes - eating pizza. Luckily, there's a great local-ish place about 10 minutes from our house that has gluten-free pizza is BYOB...AND we just happened to have a previously purchased Groupon for. Score! 

We each got a pizza, not because we each needed a whole pizza, but because I'm stingy and like to have leftovers to eat later. Hey - it's not very often I get gluten-free pizza made FOR me! My pizza was topped with pesto, artichoke hearts, roasted chicken, tomatoes and mushrooms.

Yeah. It was good.

I pretty much had to go straight to bed when we got home. I ate entirely too much of it. I don't care - it was worth it.

This morning, after a cup of coffee and a small breakfast, The Hubby and I went to the grocery store to beat the crowds (and the heat). There is nothing I love more than looking into my refrigerator after a trip to the grocery store (especially during the summer) and seeing a drawer full of fresh produce and protein. 

Fresh shrimp was on sale, as were cherry tomatoes, so we decided on a light pasta dish for dinner tonight. As an extra special treat, The Hubby cooked while I attempted to keep our kitchen cool with this:

No, I'm not being dramatic. Yes, it was (is) that hot. 

Did I mention it was 108º today?

Onward.

Shrimp pan-seared with olive oil and garlic (and salt & pepper).

Pan-seared shrimp removed from pan. Hot pan de-glazed with white wine.

Addition of burst cherry tomatoes, salt & pepper, more wine, butter, and more olive oil.

Shrimp added back in to pan sauce, then tossed with freshly cooked pasta.

Fresh basil added at the end.

Hear that? I hear angels singing. 

I think I could eat pizza and pasta for every meal. It's so easy to make both healthy and still satisfying in a way that nothing else is. 

Add some wine...and you have heaven. 

-K