Rebecca's Pesto Pasta

In honor of my beautiful friend and bride-to-be (this weekend!), here is her recipe for a pesto pasta that'll rock your world and next dinner party. She roasted peppers, onions, eggplant and pine nuts beforehand and added them to the fun-shaped pasta right before serving. I cannot wait to make this again soon!

rebecca's pesto pasta

Makes 8 servings

This recipe relies on your desired taste, not measurement! 

Pine nuts

Basil (a big bunch!)

Garlic

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese, grated

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Parmesan cheese, shaved (to dress the pasta)

Roasted onions, peppers, eggplant, etc...

2 boxes pasta

1. Cook the pasta, according to instructions. Drain and leave aside.

2. Blend basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Slowly add olive oil while blending until desired consistency is reached. Mix in grated parmesan with a spoon.

3. In a large serving bowl, mix vegetables and pesto into the pasta at room temperature. Add toasted pine nuts and parmesan shavings on top. Enjoy!

Foodheads (Austin)

Ever experience that summer-esque, porch-swing, lemonade and iced tea-filled fantasy that pops in your head on a warm afternoon? You know, that nostalgic escape from the brutal Austin heat?

Well, let me tell you: FoodHeads is just that escape.

FoodHeads serves the freshest and finest salads and sandwiches in town, especially if you're on-the-go or in need of an easy, breezy business lunch. I've never been displeased by the service or fare.

What to order? Well, I recommend basically anything on the menu. I've taken advantage of the half-and-half salad and sandwich combo with the grilled portabellas and bleu sandwich and Greek salad. 

My favorite salad is the steak & arugula salad with avocado and crumbled gorgonzola. The tuna nicoise comes in a close second. Happie subbed the gorgonzola for fresh goat cheese, which we agreed was a mighty fine move.

Last but not least: to drink, grab a red solo cup next to the counter and fill her up with an Arnold Palmer. There are multiple teas and lemonades available to mix and match!

Join the FoodHeads fan club and swing by this weekend. You'll be happy you did.

Épicerie (Austin)

I stepped inside, looked around, and was instantly enamored with the quaint, casual style of Épicerie Café & Grocery. The walls are lined with rosy bottles of wine, decadent chocolate bars and hand soaps for sale. The community tables are surrounded by high-end cheeses and meats, mason jars of hibiscus tea, and homemade sweets. I immediately decided I would not only come to épicerie to dine, but also to shop.

The counter-style ordering adds a touch of nonchalantness to the meal. A small and sophisticated menu, Laura (my favorite Austinite PR guru and owner of Striped Shirt) and I decided to split a few salads and small plates.

I had never seen fried gouda on a menu before--such a mark of creativity struck me! I loved the new take on fried mozzarella. The nuttier cheese enhanced the crushed cashews and sweet cherries on top.

The caesar (hold the anchovy) was wonderful. I never order this type of salad in fear of a creamy, heavy dressing on romaine. This version's light concept highlighted generous shavings of fresh parmesan.

The watermelon salad with quinoa & arugula had such gorgeous coloring and fine contrasts of texture. I moved my fork around the yogurt dressing at the bottom, which was sour and too creamy. But the fresh watermelon with toasted almonds was a delight.

I wish y'all could've witnessed my reactions to the salted chocolate chip and shortbread cookies. SO FREAKING GOOD. The chocolate chip cookie was dense and perfectly chewy. The shortbread was light and buttery, melting in my mouth with every bite. I could eat these all day long. If anything, check out épicerie for just a cup of coffee and one of these sweets!

A Recipe for Adventure with Giada

Yes. My dream did come true. I met Giada.

She's as poised and kind as I envisioned; she loved the title of my blog; I happened to be wearing the same dress she is wearing in her advertisement at the book signing...

...Basically, we hit it off!

Besides being a fabulous chef and TV star, Giada is a writer too. I mean, what more could a food blogger adore? Her new children's series, A Recipe for Adventure, illustrates her passions for food and family. I'm a fan, even if I'm not a ten year old. Plus, my copy has Giada's signature so it's automatically a prized possession!

In honor of Giada, here is one of my favorite recipes from her Everyday Italian show. Let me know what you think of this classy Italian app!

photo credit

artichoke gratinata

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Marsala wine
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Warm the olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the artichoke hearts, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until the artichoke hearts are starting to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the artichoke mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.

2. Melt the butter in the same skillet used to cook the artichokes. In a small bowl mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs. Stir in the Parmesan and top the artichokes with the bread crumbs. Bake until the top is golden, about 10 minutes.

Napa Vineyards

Words cannot describe Napa Valley, California. And I learned this weekend that pictures (surprisingly) cannot do it justice either. My sweet, sweet cousins invited me and Alex for three days that proved to be nothing less than perfect.

We spent our hours soaking in sunsets from the hammock, picking figs & heirloom tomatoes for an afternoon harvest, enjoying abundant dinners with family and new friends, exploring Valley towns pastry by pastry (Alex bought me the Model Bakery cookbook after falling in love with their English muffins)...

...And tasting our way through Napa, glass by glass.

Before our sun-filled afternoon at Solage Calistoga Resort (my favorite stay of all time on family vacations), we stopped at Kelly Fleming Winery on Picket Road, which is rumored to be the most beautiful vineyard in all of Napa. The lovely Colleen escorted us through their estate with one-of-a-kind natural stone caves and gorgeous wood-beamed ceilings. We snacked on fruits and olives from their vineyard while tasting four consistently fantastic wines. I most enjoyed their Sauvignon Blanc and blended cabernet, "Big Pour."

Cornerstone Vineyards is founded & owned by family friends in Memphis, so a tasting was a must. Robert, our kind connoisseur, shared six wines with us from Cornerstone and its partner label, Stepping Stone. We loved the Syrah most! And the people behind the company, of course.

Not to mention, the art gallery-turned-tasting room is located in the prime spot of downtown Yountville across from infamous Bouchon Bakery (I died over the salted caramel latte and strawberry almond croissant) and countless gourmet restaurants, including Redd Wood (which I will critique soon!). You must go for not only the wine, but also the location!

The final tasting of our Napa weekend was veritably breathtaking. Stagecoach Vineyards is positioned ten miles into Soda Canyon. We were driven to the "look out" tasting pavilion in the center of the vineyard. While little Jude ran around the pavilion playing with the perfectly purple grapes (which will be harvested later this month), the rest of us tasted truly beautiful wines from 2007 on.

It was an exquisite weekend, to say the least. If only my carry-on had room for a few bottles!

Heirloom Tomato Crostini with Feta and Honey

What are you doing to send off the season? 

I spent my morning last week at Whole Foods exploring the last gems of this summer's harvests. The heirloom tomatoes were insanely beautiful and bright, almost tie-dye in color. I walked over to the cheese section in search of that buttery, slice-able feta that photographs well and doesn't crumble. The "cheese dude" was extremely helpful, allowing me to try seven different types in the store before making a final decision. We agreed that Pure Luck farms had the best feta to offer. My friends also agreed at our Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) hors d'oeuvres dinner!

heirloom tomato crostini with feta and honey

Makes many servings

Crusty bread, such as ciabatta or a French baguette

Olive oil

Heirloom tomato slices

Good feta in salt brine (Pure Luck Farmers if you're in Texas)

Honey

Salt and pepper

Fresh basil

1. Drizzle bread slices with olive oil and toast in oven on 400 degrees until crispy.

2. Top with sliced tomato, slice of feta, salt and pepper, a drizzle of honey, and basil.

adapted from love and lemons