Cafe Johnsonia

Baby Chard and Brown Rice Fritters

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:10:00 +0000

The weekend if finally here. I'm so ready for it. This week has been non-stop running around, working, and all that other stuff we all have to take care of each week. I put my garden in on Monday. Finally. I bought the seedlings for myself as a Mother's Day present. I took Monday off from working so I could pull out the massive amounts of overgrown weeds and last year's plants I never pulled out...yeah. It would have been much easier to do that last Fall. But I dug out the my four kale plants--the roots were approximately 18-inches under ground and about 4-inches in diameter. No joke. Oh, I could go on and on about how good I am at planting and weeding and how when it turns cold out, I run out of steam and neglect the garden until Spring. In any case, I'm feeling good about my garden and my lovely container garden. And I feel even better about my new favorite quick meal, Baby Chard and Brown Rice Fritters. Make that quick, healthy meal.

I know these pictures aren't the greatest. They're a bit blurry and they don't show how every bite is loaded with healthy chard and brown rice. Or how there's just enough fresh garlic and salt. And they don't show one of my favorite ways to eat them--with homemade marinara sauce. These are nothing more the humble, unassuming, unattractive rice fritters that taste great hot out of the cast iron skillet when they burn your finger tips and the roof of your mouth. (But you just can't resist) They taste great at room temperature as you're running out the door to run errands.

Confession: I've made double batches of these just so I can eat them for dinner that night, breakfast and lunch the next day.

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Mixed Greens with Fresh Strawberry-Herb Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:17:00 +0000

If you have plans for a Mother's Day get together this weekend, I have a recipe for you. A GREAT recipe. It's so good that everyone will fall all over you asking for the recipe--just like my extended family did when I made it for them last year. Fresh Strawberry-Herb Dressing. It is an easy favorite of mine. And I'm excited to make it again and again this year. The salad and the dressing. It's good enough to eat by the spoonful and I bet when no one is looking, you'll take a little swig from the jar even.

I confess Mother's Day is not my favorite holiday. (Design Mom said it perfectly.) I'm on the guilt end of the spectrum. (But we'll save that for another day.) I am enjoying the sweet homemade cards and painted styrofoam cups full of soil and flowers. I'll be spending the day tomorrow in Heber at a beautiful farm learning to make mozzarella with some of my besties. And I think that is probably the greatest gift I could give myself--a day out with my girls, a beautiful drive through the canyon and up to the farm, and learning something I've always want to know how to do. Prepare yourselves for fresh mozzarella recipes. :)

I was out in my garden this morning looking at strawberry blossoms. Over the last month, I've taken a few pictures of the first few blossoms peeking out among the green leaves. I always get excited to see the blossoms because I know it means fresh strawberries are just a few weeks away and that I need to get off my duff and get outside and weed. I had totally planned on doing that today, but I got a little sidetracked. (I won't say with what. *cough* Grey's Anatomy.) I also stayed inside and planned out my garden a little better. Last year I thought for sure we would be moving and didn't really do much planting. I let the plants that reseeded grow back and had an awful harvest of everything except for the prolific kale. Not this year! This year I'm making sure to plant everything just the way I want it. So, first the strawberries will be ready, and then everything else will follow.

Monday the forecast says it's going to be near 90 degrees. I. cannot. wait. Summer is finally here. Make this salad dressing. Then come back and tell me what you thought of it. (You're welcome in advance.)

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Cashew Dulce de Leche French Macaron Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:14:00 +0000

Before we talk about how glorious the flavors are in these Cashew Dulce de Leche French Macarons are, we need to talk about macarons. Why are they so difficult to make properly? Egg whites, ground nuts, sugar. Doesn't seem like it should be so complicated, right? But they are. Read on, friends.

I've made macarons quite a few times and each time I am sure they are going to be perfect. Only a few times have they turned out picture worthy. These macarons? Well, they're on that fine line between perfection and disaster. I used extra care when measuring the ingredients. I even used a digital scale instead of measuring cups. I sifted, sifted, sifted to make sure the dry ingredients were free of lumps. They looked beautiful pipes onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. The tops developed skins just like they were supposed to. From all I could see, these were going to be the most perfect macarons I'd ever made.

I peeked through the oven window and my macarons even had "feet." And boy did they ever have feet! When I took them out of the oven, they had some mighty big feet. Those macarons had GIANT feet.

I waited for them to cool completely before removing them from the baking sheet. (Okay, I'm totally lying. I ate a few warms ones right off the pan.) The flavor was incredible! Just as I was hoping. But those feet!

It was then that I decided these macarons are a bit like me--sweet, nutty, perfectly salty, with over-sized feet.

Luckily I have a few friends who helped me troubleshoot on Instagram. Utah's high altitude makes a tricky cookie a bit more tricky to perfect. But I promise you, I'm not stopping until I get it right! I seemed to have less trouble when I lived at sea level. So this just might take some getting used to. I also didn't use meringue powder, which is sometimes used in macaron recipes. I'll try that out next time to see if it makes a difference. So I guess what I'm saying is that even though my macarons aren't the most perfect macs you'll ever see (they taste perfect), don't despair. I can see I just need more practice. The recipe is just fine. It's another keeper one from Aran Goyoaga's Small Plates and Sweet Treats. (It really is one of my favorite cookbooks and if you're gluten-free, I suggest buying it.)

Now let's talk about dulce de leche and cashews. I honestly have never met someone who didn't like dulce de leche. Cashews, yes. I wasn't a fan of them until I was an adult. They are one of my favorite kinds of nuts now. Caramel cashew anything is my favorite. As I was dreaming up my idea for the perfect caramel cashew macarons, it dawned on me that instead of making a somewhat complicated caramel meringue buttercream, I should just use caramel. And then I thought some more and dulce de leche came to mind. Of course there was no other course to pursue. Add dulce de leche to anything and it's going to taste good. I used store-bought dulce de leche because when I make it at home, it never seems to be quite as thick or dark as I want it to be. (You can find it near the Mexican food section of most grocery stores. Or order it online.)

It was a good choice indeed. I've never seen my family go so crazy over any other treat I've made. I'm thinking it wasn't the macaron part. I'm the one who goes crazy for macarons. They are little dulce de leche fiends and the mac shells were just the perfect, chewy, nutty vehicle.

So I give you perfectly sweet, nutty, perfectly salty macarons with perfectly oversized feet. The dulce de leche filling makes up for their ragged appearance. And even if they are ugly, they taste fantastic and at the end of the day, they just get eaten anyway, right? :)

What about you? Have you ever made French macarons? Did yours come out with pretty feet and perfectly smooth tops? Tell me your secrets!

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Citrus, Avocado and Quinoa Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 03 May 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Yes, it's another quinoa salad. And you better believe I put avocado in it too. Can't get enough avocados ever. Someday I will have an avocado tree in my yard. Oh, yes, that is going to happen. Avocados are in season right now and because we love them so much, we buy them four at at time. This Citrus, Avocado and Quinoa Salad with Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette might be something to add to your menu this weekend. A healthy alternative to, or accompaniment for, other Mexican-inspired dishes for Cinco de Mayo.

This week I've been working really hard this week to clean out my fridge and use up the food in it. There's a dirty little secret we food bloggers don't often tell you--a lot of food gets wasted. I know--it's a tragedy and I hate when it happens. Wasting food makes me feel sick. It's been a goal of mine this year to make sure to use up everything and let nothing go to waste. We're getting better at it, I'm happy to report.

So yes, another quinoa salad that involved me using up bits of this and that and the other and incorporating the goodies from my CSA. This week we got a bunch of cilantro. I don't have great luck growing cilantro before it goes to seed, but my friend Efra from La Nay Ferme does. The farm's cilantro is beautiful and I can't wait to get more. While I still do love that creamy cilantro dressing the same as everyone else, I do like a refreshing, lighter vinaigrette just as much.

Arugula Salad with Blackberries and Chevre with Blackberry-Thyme Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:17:00 +0000

Yesterday for lunch, with the help of my daughter, I made this gorgeous Arugula Salad with Blackberries and Chevre with Blackberry-Thyme Vinaigrette. I get pretty excited about salad. If you follow me on Instagram or Pinterest, you've probably noticed. :)

As I'm typing this, I'm watching the branches from the large tree in my front yard sway in the breeze. The leaves are just barely emerging from the buds. The trees are very old--60+ years. Maybe more. The branches are so long that when we had an early snow last Autumn, they were weighed down and blocked our driveway. I love that tree.

Before I know it, the branches will be covered with lush leaves and shade the front yard. My kids will climb up the thick trunk and call for me to come get them out because they aren't afraid to climb up, but getting down is another matter all together.

I'm feeling like I'm emerging from a long Winter hibernation. I think I must suffer from seasonal depression because as soon as we had a few warm, sunny days I felt alive again. I was ready to conquer the world and my piles and piles of laundry. And as always happens each Spring, I'm ready to ditch the thick, comforting root vegetable and squash soups and stews in favor of vibrant, green salads full of fresh berries or juicy tomatoes. Salads just like this one.

The night are getting shorter and days are getting longer. I'm finding that I'm looking forward to school being out and having the kids around (though I'm sure I'll change my mind about that tomorrow), if only so we can sleep in a bit and not be so rushed in the morning. I love long, slow mornings with breakfast chatter about the previous night's dreams and plans for the day. I love sitting outside with a bowl of salad for lunch while they ride their scooters and bikes up and down the driveway over and over, never tiring, always coming up with new ways to race each other. I look forward to planting my garden this weekend (I hope!) and lovingly tending to it each day. I'm just about ready to plant a blackberry bush once and for all so in a few years I can enjoy blackberries still warm from the August sun and so I don't have to wait until they go on sale at the store. Plus, they taste better, don't they? Things we grow ourselves always seem to.

And so for today I'm sharing this pretty salad that is somewhat based on another favorite salad of mine, but with some updated tweaks and changes. The vinaigrette alone is worth making the salad. My little redhead helped me whisk it together and we tasted and tweaked until it was just right. She said, "Mom, I'll eat salad if I can have that on it."

I hope you love this salad just as much as I do.

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Blackberry Coconut Sorbet

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:04:00 +0000

Blackberry Coconut Sorbet. Three ingredients. No dairy. Little sugar. Pure bliss. And? (Come closer...) No ice cream maker needed. I know. It's pretty awesome.

Coconut milk is my favorite non-dairy milk. It's such a good substitute for cows milk because it's still super creamy and rich, but then cows milk doesn't taste like coconut. And coconut milk does...taste like coconut. So I like it that much more. Coconut forever! It's hard for me not to put coconut in everything I make. Luckily my little kids and my hubby like it as much as I do.

We've grown accustomed to having a small treat after dinner, which isn't good, I realize that. We always seems to have some little treat hanging around from a photo shoot or something. And sometimes by the end of the day, I just think I plain deserve something sweet. One can only eat so many vegetables! So I have a piece of expensive chocolate and let it melt slowly on my tongue and savor every layer of flavor. Or I scoop up a small bowl of sorbet and let each spoonful melt slowly on my tongue. Either way, dessert is much better after the kids go to bed and I can sit down for a minute to really experience it. Dessert should be experienced.

Blackberry Rosewater Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Saturday night, after a full day of hard work and chores, I made the first batch of homemade ice cream for the season. Blackberry Rosewater Ice Cream. It's as dreamy as it sounds. I've teamed up with Becky this month again and our theme was Flowers. She chose orange blossom water. Be sure to check out her Orange Blossom and Honey Candied Popcorn.

I churned the ice cream early Sunday morning and then after church we took our favorite drive around the south end of Utah Lake through miles and miles of fruit orchards. I had high hopes of seeing branches brimming with pink and white blossoms. We've lived in our town for almost five years and every single year I miss the orchard blossoms. Either I forget or I'm a week late. This year I'm not missing them.

We've taken that drive the past two Sunday afternoons and I think next week will be the one where we finally catch the blossoms. Hooray! It's been a chilly Spring and I think the blossoms might be a few weeks later than usual. I can hardly contain my excitement. My children, however, are not always so happy to go along for the ride. I think they will be when the trees are actually full of the promised and long-awaited blossoms. I dream of those rows and rows of cherry, peach and apple trees heavy laden with fragrant flowers, the bees buzzing and the breeze gently blowing. I can already imagine the lovely scent wafting through the air. I've really loved living just miles away from these amazing orchards. (Pictures to follow next week!)

I adore flowers of all kinds. I layer my perfume with lavender, rose and a little vanilla. And that's how I like my desserts--especially now that Spring is here and the first inklings of Summer are in the air. The weather has been fantastic the last couple of days. I was outside on Saturday cleaning out one of our cars and I realized that for the first time in six months I wasn't the least bit cold. It felt so nice to be out in the sun in flip flips and short sleeves. My kids ran around and got really, really dirty. I checked out the strawberry blossoms in my garden and the rose bushes in front of my house. (And noticed that someone needs to tend to all the weeds!) I am so ready for this warm weather and being outside every day again. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a hermit in the Winter.

Blackberries were on sale--6 oz. containers for $0.99! I'm headed back to stock up on more because we can't get enough of them. My son has a lot of food issues related to his autism, so I was happy to find that he likes homemade fruit sherbets. If he won't eat them whole, at least I can get him to eat them in smoothies and sherbet. I made a non-dairy version for me and my kids ended up liking it better than the ice cream, though they loved the ice cream too. Our mission this week is to come up with a few more flavors my son will eat. He's already requested strawberry and blueberry. Small steps, but steps nonetheless.

Make a Card For Mom at Cardstore.com

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:09:00 +0000

Mother's Day is just around the corner! I admit it always sneaks up on me and if it weren't for the darling homemade gifts my kids bring home from school, the holiday would flash right by unnoticed. It's a good thing I was invited by Cardstore.com to make a card for my mom or I might have forgotten (again)to get a card in the mail.

I went ahead and jumped on the Cardstore.com bandwagon to make a cute card for my mama using my kids cute faces and my mad skills. Just kidding! There are no mad skills needed. It's easy peasy lemon squeezy to make a card for your mom or wife or grandma or aunt or any woman you want to honor this Mother's Day. And....you can do it for $1.99. Sweet! (Read below for the deets.)

I'll save the best part for last. :)

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DIY: Fruit and Veggie Wash

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Text and images by Lindsey Rose Johnson

As Spring is here and Summer is quickly approaching, it's a great time to think about all the delicious fruits and vegetables that will be growing in our gardens, hitting the roadside stands and appearing in our CSAs. Whether or not you buy organic produce, it's helpful to have an easy DIY Fruit and Veggie Spray next to your sink.

Sure you could buy it, but it's inexpensive to make at home and chances are you probably already have all of the ingredients in your cupboard.

Not only will it help remove any harmful pesticide sprays or waxes, it helps keep microorganisms at bay to keep fruits and vegetables lasting days longer. (It's true!)

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Local Stuff: Win a Free Week of Produce from La Nay Ferme

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:26:00 +0000

Do you love local food? I'm teaming up with La Nay Ferme for a FREE week of fresh produce from their farm in Provo, UT. All you have to do to be entered to win is pin the image above and tag #LaNayFerme and #CafeJohnsonia. The winner will be announced on May 2nd. (p.s. I've pinned it here, so you can repin it if that's a little easier.)

Good luck!

Mango White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies {Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:20:00 +0000

As if there weren't enough cookies in my cupboard, I made another batch of cookies that I'm so excited to share with you. You know, just to shake it up with all the healthy salads and stuff. Mango White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Hello, tasty cookies!

I've been wanting to make these cookies for a very long time. It took a very long time because every time I popped by Trader Joe's for some dried mango (such a good price!) the bag would disappear within a few minutes. Last week we stopped at TJ's and I snagged two bags thinking I would stash one away secretly so I could finally make these cookies. My husband was just as sneaky and bought another bag on his own. So we ended up with three bags. The first did disappear within minutes. The second made it into these cookies. And the third is in my secret hiding spot. Ha!

Oh, I love these cookies! They turned out just like I was hoping they would. My husband loved them too, but we both agreed that we need to try them again with dried pineapple. Um, yes. That needs to happen as soon as possible.

Vegetarian Chili with Cilantro-Lime Cashew Sour Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:57:00 +0000

On Tuesday morning I was feeling particularly stressed out about all of the things I needed to accomplish this week. It's been such a long week. I'm still behind on some freelance projects I've got going on. In the midst of all of this work stuff, I managed to completely forgot it was my son's special week at school. This was the special week where his class would celebrate his birthday because it's in the summer when school is out. My sweet little boy was talking all about his birthday treat and what he wanted for his birthday. I blew it off because what kid isn't incessantly talking about their birthday?

Then it hit me last night and searched the house from top to bottom to find the note that came home a few weeks ago. I couldn't for the life of me remember what I was supposed to do or send. I needed to pull something together for today so he didn't feel like a complete loser because I forgot. Gah. I still feel terrible for forgetting. To make up for it, I bought extra special treats for his class. Before school this morning, I whipped out a poster with pictures of him through the years. He's so forgiving and proudly took it with him to show his class.

It was then that my husband asked his teacher about the note. The note? The one I'd looked all over the house to find? I'd signed it and sent it back to school with my son. So yeah, it's been one of those weeks. Sigh.

New Gig: Contributor to Culinary Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:24:00 +0000

Yesterday I reviewed one of the cover recipes, Hazelnut Butter Toffee-Chocolate Chip Cookies from Aran Goyoaga's book, Small Plate and Sweet Treats on Lori's revamped Culinary Covers site. I'm so happy to be joining such a great group of contributors reviewing the cover recipes from magazines and cookbooks. Isn't that such a brilliant idea? My posts will be gluten-free and I couldn't be more excited for this new project.

I had to take pictures of the gorgeous Hazelnut Butter Toffee. I don't know if I should tell you how many batches I made...because then you'd also know how many batches my family and I ate. It's wasn't just me. No it wasn't. The darker the toffee, the better. For reals.

I picked up some new linen dishtowels at IKEA that I'm absolutely loving. (The same ones from this post.) They were so perfect to use in this shoot. The blues and browns echo Aran's photo from the book.

I have another great gluten-free cookie recipe to share with you on Monday. High five for great GF cookies!

Local Stuff: Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:45:00 +0000

Congratulations to Lu!

It's time for the Thanksgiving Point Tulip Festival. I've never been, but that's about to change this year. My girls have been begging me to take them. How about you? Have you ever been? Do you want to go? (You do, don't you?)

The Tulip Festival officially opens tomorrow and runs through April 27th, 10 am to 8 pm daily, closed Sundays.

The 55-acre Thanksgiving Point Gardens boast an impressive 250,000 tulips from Holland displayed during the festival. Each year the exhibits are redesigned--so if you went last year, this year will be different. Fun!

In addition to the spectacular tulips, on Fridays and Saturdays the Tulip Festival includes music, vendors, and food. Also, garden tours and demonstrations are held every day. And though there are hundreds of volunteers and staff working behind the scenes to create the festival, make no mistake about it: Mother Nature is in charge of the show.

One of you lucky readers will win four passes to the Tulip Festival and Thanksgiving Point Gardens. Yay!

Just leave a comment on this post and I'll pick a winner (at random, of course). The giveaway ends next Wednesday, April 17th at 10:00 pm MDT. (I need my beauty rest.) The winner will be announced at the top of this post and be contacted by email if possible. Another winner will be chosen if the winner has not contacted me within 48 hours.

Good luck! And now I'll leave you with some gorgeous pictures from my equally gorgeous (and talented) friend Emily.....

all photos used with permission

Review: New Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch Breakfast Cereal

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:57:00 +0000

Nothing else has that taste, nothing else has that crunch. Honey Bunches of Oats, that's why we call it--The Best of the Bunch!

Do you remember that catchy jingle from years ago? I still sing it every once in a while. My grandma always had a box of Honey Bunches of Oats in her cupboard and it was always a treat to have some when I stayed overnight at her house. It's been a regular breakfast staple in my own kitchen as long as I can remember. Over the years, Post has introduced other flavors that we've loved, and now Greek Yogurt. We were sent a sample to try out and my family could not have been more excited.

I'll let you in on a little secret--we often eat cold cereal for dinner. There. I finally came clean. I am a cold cereal addict. Honey Bunches of Oats will always be my favorite cereal. So I was glad I had the opportunity to give the Greek Honey Crunch variety a little taste test with the help of my kids and husband. The verdict? Two grown up-sized and three kid-sized thumbs up. Big hit, which is not surprising because we also love Greek yogurt.

Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch is made with two unique granolas made with Greek yogurt, crispy whole grain flakes and a touch of honey.

I love that my kids are getting their whole grains when they eat this cereal. One bowl has 33 grams of whole grains which is over two-thirds of the recommended daily value!

o Nutritionists recommend eating three or more servings of whole grain foods per day (about 16g whole grain per serving or at least 48g per day).

· Nutritional Information:

o 33g of Whole Grain per serving – over 2/3 your day’s whole grain
o Serving Size: 1 Cup
o 230 Calories

o Provides 12 essential vitamins and minerals
o 5g protein per serving

Honey Bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch is available nationwide. Check to see if it's available in your area. You'll love it, just like my family does.

Follow the #HoneyBunchesGreek conversation on Twitter: @HBOats and Facebook.

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and Honey Bunches of Oats partnered in support of this campaign. Honey Bunches of Oats compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wilted Chard Salad with Polenta Croutons and Warm Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:26:00 +0000

Let's talk about wilted salads. Do you like them or hate them? Does it depend on the leafy green you use? I love wilted salads--just barely cooking the greens with a quick stint in a hot pan or with a warm vinaigrette, or in this case, both.

I made my foray into cooking with leafy greens using chard. I knew I needed to start eating them and from the recommendation of others I knew chard would be a pretty safe bet. As it turns out, I really love chard. I've grown some in my garden the last few years, but it hasn't been nearly as lovely as what I've been receiving in my CSA. I just love it!

So let's get back to this wilted chard salad. The idea of all of the components has been swirling around in my brain for a while now. I picked up some pretty yellow and red cherry tomatoes from Trader Joe's. They turned out to be quite sweet and juicy. They'll get me by until tomato season, I think. I loved the idea of making a warm cherry tomato vinaigrette to go on top of the wilted chard. I also had some organic polenta and pine nuts in my fridge from Frieda's. They sent me a few of their favorite pantry items to try. I've never used the pre-made polenta before. I usually just make my own, but I will definitely be stocking up on more polenta because it was so handy and they fried up nice and crispy in a little olive oil.

The other thing I love about this salad? Look how vibrant it is! All of those healthy veggies with their bright colors make me happy to look at and eat.

Recipe for Malfatti {Spinach and Ricotta Dumplings} with Simple Tomato Sauce (Gluten Free, Vegetarian)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 01:38:00 +0000

The spinach I've been getting in my CSA is gorgeous. It's easy to find ways to eat up my leafy greens each week. One of my new favorite ways uses up a whole pound of fresh spinach in one go--Malfatti with Simple Tomato Sauce. Malfatti means "poorly made" in Italian. Or something like that. They are also ravioli nudi because it's what you'll find inside of the the ravioli, except without the pasta. Or something like that.

All I know is that I like spinach and ricotta. And I really like Malfatti. Poorly made, naked, or whatever you call it. I also like it smothered in a chunky tomato sauce topped with more cheese and baked in the oven.

You know what else? It's Saturday evening and I'm dreaming of Monday morning when I can bid my two oldest children and my husband good-bye for the day and return to normal activities. They've all been on Spring Break this past week and that has been an exercise in patience and long suffering. Also, my eardrums are ready for a little Spring Break of their own. I'm thinking a looooong solo drive up the canyon for some silence might be nice. Have I turned into one of those mothers who can't stand her children? ~~Yes~~. ~~Maybe~~. No. But I do know how much I appreciate those 6 hours of public school a day. (Also, I don't know how you school teachers do it!)

This week was a bit crazy and the weekend hasn't been much different. So between the crazy Utah weather, my crazy children, and my crazy mood swings (see: crazy weather and crazy children), I was ready for some warm, homey comfort food. Malfatti is where it's at, I'm telling you. I've made it twice this week already.

Don't let the spinach deceive you! It's not even a little bit healthy with all the cheese and eggs. And some more cheese on top. (And if you eat 1/4 of the pan yourself....) But you can sort of tell yourself that you're doing a great job by getting a good dose of leafy greens into your diet and feel a little less guilty for consuming all that delicious cheese. Oh, that delicious cheese!

And while I'm babbling on about muddy afternoons at the park with three screaming children and two batches of cookies that didn't quite turn out the way I'd hoped, and the ungodly amount of Cadbury mini eggs I consumed in the past 6 days, run off into the kitchen and make some malfatti for yourself and the people you love because one thing is for sure--it's incredibly delicious and doubles as a giant Bandaid for whatever ails you. Even if it's just that your mom asked you to make your bed and clean your room and you think it's the end of the world. (It's so tough to be 8 yrs old!)

Layered Greek-Style Chickpea Salad Recipe with Oregano Vinaigrette

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:08:00 +0000

As promised, the recipe for the Layered Greek-Style Chickpea Salad. Truly, I haven't met a chickpea salad I haven't loved. But this one is the best I've ever made. I attribute that to all the goodies layered in the bowl with the chickpeas.

Aren't the layers pretty? It makes it look a little more special, and my kids thought that was pretty fun.

chickpeas, cucumbers, sliced kalamata olives, halved grape tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and crumbled feta cheese

Now can we talk about this dressing? Wowzers! It's so simple and I've made similar dressings before, but the fresh oregano really did wonders for the vinaigrette and the chickpea salad. I found myself spooning up the vinaigrette at the bottom of the bowl and sipping it straight from the spoon.

#KraftFreshTake $100 AmEx Card Giveaway (CLOSED)

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

I've had a lot of fun using Kraft Fresh Take to create some new recipes for my family to enjoy.

Whenever my kids see a commercial for Kraft Fresh Take they get excited and say, "Mom! Mom! Mom! That's what we used for the lasagna!" (Or Cod au Gratin or Shrimp Gyros.) I'm happy they've been so excited to help me with this campaign. It really has been a lot of fun.

If you follow me on Pinterest, you might have already noticed that I have a Rosemary and Roasted Garlic board inspired by Kraft Fresh Take. I'll be adding to it. It's been really fun to pin images that remind me of rosemary and garlic--pictures of Italy and France or lush herb gardens, and other recipes that I've pinned to try at some point.

And now I'm happy to announce a giveaway for a $100 American Express Gift Card. Yay!

Giveaway rules:

*Leave a comment on this post telling me what you'd make using Kraft Fresh Take or which variety is your favorite.

*An extra entry can be earned by pinning or repinning an image with the tag #KraftFreshTake either from my Rosemary and Roasted Garlic board, one of my Fresh Take recipes, or another related pin of your own choosing. You must leave a separate comment telling me you did this.

*The giveaway will end on Thursday, April 11th at midnight EST.

*Anonymous comments will be ignored or removed.

Disclosure: KRAFT Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by me, Lindsey Johnson.

Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Shrimp Gyros with Rosemary Tzatziki Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

My family often requests chicken gyros for dinner. It's totally a family favorite. My oldest daughter loves those gyros and has ever since she was a year old. Tzatziki sauce is her favorite condiment. Her other love is shrimp. So this recipe is for her--three of her very favorite things in one--Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Shrimp Gyros with Rosemary Tzatziki Sauce.

So. Shrimp Gyros. They're mighty fine and were a huge hit with my family. I always think of shrimp and garlic going together. The cheese and breadcrumbs give it a nice crunch that is really great with the soft pita bread and the fresh lettuce. And the tzatziki! Oh, mama! I made a variation of my favorite recipe using fresh rosemary in place of dill. SO GOOD.

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Local Stuff: Battle Blond with Valrhona Dulcey at Caputo's Market

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:39:00 +0000

Locals, looking for something fun to do on Monday night? Something that involves Valrhona's innovative blond chocolate, Dulcey, and some of Utah's very best chefs?

***Battle Blond: Top Local Chefs Spend Night Off Competing and Judging* *Valrhona “Dulcey” Chocolate***

The special event, Battle Blond, will feature the talents of pastry chefs Amber Billingsley of Vinto, Alexa Norlin of The Rose Establishment and Courtney McDowell of Pago & Finca. These lovely ladies will dazzle the masses with their creations using new Valrhona Dulcey as they square off in a little friendly competition.

Utah chefs Viet Pham of Forage, Ryan Lowder of Copper Onion and Takashi Gibo of Takashi will act as judges. But wait! There's more....my favorite butcher, Fordy Volgger will also be there with tasty, savory bites, as well as the guys from Charming Beard Coffee and Uinta Brewing Company who will also be there with pairings to go with each tasting.

Guest of honor, Alex Espiritu of Valrhona, will also join in the festivities and oversee the competition on behalf of Valrhona.

Admission price includes tasting the three competing chocolate dishes, savory appetizers and coffee pour overs. Up to four alcoholic beverages from Uinta may be purchased at an additional cost.

Event Details

Battle Blond
Monday, April 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm
Tony Caputo's Market, Downtown Location (300 South 300 West)

Get your tickets while they last!

Today's Mama: Easter Coconut Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:38:00 +0000

I always think of my grandmother when Easter arrives each year. I was enchanted by her annual Easter Coconut Cake. It was so beautiful. Just this morning my mother and were reminiscing about her beautiful cakes. This is my take on her cake. You can find the recipe and more pictures for my Easter Coconut Cake today on Today's Mama.

What is your favorite kind of cake to have on Easter?

Cranberry Almond Pie Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 15:08:00 +0000

Shirley J asked me to develop three recipes using their new Cranberry Almond Timeless Grains Cereal. I've had a lot of fun testing out my ideas and coming up with three great recipes. These Cranberry Almond Pie Bars are my third recipe. They took the longest for me to perfect and I feel like celebrating because I finally got it right! They are really wonderful. I kept a platter on the kitchen table and I watched them slowly disappear as friends dropped by to say hello. Even my plumber took one for the road. :)

You can find the recipe over on the Shirley J website.

On last thing: Remember when I shared Whisk Bliss Gluten Free in my new Gluten Free Favorites column? I have good news for you! Shirley J is currently hosting Whisk Bliss Recipe Madness where they are letting you crown the champion of Whisk Bliss recipes.

All you have to do is vote on their Facebook page for the recipe that looks best to you and you'll be entered to win some awesome prizes. Right now they are giving away a $200 VISA cash gift card. Other prizes include an iPad Mini and Mexican Cruise for 2! Head on over to enter now!

Liliha Bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:23:00 +0000

(I've got Hawaii on the brain again. I have some posts in my draft folder from our trip to Oahu in 2011 that I'd love to share with you. Stay tuned for a few more in the weeks to come.)

Pictures and text by Lindsey Rose Johnson

We were fortunate to be able to travel to Oahu for Easter 2011 to spend time with my husband's Aunt Robin. She rented a condo in Ko Olina for a month (!) and we flew down on some buddy passes her daughter had. We hadn't taken a vacation sans kids ever. We didn't even really go on a honeymoon. So it was nice to get away for awhile and enjoy the warmth. The Spring/Summer of 2011 was pretty chilly, so we joked it was good we made it to Hawaii so we could enjoy summer in the 6 days we were there. :)

One of the reasons Aunt Robin and I get along so very well is that we both love cooking (and eating). In preparation for the trip, we kind of drew up some plans of what we'd like to do. Then my husband cut his knee so badly on coral our first day at the beach (4 giant stitches later--it doesn't sound bad, but trust me, it was), we spent the rest of our trip eating our way around the island. Doesn't that sound nice?

Aunt Robbie knows Oahu backwards and forwards. We were out one day and she said something about Coco Puffs and wanting to try to find Liliha Bakery. We didn't really have an address with us, so we tried our luck. And we found it thanks to her awesome memory.

What a fun bakery! Everything looked absolutely delicious. We could have easily bought one of everything. A lot of the desserts had flavors of the Pacific Isles--lillikoi (passion fruit), coconut, pineapple, etc. the green rolls in the picture below are matcha flavored. Mmm.

Vegan Pea Shoot and Vegetable Rice Rolls with Coconut Dipping Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Lindsey Johnson) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Pictures and text by Lindsey Rose Johnson.

Rice rolls are one of my favorite go-to gluten-free snacks, lunches, dinners. They are so versatile--you can put practically anything inside those papery rice wrappers and call it good. I prefer mine chock full of raw veggies, and sometimes even some slices of fruit.

Becoming gluten-free meant I had to get educated quickly on what I could and could not eat. There was a big learning curve. I thought it simply meant not eating bread or things made with flour. Not so, I quickly learned. As much as I missed bread and pasta and other delicious things, I knew it was going to be okay. I was going to survive and it might actually be fun learning some new recipes and ways of adapting my skills in the kitchen.

One great thing about rice rolls is that it's something my family enjoyed already. I am not someone who requires special treatment for my diet needs.

I try to accommodate others, but knowing how difficult it can be, I tell other people not to worry about it. My family, of course, does not eat a gluten-free diet. And at times, that is challenging. When I find something we can all eat together, it's really nice.