I’m so disappointed in my spinach.
I picked the first few small leaves just 2 weeks ago – just a bit to use as garnish.
I pulled all of it out today – it was bolting.
Usually, I get lots of nice, large leaves…. More than I need or can use.
I make gratins and salads and stir-fries and soup for the freezer.
This year we barely got three salads.
I blame it on our bad weather. It was in the ground as long as usual, it just didn’t grow for the first few weeks.
Spring Shrimp and Asparagus Salad
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 12oz (360gr) shrimp, peeled
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 10oz (300gr) asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2″ (6cm) lengths
- 6oz (180gr) spinach
- 3oz (90gr) cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2oz (60gr) feta, crumbled
- 1 tbs capers
- handful fresh oregano leaves
- 1 tbs chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- Vinaigrette
- 1 tbs Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tbs lemon vinegar
- 3 tbs salad olive oil
Instructions:
- Asparagus:
- Bring a medium saucepan half full of water to a boil over medium high heat.
- Add asparagus and blanch for 2 minutes
- Remove, drain, rinse thoroughly with cold water and drain again.
- Prepare spinach
- Shrimp:
- Sauté shrimp in oil and chili powder until they curl and turn opaque
- Vinaigrette:
- Mix mustard and vinegar.
- Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly.
- Salad:
- Put spinach, herbs, capers and tomatoes in a large salad bowl. Add half the vinaigrette and toss lightly.
- Add shrimp, asparagus, feta and toss gently.
- Drizzle a bit of dressing over all and serve, remaining dressing on the side.
I’m so disappointed in my Pinterest Dessert board.
I rarely make desserts. They’re challenging for mon mari and my hips don’t need the temptation.
I do make them for dinner parties….. sometimes.
Sometimes I just do like the French and go to the local patisserie.
But, after all the tempting delights I’ve pinned to my Sweets board I decided to try one for an upcoming party.
So many delectable, decadent, delicious, desserts…. How to decide?
The first one I looked at needed a packaged Brownie mix.
Er, no.
The second one needed a bag of Kraft caramels.
Nope, can’t get those.
The third one need Carnation Sweetened Condensed milk.
They still make that? Not here.
The fourth needed a yellow cake mix.
A yellow cake mix? Really? A boxed mix?
The fifth needed 5 Reese’s peanut butter cups.
I would be embarrassed to serve something made with candy bars to a person who makes Sticky Toffee Pudding from scratch.
I quit looking.
I might be able to find some of this stuff if I went on-line to one of the American Grocery internet sites for Europeans…. I could pay 3 times the price for it, too.
But….
Why would I do that?
Doesn’t anyone bake from scratch?
Does anyone have a good (from scratch) Carrot Cake recipe?
I have carrots
Hi Kate, Maggie Hardisty from Vendee. How do we get you blog these days? Will write properly to you soon. love Maggie
The best dessert at this time of year is something with fruit – cherry clafoutis, or nectarine croustade, or strawberry shortcake, or just a plate of sliced fruits with a bite of chocolate to finish. Happy Fruiting Season!
Welcome back!
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/best-carrot-cake-10000000257583/
http://www.epicurious.com Triple Layer Carrot Cake. This is a very good recipe, I did substitute 3/4 c. applesauce unsweetened for half the oil & 2 1/2 c powdered sugar, instead of 4. I baked this in 2 9″ pans instead of 3 & it worked out fine. Love your blog & I read it every day.
Hi Maggie, sent you the info – come visit!
Zoomie, normally I would agree but our plums are late and our cherries tasteless this year… too much rain and not enough sun I think. Strawberries are done and peaches in the near future… LOL
Thanks, Linda ;-))
Great looking carrot cakes – thanks Phyllis and Kathy – I like the idea of applesauce… bet that makes it moist.! And thanks for reading, Kathy!
You can get sweetened condensed milk in France – either Nestlé or Dolilait (from Leader Price) – it’s called “lait concentré sucré”. You can even buy it in a tube for those who like to eat it from the spoon! I use it thickened with lemon juice to make an easy lemon pie.
Very jealous of your lovely kitchen garden.