I did something just now that I haven’t done in a long time. I scrolled through six months’ worth of my posts and read what I wrote.
“Holy cow! I’m all over the map!” I declared in my pre-dawn stupor.
Then I laughed. :)
Have you read what you’ve written lately? (You should.)
And while you’re at it, pat yourself on the back.
The heart of the matter is: You’re expressing yourself to the world!
That’s something to be proud of. (I am.)
Life is a tasty hodgepodge, just like this salad…
Roasted Artichoke Heart, Red Bell Pepper, & Caper Salad
(adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe on Food Network)
1 can of artichoke hearts, drained
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
1/2 jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained & diced
2 Tbsp. capers, drained
Basil Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Pat artichoke hearts dry; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss gently; transfer to a baking sheet.
Roast until browned, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once. (I added the drained peppers at the 20 minute mark to heat them.)
Meanwhile, make vinaigrette.
Basil Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp. thinly sliced green onion
1 Tbsp. dried basil (I’m sure fresh would be stellar)
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. tarragon vinegar
Dijon mustard, to taste
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
Combine dressing ingredients in a measuring cup. Whisk until incorporated; set aside.
Remove artichoke hearts and peppers from oven. Drizzle with Basil Vinaigrette to allow them to soak up the flavor as they cool.
Transfer roasted veggies to a bowl. Add capers and additional vinaigrette to taste; toss gently.
Serve warm with crusty bread and a glass of Chardonnay.
No matter how “un-related” your posts (or mine) may (or may not) be, the important thing is: you’re expressing your heart!
The world’s a better place for it and I thank you for blessing my life with your presence.
Enjoying random thoughts and recipes,
~ Kimby
First off, AMAZING recipe! Both Mr Man and I love everything that you have in there! YUMMY! Also…yes…I admit it, I will sometime go back and re-read what I wrote. Some I think: wow, brilliant and funny (my life’s biggest goal: to be funny!) some I think: I shouldn’t drink and blog ;) Oh well…life goes on and I keep on writing! Luv ya!
By: Isabelle at home on January 11, 2013
at 5:28 am
Isabelle, I’m laughing so hard right now, I almost can’t see to type! Your goal has been fulfilled as far as I’m concerned — you’re a hoot! Also, don’t be too hard on yourself for drinking while blogging (lol) — many Pulitzer Prize winners were known to “imbibe” now and then. :) Thanks for your comments and YES PLEASE, keep on writing!
By: Kimby on January 11, 2013
at 5:39 am
LOVE your randomness…love this dish…the pictures are stunning…I can just taste the flavors, and I wanna pull off a big hunk of crusty bread and sop up some of the goodness, Kim, then sip some chilled chard…you’ve made me very happy this morning, angel!! xoxo
By: Ally's Kitchen on January 11, 2013
at 9:44 am
Random is an apt description for my blog, Ally, ;) and you make me happy, too. xo!
By: Kimby on January 12, 2013
at 6:47 am
Haha I love reading old posts – sometimes I’m all ‘I’m so brilliant’ then other times I think ‘wait what?’ :P
But moving on, your salad looks lick the plate delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
By: Choc Chip Uru on January 11, 2013
at 12:47 pm
Thanks, Uru! Truthfully, the salad never made it to a plate — I ate it right out of the pan! :)
By: Kimby on January 12, 2013
at 6:58 am
That’s very brave of you to re-read old posts – I’m not sure I’m brave enough! Lovely looking salad – I’m a big fan of artichokes xx
By: hotlyspiced on January 11, 2013
at 4:26 pm
Charlie, I don’t know if it was brave or not, but it was good for a laugh! I see artichokes are making the rounds this week :) — I love ‘em, too. Thanks for coming by!
By: Kim Bultman on January 12, 2013
at 7:05 am
Right up my alley! It looks delicious :)
By: Elizabeth on January 11, 2013
at 8:53 pm
Also, I occasionally look back over older posts. Some of mine from when I first started the current blog give me a giggle. Life was different when I was single and still in college.
By: Elizabeth on January 11, 2013
at 8:54 pm
You’ve been blogging a lot longer than I have, Elizabeth, and I bet those “early years single girl” posts are entertaining. I’ll have to look some of those up. :)
By: Kim Bultman on January 12, 2013
at 7:08 am
Thank you, Elizabeth! I figured it was best to start the New Year with a salad after all the goodies I ate during the holidays. ;)
By: Kim Bultman on January 12, 2013
at 7:06 am
Guess I’m a slow poke, never get to learn to appreciate artichoke. Another acquired taste perhaps? Maybe I will, if u cook for me. How’s that??
By: Shirley Tay on January 12, 2013
at 1:18 am
Shirley, that sounds great! I can’t remember when I acquired my taste for artichokes, but I love them as much as you love abalone! :)
By: Kim Bultman on January 12, 2013
at 7:10 am
This is my kind of salad. I can feel the warmth of the Tuscan sun on my face (well I can dream)
By: Michael Richardson on January 13, 2013
at 11:53 am
Mike, even if the closest we get to Tuscany is a warm, wonderful salad, our dreams have been fulfilled — for now! Thanks for coming by the lake to dream. :)
By: Kim Bultman on January 14, 2013
at 9:18 am
Thank you for expressing your heart and also sharing fabulous recipes like this. I’ve got the capers, but I need to go buy everything else. And I think I will b/c this sounds so good.
By: Veronica on January 14, 2013
at 4:45 am
Veronica, I’m never disappointed with Ina’s recipes and I know you’ll feel the same way. Don’t forget to put French bread on your list! :)
By: Kim Bultman on January 14, 2013
at 9:20 am
I’m all over the map too. I’m ok with it. You’re right, we should be proud. This recipe looks and sounds fantastic! yum!
By: Kate @ Kate from Scratch on January 14, 2013
at 11:01 am
Thanks, Kate! Being all over the map ain’t a bad thing — TMOFW relied on me to be his navigator during the trucking years. :) By the way, I just put your “Getting Better Soup” on my must-make list — another fantastic recipe! :)
By: Kim Bultman on January 14, 2013
at 3:18 pm
Actually… I’m quite scared of re-reading. One, my English is worse (I think I got a little better after blogging for 2 years. lol), and I sometimes rarely talked about the food that I’m sharing… I guess we learned and keep learning. :) I love capers (really love these), bell pepper, and artichoke heart. Sounds like it’s meant for me! But I’ve never tried cooking artichoke hearts at home… time to change!
By: Nami | Just One Cookbook on January 23, 2013
at 10:53 am
Nami, the fact that you made the brave leap into blog world is a blessing. Everyone has a story to tell and that’s the main reason I read blogs. “Food” is a happy diversion, but “people” come first!
By: Kim Bultman on January 25, 2013
at 8:48 am