hippy happy!

Today is njr's natal day--hoorah! I for one am very glad he was born. To celebrate, we made a fete this past weekend featuring some of the best things about parties in august--BBQs, swimming, and ice cream cones. Although my photo-taking was compromised by a certain forgetful member of our tribe, (sirrah, i'm clearing my throat in your direction) some documentation exists of our mediterranean-inspired repast.



The menu was as follows:

guacamole & chips
white sangria w/ peaches & mint

green salad of lettuces, cucumbers, & tomatoes
duo of quinoa salads: beet/carrot/celery/dill & shitake/zucchini/corn/basil
chicken kabob w/ cucumber yogurt dipping sauce
steak kabob w/ parsley lemon dipping sauce
vegetable kabobs: red onion, peppers, tomatoes

do-it-yourself ice cream cones featuring scoops ice cream!



I lugged a fair amount of veggies and herbs from our parents' garden (aka rancho puesta del sol) including avocados, tomatoes, giant scallions, beets, cucumbers, parsley, basil, lemons, squash, and the largest zucchini i've ever seen. such wonderful raw materials make cooking easy and elemental--everything is flavored with little more than fresh herbs, lemon, and some good olive oil. i am not one to follow a lengthy recipe, so this is my favorite way to cook--riffing on some simple ingredients prepared with a minimal amount of fuss. i thought i'd post the recipe for the beet quinoa, as it has made a number of appearances at recent parties and everyone seems to adore it. plus it looks amazing in a bowl, all bright crimson textures with little green flecks of dill.

BEET QUINOA WITH DILL
serves 6

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
3-4 beets, cooked and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery heart, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon lemon
salt
pepper
olive oil

bring broth to a boil and add quinoa. simmer about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to large bowl. in a frying pan, sweat onions until translucent, then add carrots and celery, plus some salt and pepper, cooking until softened. add these to the quinoa, along with the beets, dill, and lemon. stir well, taste, and add a bit of olive oil if it seems dry, plus additional salt and pepper. serve at room temperature.