friday favourite – grandma’s slippers 2.0

These are so quick and easy, each slipper is the equivalent of one episode of whatever you are bingeing on with Netflix! They are a custom order for a friend of mine. Her adult children were nostalgic for the slippers their grandmother used to make for them. We went to our local yarn store and selected colours for each of her daughters. And then I knit them. It took a week and I binged on Fauda, a drama about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — the more intense the drama, the faster I knit!Then I had some fun arranging the slippers for a photo shoot!Creativity comes in many forms!

HAR

grilled eggplant salad

This eggplant salad was easy and a big hit on Sunday for our family backyard gathering.It’s a Melissa Clark recipe from the NYTimes.

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (I used 2)
• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley (I forgot to add this)
• black pepper
• capers, for garnish, optional

Heat grill to medium high. Prick the eggplant all over with a fork, put it on the grill and close the cover, cook, turning occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft and skin is blistered, about 15 minutes.

When cool enough, scoop out the insides of the eggplant and coarsely chop. Transfer to a bowl and toss with tomatoes, vinegar, salt and garlic. Stir in oil and parsley, season with pepper and more salt if needed. Garnish with capers. Serve with warm pita bread.

HAR

 

return of the chopped summer salad

It’s hard to want to spend much time at all in the kitchen with the extended heat wave that seems to be just about everywhere.

Then I remembered how easy it is to just chop up all the local veggies that are showing up at my local farmers’ market. Last week’s haul included shelling peas, green beans, green onion, cherry tomatoes and multi-coloured carrots.

So I chopped, shredded and tossed, added in some cooked quinoa, local apple cider Dijon dressing and feta…and voila.

What are you cooking in this heat?

CJR