"Times they are a-changin'..."
Summer is coming to an end and fall is in the air.
We are leaving Brooklyn after 7 years and relocating to Colorado (see previous post for more). We have packed up the contents of our apartment and all of our earthly belongings are on a truck heading west. My second son is now 5 1/2 weeks old and the first one is turning 2 later this month. And in addition to motherly duties, I have published 121 posts since I started this blog, one year ago.
I may not be in the big leagues of the blogging world, but that was never the point. I started this blog as a means of documenting our journey as a family. I also wanted (needed) to have something that was mine (something I could nurture) that didn't involve children. A hobby of sorts. And here it is...
So let me say thank you to my family and friends who have encouraged me to pursue blogging while I juggle motherhood.
I have appreciated the comments and the emails more than you know. Be well and I'll be back in this little corner of the internet soon- posting from our new home in the city of Denver, in the great state of Colorado.
Here are a few photos I took from our favorite spot in New York City-- Wave Hill--during our last week in our hometown.
{Wave Hill is where I got married and only a few blocks away from where I grew up. You can find more about the gardens here.}
Enjoy!
Wave Hill, September, 2011:
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We no longer live in our Brooklyn apartment, so I'm staying with my parents until my flight to Colorado on Sunday night. Lucky for me my mother is in a CSA this summer (did I inspire her? I'll take some credit here...) and we have great vegetables for the weekend. There's arugula, golden beets, summer squash, butter lettuce and 6 pounds of tomatoes. We've got a lot of tomatoes.
I decided to look back at some of the recipes I made around this time last year. This one, for scalloped tomatoes, was a real hit when I made it last season, so I'm going to make it again.
This is my repost:
SCALLOPED TOMATOES (Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa)
Serves 6
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed (Remove the crust from the entire loaf before you start slicing)
- 2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.
Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.
Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.