What kind of food do you make when you want to appear virtuous and wholesome after a rather hedonistic start to the weekend? You make panzanella. “What is panzanella?” some of you may be asking. It’s bread salad. A salad…based around bread. Um, YOU’RE WELCOME, EVERYONE.
I love pesto. I think it belongs on everything. It’s a spread, a sauce, a dip, a dressing. Pesto is an essential condiment in my book, and something I think everyone should have in their freezer, ready to be defrosted at a moment’s notice. It’ll save you in a pinch, whether you have last minute dinner guests or you just get a massive craving for pesto pasta, pesto chicken, or pesto on a darn Wheat Thin. If you have pesto in your freezer, you’re set.
Last week a few pals and I went out to a Mexican restaurant and did what everyone does at a Mexican restaurant – drank entirely too many margaritas. It was fun while it was happening…not so much the next morning. So I did what every sensible person does to cure a common hangover; I had hair of the dog that bit me. And, no, I’m actually not talking about margaritas (although, that would have been a welcome addition). I made a nice, hearty, totally americanized version of a Mexican brunch!
I’d like to say that I spent the whole snow day that most New Yorkers enjoyed last week lazing around in pajamas, drinking coffee and wine while binging on Netflix. That would have been really lovely. Instead I spent it in the kitchen making hummus and washing loads of dishes I created for myself. Ugh, productivity, you’re the worst.
A Pinch of This 