Am I In A Rut?

I'm sure we've all felt like we were stagnant or at least on our way there, once or twice in our lives. If you're reading this and you've never felt like this, then you are truly blessed and I'd love to touch your hand or stand in your shoes or rub your head. Anything that might allow some of your good fortune to rub off on me.

I started to write this long drawn out post explaining why I've been feeling stuck lately, but then I thought better of it.  I mean, who wants to spend 10 or15 minutes of their busy day reading all of the gory details of some peri-menopausal, almost 50 year old woman who's having a ginormous pity party and feeling like life has been playing a cruel joke on her?  Not me!

So, to keep this short and to the point, I'll just come out and say what's on my mind. I feel like I'm in a great big muddy rut and that rut's getting wider and deeper as each day passes. I keep seeing the most wonderful pictures of Spring flowers and green grass and sunny blue skies all over the blogosphere, and as I sit here typing away at my keyboard,  the snow is falling and rapidly accumulating right outside my window..... AGAIN!

UGH!!!!!

(and that's being polite)

Don't get me wrong. I love seeing the evidence of Spring emerging as I pop around visiting all of my favorite blogs. It's about the only thing that has been giving me any hope that it will ever happen here! So please don't stop posting your wonderful Spring photos. It's about all that's keeping me sane at the moment.

Anyway.....  I decided to look for some answers or solutions to this rut I'm in, by doing a little searching in cyberspace. So,

A) If anyone out there has any suggestions about how I can start digging myself out of this trench, please, please share them with me! 

B) I'll start the ball rolling with something that came up in a Google search for "stuck in a rut" and see if the author knows what she's talking about...... (I kind of think she does.)

Hope everyone is having a much better week so far than I am!

I Really Need Some Spring!

This is what my back yard looked like yesterday morning:

It still looks pretty much the same, except the snow is now rain. (sigh)

Soooo, I thought I'd dig up some pictures that I took last summer and post them today. Hopefully they'll remind me that Spring and Summer are not really that far away.  It's going to take some serious convincing for me to believe it, (as I sit here listening to the plow scraping along my neighbor's driveway) but maybe if I just sit and stare at this post long enough, the water lapping at the shore, the graceful beauty of the flowers and the sunny blue skies and green grass will be imprinted in my subconscious and I'll think it's true.  If you're living in an area that looks anything like that first picture and feeling the late winter blues too, feel free to try it along with me!

Well, on with the experiment.....

For some added inspiration, I'm linking up with Java's 40 & Over Friday Blog Hop. I look forward to meeting some new friends!

Classic Tuscan? Insalata Panzanella

Since my recent post about Spring and farmer's markets, I've found myself having strong cravings for some of the foods that truly showcase the lush ripe bounty that they offer. Maybe it's because certain areas of the Northeast have been hit with a foot or more of snow in the last couple of days and as hard as it is for me to even type the letters on my keyboard, more arrived this morning. To go along with this very unwelcome white hell stuff, the temperatures at night are dropping back down into the single digits as well.  I don't know how much more of this I can take! (but, I digress - on to the good stuff!)

When I think classic Italian salad or "Insalata", my thoughts go immediately to two of my favorites; Panzanella and Caprese. For this post, I'm going to share my recipe for Panzanella. Now, as is the case with most classic regional foods, there is an ongoing debate over just where the idea for this "stale bread" and vegetable delight originated. Tuscany, Florence, Piedmont and several other regions of Italy have all claimed ownership and just like most any other traditional dish from a particular country or region, there are dozens and dozens of methods of preparation, and the ingredients can vary from just slightly, to almost completely different. My recipe is more of a combination of a few recipes that I've seen and some of my own ideas that best suit my family's tastes.

Insalata Panzanella

• 1 Lg loaf Tuscan, Peasant or Ciabatta Bread, cut into bite sized cubes (removing crust is optional)
• 4 Tbls Virgin Olive Oil  (light to medium color and taste) for frying bread
• 1 Lg European Cucumber, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (approx)
• 3-4 Roma (Plum) Tomatoes, juice and seeds removed, cut in same size as cucumbers
• 1 Lg Red Onion, peeled and cut in half then sliced, approx 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 Cup Gaeta or Kalamata Olives, pitted and sliced in half or thirds, depending on size
• 2 Tbls Capers, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 5 to 6 Fresh Basil Leaves, torn roughly
• Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

**  The traditional version uses 3 to 4 day old stale bread, cubed and soaked in water for 20 - 30 minutes and then gently squeezed in your hands, until all the water is out.  I prefer to make homemade croutons and toss them in just before serving the pre-dressed salad.

The Dressing

• 1 Cup Medium or Light Olive Oil
• 6 Tbls Red Wine Vinegar (White Balsamic Vinegar is also quite good)
• 1 Tsp Superfine Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper 

The Croutons

Heat 4 Tbls Olive Oil in large skillet until the end of a wooden spoon inserted into the pan, sizzles and tiny bubbles come from it. (trust me... it works) Season the bread cubes with a little bit of salt and pepper and toss them into the hot oil in a single layer. Turn them frequently with tongs or a spatula, until they're golden brown and crispy on all sides. Remove with slotted spoon onto paper towels, to soak up any excess oil.  Sprinkle with a little more salt and set them aside.

The Salad

In a medium to large salad or serving bowl, combine the Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Onion, Olives and Capers and gently tear the Basil leaves into small pieces. Add Salt and Pepper. Toss well with salad tongs, a spoon or your very clean hands to mix thoroughly. At this point you can cover it and refrigerate it if you aren't going to serve it right away.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until well combined. You can also do this in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake it well, or in a blender or food processor. Whatever is most convenient for you will work.

Just before serving, add dressing and toss to coat the vegetables. Add the croutons and serve immediately.  This makes a great first course or side dish with all types of meat and seafood. It also makes a light and really satisfying supper on a hot summer night. Buon Appetito!