Ina's Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil

At the beginning of September some of your gardens are still donning several lovely cherry tomatoes. If your gardens aren't wearing these sweet little polka dots, the grocery stores certainly are! For those of you who're done turning them into gazpacho or throwing them over your salads, I have a recipe for you that will give the 'matoes new life while helping you soak up these last weeks of Summer with gusto.

If it's possible for a recipe to be light and indulgent at the same time, Ina Garten's Capellini with Tomatoes and Basil has it nailed. It's one of my all-time favorite main dishes for its freshness, deep flavor, ease of preparation, and capacity to satisfy. Salty, sweet, savory, mildy tart, and the juicy pops as you bite into each ready-to-burst tomato... mlup, mlup, mlup. I have all the ingredients on hand, so I think I'm going to be making this tonight for the fifth time this Summer.

Gems From Mother's Day

We're a church-going bunch, so we started the day by getting ready for the 10:30 service. Shawn was upstairs with the girls while I was downstairs preparing the diaper bag when the doorbell rang. I peeked through the front window curtains to see a pre-teen boy in a white button-up standing on our stoop. I called loudly upstairs to Shawn asking him to get the door because, "I DON'T HAVE A SHIRT ON!" I did have a tank top on, but I still didn't feel like it was enough clothing in which to greet a growing boy. Shawn said something about the volume of my announcement, not to mention the inaccuracy of it, which caused me to realize that perhaps the boy would have been better off seeing me as I actually was instead of being left to his own imagination. I'm hoping I've left other, stronger impressions on him so this isn't the primary thought he has upon seeing me every Sunday at church. Sorry, little gent. And, thank you for delivering these lovely tulips my husband ordered. And, thank you, Shawn for making me eggs for breakfast and doing the first round of diaper changes.

David Lebovitz's Horchata

Source: David Lebovitz

Every once in a while I come across a recipe that's a little out of my comfort zone. Maybe it requires a tool I don't own, or a technique I've never tried, or maybe it just sounds like something a home cook can't make. This horchata recipe is one of those. It doesn't sound too complicated, however it's different than any beverage I've made. But, what kind of life would I be living if I regularly gave in to the naysayer within? As Oscar Wilde said, "To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." So, I fully intend to be a liver, not an exister! I hope you're with me and that you'll make your own horchata! 

Brazilian Limeade

I'm thinking that since I'm part Portuguese, and Brazilians speak Portuguese, that's why this limeade comes out tasting so good when I make it. That's got to be it, right? Hardly. This recipe is way too easy for blood roots or personal technique of any kind to make a smidgeon of a difference.

The recipe really is just right as it is. But if I were to change it up just for the fun of it, I'd add one of the following:

Kettle Brand Makes Bakes! and They're Good! and They're Giving Them Away!

Giveaway!!

I don't know of many people who wouldn't choose a healthier alternative to their favorite foods if one were offered that still tasted good. Which is why so many of us tried baked chips when they came out several years ago... and then tried to actually like them. Baked chips tasted okay and the texture was okay. I assumed the book was closed on that one.

But then I was contacted by Kettle Brand again- they know I like to add kettle chips to the mix when hosting casual lunches or picnics- and was told that they were releasing a line of bakes. My interest was piqued. They sent me three bags to sample, and I'll just cut to the chase and say they are about 5 times better than any other baked chip I've ever tried. Truly. It's CLEAR they made the chips by slicing real potatoes and not by compacting potato flakes into the shape of a potato round. What a relief to know that some companies still use whole foods. Amen? And they taste really, really good. Really.

We sampled their Sea Salt, Sour Cream & Onion, and Cheddar & Roasted Tomato flavors. The first two taste very much like elevated versions of other chips because of the higher quality ingredients Kettle Brand uses. The Cheddar & Roasted Tomato is a flavor unique to Kettle Brand and it is GOOD. I will definitely buy them in the future. Shawn and Kate really liked them, too, which is saying something because I really wasn't sure Shawn could enjoy a baked chip.

Now for the Giveaway. We're going to be selecting TWO winners this time! And each winner will get to CHOOSE which three of the five available flavors they want in their gift box. Here are their baked flavors:

• Sea Salt
• Hickory Honey Barbeque
• Sea Salt & Vinegar
• Cheddar & Roasted Tomato
• Sour Cream & Onion

You can qualify to enter up to three times. Here's how:

• The first one is a freebee. Enter your name along with which three flavors you're most interested in trying! My bag would consist of the Hickory Honey Barbeque, Sea Salt & Vinegar, (for Shawn; it's his fav,) and Cheddar & Roasted Tomato.
• You can enter your name a second time if you "like" the Eats and Beats Facebook page.
• You can make a third entry if you send someone else to "like" the Eats and Beats Facebook page. As soon as they've "liked" it, come back and enter your name a third time.

All comments must be posted by Midnight PT Tuesday, February 5th. The two winners will be chosen at random and announced on Wednesday by the end of the day!

Pretty great that you can actually SEE the potato skin!

Thanks, Kettle Brand! Click the link to see my last Kettle Chips giveaway and learn more about their company.

Kettle Chips Review and Giveaway!

What? What is this? Eats and Beats is having its first give-away? Oh, you betcha! And from none other than the hugely popular potato chip brand Kettle Brand Chips! Dang it, who doesn't love a good kettle chip, especially from THE Kettle Brand Chips. 

Well, guess what, kiddos: in August Kettle Brand celebrated its 30th birthday, invited us to the party, and offered to send us home with some super yummy limited edition chips as a party favor. Until August 2013 you can find these four flavors from the past on the grocery store shelves:

Jalapeno Jack

Cheddar Beer

Red Chili

Salsa with Mesquite

I was lucky enough to be able to sample all four courtesy of Kettle Brand. YUM. It was hard to pick a favorite among the robust flavors, but both my husband and I couldn't get enough of the Jalapeno Jack and Salsa with Mesquite (though all four bags disappeared with embarrassing speed.) Each really were as you might imagine they'd taste. The Jalapeno had the slightest spicy kick to it that I really loved while still honoring the otherwise sweet flavor of a jalapeno pepper. And I'm a total sucker for mesquite. Ooooooh, baby. For more on these limited edition flavors, click here.

Okay, okay. Now for the giveaway. Kettle Brand Chips is sending a set of all four to one lucky Eats and Beats reader! Comment below by midnight PST on Friday the 19th and tell us which flavor you're most excited to try. I'll announce the winner by the end of the day on Saturday! Happy crunching!

Learn more about this company with environmental and social heart.

The Real Kettle Chips (Made with actual food ingredients. Nothing fake about these puppies!) 

Sustainability and Charity (Every year they give over 175,000 potatoes to hunger relief organizations! Plus, find out how they convert all of their vegetable oil waste into biodiesel!) 

History 

Music Playlist- Today's Cook-Out

School's out, and so are the grills. It's time to send out invitations to your first of many outdoor gatherings this Summer! If you don't have a yard for entertaining, try your deck or rooftop. If your rooftop is slanted or your deck doesn't exist, find an obliging local park.

When you start pulling everything together, don't forget the string lights (or white candles) and don't forget the music! I've got you covered on the latter.

Introducing "Today's Cook-Out," a feel-good collection of contemporary tunes to lend a care-free air to your Summer get-together. You'll recognize a few of the artists on this list, including Mat Kearny, Macy Gray, and Ingrid Michaelson, but most of this collection is music from bands you'll rarely if ever hear on the radio. So, I hope you'll enjoy discovering some new bands! Half of the songs in this set are my "favorites," but I've disciplined myself enough to just mention this handful:

• "Give a Little Love" by little known The Mostar Diving Club, track #7. After hearing this song at the conclusion of an episode of "Castle," I spent an hour or so listening to this group and I love them!
• "Blue Skies" covered by the quirky Danni'elle Gaha, track #20. Just her voice and a bongo drum. So cool.
• "Wishful Thinking" by The Ditty Bops, a female duo with a vintage carnival-esque sound, track #22.
• "Cape Cod Kwassa" by the increasingly popular Vampire Weekend, track #23. No matter where you are, this song will transport you to the beach.
• "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers, track #24. Many thanks to the Bing commercial for introducing me to this free-spirited little number.

As always, newly introduced playlists such as this one can be streamed directly from the Eats and Beats homepage on the right-hand menu, the Eats and Beats Music Playlists Page, or on Grooveshark where you can edit the playlist as you please! 

Fresh Berries and Kettle Chips

Want the first scoop??

Can you tell we went the easy route when it came to side dishes for our picnic baby shower? And why not? We didn't sacrifice flavor or visual appeal in the least, and the ladies were so appreciative that they could eat their little bellies full out without regret.

Shauna must have a berry patch hiding behind her townhome, because these strawberries, raspberries and blueberries that she brought were perfection. I could have gone to bed snuggling the leftovers.

So far you have the Wedge Vine Tomato & Avocado Salad and fresh berries to accompany the Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad . The third side dish is the easiest of all: kettle chips! I couldn't resist. Salty, crunchy, and unpretentious. The menu needed some crispiness to go along with the other softer textures, wouldn't you agree? Normally I'd say that a basic potato chip would be tacky at a shower, however, in this case it seemed to fit the casual picnic vibe we were going for. Besides, don't you worry; we got the yummy, quality, thick ones.

Click here for the full Picnic Lunch Menu!

Gotta love the lush green of Northern Virginia.

Wedge Vine Tomato & Avocado Salad, and Choosing the Best Produce

Some of the best food is the food you leave the heck alone. Well, you eat it, so I guess in that way you're not leaving it alone at all. I just mean that if you choose your ingredients with an eye for freshness, there's often very little else you need to do to bring out their best. One of my favorite examples of this is my Wedge Vine Tomato & Avocado Salad.

This salad depends almost entirely on choosing your produce wisely. Here are some tips for getting the right tomatoes and avocados into your shopping basket as well as how to prepare them for serving.

1. Shop the day before you plan on serving.  You're going to need to give your avocados a night to ripen.
2. Buy avocados that are barely soft to the touch. Doing the best you can to keep them from touching (because they'll bruise) put them in paper bags overnight to help them completely ripen.
3. Choose tomatoes that are still on the vine, firm (but not hard), nice and red, and have a good, strong garden smell. You don't need to refrigerate them. Even though refrigeration will extend the life of your tomato once it has started to become overripe, there's no sense refrigerating them before that point as it messes with the flavor in a big way. But keep them out of the sun!
4. Slicing the tomatoes, and especially the avocados, is one of the last things you'll want to do before your guests arrive. Slicing the avocado too soon will result in an unappealing brown color. 
5. Finally, if you're serving these outdoors, for example as part of the Picnic Lunch Menu, you'll want to wait until you get to the picnic site before cutting the avocados. Otherwise, you risk them being brown and mashed.

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Wedge Tomato & Avocado Salad

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

6 medium vine tomatoes

4 avocados

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Slice each tomato and each avocado into six even wedges. Arrange face-up on a serving tray or in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt & freshly ground pepper and serve. Doesn't get much easier than that, kids!

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Picnic Lunch Menu: Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad

When I have a picnic, I want foods that mimic the moods the outdoors inspire: simplicity, freshness, lightness, and vibrancy. There should be a healthy dose of unadulterated, natural foods as if you could be eating what you just picked from a nearby garden. Don't you think?? Nobody wants to leave a picnic feeling weighed down, just pleasantly satisfied.

I mentioned that my friend, Shauna, and I served this for a casual baby shower, but this could just as appropriately be served for any kind of outdoor (or indoor) social gathering this Summer. We received so many compliments from our guests and many of them thanked us for not serving heavy foods. You betcha, ladies!

The Menu:
Main Dish: Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad
Side Dishes: Wedge Vine Tomato and Avocado Salad, Fresh Berries, Kettle Chips
Beverage: Lemon & Mint Ice Water
Dessert: Caramel Apple Kits

The Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad is a recipe that my mother found from Taste of Home and made for me while she was visiting after Kate's arrival last year. I pretty much never, ever, ever cook using prepared foods like ranch dressing, but almost everything else on the menu is so light and fresh, and the pasta is so delicious that I made an exception. With just a few adaptations, here's the recipe!

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Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad from Taste of Home
Prep Time: 30 Min
Chill Time: 1 hour
Serves 12

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) spiral or rotini pasta
4 cups cubed cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups sliced celery
3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup seedless red grapes
1 cup seedless green grapes (I used 2 cups of only red grapes to make my life easier, but having both does add a little extra variety to the dish.)
1 package (5 ounces) dried cranberries
1 cup ranch salad dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cups salted cashews

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, onions, grapes and cranberries. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; stir into chicken mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk the ranch dressing and mayonnaise. Pour desired amount over salad and toss to coat. (The original recipe calls for all of the dressing/mayo combo, but I thought it was overkill. Adjust it to suit your individual preference!) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, stir in cashews. Stirring in the cashews any earlier will make them lose their texture. If you think you'll end up with leftovers, you may want to serve the cashews in a separate dish.

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And a big "CONGRATULATIONS" to the expectant mother of the baby shower who welcomed baby Alison into the world on Monday! I got to visit her just 6 or 7 hours after she was born and she is one of the most beautiful newborns I've ever seen. We love you already, baby girl! 

Throwing a Picnic Baby Shower, and The Easiest Shower Treat!

The easiest DIY baby or bridal shower treats/party favors: "Caramel Apple Kits." (Scroll down to the bottom for details!)

Well, no need to tell you the sickness and exhaustion hasn't gone away just yet. BUT I have been working behind the scenes to bring some goodies your way, so this coming week will have a few good posts. YAY!!!!! I really do miss being here with you... *sigh*

Speaking of babies, my good friend, Lisa, is due with her first baby girl in just a couple days and I had the chance to co-host a baby shower for her last month. Like any pregnant woman, this one deserved all the effort and fuss we could manage to put into her celebration, but we needed to be careful in our planning not to bite off more than we could chew. So, knowing our guest-of-honor loves the outdoors and a relaxed atmosphere, we opted to throw her a picnic shower in a nearby park. Though it takes some extra planning, ultimately they're much easier to pull off than an indoor shower thrown in your own home. Here are some of the perks to opting for mother nature as your backdrop:

• A grassy, wooded park is already beautiful so you need minimal decorations. 
• Unless there's a chance of rain, you don't need to worry about cleaning your house!
• Since you're not hosting it in a home, you don't need to worry about rearranging furniture or gathering extra seating. Shauna, my co-host, and I simply told the guests that we'd bring quilts for sitting and suggested they bring a camping chair if they'd be more comfortable.
• Many parks can be used for free (like the one we used) or rented for a small fee.
• Even though you're really not supposed to bring children to a baby shower, within our group of friends is a number of moms who're still nursing and such, so we usually welcome kids. At a park you don't have to worry about child-proofing, and the open grass allows plenty of space for them to crawl and play.

Like I said before, it does take some extra planning, simply because if you're not in your home, you have to make sure you bring everything you need with you. Some things you may forget to include on your picnic "to-bring" list are:

• A pen and paper for recording the mom-to-be's gifts.
• A camera will a full-charged battery.
• Trash bags, if your park doesn't provide waste bins.
• Extra ice, and water in a well-sealed container. We chose to do ice water with fruit since it looks nice and is a universal refresher for a warm Summer gathering. We bought water in jugs and waited until we were there to arrange the water, ice and fruit in the decanter.
• At least two folding tables along with table cloths. We had one for food and one for the drink dispenser and party favors.
• Cutting boards, knives, or anything else you might need for on-the-scene food prep. For example, we served wedged tomatoes and avocados as a side dish. Not wanting the avocados to brown or get smooshed, we waited until we were on site to cut them.
• Paper towels and/or kitchen rags, and a bottle of cleaner in case of any messes.
• Plastic bins, both for carrying supplies onto the site and for clearing away the party remains. On a similar note, you may also want to bring some empty grocery bags for the dirty serving utensils.
• Tupperware or zip-lock bags. We often end up with more extra food than we can manage to eat, so we decided to bring an easy means of sending the mom-to-be home with any leftovers she'd like. Whatever's left for us got placed in zip-locks so that we could easily stack all the dirty dishes and place them in the traveling bins.
• A first-aid kit. We did not bring this, but we're so glad one of our guests did since poor Shauna cut herself while preparing the avocados!

Okay, last, but certainly not least, (MAN I am long-winded today!) are the "Caramel Apple Kits" you see in the picture above. These are so, so, so, so easy. Do you hear me? SO EASY! And, I don't know about you, but I rarely want sweets in the middle of the day, and I find that most cakes aren't worth the calories, so a healthier treat option is a welcome alternative to me. As luck would have it, Lisa is a really healthy eater, so these were just right for honoring her. Each kit consists of one green apple, two individually-wrapped caramels, a tapered, wooden caramel-apple stick, plastic favor bags, and some ribbon in a color of your choice! Your guests are very unlikely to go home and actually make a caramel apple, but who the heck cares? It's really not the point. They're vibrant, classy, and offer something for both your health-conscious and sweet-toothed attendees. (All non-food items can be found at Michaels.)

*Exhale* Whew! More to come on this baby shower, including the full lunch menu we served! Until then, have a fantastic rest of your weekend and enjoy the sunny weather with whatever "babe" you have you in your life. :)