I'm not so sure this one even needs a recipe. It's simple to throw together, refreshing in the heat and the pretty presentation always wows guests! Just cube up fresh seedless watermelon, top with a piece of feta and a mini basil leaf, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and voila! Now the only trick is keeping everyone's fingers out of them until company arrives!
CSA Week 1: Greens, Greens & More Greens!
Haute Papier is so excited to be participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program this year. We did our research when deciding which farm we would go with and in the end chose Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia. Each week we'll be giving you a peek inside our delivery boxes and sharing a recipe for something we made with the delicious fresh produce. First up is this great saute I made using some of the greens we received this week. I'm a big believer in a diet rich in vegetables and try to keep animal proteins to a minimum - not that I don't love them, I just try incorporate both fiber and protein into my diet at the same time - which is where the beans come in. This recipe is satisfying enough to have as dinner - add in a crisp, white wine (sauv blanc or sancerre are both perfect) and some crusty bread!
Recipe after the jump... Kale and Cannellini Beans
1 1/2 - 2 pounds kale, ribs removed salt and freshly ground pepper 1 small onion, finely sliced 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil 2 plump cloves garlic, minced pinch of red pepper flakes 2 tsp rosemary, chopped 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans goat cheese
Simmer the kale in a few tablespoons of water for 3-5 minutes or until just wilted. Drain and chop leaves.
In a large skillet, saute the onion in the oil with the garlic, pepper flakes and rosemary for about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it's reduced to a syrupy sauce. Add the beans and kale and heath through. Taste then season with salt and pepper to your liking. Crumble goat cheese on top and serve.
Enjoy!
Make-it Monday: Chalkboard-style
Just a little peek inside of my kitchen today for Make-it Monday. Our all white kitchen needed a little livening up when we moved in, so I pained the top 2.5 feet of the wall in black chalkboard paint, and then started a "recipe mural" in white chalk. I'm only 1/3 done and looking forward to getting the rest of the recipe up there - maybe in the style of my new favorite font? What do you think?
Make-it Monday : Chalkboard Illustrations
Since my sister was visiting this weekend, I didn't get a chance to do any crafting, but I did come across this awesome (and super easy) tutorial from Molly Jacques! If you love chalkboard typography as much as I do, you'll be super interested in how to translate a pencil sketch into a beautiful white on black print! Visit her blog here for the photoshop how to!
Get your GREEN THUMB on!
If you’re like me and sad to have it still be winter (darn groundhog), here’s a great gardening gift that you can make inside for the green-thumb in your life.
Begonias are one of the easiest plants to propagate; most varieties only need a little water to start new roots. They come in infinite varieties (I love the leaves as much as the flowers) and stand up incredibly well as city house plants (requiring relatively low light, rather infrequent waterings (a once-a-week soaking will suffice in a pot with good drainage), and they are undeniably gorgeous. Click below for the how-to.
How to: Propagate Begonias
Prepare a small container by washing thoroughly, making sure to leave no residue of suds. The smaller the container, the better since the cutting will release growth hormones into the water to help the new roots develop. Fill with tepid water.
Snip a large healthy leaf and place it in the water. Leave in a sunny window.
When significant roots show up (2-3 weeks), gently remove the cutting and plant in potting soil in a well-draining pot. Enjoy!