Simple Summer Supper Menu | Lemon Orzo & Squash, Teriyaki Marinated Steak & Heirloom Tomatoes

Our dinners have been really simple lately - just fresh vegetables and some sort of protein like grill steak or fish.  I've enjoyed eating so freshly and seasonably, but needed a little something more... um, interesting.  Is that the right word?  I just needed something that was more complex than sliced vegetables or steamed potatoes.  Yesterday, I made this orzo pasta salad that had sauteed yellow squash, green onions and lemon.   It was a great new dimension to our sweet teriyaki marinated steak and sliced heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella. This would be a great menu for a party.  Everything can be made ahead of time - just throw the steaks on before dinner. 

I can't wait for the leftovers for lunch... 

Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad 

with Yellow Squash & Green Onions

1/2 box of orzo pasta
1 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow squash, small dice
8 green onions, sliced
......
juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Cook the orzo pasta in salted boiling water just until it is cooked, but still firm.  Drain - do not rinse. 

Saute garlic and squash in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the squash has softened slightly.  Add to the cooked orzo.  Also add the sliced green onions. 

For the dressing, mix together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Pour over the still warm pasta and toss. 

 

I used a homemade teriyaki marinade for our steaks - it was sweet and spicy... so good.   I'll share the recipe next.

And of course, a staple around our house... slice heirlooms with fresh mozzarella. 

The New Living Room Design Board | The great rug debate...

As I mentioned last week, we are in the process of buying a new house.  We don't move in until the end of the month, but I'm making design decisions and purchasing some new furniture in the meantime.  If you're following me on pintrest, you'll recognize the photo on the left as my inspiration for our New Living Room. 

I've put together the layout above using InDesign to help me with the scale of the room to make sure everything I'm planning will fit nicely.

After some long debates (in my head, with Mike and my sister), I've made some firm decisions regarding the new ottoman, wing back chairs and a light fixture.  Things that are still up for debate are the final paint color (I know the hue, just working out the saturation...) and the rug.  Double 'ugh' for the rug.

 We'll be keeping our current sofa (thank goodness for the budget's sake...) that is upholstered in a natural "sand" belgium linen.

I've decided to purchase the 2 of the Slipcovered Wing Back dining room chairs from Restoration Hardware.  My inspiration for these chairs is from the photo on the left of the Barefoot Contessa's home from House Beautiful. 

I'm going to have them flanking the fireplace in the Living Room, but will be able to move them to the dining room for special dinners.  The price is a little expensive for dining room chairs, but a steal for a living room chair... so, since I'm going to be using them as both, I'm justifying the expense. 

I'm going to have them done in Fog grey linen, as pictured above.  They are a great scale, measuring 25w x 27d x 47h.  Not too too big for our house, but still very comfy.  I also like that the wing back gives it a stately stature, but the slipcover makes it casual.

The ottoman has been another point of debate... what upholstery?  Because I'm doing the grey Fog Linen for the Wing Backs, I've decided (finally...) to have it done to match the sofa in Sand Belgium Linen so I don't add too many fabrics into the room.  I plan to have various throws, interesting drapes and pillows that will add color, dimension and pattern to the room.  I'd rather stick with the basics for the main pieces, then have more fun with things that can be changed easily and often- as I'm known to do it for each season.

I have always loved brass fixtures and plan to do them throughout the house to match the existing brass doorknobs and hardware.  This one is from Circa Lighting.  Hopefully my budget will allow to have multiples of these... if not, I'll settle for this one in the foyer, and something complimentary for the rest of the house - bedrooms, hallways, etc.  

I want the walls in the entire house to be very neutral and light.  I really like Stone and Ash from the Slate collection at Restoration Hardware.  Ash and Stone are not pictured in the swatches on the left, but they are from that collection.  Ash is the swatch to the right.

Now onto the rugs...

This rug from Ballard Designs, I love.  I love the colors, I love the pattern, but I don't love the comfort level of the flat weave or the price.  It is still the inspiration for what I'm looking for, though. 

This is another rug from Ballard.  I also love it - I love the contrasting pops of dark colors.  I think it adds a sophisticated element to an otherwise light and airy rug.  It is only available in a 6x9... so maybe I settle for it in the dining room?  But, I still need a rug for the living room...

This is the rug my sister has in her living room (that I love because I help her pick it out).  I love the colors, but not sure if I want to mimic exactly what Jill's done in her house, just for the sake of copycat syndrome.


I also like this rug from Pottery Barn.  Jill also has it in her hearth room.  I also helped her pick it out.  I'm wondering why I helped her so much : )  But, the real debate is if I want something as graphic, or if I want a more traditional Persian style... I do love the cleanness that the graphic pattern gives, but I like the classic look of the Persian...  Did I mention double ugh?

This rug is from Pottery Barn, also.  I like the colors and the traditional Arts & Crafts block print.  I think it would be a great classic look, but a little modern because of the clean block print. 

This rug from Pottery Barn struck me as interesting and eclectic.  I think it would add major interest to the living room... maybe a little too much?  

Amy I missing any other rugs out there?!  Your help would be appreciated!

Emma Makes Way for the Ducklings | Boston Bucket List

As our time in the Boston area is coming to a close, we are checking off the last "to-do's" before we say "ta-ta."  In my daydreaming head I always thought Emma and I would make our way into Boston every now and again to spend the day shopping in the Beacon Hill boutiques and stroll in the Public Garden. 

Like most well-intentioned daydreams, it seemed to never come to fruition.  How is it that it always seems like the days are too short, but at the same time can sometimes be way too long?  Instead of surrendering to the same ole' outings to target and story time, yesterday Emma and I finally made it "into town."  We made plans!

We started with some shopping, then strolling through the park, a visit with a friend, then dinner with more friends and their baby.

Left : Emma and I at the "Make Way for the Ducklings" bronze duckling sculptures in the Boston Public Gardens.  As it was just Emma and I spending some mommy and me time, I had an onlooking grandma that was taking photos of her own grandson take this pic of Emma and I with my phone.

Emma and the Ducklings

About the Ducklings :

The "Make Way for Ducklings" book was published in 1941 and tells the story of a pair of mallard ducks who decide to raise their family on an island in the Boston Public Garden lagoon.  It won the 1942 Caldecott Metal and is the official children's book of Massachusetts. 

The ducklings draw quite a crowd in the garden, to say the least.

The bronze ducklings are in the background as Emma is more fascinated with the grass.  I highly recommend introducing your children to grass at an early age... every time we try to take photos outside, she is more into the grass than smiling at the camera.  

And her dress.  She loved her dress.  I love that she loved her dress.  And I loved the dress.

And I love her baby eyelashes.  Perfect.

Sweet girl.



Adventurous girl!

Back in the grass and happy!

Did I mention she started crawling this week?   Let the fun begin...

After the park we met up with her Daddy at a friend's home in Back Bay.

Emma was thrilled with crawling for about 12 hours, and is now only satisfied when she's standing.  Especially in her crib... which nearly scared me to death when I went in her room the other morning to find her smiling at me over the rail like a big girl.

After a visit at our friends, we headed to dinner in Beacon Hill to meet some more friends visiting from back home.  Emma, meet Lucca.  

Fast friends.   I planned her parents' wedding 4 years ago.  I'll share photos of it someday.  It was really something (if I may say so myself!).

Okay, here is just one, because I can't resist!

Ok, one more!

Back to the babies...



Fast asleep, conveniently right when we hurried out of the restaurant and took another stroll through the park. 

I asked Mike if he thought Emma was comfortable enough in her stroller.  He laughed.

Since the girls had decided to hit the hay, we decided to go for a night cap of our own...

At the Four Seasons.  Funny how a couple of years ago a night cap would have been cocktails until 2am.  Now, it is Prosecco (to celebrate that the babies are sleeping) and a giant piece of chocolate cake.

Heirloom Tomato & Fresh Mozzarella Flatbread Pizza

Our local produce market, Verrill Farm, has a baskets and baskets of heirlooms.  I think I've purchased about 3 pounds of them every other day.  There is nothing like an heirloom tomato. 

 

 A really good tomato needs nothing - no salt, no fresh cracked pepper, not balsamic vinegar.  A really good tomato has so much flavor - a sweetness and subtle taste of salt all on its own. 

When I'm cooking with these gems, I try to keep them fresh to preserve their naturally perfect flavor and texture.  After 5 nights in a row of simple sliced heirloom tomatoes as side with our dinner (and the main course for my lunch), I decided to experiment a little.   This flatbread pizza is the perfect way to enjoy them - a little dressed up, but not at all overshadowed. 

Heirloom Tomato & Fresh Mozzarella
Flat Bread Pizza


1 pizza dough (store-bought or homemade)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 pounds of heirloom tomatoes
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella
fresh chives
fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Stretch and pull the dough to be the size of a baking sheet.  Drizzle the baking sheet with half of the olive oil, then place the dough on the sheet and drizzle the remaining olive oil on the dough.  Scatter the sliced clove of garlic and red pepper over the dough. 

Bake the dough for 15 minutes until it bubbles and slightly browns on the edges.  Remove from the oven.

Slice the tomatoes and spread them over the cooked dough.  Slice the mozzarella and distribute it over the tomatoes.  Place in the oven under a hot broiler for 1-2 minutes, just until the mozzarella melts ever so slightly.   Remove it from the oven.  Garnish with snipped chives and fresh basil.

Here is the dough baking - see how it bubbles in a really hot 450 degrees oven.  

Remove the dough from the oven just as it begins to brown.  It should be cooked all the way through.

Lovely tomatoes go right on top.  I love that they are still a little cool and the crust is hot.  Such a great combination - still fresh, but satisfying.