catching up and falling in love...with kale

Good news! My camera is found. Smarty pants me hid it in the back seat pocket of my car, probably headed out somewhere, too lazy to take it inside and thinking I could outsmart robbers with my unlikely hiding spot. I do this a LOT, putting things in a "clever" place and completely forgetting its location within days, sometimes hours. I recently misplaced my iPod, which turned up a few days later on the top shelf of my closet. Can't explain that one. But luckily, my beloved electronics are safe in my possession once more.

Now, I get to post some pictures and catch up my life!

A brief look at February:


Jon's birthday was February 10th. 23 years young! I celebrated with Dodgers cupcakes, yellow cake w/ chocolate icing, his favorite. I had fun decorating them, but might have developed carpal tunnel piping those stitches and logos on.


Valentine's Day dinner! Filet mignon with red wine sauce bercy, steamed broccoli, homemade garlic bread, an excellent 2004 Merlot, and some good old-fashioned romance.


Mardi Gras. Jambalaya and bread pudding - sooo delicious. Satisfied the appetites of two strapping young gents, with leftovers to boot. Note to self, experiment with more Creole food. Yum!

Now, on to March. This month I tried a few new things, trying to spice things up since I was still "fasting" from eating out. For instance, I visited my first farmer's market. At first, the crowds, the smells and the sea of colorful EZ-Ups were overwhelming. Luckily I had a seasoned pro at my side, Sarah Dillon, and we navigated the vendors with ease. I picked up my first bunch of kale, inspired by intrepid blogger Cathy Erway, who seems to know her way around the leafy, deep green veggie. Here are my interpretations:


Kale, Broccoli and Tofu Noodle Stir-Fry (fun fact: the noodles are Hungry Girl approved!)

Sautéed Kale Marsala
In conclusion, I'm quite fond of kale. I used the Tuscan variety in both of these dishes, but I have since cooked with curly kale and found it equally enjoyable. Adding to kale's appeal is its considerable nutritional value and health benefits. 1 cup of kale has only 35 calories, but supplies over 1000% of your daily vitamin K needs, 100% of vitamin A, and 88% of vitamin C! Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, easy to prepare, and enjoyable to eat. I probably never would have tried it if I hadn't seen it on Not Eating Out in New York, so props to Ms. Erway for showing me the way!

On that note, I will end this post, with every intention of publishing my late-March adventures at a later time, including San Francisco with my family and Lindsey's visit to San Diego. Stay tuned for more from The Blonde Gourmande...