{nest}

this is my husband's company nest woodworking. i am so proud of this man... he started his own company, he is such an amazing designer and woodworker... not to mention a wonderful father, and husband. jackpot.

i can't wait for him to design our new kitchen in our first home... and, i have to have one of these reclaimed tub shelves.

{spinach salad with valencia oranges, and citrus ginger soy dressing}

{spinach salad with valencia oranges, and citrus ginger soy dressing}

my recipe

{ingredients}

3-4 valencia oranges

spinach

toasted slivered almonds {to taste}

{citrus ginger soy dressing}

1/3 cup oil {i had olive oil on hand}

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

2 1/2 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 tsp orange zest {use a microplaner if you have one}

1 tsp ginger, grated with a mircroplaner or finely minced

1/4 tsp garlic, pressed or finely minced

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoons rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

{to make the dressing}

whisk ingredients together in a small bowl, blend in blender, or {my personal favorite}, shake in a mason jar. taste dressing and adjust if necessary. set aside for at least 30 minutes to let flavors blend.

this will make enough dressing for multiple servings.

spinach

3-4 valencia oranges

toasted slivered almonds {to taste}

{for the salad}

segment oranges {here is a good link, if you haven't done this}. i added about 6 segments to my single serving salad.

add desired amount of spinach to a large bowl, with enough dressing to coat the spinach leaves and mix with your hands {they should glisten}

for a single serving, you can plate the salad and then top with orange segments and toasted almonds. if serving for larger party, mix the spinach and dressing in a serving bowl and top with orange segments and almonds.

*notes

avacado is yummy in this salad. also, grilled chicken or salmon served over this salad would be wonderful. i would have added toasted sesame seeds, but i didn't have any on hand.

*this is my recipe... please link back to me if you post this again. let me know if you make it... and how you like it.

xo,

alison rae

{grow}

somehow watching these narcissus grow... green and budding every day, right before my eyes is helping to cure the mid-winter blues. not to mention my sudden case of spring fever.

{still life} kitchen table

vintage green glass pitcher, quince, great grandma ella's green salt and pepper shakers {she collected them}

Turkey Meatballs

i used to make this meal often when i was a nanny on russell avenue south, near lake of the isles. it started as a bit of an experiment when i needed to make dinner for the family, and i used whatever was on hand at the time. ground turkey, shallots, thyme, pasta... it came together as a sort of happy accident, and quickly became a favorite meal of the family and kids. now, i make it often for my own family.

{turkey meatballs}

my recipe

ingredients

1 lb spaghetti or linguini

1 lb ground turkey

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 small shallot, finely minced

fresh thyme, to taste

1/3 cup italian seasoned bread crumbs {i like the bella brand}

1/3 cup parmesan, plus more for serving

2 eggs

salt and ground pepper to taste {don't be afraid to liberally season the turkey mixture}

2 tablespoons olive oil

splash of red wine or chicken stock

flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped {for serving}

1 quart, plus 2 cups of your favorite pasta sauce {my recipe coming soon}

combine ground turkey, garlic, shallots, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. add egg and stir to combine. add bread crumbs and parmesan stirring well. shape into medium balls and set aside on plate.

heat olive oil in a large sauce pan. brown meatballs {in small batches} on all sides, turning with a spatula, until browned, but not cooked through. once they start to brown on a couple sides, they will firm up, and you can give the pan a good shake to get turn them. remove first batch from pan, and add more olive oil if needed. remove cooked meatballs to a plate and set aside.

once you've removed the meatballs from the pan, add a splash of red wine or chicken stock to de glaze the pan. pour in pasta sauce and add the meatballs, along with juices. add fresh thyme to taste. cover and simmer over med-low heat until meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is full of flavor. {25-30 minutes}

meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, and drain. remove meatballs with slotted spoon, and add cooked pasta to the sauce, coating well. plate pasta on individual plates/pasta bowls, or on a platter. top with meatballs.

garnish with fresh thyme or flat leaf parsley, and serve with fresh grated/shredded parmesan cheese.

*note... i am new to writing my own recipes, so please don't hesitate to notify of major grammar offenses, or issues with the recipe. but, better yet... let me know how you like it when you make this recipe at home.

xo,

alison rae

{finding home}

we finally found our home, and oh how sweet it is.

dear plum street house, i knew you were ours the moment i saw you ... we can't wait to come home.

love,

alison, steve, and august

{sweet potato pizza} with garlic, basil, gorgonzola, and hazelnuts

{sweet potato pizza} with garlic, basil, gorgonzola, and hazelnuts

recipe by me

1 medium-large sweet potato

3 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons chicken stock

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1/4 cup hazelnuts toasted and chopped

2-3 leaves basil, chiffonade

gorgonzola, to taste

1/2 cup parmesan

salt and cracked pepper to taste

pizza dough {i use my artisan bread recipe for neapolitan pizza dough} this crust was made with part whole wheat and flax seed meal.

preheat oven to 500 degrees

heat olive oil in a small saucepan; peel garlic cloves and cut into very thin slices, and add to the oil. cook garlic on low heat until fragrant and tender (around 10 minutes). peel sweet potato and cook in boiling water until tender. put in a bowl with chicken stock and maple syrup and a pinch of salt, and mash. set aside.

break off about 1/2 lb {around a softball sized ball} of dough from the artisan bread dough. you will be able to adjust this, depending on how you like your crust, or how big you want your pizza to be {if making a bigger pizza, break off grapefruit sized ball, and double toppings}.

on a floured surface, roll out dough, to desired thickness. don't be afraid to dust with flour in this process, this dough is a wet dough and can handle the flour... i also love the way it looks when it is baked and still has a dusting of flour on the crust. this particular pizza i rolled to about medium thickness, and slightly smaller than a dinner plate. but i've also rolled it very thin and once baked, it is wonderfully crisp.

here is more on rolling out the dough {neapolitan pizza dough recipe}

Flatten the dough into a 1/8-inch-thick round with your hands and a rolling pin on a wooden board. Dust with flour to keep the dough from sticking. (A little sticking can help overcome the dough’s re sis tance to stretching, though, so don’t overuse flour.) You also can let the partially rolled dough relax for a few minutes to allow further rolling. Stretching by hand may help, followed by additional rolling. Place the rolled- out dough onto a liberally cornmeal- covered pizza peel.

sprinkle a generous amount of cornmeal on a baking sheet and transfer pizza dough.

spread sweet potato over the crust as you would pizza sauce. top with garlic, drizzling some of the fragrant olive oil over the pizza. crumble gorgonzola, and sprinkle with parmesan. season with salt and cracked pepper. top with basil chiffonade and bake at 500 degrees for around 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. slice and top with toasted hazelnuts, and a bit more parmesan.

*plate by kate fisher {my favorite local potter}.