My BF-editor and I owe you an apology. We missed a blog. While pathologically inexcusable, we actually have a wonderful excuse, namely, a family reunion for the ages. They came from far and wide (we're talking from Boston to Bangkok, Thailand) for a beautiful unveiling ceremony for our mother in Portland, Oregon (complete with glitter and a wonderful Rabbi), as well as a burial for my dear auntie in the small town where I went to high school. If you've ever had one of those perfect days that you replay over and over in your mind, this was a week of perfect days. Friends, family, and of course copious amounts of good food. Goodbyes were difficult.

It was a week that couldn't be beet.

[Ed. note: Oh no you didn't. No one will ever buy this transition for the love of G—]

Beets! With spring in full swing, they're at their peak at all stores and farmers markets. This salad is so easy to put together, is a vibrant alternative to a leafy green salad, and pairs well with chicken or fish. Feta or goat cheese makes a nice optional addition, and if you're adventurous with oranges, you can't go wrong with the Cara Cara red-fleshed navel variety.

Of course, it must be noted that red beets stain easily, so if you want to avoid that, you can use golden beets. If you go that route, you might want to try blood oranges for contrast.

NOTES:

• Don’t throw out your beet greens! Wash them well to remove any grits, discard any tough stems, and sauté with garlic as you would spinach or kale.
• If you’re short on time, Trader Joe’s steamed beets is a quick alternative. Do not use canned, cooked beets.
• Mix this salad up by using yellow beets (bonus: no staining) and blood oranges for contrast.

Hello from the fam.

Adapted from: A Beautiful Plate and Gjelina, Cooking From Venice, California, Travis Lett
Number of servings: 4 small or 2 large

Ingredients

• 7-8 small or baby beets, roughly 1½–2 inches in diameter (*see notes)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 2 oranges + 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice. (I use Cara Cara or Blood Oranges)
• 3 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• 1 ripe, yet firm avocado, sliced lengthwise, then horizontally into ½-inch slices
• Small handful of micro greens (optional)
• 3 thinly sliced radishes
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions
Beets

1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Trim any beet greens (set aside), leaving roughly half an inch of stem on the top of the beets. Do not remove the root. Scrub gently with fingertips to clean, without piercing or removing the skin.
2. Place gently scrubbed beets in a small roasting pan. Fill with cold water until beets are halfway submerged. Add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Cover dish with foil, securing around the edges to prevent steam from escaping during the cooking process.
3. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (this will depend on the size of beets). Carefully fold back the foil (be careful of steam) and check done-ness by piercing the center of the beets with a paring knife—if the knife meets no resistance, the beets are finished cooking. If the knife meets resistance, allow the beets to continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove from oven, transfer beets to a large bowl, and allow to cool until beets are able to be handled (they will be easier to peel while still slightly warm). Hand-peel gently (I wear latex gloves to avoid staining). The root and tail should be easily removed.

Hazelnuts

1. Toast hazelnuts by putting them in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool before chopping.

Oranges

1. Meanwhile, prepare the orange segments. Trim both ends of the oranges. With a sharp pairing knife, and using the edges of the orange as your guide, remove the peel, and be sure to remove all of the white pith. Then carefully segment the orange by slicing between the membrane and the fruit. Set the orange segments aside. Use remaining orange core to squeeze out the juice.

Assembly

1. Cut peeled beets into quarters, and toss into a bowl with the remaining olive oil, sherry vinegar, and orange juice.
2. Spoon the beets on a large platter and drizzle on any remaining dressing. Add avocado slices, and season with salt and pepper. Top with orange segments, hazelnuts, radishes and a small handful of micro greens. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

All apologies, as the BF and I have been under the weather this week. Somehow, in over a quarter century of knowing each other, this is the first time we have been sick at the same time. [Ed. note: It's not like we were trying to set a record or anything.] We are slowly coming out of our funk.

​A more pleasant subject: strawberries! While fresh strawberries are not quite in season yet—soon!—this dessert actually uses the freeze-dried variety, which pack a supremely flavorful punch. So easy to make, we're talking roughly a half hour, this made a perfect little housewarming gift for a friend and her hubs.

Adapted from: Leelalicious
Number of servings: 2 small servings

Ingredients

• 1 bar Lindt White Chocolate (4.4 ounces)
• ¼ cup freeze dried strawberries
• ¼ cup roasted & salted pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped

Directions

1. Place parchment paper on a small baking sheet.
2. Chop chocolate bar into small pieces. Melt in double boiler or microwave. I put my chocolate in microwave and set for 20 second bursts. Stir. Do not over cook.
3. Stir in half the strawberries and half the pistachios into the melted white chocolate.
4. Pour chocolate out onto parchment paper, spread out and flatten with a spatula. Sprinkle with remaining pistachios and strawberries on top.
5. Keep in fridge until thoroughly chilled. Break or cut into pieces.

Today was San Francisco Giants opening day. [Ed. note: I can't  get over how Brian Wilson looks without that beard.]

Baseball fans are highly superstitious. The BF and I are no different. On game days, he wears an oh so carefully selected Giants T-shirt, while I wear my favorite black MADBUM long-sleeve fitted shirt. If we sojurn to AT&T Park, he sports his decades-old game cap with six [Ed. note: SIX.] Croix de Candlestick pins (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croix_de_Candlestick). We outfit Marlowe in a Cody Ross jersey (pic at bottom) and always grill up some really good hot dogs. Not burgers or pizza–hot dogs.

Somehow after 25 years of hot dogs on opening day, I (the girl who lives for tradition) bucked tradition this year and we lost 6-4 to the Seattle Mariners. Can't help thinking it's my fault. [Ed. note: @#$*&+<?%!]

Sorry, not sorry. Sorry Giants, but not sorry that we had this light, creamy, delicious, takes-less-than-30-minutes-to-make pasta. It's one of my favorite pasta meals, and even includes a veggie, but I promise to not break tradition again and will serve this only on non-baseball-opening-day events.
 
NOTES: If you have carnovoires and vegetarians sharing the table, no problem. The pancetta is sprinkled on top of the plated pasta. Also, if you can't find pancetta in your grocery store, bacon is fine to substitute.

Adapted from: The Pollan Family Table
Serves:  4 to 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 8 ounces pancetta, cut into ⅓-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound fusilli (corkscrew) pasta
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (10-ounce) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove excess liquid
• ¾ cup heavy cream
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Line a plate with paper towels.
2. In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Cook pancetta until brown and crispy, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes, taking care not to burn. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Discard the fat in the skillet. Let skillet cool slightly, then wipe it out with a paper towel.
3. Add one tablespoon salt and the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook until al dente, about one minute less than the directions on the package. Reserve ½ cup pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add spinach and mix well. Add the cream and stir until well heated, 2-3 minutes.
5. Season with nutmeg, ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to low and add the cooked pasta. Stir in 3 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Add butter and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, stirring to make a creamy sauce. If the mixture seems dry, add additional pasta water.
6. Transfer pasta to a serving bowl. Scatter pan­cetta over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Serve hot.

Play ball!