Current Addiction: Cowboy Bark

When was the last time that you had a bite of something new and literally felt addicted from your first mouthful? (Please do not respond if your answer involves an illegal substance...haha). This has not happened to me very often, but I have to take my hat off to Trader Joe's Cowboy Bark. Thanks to this little yellow package, I now need to order size 50 jeans and become a member of Cowboy Bark Addicts Anonymous. Please let me know if you would like to join my local chapter.

So what is this Cowboy Bark I speak of? It basically looks like an unappetizing pile of dirt, but do not be fooled. The brown blob you see in the photos below is actually an irresistible combination of dark chocolate, toffee, pretzels, chocolate wafer cookies, peanuts, and almonds. You are probably asking: "Kristina, are you really addicted? I mean, what constitutes an addiction versus thinking something just tastes really good?" Well my friends, it is an addiction if you hide said package of Cowboy Bark in a dark corner of the kitchen cabinet and don't tell your husband, family, and friends that it exists until every last mouthful is GONE. Yep, hi Stuart . . . I umm found a new treat called Cowboy Bark and didn't tell you about until this blog post. Sorry!!

Has anyone else tried Cowboy Bark? Or, is there another treat or type of food in general that you just can't get enough of? I'd love to hear what I might be missing out on!

 

 

Authentic Greek Salad

We still have one glorious month of summer ahead until September rolls around and Stuart starts grad school in the fall. Tomatoes are just about perfect right now and I have been busy enjoying fresh tomatoes in pastas, this burrata nectarine salad, and...you guessed it, Greek salad! I thought I would devote a quick post to my love of this easy, fresh salad and my very strong opinions about what makes an "authentic" Greek salad superior to the Americanized version.

I was lucky enough to travel to Greece in the summer of 2005 before I started college, a generous high school graduation gift from mom and dad. While there, I learned the pleasures of eating a true Greek salad - something I indulged in once or twice per day. In America if you order Greek salad off the menu it likely comes on a bed of fresh lettuce. WRONG! An authentic Greek salad has no lettuce at all - the spotlight is on the crisp, fresh ingredients such as cucumber, tomato, and onion. And guess what: the Greek salad I made, pictured above, is also not authentic (sadly, it's the best I could do at the time). An true Greek salad will come with one large, intact rectangle of feta cheese sitting on top that you break up as you eat. Not once in Greece will you see this salad served with pre-crumbled feta. Aside from looking pretty, this serving style means that your cheese will be more fresh and flavorful. An authentic salad should look more like the one pictured below.

Ingredients:

1 cucumber, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
1/2 pound feta cheese (not crumbled)
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil


Directions:

1. Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.
2. For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. 

3. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

 

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Hello readers! I hope everyone had a great weekend and did something fun this past week. Stuart and I just got back on Wednesday night from a nearly week-long vacation at my family's cabin in Twin Lakes, CA. It was a long drive to get there (about 7.5 hours), but once there we were surrounded by pine trees, alpine lakes, and a complete absence of cell phone service or internet. I was a bit worried at first to be disconnected from work, but it was absolutely glorious.

My sister Anna and her boyfriend, Sam, were able to join us all the way from New York City for several days of the trip. It was amazing to have a mini family reunion at a place that is so special to all of us. We spent the time together how we do best: with lots of waffles, barbeque, homemade apricot pie, vegetables from my parents' garden, fish caught in Yosemite rivers...and of course lots of hiking in between.

Now I just want the summer fun to continue forever. What better way to do that then by making this watermelon agua fresca? Something about homemade cocktails and beverages just hits the summertime sweet spot. The plus? You can add tequila or vodka for a little grown-up kick.

 

Ingredients:
8 cups seedless watermelon cubes
6 tablespoons honey or agave nectar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice plus 1 sliced lime
A few sprigs mint or rosemary
Ice cubes

Directions:
Puree watermelon in blender. Strain into bowl through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in honey and lime juice. Stir in 1-1/2 cups water, lime slices and mint. Chill thoroughly then serve over ice.  

 

 

Add a sprig of rosemary to each glass for a fancy flair!