warm as toast

well that didn't work out so well did it? so much for daily posts.

my best girl from brooklyn was in town from tuesday-sunday last week. it was such a treat to hang out with her. of course, if you asked ollie she's his best girl and she was here primarily to see him.

we had a very fun and busy weekend, with way too much food and drink. yesterday i was pretty assed out.

we did dinner at nizza la bella on friday night. i'm in love with their old fashioned and their french fries with aioli.

then saturday we had folks for brunch at our house. it was sort of last minute. i threw together a couple quiche (quiches?), a green salad, a fruit salad, and set out some bread and cheese. and of course, there was lots to drink, including coffee, mimosas and beer.

the quiche were simple, i roughly based them on the joy of cooking's quiche recipe, 'cept i cheated and used premade crusts. i filled one with onion, cheese and broccoli and the other with onion, cheese and bacon. brunch is my favorite meal to host and quiche is so easy.

the fruit salad was this one, from oven lovin' girl's blog, except i modified it slightly since i decided to make it while at the store and i was working from memory when purchasing the ingredients.

Fruit Salad Macedonia

3 lbs strawberries, quartered

2 pints blueberries

2 pints raspberries

1 pint pomegranate seeds

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 2 oranges

2 tablespoons sugar

Handful of mint, chopped

Chop the strawberries and add to a large bowl with berries. Add OJ, lemon juice, sugar and mint. Cover and let sit in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

Recipe via Oven Lovin' Girl from Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, Extra Virgin.

i bought butter lettuce, purple cabbage, carrots and avocado for the salad. i dressed it with jacques pepin's quick cream dressing, which calls for heavy cream, which i just happened to have because of the quiche. and, jacques says this dressing contains less than half the calories of the oil needed in a conventional dressing. i can get with that jacques.

Quick Cream Dressing

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Just before serving, put the cream, salt and pepper in a salad bowl and whip with a whisk for about 15 seconds, or until frothy. Stir in vinegar. Add lettuce and serve immediately.

Recipe from Jacques Pepin's Fast Food My Way.

we're hosting another brunch this coming sunday. i need ideas. i'm pretty quiched out.