You like fennel, you just don’t know it yet. When I was in culinary school, we made a version of this fennel salad during a knife skills session. I dreaded tasting it. All I knew about fennel was that it had an anise flavor that I regularly avoided. That day in culinary school proved me wrong about fennel. Prepared the right way, fennel is fantastic.

If you are looking for a fresh take on a winter salad, this salad is for you. It’s a welcome departure from your basic green salad with tomato and cucumber. It’s light, crunchy, and fresh. I can’t get enough of the beautiful oranges I’m finding around town and they are awesome in this salad. In addition to the vibrant pop of citrus, the fennel and pistachios add the most satisfying crunch. The dressing is simple but totally works. Soften the shallots in lemon, whisk in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Fennel needs a publicist or should be sold with instructions. Admittedly, fennel is odd looking and most people don’t know what to do with it. From the outside, it’s got stalks with leafy fronds shooting out of a large bulb. On the inside, it’s built like an onion with multiple layers held together by a core. For this salad, remove the stalks, cut the bulb in half, and remove the core. Slice the fennel into thin slices.

I eat this salad a few times a week for lunch. It’s so flavorful and the combination of citrus, fennel, and pistachios is so good! If serving for dinner, I would pair this with a simply grilled or pan fried fish or Roast Chicken.

Enjoy!

Remove the stalks. Save those pretty fennel fronds for plating.

Slice bulb in half.

Remove core.

Have at it! Slice away.

Those colors, though! Looks pretty even before the toss.

Breakfast Burritos may be the best thing to happen to my morning routine in years. They are the perfect “to-go” breakfast for busy weekday mornings and a huge hit on the weekends for a sleepover crowd.

This is a great make ahead breakfast. I make a big batch of Breakfast Burritos and freeze them for busy weekday mornings. We are out the door every morning by 7:15 am. There is little time for a proper breakfast but my kids still need to eat. I grab one of the personalized burritos, heat them up, and they have a perfect breakfast ready to go!

These burritos are easy to personalize for each member of the family. The great thing about setting up an assembly line of ingredients is that you can easily add in or leave out ingredients to your child’s liking. If one of your kids doesn’t eat cheese, skip it! Wrap up the burrito, label it (if freezing), and you have a great breakfast ready to go!

Set up the assembly line of ingredients.

Start layering ingredients.

Don’t overstuff the burrito or the tortilla will tear.

Don’t forget the salsa!

Here is a great recipe to get started making your new go-to breakfast.

Enjoy!

If you read my Pasta with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs post, you know all about my lifelong obsession with tomatoes. What I didn’t share with you is the first recipe I ever concocted as a little girl in Wisconsin. In the summer, I would take a slice of white bread (cough, Wonder Bread), slather it with mayonnaise, and layer thick, juicy tomato slices with a healthy sprinkle of salt. That delicious combination brings me back to those warm summer days in Kenosha.

I’m still obsessed with that simple sandwich, but now I use quality ingredients. Oh, and on the Wonder Bread, cut me a break, people. It was the early 80s, and I hadn’t yet moved to the gourmet ghetto in Berkeley, California.

Feeling out of place is a classic symptom of being 14, but once I moved to Berkeley, I knew I was out of place. I missed Wisconsin terribly, and I had trouble making friends. I dreaded Mr. Brush’s drama class because it fell just before lunch. The end of class meant I had to face the courtyard at lunch with nowhere to sit. It was awful.

When I learned you could go off campus for lunch, I felt saved. I walked with purpose up to Shattuck Avenue as if I had a pressing appointment. As it turns out, I did. Downtown Berkeley introduced me to new foods and taught me the importance of simple but good ingredients. When I recall tasting my first potsticker, lunching on fresh baguettes and special cheese, or even having frozen yogurt for the first time, I relive the moments in my life when I fell madly in love with food.

Lunch is still an important part of my day. I’m usually at home working but don’t want to give up the opportunity to indulge in something delicious. I keep simple, seasonal ingredients at home that create beautiful lunches. Just because I can’t go out to eat doesn’t mean I can’t have something wonderful. My Tomato Burrata Tartine is a great example of a perfect summer lunch. This tartine is insanely addictive, bursting with flavor, and will have you obsessively hunting down the very best tomatoes you can find.

Enjoy!