Last show, then… vacation!

Well, it's Friday — the end of a very long week and close to the end of my summer/fall craft show season. Tonight kicks off the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. I'll be in booth #102 and the show runs through Sunday. Come hear some music, have a beer and look at some art. Sounds fun, huh?! And then… Monday morning the boy and I run off to the Upper Peninsula for two weeks of unplanned, unchartered, dreamy northern exploring. That's right, we'll be gone for two whole weeks. I had thought that I would have a slew of posts scheduled to run in my absence because there has been a lot going on around here lately that I still need to tell you about. But really, the last two months have been such a whirlwind of activity that there just hasn't been time. And so, I leave you with peace and quiet on this space until the first week of October. I still have lots to share with you — some new designs in the works (a little sneak peek above from a project in the works), recent finds, yummy recipes and more — and I'll be gathering more from the northern climes (I've never been!). In the meantime, enjoy these crisp fall days and I'll see you soon!

Necklace love: Muggy Tuesday

I made just one purchase last weekend in Chicago and it was this beauty. For me it was all about the texture and color — an impulse I just couldn't resist. It was made by the two lovely sisters: Margaret (aka Muggy) and Sarah (aka Tuesday) who combined are the dynamic Muggy Tuesday. They live and craft together in Chicago creating gorgeous jewelry, hair accessories and home goods with recycled glass, crocheting and felting. Check out their shop, Facebook page, or tweets for more info.

And if you're in Ann Arbor, don't forget that tonight's MakersMeet at the Blue House. Bring your latest crafty project to work on and hang with the ladies. (Boys welcome, too, but you haven't made an appearance yet!) See you there!

Renegade Chicago Craft Fair

Welcome to Chicago! Yes, this is me snapping a photo of the skyline while driving. I was headed into town for the Renegade Craft Fair and everything looked so pretty.

I have to admit that after two weeks of gorgeous weather, I couldn't believe when I woke to such grey skies on Saturday morning. But after a wee mishap with the rain coming right through our tent, our kindliest neighbors helped us spread a tarp over the tent, the skies cleared, and my boothmate, Michelle of Elevated Press, and I got setup and the place was hoppin'.  

 

We took advantage of the fantastic setup next door built by those same kindly neighbors from shipping palettes. I think it really added to our display. Doesn't Michelle look happy?! As usual, I didn't venture out as much as I would have liked, but it's just too fun to talk to everyone visiting our booth.  Of course, I didn't have to go far to see some amazing things. Immediately next to us was the booth with the palette display and three wonderful vendors I would recommend checking out: Mary of Flora Fauna who crafts charming birds and other critters from gorgeous upcycled suiting material, Beulah's Porch with fun yet sophisticated felted banners and the wonderfully utilitarian line of Winter Session products like ticking aprons, bags crafted from Carhartts and more. It's always so fun to meet great new people and this crowd was fantastic—so enthusiastic and welcoming! Thanks so much to everyone who came out. I look forward to seeing you again next time! If you didn't make it to this show, you can always check out the vendor list on the Renegade site here.

Do it yourself, gosh darn it!

That's DIY, I mean. As in the DIY Street Fair. I'm rushing out the door to get myself down to Chicago for this weekend's Renegade Craft Fair, but wanted to pop in quickly so you can plan for next weekend's not-to-be-missed event: the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. Friday, Saturday and Sunday (9/17-19) — that's two days and three nights — of live music, lip-smacking good craft beers from the Mitten and lip-smacking good craft crafts from the Mitten, too! This is one of my favorite shows so I hope to see you there!

Cuban-Style Pork worthy of the clipping service

My stepfather, Dennis, is not known for his culinary expertise. He has two specialties in the kitchen: meatballs and meatloaf. (Yes, that's two.) Dennis does, however, have a penchant for clipping articles out of newspapers. If he finds out you are interested in a topic, you'll have your own personal clipping service whether you like it or not. The boy, for example, regularly receives envelopes in the mail with all articles pertaining to solar power Dennis can lay his hands on — no note, no post-it, just the articles neatly trimmed from the page. I think it's sweet. That said, with all his clipping, it is rare to find a recipe in his archives. Yes, he may find something on an unusual cocktail on rare occasion, which we then try out at the next family gathering, but, recipes are not the norm. That is why it is so unusual that the one I'm about to lay down was cut out by him back in the 90s. Something about it caught his eye and my mother, brothers and I have been making it ever since. It's chock full of citrus and garlic and easily straddles this strange season between summer and fall.  

Cuban-Style Pork 

Serves 4.

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 Tb freshly squeezed lime juice

1 pork tenderloin or 4 boneless center-cut pork chops

1 Tb olive oil

Combine onion, garlic, cumin, cilantro, salt and pepper in a baking dish just large enough to hold the pork in a single layer. Pour orange and lime juices over and stir to combine. Add pork and marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill. Remove chops from marinade, scraping off excess. Grill until just cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side depending on size of tenderloin, or until a meat thermometer reads between145º and 155º. Remove and let rest five minutes before slicing to serve. 

If making chops, heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high. Add pork, after scraping off excess marinade and cook each side 4 to 5 minutes, or until just cooked through.

While the pork is cooking, pour marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes to make it safe for consumption. Spoon over pork and serve with rice and baby carrots sprinkled with a tiny bit of cinnamon and allspice.

The Sketchbook Project 2011

I finally signed up for The Sketchbook Project 2011! "It's like a concert tour but with sketchbooks," says the web site. What a great concept! Everyone who participates receives a blank Moleskin sketchbook and a theme. You fill the book with your scribblings and nonsense and then send it back. In March 2011, the books will go on tour en masse visiting museums and galleries in Brooklyn, Austin, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland (ME) and Atlanta. It then finds its way back to become part of the permanent collection of the Brooklyn Art Library. The project is organized by Art House Co-op which specializes in huge international art projects open to anyone and tying thousands of artists and everyday folks together.

When you sign up, you have the option of choosing a theme or having one selected at random for you. There were just too many good ones:

•    Help!

•    Jackets, blankets, and sheets

•    Things found on restaurant napkins

•    It's raining dogs and cats

•    Revenge

•    Trading forever

•    Dirigibles and submersibles

•    Capture the flag

•    ... you'd be home by now

•    Make mine a double

•    In 5 minutes...

•    Adhere to me

•    Coffee and cigarettes

•    Boys and girls

•    The greatest story ever told

•    Science project gone wrong

•    Down your street

•    Secret codes

I had one selected at random and am really excited because it wasn't even on the list: A record year for rainfall. Yay!  It's due back in January, so I better get drawing… but the project is open to anyone, so go check it out and get your sketchbook!

Roasted Chicken with Ricotta & Herb Filling

This recipe is one of my all-time go-to roast chicken recipes. You may not be able to tell in the dark, blueish photo above, but with this recipe you get a beautifully browned, moist chicken every time with a tasty, cheesy ricotta and herb filling that lands somewhere between a soufflé and a popover. The chicken is spatchcocked -- butterflied and spread flat, easier than it may sound -- which ensures even cooking throughout the bird. The filling is so tasty on its own though, that you could easily skip that, roast your chicken in your usual way and just cook the filling on its own. This recipe makes extra filling anyway to be cooked separately. Be sure to use a high-quality ricotta as it provides the main flavor.

Roasted Chicken with Ricotta and Herb Filling
Adapted from Gourmet, July 2007

Filling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tb extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups whole-milk ricotta (preferably fresh; 2 pounds)
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 Tb chopped fresh oregano
2 Tb chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Chicken
1 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1 Tb extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400°F with racks in middle and lower third. Oil a large shallow roasting pan.

Filling:
Heat oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until just golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in ricotta, eggs, parmesan, herbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Chicken:
Remove backbone from chicken with kitchen shears by cutting down either side of the bone as close as possible and then removing. Pat chickens dry inside and out, then spread flat, skin sides up. Cut a 1/2-inch slit on each side of chicken in the triangle of skin between the thigh and breast near the drumstick, then tuck the knob of each drumstick through slit. (Here is a more detailed photo how-to for spatchcocking from the San Francisco Chronicle.)

Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and spread flat, skin side up, in prepared pan. Gently slide your finger between skin and flesh of breast and legs to loosen skin being careful not to tear skin. Using a small spoon, slide 2/3 cup ricotta mixture under skin, using a finger on outside of skin to spread filling over meat of breast, thighs, and drumsticks. Tuck wing tips under. Brush skin all over with 1 tablespoon oil (1 tablespoon) and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spoon remaining filling into an oiled 1-quart shallow baking dish (approximately 10 x 7 inches).

Bake chicken in middle of oven 30 minutes, then put dish of stuffing in oven on lower rack. Continue baking until chicken is just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (through stuffing; do not touch bone) registers 170°F and until gratin is puffed and golden, about 30 minutes more. Let chicken rest 10 minutes, then cut into quarters. Serve with baked filling.

Just 10 more days until Renegade Craft Fair

That's right! Just ten more days until Chicago's Renegade Craft Fair. Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m in Wicker Park. Over 300 vendors (wow!) I'll be there selling my wares — and sharing a booth with Michelle of Elevated Press. In the meantime, I'm busy printing and prepping, with not as much time for the kitchen as I would like. But the craft shows are so worth it because I get to meet some of you in person and see your smiling faces. So please do come on by and say hello!

Calling all foodies in NY: Ticket giveaway!

Hi all! I wrote a little about the North Fork Foodie Tour a few weeks back while I was designing the poster for it. Now I'm back with a few tickets to give away. The tour takes place on Sunday, September 12 on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island, NY — the perfect excuse for a weekend getaway! Fall is the best of the best seasons on the North Fork and you'll get to visit amazing artisan food producers and farmers throughout the area. All you need to do to win a pair or two of tickets is visit Sloe Gin Fizz, my Etsy shop, and leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite item is. Please include your email address in the comment so I can let you know if you've won. That's it. It's that easy and then you could be drinking wine, slurping oysters, sampling goat cheese, all while touring the lovely North Fork on a beautiful fall day! I have two pairs of tickets to give away and since this is only available to those who can get themselves to the North Fork, I will choose one comment at random as the winner. I will offer that winner the option of all four tickets and if they only want two, I will move on to winner number two. You must enter by Sunday, September 5 at 12noon. I'll announce the winner on Monday, September 6. Spread the word to anyone you think might be able to make it to the area for the tour! Thanks so much for playing along! Here's a glimpse of the North Fork to get you in the mood…

A flower for Friday

A flower for you late on this Friday afternoon… have a wonderful weekend! Maybe I'll see you at the People's Arts Festival in Detroit? If not… let's chat Monday.

Drawing a dream car

My friend Rania's husband just bought his all-time dream car: a 1978 Volkswagen beetle convertible. He owned this same car when he was just twenty years old and always knew he wanted another. And what fun for me, Rania asked me to draw this new dream car for him as a gift. Have a look…

4th Annual People's Arts Festival

People's Arts Festival

This weekend! August 28 & 29 • Free!

Russell Industrial Center • Detroit

Art! Music! Film! Performance!

Saturday, 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. • Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

The Flexitarian Table: Shrimp with Harissa

So sorry I forgot to mention that I would be away for a long weekend -- I had a great time in Chicago visiting with friends. To make up for the quiet on the blog front though, I have recipes for a whole meal to post!

I've been obsessing over a new cookbook I borrowed from the library: The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley. The book focuses on flexible menus that can easily accommodate both vegetarian and non-vegetarian eaters with just slight changes in the prep. By interchanging vegetable proteins, such as tofu or eggs, for meats and applying the same recipe to both, Berley presents a wonderful array of meals that I am dying to try. The book is divided by season and most menus are geared toward two vegetarian servings and two- non veg servings, so it's easy to adjust for just two people. This is just the first of many meals I plan to make from from the book.

I was curious about the harissa in this recipe because I had made harissa once before with a very different texture. This has similar spices but without the red peppers and is the perfect accompaniment to tender shrimp. Delicious! There's a lot going on here, so read through everything first and if possible, do all your chopping and prep for the whole meal before starting to cook anything. The vegetarian version in the book served an egg on top instead of shrimp.

Shrimp in Harissa with Fresh Corn Polenta, Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes and Grilled Zucchini in Mint Oil

Serves 2.

POLENTA

1 1/2 cups water

1 Tb unsalted butter

1/2 tsp seal or kosher salt

1/2 cup medium corn grits

1/2 cup corn kernels (from 1 large or 2 small ears)

1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced, white separated and reserved for tomatoes

Preheat oven to 200º F.

In medium ovenproof saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add butter and salt, then stir in grits and corn and continue to stir until water returns to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until polenta is thick, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in scallion green, cover and transfer to oven to keep warm.

(Note: If you are broiling your shrimp, as I did, you won't be able to keep the polenta warm in the oven. Try to plan to have the polenta ready right before you broil the shrimp. Then simply keep the polenta covered on the back of the stove top -- burner off -- and it should stay plenty warm.)

SHRIMP

2 tsp ground cumin, preferably toasted and freshly ground
1/2 tsp ground fennel, preferably toasted and freshly ground
1/2 tsp ground caraway, preferably toasted and freshly ground
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
5 Tb olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a medium bowl, stir together cumin, fennel, caraway, cayenne and salt. Whisk in olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Toss shrimp in mixture and marinate 10 to 15 minutes. Do not marinade for longer as the acid of the lemon will start to cook the shrimp and make it tough.

Preheat broiler or grill.

Thread shrimp onto skewers (if using bamboo skewers, be sure to soak in water for at least 30 minutes before using). Cook under broiler or grill until cooked through, turning once, about 3 minutes per side.

TOMATOES

2 Tb olive oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2-3 Tb mixed fresh herbs, chopped (oregano, basil, parsley, tarragon, etc)

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, combine oil, tomatoes, garlic, reserved scallion white and red pepper flakes and cook over high heat, stirring, until tomatoes soften and begin to release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in herbs and cook 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Divide polenta between two shallow soup plates. Spoon tomatoes and shrimp over top and serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

But wait, there's more...

ZUCCHINI
1-2 small zucchini, sliced lengthwise, 1/2-inch thick
Sea or kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 Tb coarsely chopped fresh mint
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkle zucchini slices all over with salt. Lay flat on kitchen or paper towel to drain for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine oil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring just to a simmer and cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until garlic is golden. Add mint and remove from heat.

Light a grill or preheat broiler.

Brush off all the salt and pat zucchini dry. Lightly brush tops with mint oil. Place oiled side down on grill or broiler pan and cook, turning once, until softened and nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (I put the zucchini under the broiler a couple of minutes before adding shrimp so all would finish at once.)

Transfer zucchini to platter and drizzle with 1-2 Tb of remaining mint oil and the vinegar and season with salt and pepper.

Oasis in the city: County Farm Park

The last couple of weeks I was in a bit of a funk — I just couldn't seem to get out of it. When our hot, muggy, humid weather finally broke on Monday, I started to feel a bit brighter. That afternoon I went for a walk in a park that a kind little bird told me about (thank you, little bird). It helped put the spring back in my step. It's the County Farm Park in Ann Arbor and I thought I would show a little bit of what cheered me up. I hope it brightens your day, too.

Most of these are from the Project Grow community garden plots located there, but the park has so much more to explore. I didn't even get a chance to walk through the perennial gardens or into the Briton Woods nature trails… I can't wait to go back!

Yes, that's right: MORE fried chicken

I do love my fried chicken. Can't you tell? I am posting yet another recipe for it — this one is an easy, weeknight oven-baked variety from Paula Deen, as opposed to the super-deluxe Chesapeake Fried Chicken I wrote about recently from my pal John. It's super crispy from panko bread crumbs, and has some hidden mustardy goodness to keep it moist and flavorful. I'm sorry to say that all you get is this one lousy photo. I was going to come back and take a couple more photos once I sliced it open, but I made the mistake of having a bite first and completely forgot and chowed down on it in a flash. You would have done the same — I know you would.

Mustard & Panko Oven-Fried Chicken
Adapted from Paula Deen
Serves 2.

1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoons freshly minced thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
2 Tb Dijon mustard
1 Tb water
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 -inch thickness

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack in the pan. Brush the rack with oil.

In a shallow dish, combine Panko, cheese, 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste. In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, salt and pepper, to taste, and remaining olive oil.

Dip each chicken breast in mustard mixture to coat and then dredge each in bread crumb mixture, patting the crumbs into place if necessary. Place on prepared rack in pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown.

Come be social & crafty at the Blue House

What are you doing with your bad self tomorrow evening? I know what I'll be doing to stay out of trouble: I'll be curled up in a comfy chair over at the Blue House gettin' my craft on. If you're in the Ann Arbor area, how about stopping by for a little crafty socializing? We're having a casual drop-in "MakersMEET," so pull up a chair with that project you've been working on, come start a new one you've been meaning to get to, or just come and chat and chill. Feel free to bring some wine, beer, snacks, what have you... or nothing at all but your sweet self. Now I just need to decide whether to bring the little sewing project (top photo) I started at the June MakersMEET and haven't touched since -- or my latest knitting project (bottom photo). Hope to see you there!

Gram's Fruit Cake

My mom has been making this cake for as long as I can remember‚ especially in summer. When I copied down the recipe, it was for "Gram's Fruit Cake." I don't know who's gram it's from, but I'm sure she's been making the rounds because this is such an easy and versatile cake. It's one of those desserts you can so easily throw together for last minute company or running out the door to a picnic or potluck. You almost certainly have the ingredients in your pantry as long as you can scrounge up one paltry piece of fruit. The original called for one McIntosh apple, but you can substitute just about any fruit you'd like: peaches, pears, blueberries, strawberries, etc. That's the beauty of it — that, and it tastes great! This weekend I made it with my all-time favorite fruit combination: peaches and blueberries.

Gram's Fruit Cake
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
2 Tb butter, melted
1 McIntosh apple or equivalent other fruits (use as much as you'd like)
cinnamon
1 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
Sift together flour, sugar and baking powder.
Beat together egg and milk and add to dry ingredients.
Pour into prepared pan.
Cut fruit and place on top of batter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and about 1 tsp sugar.
Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

As you can see, I get all crazy about placing the fruit — kind of like meticulously filling in every single holes on a waffle with syrup. This is completely unnecessary as the cake bakes up around and over the fruit, so you won't see the pattern. But I still find it very satisfying. Do as you will…

Guest post: Aida's Ham and Cheese Cake

At the recent Detroit Maker Faire, fellow maker Rania, of Mains de fees, shared a couple of slices of what she called "salt cake." Her friend Diane had made it and knowing from this blog that I love food, Rania wanted to make the connection between us. Diane loves to cook and I was intrigued by the "cake" she had made. It is filled with flavor — little bits of ham, salty olives, lots of herby flavor and a dense texture.

I contacted Diane and she graciously offered to share with me — and you — this recipe that has long been a favorite in her family. Voilá! The result is that today I present you with this blog's first ever guest post and recipe. Welcome, Diane!

Aida, my mother — the greatest cook — is always looking for new recipes and when we were still living in Paris, France, she discovered this salty cake in a magazine. When we tried it… what a success! It was a hit in our family and has been ever since! That makes 20 years and still counting! So when Nicole tasted it, she got hooked and here’s for you one of the favorite recipes of my family.

Aida’s Ham and Cheese Cake
Makes 1 loaf.

3 eggs
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup diced ham
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup olives, sliced
1 Tb herbes de provence (or a mix of dried oregano, rosemary, sage, basil & thyme)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast
1/3 cup of milk
butter for the pan

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Butter a standard loaf pan.

Blanch the olives for a few seconds so they are less salty. (Note from Nicole: Place them in a strainer that you can submerge in boiling water for a minute or two and then lift out. Run under cold water for a few minutes and then drain well.) Dry them well with paper towel.

Heat milk in a small saucepan over low for a minute or two until it is between 110º and 115ºF. Remove from heat and stir in yeast until it dissolves. Let sit for five minutes. The yeast should be foamy and smell bready.

Sift together the flour, salt and pepper into a mixing bowl.

Lightly whisk eggs in a separate bowl, then add the yeast and milk combination and olive oil.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the ham, cheese, olives and herbs.

Pour batter into prepared pan — it should be no more than ¾ full. Bake until cake is just firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on a rack, then turn out onto rack and allow to cool completely.

You can always add some sun to your cake with sundried tomatoes, or toasted pine nuts, or apricot and hazelnuts. As long as you have good ham, good cheese, good olives, that’s a good start and then you can improvise!

I hope you will enjoy it! Try it with a delicious spinach and strawberries salad, with a balsamic vinaigrette!

Bon Appétit! ;)
From Aida & Diane!

I did a little more digging online to figure out the origins of "salt cakes" and found a recent article in the New York Times (it appeared just days after the salt cake crossed my lips!) that describes cake salés, or savory quick breads that in France you often find at informal family gatherings, but rarely in restaurants or markets. The article even talks about a New York chef whose French mother saves cake salé recipes clipped from women's magazines for him. Hurray for French magazines!

Thanks so much to Diane and Aida for sharing this little slice of France.
Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Local love: Courtney Fischer Jewelry

This summer has been all about taking part in local craft shows — which means, of course, lots of shopping at local craft shows! I'd had my eye on this delicate leaf necklace from Courtney Fischer Jewelry since early July. And, to my delight, the boy picked it up for me for my birthday. Aw shucks. So sweet. And that's just what I'd say about Courtney, too: aw shucks, so sweet! The girl's a doll and her jewelry is gorgeous, affordable and local — coming to you from Royal Oak. You can see more jewelry treats in her Etsy shop, Cefische.

Quick, easy — pico de gallo

Tomato season is finally here which means plenty of fixin's for the beak of the rooster! Huh? What? Pico de gallo, of course! Fresh, hand-cut salsa — the perfect treat, with some nice fresh tortilla chips, at the end of a long, steamy day.

Pico de Gallo
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
1/2 medium white onion, finely chopped
4-6 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, finely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 tablespoon lime juice
Salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and chill for about an hour or so.

For milder heat, remove the jalapeno seeds before adding. I like to rub a little bit of oil on my hands before chopping the peppers. This keeps the oils of the pepper from penetrating your skin very much. Some people choose to seed the tomatoes, too, but I don't mind this salsa being a little looser and juicier. Others like to add a bit of garlic. You could also add some cucumber, radish or mango. Serve with chips, fajitas, tacos … you name it! Summer's finest.