In My Kitchen ~ July 2014

It’s the beginning of the month and you know what that means right?  You do know don’t you?  You’re so good.  Yes, it’s another look into my kitchen and many other kitchens around the world via our gracious host Celia over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

Welcome to the middle of winter!  It’s been really tolerable so far which is great considering I had 45+ people in my house last weekend.  It was great that we were able to spill out onto the patio into the sun.  And I think that’s where we will start.  In my outdoor kitchen I have my very own, one of a kind, homemade spit roast.  Made by my electrical engineer better half and all around over the top handy man and his equally handy friend and mechanical engineer.  We have made lamb, pork, chicken and turkeys.  Absolutely amazing.  It produces the most tender and juicy roasts ever.  Now, I might be slightly biased but come on, my better half is really pretty amazing isn’t he?In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

The next thing In My Kitchen this month is my favorite salad bowl.  Remember the other week when I shared my story about tradition and Italian Style Steamed Mussels?  Well this salad bowl is part of that tradition.  It was gifted to me by my friend who makes the best salads and the salad half of our tradition.  The bowl is from the Vermont Bowl Company.  It is very special to me and I will keep it always.In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

The last thing I want to share with you this month is my new cavatelli and gnocci board.  It is used to hand make pasta.  Cavatelli is similar to gnocci but is a flour based pasta.  I want to perfect my method a little bit more before I share my recipe with you.  It is a little labor intensive but well worth the effort.   The first night I served the cavatelli simply tossed with salmon, dill, garlic and sugar snap peas (it tasted far better than it looks in this photo).  The second night I served it with Lamb Ragu.  Now the Lamb Ragu is a recipe I WILL be sharing with you soon.Living the Savory Life

In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

In My Kitchen ~ Living the Savory Life

It has been a busy month here at LSL and I feel like I’m drowning in a backlog of things to share with you like my Lamb Ragu, and a leftover revamp chicken, mushroom and rice casserole, and butter chicken and a few side dishes, and, and, and.  Oh, my friends!  The list goes on.  Life, and work and good food and good friends and good times get in the way sometimes!!  I did manage, however, to share some great things with you in June.  Fourth of July is fast approaching and if you haven’t gotten your menu together just yet, my four part series will help you do so in no time.  Not celebrating Independence day?  No problem.  The Carolina Burger Sliders should still be on your list.  I’m honestly looking forward to making those again soon!  And it’s 5:00 somewhere!!  So break out the Lynchburg Lemonade.

Cheers!  And for those of you in the good ol’ US of A, enjoy your long weekend!!  May the summertime bring you warm sunshine, good friends and endless laughter!

30 Comments

  • Hotly Spiced

    Yes, I am super-impressed with your husband’s handyman skills and that outstanding spit roast gadget he’s created. I love cooking on a spit roast (not that I have one) but I used to have a really wide oven and it had a spit roast thingy in it and I used to put chickens on it – best roast chicken ever. Love your pasta gadget and really looking forward to the lamb recipe xx

    • Lauren

      It really is wonderful and I love that it is homemade. I’ve had a lot of turkey in my day and I have to say this was one of the best ever! Lamb recipe coming up next week!

  • nancy@jamjnr

    That is a serious spit roast you have there – it would be the envy of most at your party wouldn’t it? Look forward to your lamb ragu recipe although I’ll be saving that one for the cooler months 🙂

  • Elizabeth

    How do I get me one of those hand men???? Still single, but I would like one with those sort of skills 🙂 I will be waiting for your cavatelli recipe with baited breath!
    Thanks for sharing.
    Liz x

    • Lauren

      Oh Liz!! I wish I knew the secret. I was in the right place at the right time and have ended up the luckiest girl on earth!

    • Lauren

      My understanding is gnocchi is most commonly made with potato, cavetelli is a flour based pasta. The shape of the two are approximately the same.

    • Lauren

      Well Maureen, computers do make the world go ’round these days so that’s a great talent to have but I do understand the envy!

  • Kim | a little lunch

    Lauren, your homemade pasta (particularly your cavatelli & salmon combo!) sounds sooooo delish! I especially like your outdoor spit/grill — very clever. (Accolades to your engineer hubby!) We lived in Vermont briefly (for 6 months at the tender age of 13…) and artisan craftsmanship such as your salad bowl escaped me then. Yours is a beaut!

    • Lauren

      I think salmon works so well with fresh pasta. Tossed with some shallot, dill, white wine and butter. It’s really nice.

      I miss Vermont. A LOT. Such a wonderful place to grow up.

  • Diane

    I am completely amazed at your BBQ but I’m laughing because not only wouldn’t my husband have a clue as to how to make one, but you should hear the “language” when he tried to put the last grill together! He’s not really very handy.
    That cavatelli & gnocchi board is really an interesting little item. What beautiful pasta you’ve made & yes, very labor intensive but so worth it to have homemade pasta.

    • Lauren

      He really is amazing. I’m pretty sure I could ask him to do almost anything and he would figure it out! Such a difference between fresh and dried pasta. I say the effort is time well spent!

  • Bam's Kitchen

    Happy 4th of July weekend and boy you certainly have a good start to it with that amazing split roast that your husband assembled. I have made Cavatelli while I was in Bologna on a visit. Very labour intensive but most certainly a lovely pasta. Have a super weekend. BAM

  • celia

    LOVE the homemade roaster!! Will we get to see a whole pig or lamb on there one day? I married a sparky too – they’re pretty clever, aren’t they! 🙂 Your salad bowl is beautiful, and your pasta look fantastic!

  • Emma

    Love your BBQ spit. Your home made pasta is mouth watering. I am new to IMK so my post is a little late. It is up now if you would like to read it. Emma.

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