Ode to Birthday Cake

Oh Birthday cake, Oh Birthday cake.........

I had a fabulous Birthday! Thanks for all the Birthday wishes that were sent my way, whether through the mail, email, or by flower delivery :). I felt very loved. Rob took me out to eat at a yummy Italian restaurant and gave me a gorgeous necklace from the Fair Trade company that I like.

The family presented me with Birthday Cake for BREAKFAST! They sang happy birthday and we enjoyed this yummy Chantilly cake that had three layers of fruit, and the frosting had mascarpone cheese in it. He also gave me gift card for gas, because I LOVE road trips, and said "Pick a place, and we'll go tomorrow" ! So I have always wanted to go to Manitou Springs, and we went down there and had a great day. We went to the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, had a picnic in the park, and walked through the downtown. Having exhausted our budget for eating out, we ate at home. I was still on Cloud nine over the Italian food we had the night before and I decided to make Italian again.

Yes, I know that might sound lame that I made my own Birthday dinner, but you know, I loved it. The music was loud, the kids were running around happy, and I had a full glass of wine.
I made the following appetizer, and then the soup with a simple spaghetti on the side. It finished well with the cake. I wasn't that crazy about the soup, and would make it again without the chicken apple sausage personally. BUT, I'm just not that into meat. The rest of the family loved it!





Guten Appetit!

Goat Cheese Toasts with Spicy Olives

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup green olives, in their brine
1/4 cup black olives
1 tablespoons harissa or few shakes of hot sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
4 slices ciabatta or french bread (we used sprouted grain bread cut into triangles)
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre) such as Haystack Mountain, room temperature

Directions
Preheat broiler or toaster oven.
Pit and chop olives. (My note: I just found out my cherry pitter can be used to pit olives! hurrah!) Mix olives with 1/4 cup olive brine, garlic and harissa or hot sauce. Set aside.

Toast bread until golden brown. Cool slightly, and lightly butter the toast. Spread goat cheese over the toast, and top with spicy olive mix.
Serve immediately.
Note: Harissa, is a spicy chili paste, that is available at Whole Foods.




cabbage and white bean soup with sausage



Bon Appétit March 2008
Tina Miller




Savoy cabbage would work well here, too.
Servings: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 ounces fully cooked chicken-apple sausages (about 4), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (about 3 cups)
2 cups baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise, then halved crosswise
2 tablespoons tomato paste concentrate
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 cups low-salt chicken broth1
15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained


Preparation
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage slices and sauté until brown around edges, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage; sauté 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to same pot and heat over medium heat. Add leeks and carrots and sauté until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, parsley, and rosemary and stir 1 minute. Add broth, sausage-cabbage mixture, and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.