Summer reading program at the library: Caleb has read twenty-two books. TWENTY-TWO. He gets a prize at thirty — a stuffed animal from the prize box. He's gunning for the shark. (Marine biology era is fully upon us.)
His reading has become self-directed. He picks the books himself, reads them at bedtime (with help on the hard words), and gives me a review. His reviews are succinct and devastating:
On a book about dolphins: 'Good. But it didn't say enough about their TEETH.'
On a book about coral reefs: 'Beautiful. But where are the SHARKS?'
On a book about a boy who lives by the sea: 'The boy doesn't even SWIM. What's the POINT?'
Five-year-old literary criticism: all books should feature teeth, sharks, and swimming. I'll pass this feedback to the publishing industry.
The cookbook photographing has started. I hired a photographer — well, 'hired.' She's a military wife whose husband is deployed, she has a photography degree, and she offered to do it for a credit in the book and fifty dollars per session. Her name is Ava. Her photos are extraordinary.
She came to my kitchen and photographed the fried chicken. Golden, crispy, the cast iron in the background. The light through the kitchen window.
'Your kitchen photographs beautifully,' Ava said.
'It's base housing.'
'Base housing with good light and a woman who knows where to stand.'
Good light and knowing where to stand. The photographer's version of 'trust the heat.'
Made grilled chicken tonight. Simple, marinated, Ryan's grill. The summer staple. Not every meal needs to be a cookbook test.
Twenty-two books. The shark awaits.
Some nights the grilled chicken is the whole point, and the side dish just needs to show up and not make a fuss — and this Italian chopped salad is exactly that. Ava was here photographing the fried chicken, Ryan was manning the grill, and I wanted something bright and crisp and easy that wouldn’t compete with any of it. Twenty-two books deserve a good dinner, even a simple one.
Italian Chopped Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 small head radicchio, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1/2 cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced
- 1/2 cup salami or cured Italian meats, chopped (optional)
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup provolone or mozzarella cheese, diced or shredded
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Prep the vegetables. Chop the romaine, slice the radicchio, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the onion, and slice the pepperoncini. Add everything to a large salad bowl.
- Add the mix-ins. Add the chickpeas, olives, salami (if using), and cheese to the bowl.
- Toss and dress. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to combine, making sure everything is evenly coated.
- Finish and serve. Scatter the fresh parsley over the top and serve immediately alongside grilled chicken or your main dish of choice.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 12g | Fat: 20g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 680mg
About the cook who shared this
Rachel Abernathy
Week 433 of Rachel’s 30-year story
· San Diego, California
Rachel is a twenty-eight-year-old Marine wife and mom of two who has moved five times in six years and learned to cook a Thanksgiving dinner with half her cookware still in boxes. She married young, survived postpartum depression, and feeds her family of four on a junior Marine's salary with a freezer full of pre-made meals and a crockpot that has never let her down. She writes for the military spouses who are cooking dinner alone in base housing and wondering if they're enough. You are.
