We all agree, 2020 has been brutal and today was no exception. Last night, we settled in for a movie with the girls and BAM, power flickered on and off 3x before going off-off. We read books with the girls until bedtime, as our house quickly heated up (it was 90 degrees yesterday). Mark and I settled in for some reading (outside) because, I mean, what else is there and no complaints from me.
I was hopeful the power would be on before bed because obviously air conditioning is a beautiful thing. No such luck. I showered in the dark and grabbed a battery pack from my car to charge my phone. It was eerily quiet in the house with no white noise from running appliances, etc. I put on some white noise from a phone app and set my alarm, hoping it would wake me in time to get ready for my 7am meeting.
That meeting I was planning to take from home, but alas, the power was still out this morning. I did my make-up by lantern light, pulled my hair into a pony tail and got dressed in the dark. I raced out of the house hoping to grab a coffee before my meeting started – no such luck. Power outages and the deli at work didn’t open until 7am.
I survived, barely. Breaking for a moment between meetings to grab caffeine. Meanwhile, daycare was texting that they would not be opening due to the power outage that, apparently, affected them also. Mark raced around, moving food from fridges and freezers to others that could run on generator. The kicker? We are scheduled for a hardwired generator install on August 24th. Today’s the 11th. Cue Alanis Morrissette’s Ironic, right?
I came home for a long lunch, relieving him so he could hop on some work calls. The generator was blaring, house hot as hades, extension cords running everywhere, and of course, the dog ran away. She was found in our neighbor’s home and the neighbor was enjoying feeding her treats. No doubt, Harlie (dog) will be re-visiting this same neighbor any chance she can get #facepalm
I get back to work only to receive a text from Mark.
Mark: Got a text from the power company. Will copy and paste for your enjoyment
Mark: Estimate for power on is 11pm on 8-14-20. Thank you for your patience.
Me: e-x-p-l-e-t-i-v-e-s
I could’ve cried. I nearly did. And then after another few hours, the power went on. WHO KNOWS, WHO CARES! The evening was spent shuffling food all over (breaks and spills en mass) and cleaning up the house, putting away power cords, etc. I haven’t worked out in 2 days now and I’m just CRANKY! A shower and bed will feel amazing.
In the midst of my pursuit for caffeine this morning, I ran out of the house without cucumbers. Our garden has now produced 90 cucumbers and we have nearly all of our staff on-site on Tuesdays — it’s the day to bring FILLINTHEBLANK to share. In the meantime, I’ll continue sharing allllllllll the cucumber recipes on the blog. This one, YOU GUYSSSSSS…it’s like summertime in a single dish. Don’t skip the garlic, don’t skip the basil. It’s divine and incredibly easy to make.
Panzanella
Italian salad...salad with bread, HECK yes! This summer staple features fresh herbs to highlight tomato and cucumber perfection!
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Salad:
- 3 tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 English cucumber, cut into half-moons
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano (optional)
- 8 oz thick-sliced sourdough bread
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small-to-medium bowl until well-combined; set aside.
- Add the tomatoes to a large bowl; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Add cucumbers, red onion, basil, and oregano. Add dressing to the salad and gently toss to coat; set aside to allow flavors to blend.
- Brush both sides of sliced bread with olive oil and toast for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Alternately, broil on a middle rack for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully as to not burn bread.
- Cut or rip bread into 1-inch cubes; add to the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe from Craving Tasty
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 398Total Fat: 23.8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 671mgCarbohydrates: 42.0gFiber: 2.5gSugar: 6.5gProtein: 6.3g
Need more ideas for all that garden yield? Check out these recipes!
- Baja Fresh Grilled Salsa
- Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta with Basil Ricotta
- Summer Squash and Basil Pasta
Be well,
