a good recipe

i have always enjoyed having a larger kitchen. i love cooking- though i am no pro, it is a stress reliever and it is so satisfying creating a good meal/dish. (i have had my share of flops, but you don't know until you try.) having been in japan for three years, i wasn't able to cook as much due to a lack of an oven and workspace in the kitchen. (that is what i keep telling myself, anyway.)

back at home, with a big kitchen in front of me, i was inspired to cook. these two are my favorites from the past few days: peach cake (recipe courtesy of giada of the food network) and chilled carrot soup (recipe courtesy of martha stewart). i usually don't use recipes when i cook, but it has been a while.

peach cake

the peach cake was really sweet, so i did not make the icing that was a part of the recipe, but i would recommend a dollop of whipped cream, coffee or a cup of milk.  before i even put dinner out for my family, i discovered that my mom and brother ate a quarter of the cake! needless to say, it was good. 

carrot gazpacho

chilled soup is the perfect meal for a hot day (another day with record highs in NY!).  i was hoping to grab fresh parsley for garnish- it had totally slipped my mind- substituted with dried parsley.  the chilled carrot soup would be really good with added veggies, or grilled zucchini as a topping. ideas for next time!

as always, have a fabulous weekend.

j