With the lazy days of summer upon us, cravings for picnic-sized sandwiches and beach-inspired snacks invite adventurous thinking to reinvent the typical same-old recipes, transforming them to something new and fresh.

Move over Boring, Ordinary 
less-than-stellar nibbles, 
Hello everything else!

Ok, my garden is literally throwing food at me! So I've been working hard to make every kind of interesting treat, salad, stir fry, or sandwich imaginable to take advantage of this practically free food...

"I would like Indian food pleeeassse!" 5 year old Gracen Matai Meyers pleads with his mom, his blonde head bouncing up and down as he plays on the floor with his cars. Unlike typical children, who'd prefer chicken nuggets and tater tots, Gracen actually just requested Indian food. I'm shocked by his request. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even know what Indian food was when I was 5!

People often assume I've been cooking all my life. Indeed I have if you count PBJ's and Kraft Mac n Cheese. 
I was raised thinking spinach was slimy off-green came a can, just add salt and vinegar to the mush, to have muscles like Popeye. The cheese of choice was a giant railroad track-shaped orange squishy substance called Velveeta. Chinese food also came in a can, which you heat and pour over crunchy fried twigs. With a douse of soy sauce, this was the one and only Chicken Chow Mein. For serious protein, simply fill a glass with very hot faucet water, dunk in a hot dog, and within moments it's ready for its bun! 
Then of course there was celery. ...

It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it.” -Julia Child

When I first met my husband I was surprised to discover this "spicy man" had an unusual favorite dish: Nicoise Salad. It was then that I began my search for a delectable recipe to satisfy his craving. 
And who better to learn how to make a terrific Nicoise salad than Julia? To this day, it still stands as the Best Nicoise he has ever had.

Julia Child was the Queen of French cooking. When I research her recipes, I find that her techniques are solid and there is an uncommon quality to them that showcases her love and understanding of food and creativity in the kitchen; she was beyond her time and her TV show changed the world of cooking. Her overall "klutziness" in the kitchen (or perhaps she was just tipsy?) is uncommon to see, yet utterly adorable and proves to be just as entertaining as tasting her creations! 

Craving Nicoise? Click here for the recipe.