Many people my age are selling their homes and downsizing just to make life simpler. Most of us have children who have moved out and have no need for so much space. Just my luck, both of my children have moved back home with us. To be clear, I am very happy to be cooking for them again!

On the other side, people usually renovate their homes for aesthetic reasons or just to create more space for their families. Recently, my family has grown exponentially (new nieces/nephews and cousins are getting married and having children). One thing they can count on every year is coming to my home for Thanksgiving. When I suggested an addition to our house, my husband was flabbergasted. But he knew I had my heart set on it, and understood the reasoning behind my intentions. That was about two years ago and we are enjoying our newly renovated space even more than we imagined!

As the years go by, all the rooms need updating. This year I wanted to update our bedroom, which was very dark. I wanted it to be a calm and beautiful space I could truly relax in, so we decided on a light cream with blue accents.

It is difficult to live in your home while it is being updated, so we took to the beach! When we returned from our week away, we came back to an entirely new bedroom! To stick to a low budget, we had all the furniture and walls repainted and only purchased new curtains and window treatments. We were elated that it turned out so beautifully. But, not only did I have to unpack the clothes we took on vacation, I had to put unpack everything I stored away before they modernized the decor. It has been a whirlwind and I have not stopped putting things away, going through them and washing them.

Needless to say, cooking is not my priority at the moment. I have to choose easy dishes that do not take up a lot of my time. This recipe was something I put together, weary of how it would turn out. Because the result exceeded my expectations, I knew I had to share it with you! It was easy peasy and was on the dinner table pronto. The browned butter and pecans are the stars of this dish. It only took a minute extra to brown the butter and it is so worth it because it brought out the flavor of the green beans deliciously. As always, Parmesan cheese is the perfect topping for this delightful dish.

This recipe will serve 4-5 people who will forever revert to this recipe when they do not want to compromise flavor just because they are short on time.

Ingredients for Green Beans

1 pound fresh green beans
1 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 cup roasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp, freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

To roast pecans:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast them for 5-8 minutes.

Watch very carefully.

Turn your timer to 5 minutes and keep checking at 1-minute increments until they are done. They will give off an aromatic smell when done.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt olive oil and butter.

Cook until butter begins to turn golden brown.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in green beans, lemon zest, and juice, salt, and pepper.

Cook, until beans turn a bright green, toss in pecans cook one more minute, then take them off the heat quickly.

Sprinkle in Parmesan cheese.

Place on serving platter and serve hot.

It’s that simple!

During the summer, my best days are spent at the beach. I love the smell of the ocean air. I can look down the endless coast of water and sand all morning and late into the afternoon. Beautiful, lazy days and feeling my skin soak in every ray of sun puts me in my comfort zone. Hearing the waves breaking on the shore and observing nature’s perfection while feeling the cool sea breeze calms me like nothing else can. I love to take long strolls on the beach searching the sand for unique seashells and rocks.

Since my husband and I spend our beach vacation sans children, I also enjoy watching the children burying each other in the sand and play catch or soccer. One beautiful beach day this year, we were sitting next to a family with two older sons, and a younger daughter. The daughter was trying to get her two older brothers to play with her. Unfortunately, the boys were not interested. To get back at them for their lack of attention, she took their soccer ball when they weren’t looking, and she buried it in the sand. As they were preparing to leave the beach, the boys started searching for their soccer ball. Eventually, the little girl had to admit to burying it. She thought she remembered exactly where she had hidden their “treasure” and began digging. And digging. And digging. No soccer ball was to be found. The boys and their parents began helping, to no avail. My husband and I were laughing so hard our sides hurt! No one in that family was as amused as we were. The parents were quite upset! 

I remember days like that when my kids were young. When I think of times we shared, very similar to that of this young family, I wish I had laughed more. In fact, when I shared stories like this with my close friend, she used to tell me I would look back on them and laugh. She was right, I do! I hope the family with the lost ball will laugh at that incident someday as well. The thought of the little girl trying to get back at her brothers made my day. It is difficult in the moment, but it is important because you just never get those days back. They are precious memories that will be shared and cherished. 

This recipe is the perfect pasta for a sunny beach snack, lunch or dinner. If you do bring it to the beach, remember to keep it chilled because of the cheese. I love the fried artichokes. They are just lightly fried, so they do not make the dish feel heavy. This is a light recipe that is enjoyable anytime. The combination of the artichokes and tomatoes are delicious. The cheese adds just the right amount of flavor and gives it a creamy texture. The basil and the dressing are the stars of this dish, giving it just the right amount of savory taste with a hint of tang.

This recipe will serve 4-6 people, who, with its comforting flavor, will make them feel like they are being bathed by the sun, even if they aren’t at the beach!

Ingredients for Pasta 

1 pound pasta ( any kind with edges will be fine)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 jar artichokes in water, drained and chopped
1/4 cup. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped basil, plus more leaves unchopped for dressing
1 1/2  cup Bocconcini mozzarella, (or the smaller kind if you can get them)

Ingredients for the Dressing

5 tbsps. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large pot of very salted boiling water, add the pasta.

Cook according to package instructions.

Drain the pasta and set aside.

In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add the chopped artichokes and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes.

Remove artichokes from pan and place in a strainer to let the oil drain off.

Set aside.

In another large bowl, combine the tomatoes, red bell pepper, and pasta.

(The pasta may stick together, but don’t worry, when you add the dressing it will combine nicely).

For the dressing;

Add all ingredients except oil in a jar with a lid.

Slowly add oil, mixing with a spoon as you add it.

Place lid on the jar and shake to combine thoroughly.

Add artichokes and basil to pasta mixture and mix to combine.

Toss in the mozzarella.

Add the dressing, and gently mix until well coated. (Be sure to add dressing a little at a time, so it is not over-dressed)

Dress with fresh basil leaves.

Serve warm or room temperature.

It’s that simple!