If there is one thing we’ve learned in our move from Manhattan to Queens, it’s this:
We have WAY too much crap.
Like, way more than two people barely in their thirties should have accumulated. Not only have we moved everything over from our old East Village apartment, but I U-Hauled everything we still had in storage down in Baltimore. The result is a bit embarrassing.
We have trinkets belonging to old roommates that were never returned. We have shirts from marathons we never ran (what the…?), dog bowls from pets we’ve never owned, and an embarrassingly high amount of kitchen items. A cull is in desperate order.
Call it the beginning stages of nesting, but I’ve become determined to sift through everything we own in preparation for this baby. Our future is filled with enough BPA-free plastic and singing toys- best to get rid of anything extraneous right now.
The project is a bit staggering. The second room in our new place has become our dumping grounds. Our “donate” stash gets taller every day. In books alone, we have enough to fill an 8 foot tall bookcase and then some. In addition, we have 2 big boxes of books we’d like to donate, and 2 more boxes of books left to sort through. We have three trash bags of clothing to give away. And I don’t like the way he’s been eyeing my kitchen collection lately.
Thankfully, since its summer and great produce is easy to come by, our meals are refreshingly simple. I’ve been exploring our new neighborhood’s grocery options and enjoying the cheaper-than-Manhattan prices (it’s ridiculous, the difference!)
A simple chili. A long simmering chicken soup with ingredients culled from the freezer. Peach, Mozzarella and Tomato Salad. And, in a pinch, a bowl of cereal always wins.
Laying peaches and tomatoes on a hot grill (either indoor or outdoor) brings out a smoky sweetness that pairs beautifully with milky fresh mozzarella in a quick summer salad. It’s a perfect plate of calm before I dive back into the Abyss of Moving. If you need me, I’ll be folding free t-shirts and wiping dust off an ancient blender.
Grilled Peach, Heirloom Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad
Ingredients
- olive oil, for brushing
- 1-2 ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into rounds
- 1-2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rounds
- 3 oz fresh mozzarella, torn or sliced into rounds
- (to taste) fresh oregano or basil leaves, torn
- (to taste) balsamic vinegar
- (to taste) large grain kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Brush each slice of peach and tomato with olive oil on both sides, and carefully place on a hot grill. If the tomato is very ripe, grill it on a small grill plate so it doesn't fall through the cracks. Grill for about one minute each side, until grill marks appear and the fruit has softened slightly.
- Place the grilled slices on a plate and scatter with slices of fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle with the oregano or basil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
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