Here you go Missy! This is my Aunt Joanne's recipe. It is ridiculously delicious!
Grilled Tequila Pineapples
3/4 cup tequila
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 large pineapple, cut lengthwise into slices
Mix all ingredients except pineapple in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture over pineapples and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill pineapple over medium heat until brown. Baste with tequila sauce while grilling.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Polenta with Mushroom Sauce
The kiddo has become addicted to mushrooms, which means that we are eating way more mushrooms than before. You simply can't turn down a three year old asking for healthy food! This recipe uses dried mushrooms since that's what I had, but fresh mushrooms would be just as yummy. If you want a vegetarian version, omit bacon, and use vegetable stock.
Polenta with Mushroom Sauce
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chicken stock
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tblsp tomato paste
2 tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sherry
15 oz crushed tomatoes
polenta
1 tblsp butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Warm stock in microwave for 1 minute. Add mushrooms to warmed stock and cover with plastic wrap for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown bacon in large saucepan. Remove mushrooms from stock. Chop mushrooms. Strain and reserve broth. Add tomato paste, olive oil, and garlic to bacon. Stir and cook until tomato paste melts with olive oil and browns slightly. Add sherry. Reduce by half. Add reserved broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer while preparing polenta. Prepare polenta according to package directions. Add butter and parmesan and stir until butter is melted. Serve polenta topped with mushroom sauce.
Polenta with Mushroom Sauce
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup chicken stock
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 tblsp tomato paste
2 tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup sherry
15 oz crushed tomatoes
polenta
1 tblsp butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Warm stock in microwave for 1 minute. Add mushrooms to warmed stock and cover with plastic wrap for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, brown bacon in large saucepan. Remove mushrooms from stock. Chop mushrooms. Strain and reserve broth. Add tomato paste, olive oil, and garlic to bacon. Stir and cook until tomato paste melts with olive oil and browns slightly. Add sherry. Reduce by half. Add reserved broth and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer while preparing polenta. Prepare polenta according to package directions. Add butter and parmesan and stir until butter is melted. Serve polenta topped with mushroom sauce.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
New Recipes Coming Soon!
Oh the honor and the shame contained in one little tweet! Today, MOM's Organic Market was kind enough to tweet about my humble little blog. (They really are my favorite store!) I was so excited and instantly horrified. I haven't posted since November! I've been cooking. I've been meaning to post. I've just been busy and/or exhausted. Enough excuses. I've been tweeted and I will get back to posting! So, new recipes are coming soon!
If you've been brought here by the tweet, I'm happy to have you! Welcome! I've been cooking since I was in middle school (many, many years ago), became a dedicated locavore about four years ago, and a stay at home mom a little over a year ago. I cook a ton because we only eat out about once a month. I think cooking is easy, so you probably won't find your next great cooking challenges on the site, but I hope you'll find delicious, accessible recipes that will get you into the kitchen.
Tonight's dinner (a little pot of turkey chili) is cooking away on the stove. It seems perfect for a cold day like this! Come back soon to find the recipe.
Thanks,
Jessica
If you've been brought here by the tweet, I'm happy to have you! Welcome! I've been cooking since I was in middle school (many, many years ago), became a dedicated locavore about four years ago, and a stay at home mom a little over a year ago. I cook a ton because we only eat out about once a month. I think cooking is easy, so you probably won't find your next great cooking challenges on the site, but I hope you'll find delicious, accessible recipes that will get you into the kitchen.
Tonight's dinner (a little pot of turkey chili) is cooking away on the stove. It seems perfect for a cold day like this! Come back soon to find the recipe.
Thanks,
Jessica
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Bacon Leek Dip
If it weren't for the kids, I'm pretty sure that dip would be a regular meal for me. This one was really tasty and since it had vegetables in it, I think I should have been able to call it a meal!
Bacon Leek Dip
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tblsp olive oil (or bacon fat if you have to cook your bacon)
1 leek sliced thin
1 large handful swiss chard, cut into small chunks
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup cheddar cheese
My bacon was already cooked and in the freezer, but if yours isn't, you should cook it and then crumble it. Cook the leek and chard in the fat of your choosing until tender. Drain bacon, leeks, and chard on paper towels. Mix together all ingredients and place in a 3 cup oven safe baking dish. Cook at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until light brown on top.
Bacon Leek Dip
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tblsp olive oil (or bacon fat if you have to cook your bacon)
1 leek sliced thin
1 large handful swiss chard, cut into small chunks
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup cheddar cheese
My bacon was already cooked and in the freezer, but if yours isn't, you should cook it and then crumble it. Cook the leek and chard in the fat of your choosing until tender. Drain bacon, leeks, and chard on paper towels. Mix together all ingredients and place in a 3 cup oven safe baking dish. Cook at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until light brown on top.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers - Take Two
This is my second take on vegetarian stuffed peppers. The first can be found here. These were Mexican themed, so I served them topped with salsa. Turns out my three year old likes salsa, but not stuffed peppers. Ah well.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
6 poblano peppers, cut in half lengthwise
1 tblsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 can black beans, drain only the very top of the liquid
1 batch cooked brown rice (mine was for 2-3 servings)
1 1/2 tblsp taco seasoning
1/2 tblsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Place peppers in a glass casserole dish. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Brown onion. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add beans, brown rice, and seasonings. Stir to combine. When liquid from beans cooks off, add 1/4 cup water and cook until heated through. The mixture should be moist, but not wet. Remove from heat and stuff peppers. Top with cheese and cook in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and a little brown.
Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
6 poblano peppers, cut in half lengthwise
1 tblsp olive oil
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 can black beans, drain only the very top of the liquid
1 batch cooked brown rice (mine was for 2-3 servings)
1 1/2 tblsp taco seasoning
1/2 tblsp cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Place peppers in a glass casserole dish. Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Brown onion. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add beans, brown rice, and seasonings. Stir to combine. When liquid from beans cooks off, add 1/4 cup water and cook until heated through. The mixture should be moist, but not wet. Remove from heat and stuff peppers. Top with cheese and cook in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and a little brown.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Fall Veggies
Since it officially got all cold and fall-like this weekend, some comfort food was required! But, since I had eaten a bunch of crappy food (too much pizza), I wanted to make sure some veggies got in there so that I didn't have to feel too guilty.
Baked Mac and Cheese with Fall Veggies
1/2 box whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 tblsp butter, divided
2 tblsp AP flour
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 cup grated cheese blend (I used colby, cheddar, and provolone)
1 small head broccoli, blanched and chopped into bite size chunks
1 small head cheddar cauliflower, blanched and chopped into bite size chunks
1/2 butternut squash, roasted and pureed
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
Cook macaroni in salted water a minute less than called for on the packaging. In the meantime, melt 2 tblsp butter in saucepan. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook for a minute. Whisk in broth and milk. Cook over medium hear until sauce thickens. Whisk in mustard and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Combine macaroni, cheese sauce, and veggies in a casserole dish. Melt remaining butter in microwave and toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over macaroni. Cook 20-30 minutes in 350 degree oven until topping is crunchy.
Baked Mac and Cheese with Fall Veggies
1/2 box whole wheat elbow macaroni
4 tblsp butter, divided
2 tblsp AP flour
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 cup grated cheese blend (I used colby, cheddar, and provolone)
1 small head broccoli, blanched and chopped into bite size chunks
1 small head cheddar cauliflower, blanched and chopped into bite size chunks
1/2 butternut squash, roasted and pureed
1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
Cook macaroni in salted water a minute less than called for on the packaging. In the meantime, melt 2 tblsp butter in saucepan. Add flour and whisk to combine. Cook for a minute. Whisk in broth and milk. Cook over medium hear until sauce thickens. Whisk in mustard and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Combine macaroni, cheese sauce, and veggies in a casserole dish. Melt remaining butter in microwave and toss with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over macaroni. Cook 20-30 minutes in 350 degree oven until topping is crunchy.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Honey Chicken
This is based on a Rachel Ray recipe, but I found it, as usual, to be too light on vegetables and too heavy on other ingredients. I served this over barley because that's what the kiddo wanted and when your three year old asks for barley, you get it to them!
Honey Chicken
1 tblsp vegetable oil
1/2 package chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
2 tblsp corn starch, divided
1 white onion, sliced
1 white onion, sliced
4 small/medium carrots, sliced
1 large handful green beans
1 tblsp diced fresh ginger
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 tblsp honey
crushed red pepper
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper
Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat. Toss chicken with 1 tblsp cornstarch. Cook chicken over high heat until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper. Add onions and carrots. Cook for two minutes. Add green beans, ginger, and garlic. Cook for a minute until fragrant. Dissolve remaining cornstarch in broth. Add honey, red pepper to taste, and chicken broth. Cook until sauce is thickened and serve over starch of your choosing.
Heat vegetable oil in wok over high heat. Toss chicken with 1 tblsp cornstarch. Cook chicken over high heat until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper. Add onions and carrots. Cook for two minutes. Add green beans, ginger, and garlic. Cook for a minute until fragrant. Dissolve remaining cornstarch in broth. Add honey, red pepper to taste, and chicken broth. Cook until sauce is thickened and serve over starch of your choosing.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Turkey Breast
Despite the fact that a kitchen mishap led to me removing the skin from the turkey when I should have left it on, this recipe worked out perfectly well. It even scored the "Kevin's best" award! If you don't have a mishap, you should separate the skin from the meat and then smear the butter mixture under the skin. I served this with mixed mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy. Mmmm... Gravy...
Roasted Turkey Breast
2 turkey breasts (approximately 4 lbs)
1/2 red onion, cut into large chunks
6 tblsp butter, divided
2 cloves garlic
large handful fresh herbs (I used chives, thyme, oregano, and parsley)
salt and pepper
1 tblsp honey
Preheat oven to 450. Place turkey breasts in a lightly oiled roasting pan. In a small food processor, combine onion, 5 tblsp butter, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper. Spread the butter mixture on the turkey breasts. Place turkey in oven and immediately reduce heat to 400. Cook for 30 minutes. Melt 1 tblsp butter in a small dish and stir in honey. Baste turkey with half of the butter/honey mixture. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Baste again. Return to oven and cook until turkey reaches 170.
Roasted Turkey Breast
2 turkey breasts (approximately 4 lbs)
1/2 red onion, cut into large chunks
6 tblsp butter, divided
2 cloves garlic
large handful fresh herbs (I used chives, thyme, oregano, and parsley)
salt and pepper
1 tblsp honey
Preheat oven to 450. Place turkey breasts in a lightly oiled roasting pan. In a small food processor, combine onion, 5 tblsp butter, garlic, herbs, and salt and pepper. Spread the butter mixture on the turkey breasts. Place turkey in oven and immediately reduce heat to 400. Cook for 30 minutes. Melt 1 tblsp butter in a small dish and stir in honey. Baste turkey with half of the butter/honey mixture. Cook for an additional 15 minutes. Baste again. Return to oven and cook until turkey reaches 170.
Mixed Mashed Potatoes
Okay, this is too simple to bother posting, but since it had never occurred to me to mix potato types in my mashed potatoes, I thought it might not have occurred to you either.
Mixed Mashed Potatoes
1 large sweet potato
4 small/medium red potatoes
4 small/medium white potatoes
2 tblsp butter
1/4 cup whole milk (or more depending on desired creaminess)
Peel potatoes and cut them into 2" cubes. You might want to keep the sweet potatoes a bit larger since they cook faster than the others. Cover potatoes with cold salted water and boil until fork tender. Drain and mash with butter and milk.
Mixed Mashed Potatoes
1 large sweet potato
4 small/medium red potatoes
4 small/medium white potatoes
2 tblsp butter
1/4 cup whole milk (or more depending on desired creaminess)
Peel potatoes and cut them into 2" cubes. You might want to keep the sweet potatoes a bit larger since they cook faster than the others. Cover potatoes with cold salted water and boil until fork tender. Drain and mash with butter and milk.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Ginger Peach Crisp
I bought a half bushel of peaches this weekend at the farmer's market. It was a moment of panic that peach season was ending and really, that half bushel doesn't look that big until it's sitting in your kitchen waiting for you. Anyway, a bunch hit the freezer, a few got set aside for snacking, a couple turned into bellinis, and the rest became dessert. This recipe was inspired by one in the Dishing Up Maryland cookbook, which you should totally check out.
Ginger Peach Crisp
8 medium/large peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup sugar (or more to taste)
3 tblsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp minced or grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg, divided
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup AP flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted*
Mix peaches, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, ginger, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a large bowl. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish. In a clean bowl, thoroughly mix remaining ingredients (don't forget the remaining 1/4 tsp nutmeg). Sprinkle over the peaches. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Let cool before serving.
*Most recipes call for you to use cold, cubed butter and to mix it in with your fingers until the mixture is pea sized crumbles, but I just watched an episode of ATK where they made a crumble and used melted butter for the topping. I thought this was genius since I lose patience with the whole pea sized crumble situation. I tried it and the topping was delicious and crispy, just like I like it. I'll be using melted butter from now on! :)
Ginger Peach Crisp
8 medium/large peaches, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup sugar (or more to taste)
3 tblsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp minced or grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg, divided
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup AP flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted*
Mix peaches, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, ginger, and 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a large bowl. Pour into an 8x8 baking dish. In a clean bowl, thoroughly mix remaining ingredients (don't forget the remaining 1/4 tsp nutmeg). Sprinkle over the peaches. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes. Let cool before serving.
*Most recipes call for you to use cold, cubed butter and to mix it in with your fingers until the mixture is pea sized crumbles, but I just watched an episode of ATK where they made a crumble and used melted butter for the topping. I thought this was genius since I lose patience with the whole pea sized crumble situation. I tried it and the topping was delicious and crispy, just like I like it. I'll be using melted butter from now on! :)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Peach Sauce
Trader Joe's used to sell (maybe still does) this amazing peach sauce and I developed quite a bit of an addiction to it. I weaned myself from it years ago, but then a couple weeks ago, I picked up some seconds peaches at the farmers' market for the freezer. Then I screwed up blanching them. Just when everything was going to crap, I remembered that TJ's peach sauce. Delicious all by itself, over ice cream, with yogurt, etc.
Peach Sauce
3 lbs seconds peaches cut into chunks
1 tblsp sugar (or more if you want)
1 tblsp lemon juice
Put everything in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens, at least an hour. Transfer to a glass container and store in fridge.
Peach Sauce
3 lbs seconds peaches cut into chunks
1 tblsp sugar (or more if you want)
1 tblsp lemon juice
Put everything in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens, at least an hour. Transfer to a glass container and store in fridge.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
I had a couple of rolls left over from making steak sandwiches the other night, so I made these to use them up. Very simple, but the sandwiches ended up tasting even better than I expected. Kevin says, "If Atwaters served that, I would order it every time." There was also a lot of rambling about it being a vegetarian substitute for cheese steak subs or Novakians (perish the thought). He says the toasted roll made the sammie, so you shouldn't skip that step.
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
1 long skinny eggplant, cut in half and sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
1 summer squash, cut in half and sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
2 medium carrots, sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1 green pepper
2 sub rolls
1 cup grated mixed cheese (I used mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar)
pickled onions
Place sliced veggies in a bowl together and mix with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper to taste. Let sit for at least an hour. Clean mushrooms and coat in oil, salt, and pepper and let sit for a half hour. Heat your grill to high. Place the green pepper on the grill and turn until blackened. Remove from grill and let cool. (Theoretically, you should be able to peel it like a roasted pepper, but that didn't work, so I just ran with it and ate the burned up skin.) Slice it and set it aside. Place all other veggies on grill and cook to your taste. Meanwhile, brush olive oil on the inside of the sub rolls. Place them face down on the grill and toast for a couple of minutes. Flip them over and top with cheese. Cook until melted. Cut mushrooms into slices so they fit on the rolls. Top with all other veggies and pickled onions.
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
1 long skinny eggplant, cut in half and sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
1 summer squash, cut in half and sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
2 medium carrots, sliced in 1/4" slices lengthwise
2 portabella mushrooms
olive oil
salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper
1 green pepper
2 sub rolls
1 cup grated mixed cheese (I used mozzarella, parmesan, and cheddar)
pickled onions
Place sliced veggies in a bowl together and mix with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper to taste. Let sit for at least an hour. Clean mushrooms and coat in oil, salt, and pepper and let sit for a half hour. Heat your grill to high. Place the green pepper on the grill and turn until blackened. Remove from grill and let cool. (Theoretically, you should be able to peel it like a roasted pepper, but that didn't work, so I just ran with it and ate the burned up skin.) Slice it and set it aside. Place all other veggies on grill and cook to your taste. Meanwhile, brush olive oil on the inside of the sub rolls. Place them face down on the grill and toast for a couple of minutes. Flip them over and top with cheese. Cook until melted. Cut mushrooms into slices so they fit on the rolls. Top with all other veggies and pickled onions.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Janis' Potato Bar
This is not so much a recipe as it is a place to help me remember this was a fun party dinner. Plus, I figured I would take the opportunity to ask for additional suggestions.
I wanted to make something for my MIL for her birthday, but I have never really figured out what she likes to eat. I thought a baked potato bar would be nice so that people would have options and could just skip whatever they didn't like. I went with some basic stuff (listed below), but really wished I could have thought of something a little unusual. Any thoughts? What do you like on your baked potatoes? I'm partial to turning them into tacos. I'm thinking I'd like to do a sweet potato bar sometime as well, so I'd love your sweet potato ideas as well.
Baked Potato Bar
Baked potatoes
Turkey chili
Garden salsa
Grated cheddar cheese
Plain Greek yogurt
Bacon crumbles
Steamed broccoli
I wanted to make something for my MIL for her birthday, but I have never really figured out what she likes to eat. I thought a baked potato bar would be nice so that people would have options and could just skip whatever they didn't like. I went with some basic stuff (listed below), but really wished I could have thought of something a little unusual. Any thoughts? What do you like on your baked potatoes? I'm partial to turning them into tacos. I'm thinking I'd like to do a sweet potato bar sometime as well, so I'd love your sweet potato ideas as well.
Baked Potato Bar
Baked potatoes
Turkey chili
Garden salsa
Grated cheddar cheese
Plain Greek yogurt
Bacon crumbles
Steamed broccoli
Garden Salsa
This is a pretty basic recipe, but we've been enjoying it quite a bit this week. If I didn't kill my cilantro, as usual, I would have put some in, but it was tasty without it.
Garden Salsa
6-9 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
1 small cucumber, cut in small dice
1 small bell pepper, cut in small dice
2 jalapenos, seeded, minced
1 tblsp lemon juice (I would have preferred a little more lime juice, but didn't have any limes)
ground cumin to taste
salt
Place cut tomatoes and cucumbers in a small colander over a bowl. Toss with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. Drain and mix with remaining ingredients. Let sit for at least an hour to let flavors combine.
Garden Salsa
6-9 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
1 small cucumber, cut in small dice
1 small bell pepper, cut in small dice
2 jalapenos, seeded, minced
1 tblsp lemon juice (I would have preferred a little more lime juice, but didn't have any limes)
ground cumin to taste
salt
Place cut tomatoes and cucumbers in a small colander over a bowl. Toss with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. Drain and mix with remaining ingredients. Let sit for at least an hour to let flavors combine.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes
I came home from vacation to find my tomatoes had ripened! Joy! Instead of just plopping them on a plate with every meal, I figured I should try something a little different. It was also hot as heck, which meant I was not interested in firing up the oven, so I decided to try stuffed tomatoes on the grill. They were delicious, but definitely a mess.
Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes
3 plum tomatoes, halved, seeds removed
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1 tblsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tblsp fresh basil, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients except tomatoes. Add olive oil until the bread crumb mixture just comes together. Grill tomatoes, meat side down, for a minute to warm up and add a little grill flavor. Flip tomatoes over and spoon filling into the tomato and grill until the cheese melts and the filling browns lightly.
Grilled Stuffed Tomatoes
3 plum tomatoes, halved, seeds removed
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1 tblsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tblsp fresh basil, chopped
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients except tomatoes. Add olive oil until the bread crumb mixture just comes together. Grill tomatoes, meat side down, for a minute to warm up and add a little grill flavor. Flip tomatoes over and spoon filling into the tomato and grill until the cheese melts and the filling browns lightly.
Greek Tomato Sandwich
This is way too easy and probably doesn't deserve its own blog entry, but I'm putting it here anyway. It's mostly the mayonnaise. I tried to make this without making the mayo and it was just a mess of a sandwich. And I'm sure "Greek" is a bit of a stretch, but it's what I think of when I taste it, so that's what it is here.
Greek Tomato Sandwich
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tblsp chopped fresh oregano
1 oz crumbled feta
1 large tomato, sliced
sliced onion
lettuce
whole wheat bread
Combine mayo, oregano, and feta in a small blender. Let sit in fridge for at least an hour. Assemble sandwich on toasted bread. Enjoy!
Greek Tomato Sandwich
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tblsp chopped fresh oregano
1 oz crumbled feta
1 large tomato, sliced
sliced onion
lettuce
whole wheat bread
Combine mayo, oregano, and feta in a small blender. Let sit in fridge for at least an hour. Assemble sandwich on toasted bread. Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Herb Dressings
Two new variations for me. Both were delicious on green salad and pasta salad. I would let them sit in the fridge for an hour before serving to really get the flavors together.
Mayo Based Herb Dressing
1/4 cup mayo
2 tblsp lemon juice
2 tblsp rice vinegar
1 handful parsley
1 handful chives
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil, as necessary
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor. Add olive oil as necessary to reach desired consistency.
Vinegar Based Herb Dressing
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 handful parsley
1 handful basil
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor. Add additional olive oil to reach desired vinegar/oil balance.
Mayo Based Herb Dressing
1/4 cup mayo
2 tblsp lemon juice
2 tblsp rice vinegar
1 handful parsley
1 handful chives
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil, as necessary
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor. Add olive oil as necessary to reach desired consistency.
Vinegar Based Herb Dressing
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 handful parsley
1 handful basil
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a small food processor. Add additional olive oil to reach desired vinegar/oil balance.
Refrigerator Pickles
All last summer, I wanted to try my hand at making refrigerator pickles, but I lacked pickling spices and then, before I knew it, cucumber season was over. So, I kept getting my refrigerator pickles from the grocery. Now, I don't know why I never looked at a pickle label before, but a couple of weeks ago, as I was standing in the fridge munching on a pickle, I took a glance and there was my old friend - HFCS. I know I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. And so, I still have no pickling spices, but I grabbed a few cukes from the farmer's market and some dill from our community garden and got to work.
Garlic Refrigerator Pickles (Kevin called these "breath of fire" pickles)
1 or 1 1/2 cucumbers (depending on size), sliced, you know, cucumber width
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tblsp sugar (you might want to add more if you don't want them to be "breath of fire" pickles)
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
dash crushed red pepper
Place cucumbers and onion in glass storage container (mine was two cups). In a small saucepan, bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Stir and boil until sugar dissolves completely (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two. Pour over cucumbers and place in fridge for 24 hours before eating.
Dill Refrigerator Pickles
Garlic Refrigerator Pickles (Kevin called these "breath of fire" pickles)
1 or 1 1/2 cucumbers (depending on size), sliced, you know, cucumber width
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tblsp sugar (you might want to add more if you don't want them to be "breath of fire" pickles)
1 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
dash crushed red pepper
Place cucumbers and onion in glass storage container (mine was two cups). In a small saucepan, bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Stir and boil until sugar dissolves completely (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for a minute or two. Pour over cucumbers and place in fridge for 24 hours before eating.
Dill Refrigerator Pickles
1 or 1 1/2 cucumbers (depending on size), sliced
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar (these were for Kevin, so I tried to reduce the "breath of fire" aspect)
1 tsp salt
4 large springs fresh dill
Prepare same as above.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Barley with Veggies
This was just something I threw together to serve the dual purpose of being lunch and cleaning out the fridge a little, but it ended up being really tasty. I normally don't like any application where feta cheese becomes warm, so I'm not sure why I put it in, but it definitely worked.
Barley with Veggies
3 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp sliced onion
1 clove chopped garlic
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 small bunch spinach, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh basil
crushed red pepper
3/4 cup leftover pearl barley
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt
Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and zucchini. Cook until zucchini begins to get tender. Add spinach, basil, and red pepper (to taste) and cook until spinach is wilted. Add barley and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat and add feta and salt to taste.
Barley with Veggies
3 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp sliced onion
1 clove chopped garlic
1 zucchini, sliced into half moons
1 small bunch spinach, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh basil
crushed red pepper
3/4 cup leftover pearl barley
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
salt
Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, and zucchini. Cook until zucchini begins to get tender. Add spinach, basil, and red pepper (to taste) and cook until spinach is wilted. Add barley and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat and add feta and salt to taste.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Herbed Lamb Loin Chop
Lamb is Kevin's favorite, but I've never actually made it at home. These were quite tasty, but next time I will try to marinate the chops in the herb mixture before cooking. I served these with a pearl barley and green beans.
Herbed Lamb Loin Chop
2 lamb loin chips
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp chopped parsley and oregano
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients but lamb in a small bowl. Heat an additional tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Slather a quarter of the herb mixture on one side of each chop and place it herb side down in the skillet. Cook for approximately 3 minutes. Slather the remaining mixture on the chops, flip the chops, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook to desired doneness.
Herbed Lamb Loin Chop
2 lamb loin chips
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp chopped parsley and oregano
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients but lamb in a small bowl. Heat an additional tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Slather a quarter of the herb mixture on one side of each chop and place it herb side down in the skillet. Cook for approximately 3 minutes. Slather the remaining mixture on the chops, flip the chops, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook to desired doneness.
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