The Simplest (And Prettiest) Summer Salad

Isn't that just the most gorgeous salad?  I love the vivid colors of summer tomatoes, black balsamic reduction, creamy white mozzarella, and bright green basil.  When vine ripe tomatoes are at their peak, I like to turn to Caprese Salad as a pot luck dish, or an elegant side dish for any night of the week.

I made this salad for my Mom's garden party a couple weeks ago, and I'm making it again tomorrow night when Wade and I entertain my parents and two close friends of the family during our small town's annual festival and fireworks celebration.  It's a cinch to make a few hours and advance and keep in the fridge until serving time, though it is probably best to keep the balsamic reduction in a separate container until just before serving time so that it looks nice and fresh.  Red tomatoes are beautiful in this salad, but heirloom tomatoes add a nice homey touch and visual appeal

•Approximately 2 1/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes

•1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese

•A small handful of fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

•1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Simmer the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat until it has reduced by about 2/2 and has a light syrup-like consistency.  Set aside.

Slice the tomatoes thickly and set aside.  Slice the mozzarella cheese into thin slices and set aside.

Layer the tomatoes and cheese slices out in a fan shape on a large serving platter, alternating cheese and tomatoes.  Drizzle with the balsamic reduction.  Sprinkle the finely chopped basil over the salad and serve.

Quick Summer Squash with Preserved Lemon

This recipe is so easy it almost isn't a recipe.  I love preserved lemons and make a quart jar every winter, but sometimes it is hard to find ways to use them.  Chicken Tagine with green olives is a favorite as is rice pilaf, but they are also great with a simple baked chicken with fresh herbs.  Preserved lemons add a nice depth to sauteed squash to help mix things up in the summer when summer squash is available in abundance.

•1 Tablespoon olive oil

•3 cloves garlic, minced

•2 large summer squash- crooked neck, yellow, or zucchini, sliced

•1/4 of a preserved lemon, rinsed and finely chopped

•1 teaspoon dried thyme

•a sprinkling of kosher salt, to taste (optional, preserved lemons are a bit salty)

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot add garlic and sauté until lightly browned.  Add the sliced squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and nicely browned in spots.  Stir in the preserved lemon, thyme, and salt, if using.  Serve immediately.

Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

For Mother's Day we had my parents over for a barbecue.  We went with an Asian theme for the day by having Korean barbecue ribs, which we wrapped in leaves of lettuce and served with chili sauce, a quinoa salad with a ginger dressing, and shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce.

Wade made the meat with a recipe from Steve Rachlin's Planet Barbecue.  That is a wonderful cookbook filled with barbecue recipes from all over the world.  It gets used a lot at our house in the summer.  The quinoa salad recipe is from Canning for a New Generation by Liana Kristoff.  The dressing is made with some home canned sushi ginger and the pickling liquid.  It pairs nicely with the cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad.  And it's just cool to home can your own ginger.  It makes a nice project for the middle of winter when there isn't much else around to can.  The spring rolls are our own creation using some vegetables we had on hand.  Wade made up the recipe for the peanut sauce, which would be great in a stir fry as well. I forgot to take a picture of the sauce, but I'll post one next time we make it.

Mom loved everything and we had a great Mother's Day.

•Spring roll wraps, about a dozen.
•3 cups fresh spinach leaves
•2 cups very finely shredded cabbage
•2 carrots, shredded
•3 green onions, sliced
•1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
•a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
•salt, to taste
•1 Tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
•1/2 pound shrimp, cooked and split in half

For the Peanut Dipping Sauce:
•1/2 cup coconut milk
•1 cup peanut butter
•handful of fresh cilantro
•1 teaspoon fish sauce
•1 1/2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
•1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
•2 cloves garlic

Fill a pie dish with warm water.  Set aside. Set the spinach leaves aside.  Mix the cabbage, carrots, green onion, bell pepper, and cilantro together in a bowl.  Salt to taste and toss with the oil.

The spring roll wrapper is there.  It's just hard to see since it's clear.

Dip a spring roll wrapper in the water for about 30 seconds, to soften.  Place on a cutting board.  Top with a few slices of spinach in the middle of the wrapper.  Place a few tablespoons of the vegetable mixture on top of the spinach.  Top the vegetable mixture with 4 shrimp halves.

Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling, tuck in the sides, and roll up.  The wrapper with stick to itself.  Repeat until the vegetables are gone.

Blend all of the ingredients for the sauce together in a food processor.  Serve alongside the spring rolls.

Lighten Up: Spicy Corn Fritters

The last month has consisted of a lot of running around for us, and our diet has definitely seen the effects of late nights, meals on the go, and eating away from home.  Since we have been eating a lot of fried foods, burgers, and nachos lately I wanted to make a recipe that was both hearty and satisfying, but also a bit lower in salt and fat.

I made this recipe by the Neelys once before and really liked it.  When Wade decided to make some homemade barbecued ribs the other night I remembered this recipe.  Instead of frying the fritters I sprayed a nonstick skillet with some olive oil and cooked the fritters like pancakes.  They still retained all of their great flavor without any of the greasiness of the fried version.  I also cut out the butter completely and used two percent milk and some lemon juice instead of buttermilk.  These are a bit on the spicy side, so taste and adjust the seasonings to your own liking.

•3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

•1/2 cup flour

•1/2 cup cornmeal
•1 Tablespoon Creole Style Spice Blend
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
•1/2 cup reduced fat milk
•1 Tablespoon lemon juice
•1 egg
•2 teaspoons olive oil
•1/2 green pepper, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
•1/3 cup white onion, finely chopped
•Cooking spray (I like to use a Misto filled with olive oil)

Mix the corn, flour, cornmeal, Creole spice blend, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a small dish and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the green peppers are tender.

Mix the milk and the cooked onions and peppers in with the corn mixture.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Spray with the cooking spray and add the corn mixture to the skillet in 1/4 cup scoops.

Cook on the first side until the edges begin to brown slightly.  Flip over and cook until evenly browned on the other side.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.  Repeat with the remaining corn mixture, spraying the pan when necessary.

Bacon and India Pale Ale Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are an under-appreciated vegetable.  When boiled to death and covered in butter (or more likely margerine) like they are so often served up on buffets and in school cafeterias they become one of the most hated vegetables of children and adults alike.  When prepared with a little bit of care and some awesome ingredients (bacon and beer anyone?) they take on a sophisticated, nutty flavor that is perfect as a side to almost any meal. I can't wait to make these again.

This recipe is adapted from The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance

•1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
•1 Tablespoon olive oil
•3 slices thick bacon, chopped
•6 cloves garlic, minced
•12 oz bottle IPA
•Kosher salt and black pepper
•1 cup cherry tomatoes, or one large tomato, diced
•Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Set up a steamer basket and steam the brussels sprouts over an inch or so of salted water for about 5 minutes.  You want them to still be rather firm, but bright green in color.  Plunge the steamed brussels sprouts into an ice water bath to halt the cooking process and retain the bright color.

Drain well and set aside.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the bacon and cook, stirring often, until the bacon just begins to crisp.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two.  Add the brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned.  This should take about five minutes.

Add the beer and cook over medium high heat, until most of the liquid is evaporated, adding the cherry tomatoes during the last five minutes of cooking time.  Stir in the cheese just before serving.

 

Roasted Cauliflower

Wade and I love veggies, but in the winter it can be hard to find good, decently priced produce.  Cauliflower is one of our favorite go-to vegetable side dishes in the winter because it is usually reasonably priced and it wasn't picked under-ripe and shipped to the store, like some of the other fruits and vegetables in the winter.  We've both made cauliflower this way for several years.  The roasting really brings a nice, almost nutty flavor to the cauliflower.  And you can't go wrong with garlic and cheese.

The recipe is versatile so the spices and cheese can be mixed up to suit your mood or whatever you happen to have in the house.  When we have it on hand Swiss cheese is my favorite for this dish.  We have also prepared broccoli this same way with some cheddar cheese on top.

•1 large head cauliflower
•3 cloves garlic, minced
•1-2 tablespoons olive oil- just enough to drizzle and coat the cauliflower
•1 teaspoon thyme
•Salt and pepper, to taste
•1/4 cup shredded cheese, any flavor (I used Parmesan)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cut the cauliflower head into florets.  Place in a baking dish with the chopped garlic.  Drizzle with the olive oil.  Sprinkle on the thyme, salt, and pepper.  Toss together gently. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and beginning to brown slightly.  Top with the shredded cheese and roast another five minutes, or until the cheese is browned and bubbly.

Blossom Fruit Salad

I absolutely love stuff from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.  The dress, music, decor, TV shows, movies, and architecture are all so interesting to me.  So, I was especially excited when my Mom lent me some of her vintage cookbooks and pamphlets.

It's amazing to see how our tastes have changed over the years.  Many recipes seem somewhat bland, and others are downright weird.  The kidney bean salad wrapped up in slices of bologna comes to mind.  And it always seems odd to me to see a recipe that calls for 1 teaspoon MSG. (Can you even buy that anymore?) Then there are the classic dishes like tuna casserole, chicken a la king, and Swiss steak that most of us grew up eating that are the ultimate comfort food.

Isn't that artwork fun?

Vintage cookbooks always seem to have tons of recipes for side dishes and fancy fruit salads.  I notice that, in my cooking, the main dish is always the star and the side dish is usually an afterthought.  Steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes, rice, baked potatoes, or squash are my go to ho-hum sides.  So, one evening while I was making an ordinary meat and potatoes dinner I decided to try a simple, but pretty fruit and cheese side salad. I was surprised at how quickly it came together, despite having to shape the orange peels into petals.  Plus, the mixture of cottage cheese and pineapple is just so 1950s!

Expect to see more retro recipes in the future as I continue going through these old books.

•4 oranges, skin scrubbed very well
•1 9 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained- reserve 2 Tablespoons of the pineapple juice
•1 banana, sliced in quarters lengthwise and then into 1/2 inch slices
•1 cup cottage cheese
•4 maraschino cherries, patted dry

Beginning at the top, make six equally spaced cuts through the oranges; slit to within 1 inch of the base.  Cut off a small slice from the bottom of each orange so that they sit flat on the serving plate.  Pull each piece of peel away from the pulp forming 6 petals attached to the base.  A short, curved fruit knife works well for this step.  Carefully remove the fruit.  Chop into small pieces.  Set aside.  Repeat with the remaining oranges

Mix the pineapple, chopped oranges, and banana pieces together in a small bowl.  Fill the orange shells with the fruit mixture.

Blend the cottage cheese and the reserved pineapple juice together.  Spoon cottage cheese on to the fruit salad.  Top with the maraschino cherries and serve.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad with Chipotle Lime Dressing

Last summer we grew our own lettuce.  We ate fresh salads almost every day.  After having all of that fresh grown lettuce the romaine and greens from the store in the middle of the winter just seem sort of, well, blah.

It can be hard to try to eat seasonally in the winter when there is hardly anything light and fresh around. Citrus fruit is cheap and readily available this time of year, so it makes sense to try and incorporate it into different dishes.  We had two grapefruits and two avocados on the counter that needed to be used up right away. Wade and I both really liked the flavor combinations of this salad.  I will definitely be branching out and trying more savory/sweet salads with fruit until we can get back in the garden growing beets, radishes, and spinach.

•1/4 cup lime juice
•1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
•1/4 cup olive oil
•2 cloves garlic, chopped
•1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
•A small handful of cilantro, chopped
•Salt and pepper, to taste
•2 avocados, pitted and sliced
•2 grapefruits, peeled and cut into sections

Combine the lime juice and mustard in a medium sized bowl.  Stir in the olive oil, a little bit at a time, until well combined.  Stir in the garlic, chipotle, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Gently toss the avocado slices and grapefruit with the dressing.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until later.

 

Crockpot Southern Style Greens

I never grew up eating collard greens, but I did try them a few years ago at the Cracker Barrel and they have since become one of my favorite side dishes.  I call these greens "Southern Style" since they use bacon instead of a ham bone, which is the way they are typically prepared in the South.

I adapted this recipe slightly from Paula Deen's Collard Greens recipe by changing the meat, cutting down on the fat, and cooking the greens slow all day in a crock pot.  I most often use kale with this recipe because it is easy to find and often on sale at the local grocery store, but I have used actual collard greens, turnip greens, swiss chard, and even beet greens.  They all taste great in this dish.  At the Cracker Barrel the greens are served with red wine vinegar or Texas Pete's hot pepper sauce, which adds just the right punch of flavor.  Experiment around at home and see what flavors you like best.

•2 cups chicken broth
•2-4 cloves garlic, left whole
•1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
•2 strips of lean bacon, chopped into large chunks
•3-4 large bunches of kale, or another green- chopped into large pieces (Kale bunches tend to be pretty bid, so I'd go with 3 bunches of kale, or 4 or another green)

Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of your crock pot.  Toss in the garlic cloves, pepper, and bacon pieces.  Next, wash the greens in batches and add them to the crockpot.  Really cram them in there tightly.  They will cook down a lot.  You may want to sit a can of food or something on the lid for a while to keep it held down if it pops up.  Cook on low for about 8 hours.  The greens will be wilted and tasty.  Serve with vinegar and hot sauce.

Two New Favorites! In One Night!

Wade and I are planning a road trip to New Mexico in a few months.  We will be going to Roswell to see the UFO museum and all of the other alien-themed things in the area (because we are just dorks like that.)  We'll also go through Santa Fe, which is probably the only other place I'd ever want to live besides Colorado.Looking at all of travel information online made me really, really want some spicy Southwest food.  Right then and there.

This is the best meal that I have made in a long time. I discovered two new favorites.  The Chipotle Mayo Chicken based on the recipe from The Homesick Texan and Roasted Jalapeno Rajas are going to become part of our regular menu rotation.

Chipotle Mayo Chicken, Adapted from The Homesick Texan

•4-6 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (or a package of drumsticks)
•1/2 cup mayonnaise
•1 Tablespoon lime juice
•A handful of chopped cilantro
•2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, finely chopped (freeze the rest individually in ice cube trays.  When you need a few chilies you can just chop up as many as you need, don't bother to thaw them)
•About 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cumin
•About 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•Salt and pepper, to taste.

Preheat oven to 375.  Mix together the mayo, lime juice, cilantro, chipotles, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat thoroughly.  Place chicken pieces in a baking dish. Top with any leftover mayo mixture. Bake for about one hour, until the chicken juices run clear.

For the Rajas:

•1 Tablespoon olive oil
•1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices

•1/2 cup roasted poblanos, jalapenos, or other pepper of your choice, sliced.
•Salt and pepper to taste
•1/2 cup sour cream

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until they become partially caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.  Add the jalapenos, salt, and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Add the sour cream and heat through.  Serve with hot flour or corn tortillas.