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7/30/18

Shishito Peppers With Corn, Feta, Crema & Bourbon Smoked Paprika


This Shishito Peppers With Corn, Feta, Crema & Bourbon Smoked Paprika was inspired by a recipe Washington's Green Grocer posted on their instagram and insta story. 

I changed a few ingredients and absolutely loved it! If you love Mexican corn, you need to make this dish while the corn is fresh and sweet.

Shishito Peppers With Corn, Feta, Crema & Bourbon Smoked Paprika

Ingredients
olive oil
shishito peppers
fresh corn kernels
salt
feta, crumbled
bourbon smoked paprika
Mexican crema (or use a combination of Greek yogurt thinned out with a bit of lime juice)
chiffonade of basil (feel free to use cilantro)

Directions
1. Heat two skillets. Add olive oil. In one skillet add corn kernels and saute until golden. In another skillet, preferably cast iron, blacken shishito peppers.
2. Season corn and shishito peppers with salt and add to a plate.
3. Top with feta, bourbon smoked paprika, a drizzle of Mexican crema, and basil.

The photo looks messy, but I hope you will still try out this combination of flavors. 

7/25/18

Quick & Easy Entertainment: Piquillo & Artichoke Bruschetta


Looking for a quick and easy entertainment idea? Bruschetta fits the bill perfectly.

My friend Allison came over this past Monday for a night of The Bachelorette, and I thought it'd be fun to make bruschetta to go with vinho verde, hummus, brie, and other chips and dips.

You start with toasted sliced bread, add a topping, and dig in.

I usually think of bruschetta topping made with tomatoes, but this time around I picked up a jar of piquillo & artichoke bruschetta from World Market. {Fun fact: I used to work at World Market ages ago part time, and still love shopping there.}

Of course you can easily make this topping yourself by combining chopped piquillo peppers (or roasted red peppers) with chopped marinated artichoke hearts and a bit of olive oil.

Quick & Easy Entertainment Piquillo & Artichoke Bruschetta

Ingredients
baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/4" slices
olive oil
garlic clove, sliced lengthwise
piquillo & artichoke bruschetta topping
fresh basil, sliced

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
2. Brush each side of sliced baguette with olive oil and bake for 3-6 minutes on each side, depending on how golden brown you want your bread.
3. Rub halved garlic clove onto each slice of toast.
4. Top each slice with piquillo & artichoke bruschetta and basil.

Easy summer entertainment!!

7/23/18

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Summer Meal


Quick & Easy Vegetarian Summer Meal is something you can have for lunch or dinner any day of the week, but especially for Meatless Monday. This combination of ingredients requires almost no cooking.

Half of the items on the plate come from Washington's Green Grocer; the other half come from Trader Joe's. Neither is a paid contributor ;) I love both.

Last night I needed a quick meal with some color and flavor as a counterpart to the gloomy rainy weekend.

1) Corn: husk the corn and wrap it in aluminum foil and then grill it directly on the gas flame turning occasionally.

2) Feta

3) Tomatoes: sliced and sprinkled with kosher salt

4) Eggplant spread: topped with chopped red onions. This Trader Joe's spread is beyond addicting and can be eaten as a side or spread on toast or used in sandwiches or as a dip.

5) Shishito peppers: blistered in a cast iron with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkled with kosher salt and a bit of feta.

Filling. Colorful. Healthy.

7/17/18

Cajun Smoked Salmon Salad Recipe


Love smoked salmon? Looking for something more fun than plain cream cheese to schmear on your bagel? Then you need to try my Cajun Smoked Salmon Salad Recipe.

You want to buy Cajun Flavored Smoked Salmon that comes in one piece instead of sliced smoke salmon. If you can't find Cajun Flavored Smoked Salmon, get regular smoked salmon that comes in a large unsliced piece and add some of this spice mix

Cajun Smoked Salmon Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Cajun Flavor Smoked Salmon, flaked
zest of a lemon
finely chopped Vidalia onion
chopped cilantro
lemon juice to taste
enough mayonnaise to combine

I know...there are no amounts listed. I wasn't planning on blogging about this, but my friend Laura said I should. Trust your gut and add as much or as little of each ingredient as you wish. Combine them all in a bowl.

This salad is incredibly flavorful and yet light. I had it with an everything bagel, tomatoes and cucumbers. 

7/12/18

Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup


Are you swimming in the sea of summer corn and zucchini? If the answer is yes, then this Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup is perfect for you.

I saw a recipe for Thai-Style Corn Chowder on TheKitchn and adapted it slightly to fit what I had on hand.

First, I used only 2 red skinned potatoes, and added 2 large zucchini. I also used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Finally, I pureed part of the soup to improve the texture.

The one recommendation I'm still figuring out is whether to mince the lemon grass*** or simply bruise it using the back of the knife because I did not like the texture of the minced lemongrass in the soup. You decide!

Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup
Adapted from TheKitchn
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 red skinned potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Thai chili pepper, finely chopped {do NOT touch your eyes after}
1 3" piece of lemongrass, bruised with the back of the knife to release the flavor
salt to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups fresh corn {if you are making this soup in the winter, use defrosted corn}
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 13.5 to 15 ounce can coconut milk
chopped cilantro
lime wedges

Directions
1. Heat a heavy bottomed soup pot on the stove. Add olive oil and allow it to heat.
2. Add chopped onions and allow to cook until translucent.
3. Add potatoes, chili pepper and lemongrass and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt. 
5. Add just enough broth to cover the vegetables, bring to a simmer and cook 5 to 8 minutes, covered, until potatoes are tender.
6. Add corn and zucchini and the rest of the broth. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
7. Fish out the lemongrass and discard.
8. Off the heat, add coconut milk.
9. Carefully ladle a few cups of the soup into a blender. Blend until smooth and add back into the soup pot.
10. Serve the soup garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

*** Rereading the recipe, I noticed the lemongrass was finely grated, not minced. Oy. Clearly I did not pay enough attention.

7/9/18

Meatless Monday: Summer Burrata Salad With Tomatoes, Peaches & Cherries


Over the weekend I made a Summer Burrata Salad With Tomatoes, Peaches & Cherries, and it was divine!

Burrata is somewhat costly, but is a great splurge from time to time. Usually served with fresh tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil and salt, the salad is a great start to a meal or a light meal in itself. I added a few extra ingredients to make a stunning (if I say so myself) plated salad.


Summer Burrata Salad With Tomatoes, Peaches & Cherries
Ingredients
1 ball burrata
tomatoes (I used kumato, cherry, and golden varieties), sliced or/and quartered
peaches, sliced
Rainier cherries, pitted and halved
pickled corn
basil
chili olive oil
salt  

Directions
1. Tear the burrata ball. Arrange tomatoes, peaches, cherries, and pickled corn in a pleasing pattern.
2. Top with basil.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.

Here's to more gorgeous summer salads!!

7/5/18

Healthy Eating: Zucchini, Tomato & Cod Recipe


This Zucchini, Tomato & Cod Recipe is super quick, satisfying, healthy, and reheats well. I wasn't planning on blogging about it, but after tasting my creation, I wanted to share it with you.

If you have had one too many burgers or hot dogs yesterday at the 4th of July get together, or are drowning in the number of zucchini from your garden, or don't eat meat on Fridays, or just want something that feels light, make this dish!

Zucchini, Tomato & Cod Recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4" slices
3 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/4" slices
1/2 large Vidalia onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen: not sponsored. I really like them and order them by the case on Amazon.)
1-2 pinches red pepper flakes
4 cod filets (or use halibut or tilapia or even shrimp)
fresh basil

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add zucchini, summer squash, onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add diced tomatoes and their juices and red pepper flakes and bring to a low simmer.
3. Submerge cod in the zucchini/summer squash/tomato stew and simmer, covered, until the fish is cooked through. This may take 5-15 minutes depending on the size of the fish: check the fish with a fork to make sure it is cooked through.
4. Serve topped with fresh basil.

NOTES:
1. I used defrosted cod. It worked really well.
2. You can use sliced peppers into the stew in step #1.
3. Olives or capers would be a great addition to this dish.

7/2/18

Meatless Monday: Tomato Sourdough Toast! Taste Of Summer



In the words of Oprah, I LOVE BREAD!!! During the Summer months, I love the simplicity of tomato sandwiches. Mine usually include toasted bread, mayonnaise, tomato, and salt.

When your recipe has only a few ingredients, you need to make sure to use the best ones. This Tomato Sourdough Toast comes from my visit to Penn Quarter Farmers Market last Thursday where I bought a gorgeous ripe tomato from Toigo Orchards and half a loaf of sourdough from Seylou. {Thank god I only bought half of the loaf: I've been eating it daily and my scale is not happy about it. My taste buds, however, are rather pleased by this crusty bread with tender inside!}

For the rest of the ingredients, I used mayonnaise, thinly sliced red onions, Kosher salt, and baby basil. 


Tomato Sourdough Toast
1) Toast sliced bread and allow to cool
2) Smother the toast with mayonnaise
3) Add a layer of thinly sliced red onion and a layer of thick slices of tomatoes
4) Sprinkle with Kosher salt
5) Top with baby basil

PS What do you think of my new background? I took an old wood table I haven't used in ages and distressed it with a hammer, a few nails, and then stained it!