Honey Poppyseed Salad Dressing

I've been playing a bit of a disappearing act lately.  In the words of Indigo Montoya (who doesn't love The Princess Bride?).  "Let me 'splain...No, there is too much.  Let me sum up."

The third trimester of this pregnancy has hit me hard.  Between the 90 degree days that completely sap me of any energy and the crazy humidity that comes with weeks of pouring rain and causes amazing swelling in all my joints, I've been a bit out of commission.  Then there's the incredible back pain that seems to hit somewhere around noon every day.  But the thing that's been the biggest struggle of late is trying to get my high blood sugar under control. 

If you've been a reader for a while, you will by now recognize that I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  And it's hard for me to pass up a slice of bread or croissant if one crosses my path (okay, I really mean near impossible).  How can I just ignore the breadbasket sitting on my counter?  But I know how to seek out whole grains and, fortunately, am able to make my own breads and have a whole variety to choose from at my fingertips here in Germany.  Interestingly, I've found out that I enjoy spelt quite a bit.  Testing my blood sugar 6 times a day has made me accountable for every little thing I pick up to eat and I have to think about the smallest snack I might grab.  I've been working hard at it and don't always make the right choices, but after a few weeks I think I might be getting the hang of it.  Even making changes to my diet hasn't helped, though, and I'm still struggling with what my body is failing to accomplish every day and frustrated that I now have to rely on extra insulin too.

In all honesty, even though much of my waking day is spent concentrating on the food that goes into my body (and definitely what doesn't) I haven't exactly felt that I have a lot to contribute here.  I'm too tired and fixated on little details to have much left for photographing the few things I might find exciting enough to share.  Yesterday, though, I kicked my own butt into gear and forced myself to see that it isn't necessarily the complicated baking that makes for the best post, but the food that I am actually making for myself and my loved ones.  So even in the rain I found a bit of nice light and whipped up a simple salad dressing for a very summery salad.  One that fits into my new diet, but also one I think anybody would enjoy.  So I'm sharing- and I must say that's it's nice to be back.

Honey Poppyseed Salad Dressing
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
For the printable recipe, click here.

I am not giving a recipe for the salad or grilled chicken that I served with the dressing.  Mostly because they're so simple they don't really need a recipe.  I used mixed baby greens, a handful of sliced almonds and some strawberries and blackberries for the salad.  The chicken is a boneless, skinless breast that I simply marinated for about a half hour in lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil then grilled until cooked through but still juicy.  My favorite part of the salad?  The strawberries.  I think I could have eaten them in a soup of the dressing.

1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs honey
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp poppyseeds
1 small shallot, grated on a box grater or microplane with larger holes
a pinch of sea salt

Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Serve chilled with your favorite salad ingredients.

Watermelon, Cucumber, Arugula and Feta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

                       

So you can take the girl out of her home and kitchen, but apparently you can't take the food blogger out of the girl. I thought I wasn't going to have anything to say or share for quite a while with this move. But I was sooo wrong. It started with a suggestion from my mom, continued through a dinner out with my family and ended up as an obsession. This recipe was one that I just couldn't shake the need to attempt on my own. 

And when I spend my free moments (miraculously I do have those- 5 hours on a plane, many long wait times for cars and shuttles, the evening hours where quiet is necessary because I'm sharing a room with my sleeping children...) trying to memorize the ingredients and work out the ratios of a salad I had for dinner one night on the road, it becomes more and more of an obsession.  I just needed the opportunity to take it from my memory to the plate. 

I was admittedly a skeptic when I first heard about this whole watermelon and feta combination. It just seemed odd in a way that I couldn't quite work out. But the rest of the food world didn't share my opinion and I had been seeing similar salads all over the blogs and Pinterest. When my mom mentioned the salad to me not that long ago, I gave her that look of "really?" but thought if she liked it, maybe I was missing something. 

Fast forward to a dinner out with my family and the salad from that dinner that I've recreated here. It was mind blowing to me how perfectly balanced the watermelon and feta were. So this is what I had been missing all along!  I will never doubt my mother or all of those other foodies out there again (ok, I still haven't been sold on the idea of Brussels sprouts yet, no matter how much bacon goes along with it). But this salad is my new favorite and I offer my thanks to whomever put these unlikely ingredients together in the first place. You are a genius. 

                          

Watermelon, Cucumber, Arugula and Feta Salad with Lime Vinaigrette 

Serves 6

For the printable recipe, click here.

I did my best to measure the ingredients in the vinaigrette, but the salad is one that you can throw together so that it tastes good to you. I've given a rough estimate of ingredients below, but feel free to amend them to your liking. 

2 large handfuls of baby arugula

1 small seedless watermelon cut into 1 inch cubes (about 5 cups)

2 medium cucumbers, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick (about 2 cups)

2-3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Zest and juice of 1 large lime (about 1 tsp zest and 3 tbs juice)

6 tbs olive oil

2 tsp honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Lay the arugula on a serving platter and top with the watermelon, cucumbers and feta. 

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the lime zest and juice, olive oil and honey. Add a pinch of salt and crack of pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and serve immediately. 

Fire Roasted BBQ Sauce

One of the first meals I ever cooked for my family was centered around barbequed chicken.  And I'm not talking my hubby and kids.  I mean my parents and sister.  I couldn't exactly say when it was, high school or college, but I remember being excited and nervous all at the same time.  I mean, my Mom had been making fabulous dinners for us since we were itty bitty and it was definitely a lot to live up to (not that she would have ever put any pressure or expectations on me, the nerves were all mine).  I don't remember why I made this dinner, there was no special occasion that I can recall.  But I can still very clearly picture myself stirring the sauce on my Mom's stove top and carrying it to the grill to coat the pieces of chicken I planned on serving.  But the most lasting memory of it is the pride I felt in having actually made my own barbeque sauce for the chicken having and the sweet tang of my first bite of chicken.  Oh, any my family loved it!

The recipe for the sauce came from one of the books in my Mom's extensive collection.  A book that I later, ahem, "borrowed" from her and conveniently never remembered to return.  It was a Carolina sauce, sweet from brown sugar and a great vinegar-y tang that I just loved.  Over the years I tried other sauces from that book, but it was always the Carolina sauce that had my heart won over.

Perhaps it was nostalgia over that first successful meal I cooked for my Mom, but that sauce is the one that I always measure others against.  I suppose, to me, it has reached an almost legendary status.  But my beloved sauce would never fly on my dinner table these days.  My husband just can't abide by sweet sauces, preferring a bolder smoky flavor instead.  I've made my peace with it, but I will always miss my Carolina sauce.

Then came this sauce.  My husband's first words to me as he took his first bites of the chicken I had slathered with my newest version were "Please tell me you wrote this recipe down".  Winner, winner, chicken dinner!  Seriously, is there a better compliment?  And thank goodness I had the good instincts to keep track of what I was doing as I created the sauce, because I know I would never be able to repeat this one from memory.  Maybe this one will rise to meet the "legendary" status of my very first home made barbeque sauce in time too.  I don't know.  But for now, it's what we're craving in my house.  And that (in the words of Martha Stewart) is a very good thing.

Fire Roasted BBQ Sauce
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
For the printable recipe, click here.

Barbeque sauce is one of the simplest things to make at home, people are just so used to the convenience of the store bought bottled stuff that they never think to make their own.  But truly, nothing compares to what you can make on your own stove top.  This sauce has a bit of a spicy kick, but you can use regular fire roasted tomatoes instead of the ones with the green chilies if you don't like the heat (though I would try it this way first).  Then there's the tang of the vinegar balanced with just a bit of sweet.  It's a sauce for everyone.  The best part is that all you do is throw everything in the pot and cook until it's thick.  It's that simple.

1 tbs vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup pureed fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies (if you can't find that in your store, you could use 1 cup pureed fire roasted tomatoes along with 2 tsp chopped canned green chilies)
1 tbs tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbs molasses
1 tbs jam (apricot, peach or cherry) or 2 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tbs apple cider vinegar

In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil.  Stir in the onion and saute until the onions soften and begin to be translucent, about 4 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook another minute until the garlic is just fragrant.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients.  Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce the heat.  Simmer the sauce until it begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat.  If you like a smooth sauce, you can blend the sauce in the pot with an immersion blender or in a blender (I recommend waiting until it cools to use the blender).  The sauce will keep for up to two weeks in a airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pineapple Salsa

Everyone in my house is trying desperately to get over a nasty flu bug that hit us hard this past week.  My husband had it first and then the boys and I fell prey to the virus this past weekend.  The coughing and fevers have been pretty intense and I don't mind saying that I'm pretty tired of the whole darn thing.

One of the worst aspects of this for me (besides the horrific cough that just won't die) is the complete lack of taste that I've been suffering from.  Food is pretty central to who I am and not being able to taste a single thing is beginning to drive me nuts.  When I have the strength to, I'm making the most flavorful foods I can scrounge up- grilled steak with balsamic vinegar and rosemary was last night's dinner.  I sort of tasted it.  I suppose that should be considered a win, but it's still awfully disheartening.  I'll keep trying and hopefully I'll be back in fighting shape soon.

But in the meantime, here's a simple and full of flavor salsa destined to wake up your tired winter tastebuds.  The jar is sitting at the front of my refrigerator shelf taunting me with the bright citrus, sweetness and spice it knows I just can't wait to taste.

Pineapple Salsa
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
For the printable recipe, click here.

This is a super-simple twist on a salsa that I just love.  Its inspiration is a dish that I used to get at a favorite restaurant at our first duty station in Pensacola, FL, The Fish House.  I'm finally getting around to making it at home 12 years after leaving there.  The salsa is great as a dip for chips, but I like it as a topping for grilled chicken or pork.  Sprinkle some on a taco or fajita for a burst of fresh  flavor. 

2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
1 large shallot or 1/2 small red onion, diced
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp salt
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

Toss all the ingredients except the pepper in a medium bowl.  Add the pepper to taste ( I had a surprisingly super hot jalapeno this last time and ended up only using half, but I've used a whole pepper before as well and still had a mild salsa).  Allow the ingredients to macerate together for a half hour before using.

Store salsa in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Arugula and Walnut Pesto

Necessity is the mother of invention, right?  Okay, so I clearly didn't invent this pesto.  It's been hanging around the old interweb for ages.  And really, it's just pesto with different green stuff chopped into it.  But this is the first time it was whipped up in my kitchen, and it's arrival on the table was something of a necessity, so I'm rolling with it.

Pesto is one of those condiments that can brighten up just about anything; just a spoonful can pull a dish from the depths of boring to the heights of fabulous.  It's amazing to me that just a few simple ingredients can do that.  I think it's because we Italians are brilliant cooks and flavor-makers.  I know you all agree with me.

In the particular evening in question, I was making a big pot of smoky winter minestrone and the recipe suggested that a dollop of pesto in each bowl would balance the soup out perfectly.  Having no basil in the fridge (it's winter and even in Southern California it's hard to come by good basil) and no other leafy herbs to speak of either, I decided to use up the arugula I had lingering in the crisper.  I've made enough pestos in my day that putting it together was a snap.  5 ingredients- cheese, olive oil, the greens, garlic and nuts.  Let me tell you something- I will never make that soup without the pesto again.  It's a bit different from a basil pesto, a little more earthy and grassy, but sometimes different is a good thing.  In this case, it's a great thing.

Arugula and Walnut Pesto
Makes about 1 cup.
For the printable recipe, click here.

If you'd like to make the minestrone that I served the pesto with, hop on over to food52 and check out the recipe.  I confess I did add a tsp of smoked paprika and left out the zucchini (it's winter and who has any fresh zucchini, after all?).  But it was awesome just the same.  Oh, and if you have any pesto left over, putting a spoonful over a grilled rib eye along with a dash of lemon juice and lemon zest is a brilliant way to use of the rest.

2 packed cups arugula leaves (you can use either baby or grown up arugula)
3 cloves garlic
2 tbs chopped walnuts
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesean cheese
1/4 cup olive oil

In a food processor or blender, blend together the arugula, garlic, nut and cheese until finely chopped.  Add the olive oil and blend until smooth.  You can add a bit more oil if your pesto isn't as smooth as you like.

Keep the pesto covered and refrigerated until use.  Unlike a basil pesto, this pesto will not develop a dark layer on the top due to oxidation, so you don't need to add a thin layer of olive oil over the top when chilling.  But it doesn't hurt and looks awfully pretty when serving.

Spiced Cider Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce leaves me feeling a bit selfish, as it's for me and me alone.  I seem to be the only one who loves a sauce made from fresh whole berries beautifully plated on my Thanksgiving table.  That little pot of jewel colored cranberries just makes my mouth want to dance with pleasure.  The thing is, I've decided that its OK to be a little selfish every once in a while.  Because truly, as a wife, mother and aspiring jam entrepreneur I spend a whole lot of time thinking of others and what will make them happy.  And luckily for me, I really do enjoy the way that I spend my days and the company of the friends and family I choose to spend those days with.  For that I am truly thankful.

Speaking of thanks...

I am extraordinarily thankful that my New Jersey family was spared the worst of Hurricane Sandy and that after the inconvenience of about a week's loss of power, everyone is safe and warm in their own beds.

I am thankful that for the third holiday season in a row, I have my hard working military husband home with me.  It is a blessing that so many families will do without this year.

I am thankful for the beauty that surrounds me every day.

I am thankful that my sons still love to hug their Momma and I will continue to hug them long past the point at which it becomes embarrassing to them.

I am thankful that the few abilities that I have can often bring a smile to others faces.  It's a joy and a pleasure to have others enjoy my cooking and my writing.

Spiced Cider Cranberry Sauce
Makes about 2 cups.
For the printable, click here.

I have been making this cranberry sauce for years, tweaking it here and there until it reached the point where I could call it "perfect".  I have long since lost the original magazine clipping that was the inspiration for this sauce, so I apologize to whomever was the first to print this, but as I have tinkered with it quite a bit, I have no trouble at all calling it my own.  It would be my pleasure if you would do the same for yourself with this recipe.

1 12 oz. package of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup fresh apple cider or fresh, unfiltered apple juice (look for it in the refrigerated section of your market)
2 tbs fresh squeezed orange juice
zest of 1 medium orange
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-2 tsp grated fresh ginger (to your taste)
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground cloves

Place the ingredients together in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce the heat so that you have a steady simmer.  Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have all popped, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the stove and cool.  Serve chilled with your favorite turkey and the company of family and best friends.

Peach Vinaigrette

 I was a very picky eater growing up.  Considering my adventuresome eating habits these days, that's hard to believe.  But as a kid I knew what I liked and I hardly ever strayed from that short list.  A list which included peanut butter sandwiches every day for lunch (hold the jelly, please), but certainly did not include tomatoes, any kind of squash, and most especially peaches.  And heaven help you if my plate came to the table and one potion was touching another.  I was not going to eat food that touched!

 I'm thrilled to say that these days most of the no-nos from my childhood "won't-eat list" are regular visitors to our dinner table.  And it especially excites me that my oldest son will try just about anything I put on his plate.  It's such a joy to be able to teach him about different veggies and fruits, and even food from different cultures.  My little man has even tasted olive oils with me straight from the bottle.  The saleswoman was amazed that he had such a sophisticated palate- he much prefers the spicy, heady oils to the smooth fruity ones.  I'm a proud mama, to be sure.

 Lest you think I have an easy time of getting dinner on the table with no complaints, let me set the record straight.  My little one is another story all-together.  He's on a strict peanut butter (and jelly!) and fruit diet.  It's frustrating, but hopefully, like me, he'll grow out of it and come to appreciate all the things his mother tried to put on his plate when he was little.  At least I have no trouble getting him to eat fruit.  And peaches, the fuzzy-skinned fruit I abhorred as a child, are high up on his list of faves.  Even he approved of the peach infused vinegar his big brother picked out on the day of our olive oil tasting.  We all loved the fruity tang and peachy aroma of the custom mixed white balsamic vinegar the moment it touched our lips.  Now if I could just get my husband on board with it.  Ah well, more for me.....

Peach Vinaigrette
Makes about 3/4 cup.
For a printable version, click here.

I used the peach infused vinegar we found on our tasting day for this vinaigrette.  I think a champagne or white balsamic vinegar would work just as well in its place.  If you want to try making your own, here's a description of how to make the infused vinegar from Martha Stewart.  The peach is the star of the show, so make sure it's perfectly ripe and has a fresh, strong peach aroma.  I've used the vinagrette both to dress a salad of mixed baby greens as well as over a peach and mozzarella caprese salad.  It would be fantastic drizzled over a grilled pork chop or roasted chicken as well.

1 ripe peach, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
3 tbs peach infused vinegar
1 tsp honey
pinch of sea salt
3-4 tbs light flavored oil such as canola (to make it really special, use a nut oil such as hazelnut, pecan or walnut oil)

Place all ingredients except the oil in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.  The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

To make the peach caprese salad, alternate slices of peaches and fresh mozzarella cheese on a plate.  Sprinkle with torn basil leaves.  Drizzle the peach vinaigrette over the top.

Roasted Tomato Chili Butter

I am a food magazine junkie.  It's an obsession I just can't shake.  I cannot walk past a rack of magazines in a store without pausing to check the cover photos.  "Is there one I haven't read yet?  Might I be missing some genius of a food idea or combination I haven't thought of in my wildest dreams?"  I scan, I hunt down new possibilities, I purchase.

Then of course, I get to read.  The anticipation keeps me from waiting too long to dive into the glossy pages.  I have a routine- first skim through and dog ear anything that jumps out at me.  Then I go back and read each article carefully making sure I haven't missed a single recipe note.  Every morsel of food writing gets devoured.  When I'm finished I feel full and satisfied.

I have my favorite magazines for sure.  The tried and true ones that I deem special enough to warrant an actual subscription to.  The writing is fantastic, the recipes work every time, and the photos are to die for.  They're just like my favorite blogs- I can always count on them.  Then there are the ones I buy as the mood strikes me.  The more expensive ones, the ones that aren't as pretty but have great basics, even the occasional ones from across the pond (am I the only one who loves the photos in Donna Kay?).  Then there are the magazines that I sometimes buy more because I hope that there might be something worthwhile inside than anything else, but always find myself disappointed in (sorry Rachael Ray fans, but I always regret purchasing her mag).

I have a stack of magazines that I just can't bear to part with, though in this age of the internet, I'm sure all the recipes are online.  I need to just bite the bullet and send them packing to the recycling bin.  Maybe I'll just look through them one more time...

One of my faves is Bon Apetit.  And that magazine inspired this tomato butter recipe.  I didn't find an actual recipe in the magazine, just an idea, a little blurb in an article on easy ways to use up all those summer tomatoes.  It sounded so good, I had to try to figure out how to do it for myself.  It was a bit of trial and error which started out with too much tomato and not enough butter (tomato butter soup, anyone?), but in the end I know I got it just right.

Roasted Tomato Chili Butter
Makes 1 cup butter.  Inspired by a blurb in Bon Apetit, August 2012.
For a printable version, click here.


This butter is easily adaptable and very versatile.  You can leave out the chili pepper and perhaps add in some chopped herbs.  Or make it a bit more flavorful by adding smoky spices like cumin and coriander, or even a chopped chipotle pepper.  Make it your own.  I topped a burger with it the other night for dinner, but this butter would be just as at home on top of a juicy steak or some grilled fish, slathered over grilled bread or tossed with roasted potatoes or steamed rice.


1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 small Fresno chili
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 tsp sea salt

Roast the tomatoes and chili pepper on a lined baking sheet at 475 degrees until the skins are blistered and the juices start to exude (about 5 minutes).  Place the pepper into a small zip top baggie and let steam for a few minutes while the tomatoes cool.  Remove the skin, stem and seeds from the pepper and pop it into a food processor along with the tomatoes and salt.  Whizz them up until they are smooth.  Place the tomato/chili mixture in a medium bowl along with the softened butter and stir to completely combine (I found a whisk to be the best tool).  Cover and chill.  The butter will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks or you can freeze it for up to three months.

Italian Grilled Tomatoes

I can feel it in the air and I can smell it on my hands every time I come away from my garden.  Tomato season is upon us.  My plants are dripping with them and I'm just starting to see the first red cherries and golden pears.  Not enough to make a salad or meal from, but just enough to pluck off the plant and snack on as I wander through the garden.  I continue to will them to ripen more quickly, but no such luck.  Patience will pay off in the end, right?

Planted next to the tomato plants (serendipitously, I might add, as it planted itself there of its own accord) is a big, beautiful basil plant.  What better partners are there than tomatoes and basil?  Together they can become a simple pasta sauce, an everyday tomato salad, a beautiful margarita pizza, or my favorite- a caprese salad.  Tomatoes and fresh mozzarella drizzled with a bit of pesto.  What is there not to like?

It always makes me think of an old Seinfeld episode.  Anyone else remember this one?

GEORGE: Why do I get pesto? Why do I think I'll like it? I keep trying to like it, like I have to like it. JERRY: Who said you have to like it? GEORGE: Everybody likes pesto. You walk into a restaurant, that's all you hear - pesto, pesto, pesto. JERRY: I don't like pesto.

Well, Jerry, I love pesto and I know plenty of folks who do.  So this summer side dish is just for you, my pesto loving friends.

Italian Grilled Tomatoes
Serves 4
For a printable version, click here.

4 plum or Roma tomatoes
3 tbs olive oil
2 clove2 garlic
1/2 cup plain or panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbs freshly grated parmesean cheese
salt and pepper to taste
a few tbs fresh pesto (see below for recipe)

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.  With a spoon, scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle with 1 tbs olive oil and set aside.

In a small pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic.  When the garlic becomes fragrant (after just a minute or so), toss in the breadcrumbs and thyme.  Toss to coat the breadcrumbs in the olive oil and toast them slightly.  Remove from the heat. Mix in the parmesean cheese and season with salt and pepper (remember the pesto will be salty from the cheese too, so go light).

Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on a grill that has been preheated and is set to a medium heat.  Grill until the tomatoes begin to soften and there are grill marks on the cut sides, 2-3 minutes.  Flip the tomatoes over and spoon a tablespoon of the breadcrumb mixture onto the tomatoes.  Continue grilling until the tomatoes are fully softened but not falling apart and the cheese in the topping has melted, another 2-3 minutes.  Remove the tomatoes to a serving dish and drizzle with pesto.  Serve warm.

Pesto
Adapted from Ina Garten.

1/4 cup walnuts or pignoli (pine) nuts
2 cloves chopped garlic
2 1/2 packed cups basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesean cheese
3/4 cup good quality olive oil

In a food processor, pulse together the nuts, garlic, basil and cheese until the basil is well chopped.  With the food processor on, stream in the olive oil until the mixture is well blended.  Pesto will keep in the fridge (cover with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the surface from turning dark) for two weeks.  You can also freeze any leftover pesto for up to three months.

Radish and Cucumber Salad

It's been a non-stop summer here.  A continuous go, go, go.  Truth be told, while I'm having a wonderful time and enjoying all the new friends and adventures, I'm exhausted.

I think it's time to slow down and enjoy my days.  Maybe I'll read a book, or putz around in my garden or watch a movie with my kids. 

Or perhaps combine a few of my favorite things and get my boys to help me out in the garden.  They love to sneak through the snaking vines of the watermelon plant and search for the newest baby melons.  Finding a cucumber hanging from the trellis is a magical treasure for them.  And it's one of my favorite things to watch- the joy they get from watching mother nature get her groove on in our backyard garden.

My kiddos have a habit of getting so excited about the growing veggies and fruit that they forget to wait until something is ripe to pick it.  Several times this spring and summer, I've come out of the shower to find my little one with a bouquet of tiny carrots or a handful or unripe strawberries that he has just harvested all by himself.  It's hard to get angry when he has the look of someone who has just brought you a magnificent treasure and is intensely proud of himself.  So I laugh and thank him for his gift, then remind him how we can tell when things in the garden are ready to pick and remind him to wait for Mommy next time.

One day, when the little one had gotten way too excited about picking the growing radishes, this salad was born.  My oldest loves radishes (there are very few things he won't eat) and cucumbers.  So I sliced them up,  made a quick dressing and tossed them all together.  The salad was quickly gobbled up- it's amazing how excited kids will get to eat something that they watched grow from a seed in their very own yard. 

I don't have any radishes left in the garden now, but we can surely hunt down some cherry tomatoes or gigantic cucumbers.  Sounds like a great way to spend a lazy day with my boys...

Radish and Cucumber Salad
Serves 4 as a side dish.
For a printable version, click here.

1 bunch radishes ( I used about 6 large french breakfast radishes)
2 persian cucumbers or 1 medium english (seedless) cucumber
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds (if you can find black mustard seeds use them, I only had brown mustard seeds and they worked just fine)
pinch of kosher salt

Thinly slice both the radishes and the cucumbers.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, and coriander and mustard seeds.  Add salt to taste.  Toss in the cucumbers and radishes and stir to coat with the dressing.  Serve immediately.

Potato and Green Bean Salad with Creme Fraiche Dijon Dressing

It's been an incredibly busy week for me.  From the visiting with friends, fireworks and street fairs to finally finishing the wood floor in the foyer.  Oh yeah, and then there's this little Etsy shop my sister and I opened yesterday....

It was days and days of searching for the right tools and materials.  Long hours of dragging my kids through flea markets and vintage shops hunting for things that I never did find and getting excited when I found something unexpected and cooler than my original idea.  And then the final rush to get all the items sanded, glued, painted and finishing details perfected before the grand opening yesterday.

You know that nervous energy you get when you're about to try something new and have no idea how it's going to turn out, but you're still hopeful?  Like that feeling when you walk into your first day at a new job that you really hope you'll love. 

That's what I feel like with this Etsy shop.  It came about on a whim, but I enjoyed every second of using my creativity to make the items in our shop and even surprised myself with how well things turned out.  I just hope it's successful for both my sister and me.  We deserve a break.  We deserve to be successful at something we enjoy doing.  Fingers crossed...

In the meantime, my poor little blog got neglected, I'm sorry to say.  So today I remedy that with a simple side dish perfect for a busy summer evening.  It's one of our favorites, made even better with the addition of home made creme fraiche, and perfect to stand along side some hearty BBQ fare.  It's on the menu tonight at my house for sure.

Potato and Green Bean Salad with Creme Fraiche Dijon Dressing
Serves 4-6 people.  Created by tweaking and combining 2 recipes- one from Bon Apetit and one from Salad for Dinner, by Tasha DeSerio.
For a printable version, click here.

3 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into quarters
8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tbs white wine or champagne vinegar
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1 tbs creme fraiche (see how to make home made creme fraiche below)
1 tbs course-grained dijon mustard
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs chopped fresh herbs ( I use a combination of flat leaf parsley and chives)

Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender enough to pierce with the tip of a knife, 12-15 minutes.  Add the green beans to the pot for the last 4 minutes of cooking.  Drain the vegetables well.  Keep warm.

While the vegetables are cooking, make the dressing.  In a large bowl whisk together the shallots, vinegar, creme fraiche, dijon mustard and salt.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make a creamy dressing.  Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss the dressing with the warm potatoes and green beans.  Gently stir in the herbs and transfer to a serving bowl.  The salad can be served warm or at room temperature.

Home Made Creme Fraiche
This tangy version of sour cream is a snap to make.  Unlike sour cream, it can be whipped so you can use it very much like you would heavy cream (I like it whipped with a pinch or sugar and vanilla for a  fruit dip or used instead of cream in an ice cream base) or it can be used as a substitute for sour cream.  To print a recipe, click here.

1 cup heavy cream
2 tbs plain yogurt or buttermilk

In a jar or lidded container stir together the cream and yogurt or buttermilk.  Loosely cover the top with parchment paper or a paper towel and let the cream sit on the counter for 8-12 hours or overnight.  When the cream reaches the consistency you want (should be thickened but not stiff), cover the container with the lid and place in the refrigerator.  The creme fraiche will keep for 2 weeks.

Hungarian Shortbread Bars with Strawberry Lime Jam {For Tuesdays with Dorie}

I am thoroughly excited!!  This is my first post as part of the Tuesdays with Dorie baking group.  We are baking our way through Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan.  The book follows the PBS television series in which bakers join Julia Child in her kitchen to create some pretty darn fantastic pastries, breads, cakes, cookies and all manner of baked goods.  I've had the book for years and have only used it a few times, so I couldn't be happier about this new excuse to discover what's inside.  Yay!

I can remember my mom putting on PBS early Saturday mornings when I was a kid.  She'd watch gardening shows (boring...) and then it would transition into cooking shows.  I loved watching the likes of Julia Child, Martin Yan, Jaques Pepin, The Frugal Gourmet and that crazy cajun guy (what was his name?).  This was long before the days of 24 hour food TV, so I took what I could get.  But Julia was my favorite.  She was so much fun to watch and although she cooked fancy french food, her down to earth style really made it seem possible.  She's part of what got me hooked on cooking (and on watching cooking shows, thank goodness for the Food Network!).  I'm so looking forward to seeing what I can do with the recipes from this fabulous book.

As this was my first recipe as part of the group, I didn't want to change up the recipe too much.  The technique was a new one to me and I wanted to see how it would work.  Shortbread is supposed to be flaky and tender, so the method for these bars is to chill the dough and then grate it on a box grater to get a light and soft dough.  It was a bit time consuming, but completely worth it.  This was the most tender shortbread I have ever tasted.

My only trouble with the bars is that the bottom layer didn't seem to bake completely.  It was a common complaint among my fellow bakers, several of whom suggested pre-baking the bottom a bit to get it started before spreading on the jam and the top layer.  I confess, I was too impatient to try the pre-baking step.  But the bars tasted great, so I guess don't mind a slightly soggy bottom.

For the full recipe, check out the blogs from our hosts this week, 1 small kitchen and the not so exciting adventures of a dabbler....  My own contribution to this recipe was the strawberry lime jam I used instead of the rhubarb one given in the book.  I had just made the jam and decided it wasn't worth tracking down rhubarb (which I've never eaten).  And it was a good choice, the jam worked out beautifully.  For the photos and interpretations of the other Bakers with Julia, visit the Tuesdays with Dorie website.  They all look wonderful!

Strawberry Lime Jam
Adapted from Food In Jars.  Makes 1 pint.
For a printable version, click here.

1 quart of strawberries (about 4 cups chopped)
1 cup sugar
zest and juice from 2 limes

Put the chopped strawberries and sugar in a large bowl.  Cover and let macerate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 12.

Place the strawberries and all the accumulated juices into a medium sauce pot.  Add the lime zest and juice.  Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat so that the mixture is at a constant simmer.  Cook the berries until an instant read thermometer placed in the mixture reaches 220 degrees.  This will take about 20-25 minutes.   Pour into a pint jar, cover and let cool.  Refrigerate the jam for up to three weeks.

Spicy Sesame Dressing

There are many things that I am grateful for in my life.  First and foremost would be my family and friends.  That goes without saying (but it certainly is nice to say it everyone in a while).  But I realize how lucky I am to have so many of the little things that I take for granted every day.  Today I am feeling grateful for them all...

...the California sunshine...

...my little garden where I can grow food to make meals out of and still have enough to share with friends...

...the quiet few minutes when my little one is watching "Curious George"...

...my very handy, if not slightly over-ambitious husband...

...Tony, the appliance miracle worker, who fixed my 20 year old range so that it works better than ever...

...this little blog, a place that is all my own...
 
...finally figuring out how to reproduce a salad dressing that I have been working on for years...


...my mother, who came up with the idea for the dressing in the first place.

My mom started making this salad dressing from a little packet of salad dressing mix years and years ago.  You know the kind- you can make your Italian dressing by just adding oil and vinegar or ranch dressing with some sour cream and buttermilk.  Well this one stared out as something called Oriental Sesame Dressing.  My mom, being the wonderful cook that she is, couldn't very well simply follow the directions.  She added her own mix of oils, spices and condiments until she had something that was quite her own.  But it still relied on the packet of mix as the base for the flavors. 

Over the years the company stopped making that particular dressing mix.  At first, I could only find it in certain stores.  Then only 1 store in town carried it and I would actually send packets to my mom because she couldn't find it at all.  Then it was gone completely and I was lost for what to do to replace it.  It's the dressing on my family's favorite salad and we couldn't go without.  I tried several brands of bottled dressing and they just didn't cut it.  I tried recipe after recipe with mixed results, but never quite hitting the nail on the head.  Until now.  All those years of tinkering with different recipes finally paid off in a big way.  Whew!  It's a good thing too, because my garden is full of lettuce and carrots.

Spicy Sesame Dressing
My favorite way to use this dressing is over a salad with grilled chicken.  You'll need good, sturdy greens to stand up to the dressing, a baby lettuce mix will not do.  I like a mix of greens that are mild along with some that are on the spicy or even bitter side, like romaine, mache, frisee, and red leaf.  Sliced carrots and cucumbers work well in the salad if you have them, but please follow my advice and slice an apple over top.  It doesn't really matter what variety, they all work well.  I think I could skip everything else and just dip apple slices into the dressing and be perfectly happy.

1/2 cup mayonaise (if you want to go light on calories, try using greek yogurt)
1 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp dark sesame oil
2 tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp chili powder (if you like spicy, you can add up to a 1/2 tsp more)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for one week.

Quick Feta Dip with Watermelon Radishes

Want to get your kids to eat their veggies?  Try buying veggies that are just so interesting and pretty that they can't resist.  Like these radishes.  Then give them something creamy and delish to dip the veggies in. 

Wait, radishes?  What am I talking about- who munches on radishes?  Trust me, if you had these, you'd be munching on them all day long. I found these beauties at the bottom of my CSA box last week and at first glance they were nothing special.  But one slice into them and I found out why they're called watermelon radishes.  Man, just look at that color!

And these radishes are a little sweet without that sharp radishy bite at the end.  I actually like them and I'm not a big radish fan, so that's saying something.  They're crunchy and mild and just right for dipping.  So that's what we did.

This feta dip is the opposite of the radishes.  It's creamy and sharp- the perfect foil for it's pink striped companion.  In fact, I'd dare say the dip is mildly addictive.  I sliced up some cucumbers as well as the radishes for the less adventurous eaters and they worked beautifully in the dip as well.  I'd be hard pressed to think of a veggie that wouldn't work well with this creamy feta goodness.

Did I mention that the dip takes about three minutes to make?  What more can you ask for?

Quick Feta Dip
Adapted from Bon Apetit

The original recipe called for dill, which I am not a fan of, so I subbed in fresh oregano and mint.  I can see how the dill would work in the recipe, so try it if you like it.  Let me know how it comes out, would you?  Oh, and you may think the pine nuts are just for garnish, but I really liked their flavor with the dip.  I missed them once we got past the first layer.  Be generous when sprinkling them on.

3 tbs fresh herbs, such as dill or oregano and mint (I used about 2 tbs oregano and 1 tbs mint)
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tbs lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta (about 7 ounces)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs toasted pine nuts

By food processor:
Toss all the ingredients in the bowl of your food processor.  Pulse until creamy and well combined.  Taste for lemon, adding more juice if you find it necessary.  You can thin out the dip with a few drops of milk if find it too creamy.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  Sprinkle with the pine nuts immediately before serving.

By hand:
Get out a good knife and chop, chop, chop those herbs and the garlic.  Set them aside.

In a medium bowl, mash the feta with a fork.  Mash it really well for a creamier dip and less for a more chunky dip.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and stir or whisk until incorporated.  Taste for lemon, adding more if you desire.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  Sprinkle with the pine nuts immediately before serving.

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce with Persimmons

I live in a house divided.  My husband and I have fought over one issue every Thanksgiving since I can remember.  And we probably will until our very last.  What could possibly cause two happily married people to argue so vehemently?  Wait for it........Cranberry sauce!  I know we're not alone here, folks.  The debate between how cranberry sauce is served has been cause for family feuds all over America ever since Ocean Spray put it in a can.  It amazes me how passionate someone can be over a jiggly gelled "sauce" that retains the shape of the container it came from (although the lines from the can are convenient for portioning).  Nevertheless, my husband is one of them.  And no matter how many wonderful variations of a whole berry sauce I make (year after year after year), he just won't budge from his stance.  It's the can or nothing for him.  Sigh.

I have a recipe for a whole berry cranberry sauce that I've been making for a few years now that I really like.  It's made with spiced apple cider and a bit of orange juice and zest.  It's simple and delicious.  However, anybody who knows me will tell you that I'm not the type of person who will make exactly the same Thanksgiving dinner year after year just for the sake of tradition.  A few things will never be taken off the menu (my mom's sweet potatoes and apple pie, my mother-in-law's wild rice casserole) for fear of the mutiny that may result.  But the rest I don't mind playing with.  In fact I look forward to it every year.  So this year I'm taking on cranberry sauce.

This particular one pays homage to my new California homestead.  It's a bit exotic with the addition of star anise and persimmons.  I kind of like that.  The humble cranberry is getting all jazzed up for it's big night out.  In one bite you can everything you could ask for in a mouthful- tart berries, sweet persimmons, a lingering spice from the star anise, and the crunch of the almost raw persimmons that marries perfectly with the jam-like cranberries.  Plus, it's so darn pretty.  I may have found my new sauce (at least for the couple of years I'll be living here in California).  Of course, I'll be the only one eating it.  But that just means more for me!!

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce with Persimmons
Slightly adapted from Gourmet magazine via the Epicurious website

I like this sauce just the way it is, but I think just a bit of orange zest would send it over the top.  Next time I make it, you can be sure I'll be trying it with the zest.

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (1 bag)
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tbs water
1/2 cup sugar (to start, you can add up to 1/4 cup more at the end to suit your taste)
1/2 of a piece of star anise
1 cinnamon stick
2 ripe but firm Fuyu persimmons, peeled and chopped into a 1/4 inch dice

In a medium saucepan combine all the ingredients except the persimmons.  Cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, or until the cranberries begin to pop, stirring occasionally.  Add the persimmons to the saucepan and, stirring, cook for another 2 minutes.  The cranberries should have burst open and the sauce will be nice and thick.  Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick. 

Taste the cranberry sauce for sweetness.  If the sauce is too tart, add sugar in one tablespoon increments until it suits your taste.  I stuck with the original 1/2 cup, but after eating it later in the day I think I should have added another tablespoon of sugar.  Refrigerate until it is time to set the Thanksgiving table!