grilled skewers

I love vegetables. My husband loves meat. I had been wanting to do skewers since, well, last summer when I bought some metal skewers.

We called these shish-ka-bobs growing up. It was a super easy very flavorful and flexible summer meal. Surprisingly, this was my first meal to ever grill myself. I was really proud of myself. Next up: grilled pizza.

Summer Skewers on the grill
makes eight skewers {or five skewers plus about 4 cups side veggies in a grill basket}
INGREDIENTS
1 squash
1 zucchini
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion
2 heads garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 chicken breast (or more if you don't want to have just veggie skewers. Next I want do shrimp.mmmm.)
1/4 c. olive oil
2 t. pepper
Old Bay Seasoning
seasoning salt
DIRECTIONS
Heat grill to medium, somewhere between 300 and 350. Slice all vegetables. See pic above. Peel garlic into individual cloves. Toss vegetables and garlic cloves with olive oil, pepper, a few dashes of seasoning salt and generous amounts of Old Bay Seasoning, maybe 1-2 tablespoons. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and sprinkle with Old Bay. I'd allow this to marinate in something if I'd had the forethought.

Skewer everything in a fun alternating pattern. Be sure each skewer gets a clove of garlic or two. Be sure that you hog the mushrooms for yourself. I made sure as many cloves, onions and peppers were touching the chicken pieces as possible.

Grill for about 35 minutes, depending on the heat of your grill.

I tossed some corn with old bay and olive oil and put that on the grill as well along with the extra veggies in a basket. It was awesome and great the next day too!


yay!

Eggplant Caponata

Another veggie dish! I had been wanting to cook eggplant more and try another, more summery way of cooking squash besides roasting it. Because I freeze my herbs, it wasn't a problem to use the fresh herbs this called for, and I knew the combo of sauteeing and balsamic vinegar had to be a winner.


My only beef with this recipe was that even though I reduced the portions to about 2/3 of the recipe, I still couldn't do it all in one skillet. Next time I'll make a smaller quantity or just use the same skillet twice rather than having two going simultaneously.


You don't have to use heirloom tomatoes --they're pricey. I used one heirloom tomato and one really ripe beefsteak tomato. This dish alone would have cost about 12 bucks had I bought two big heirloom tomatoes. Bet this would be a great dish to make after hitting up the farmer's market though!




Eggplant Caponata
from happyyolks
INGREDIENTS
1 lb eggplants {I used the long, skinny ones}
¼ cup olive oil
1 chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large heirloom tomatoes, in chunks
3-5 yellow squash, into bite-sized chunks
2 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar {don't skimp!}
1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 cup chopped basil
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Prepare the eggplant first by chopping the bulbs into bite sized chunks, and sprinkling with salt in a strainer. {Many chefs say this draws out the eggplant’s bitterness.} Let sit while you prepare the squash, tomatoes, onion, and mushrooms. In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and minced garlic to simmer. Add eggplant cubes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and soft. Remove from heat. In a second large skillet {or the same one} over medium heat, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and simmer onions until barely translucent. Add squash and mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes last along with the balsamic vinegar and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat. {I would have done this all in the same skillet had there been room.}

Stir chopped basil, parsley, and a dash of salt and pepper over all veggies. 

Roasted Cauliflower with almonds, lemon and parsley

By halving the recipe but doubling the nuts, I could almost have eaten this as a main dish. It's from Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa:How Easy is That? I'm putting the recipe as it appears in the book and noting my thoughts and changes. I really liked this, the nuts, parsley and lemon are simple but make it really flavorful. I appreciated the mixing it all in the sheet pan plan, since I'm averse to making more dishes dirty than necessary. 

This just came about serendipitously when I saw cauliflower at the store and realized I hadn't had it in forever...took it home with no other plan aside from throwing it in my salads raw. Then I found this recipe, and am really glad I tried roasting something new. I think it's a good summer veggie roast.

Roasted Cauliflower
serves 4-6 {I halved this, except the nuts and lemon juice}

Ingredients
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into large florets
4 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley {chop then freeze! then thaw the amount you want on a paper towel for a few min}
3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (I used about 1/3c. slivered almonds, toasting them in a dry skillet on medium for about 2-3 min, til browned and fragrant)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I used it from a bottle)

Directions
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees* F. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the garlic cloves. Boil for 15 seconds; drain and peel. Cut the largest cloves in half lengthwise.
2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with the garlic, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp salt, and black pepper. Spread into a single layer and roast, stirring twice, until the cauliflower is tender and the garlic is lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes*.
3. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl with the garlic and pan juices. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, parsley, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt, toss well and serve hot or warm. Serves 6.

*{note} This burned my garlic. Maybe I boiled them too long. Or maybe they were too small. I don't know if that boiling step was just to make them easier to peel (which was cool) or if it was to blanch them and get them cooking, fragrant a bit. It wasn't worth bringing a pot to boil for just easy peeling and I don't actually like eating entire heads of garlic even when they're not burned. I may chop the garlic when I try this again, or even use garlic powder (is that bad?) Watch it as it cooks if you do it Ina's way, because surely she knows what she's doing. Or consider roasting on 425 or 400.

{pictures credit} because her images were much better than mine.

balsamic haricot vert salad

Green beans caught my eye at the store today. I think I'd been subconsciously dwelling on their fresh simplicity since enjoying a salad from a cute french bistro in Spokane last week. They were on sale and looked fresh, green and easy, so I grabbed a handful.

I could have put any sort of chopped toasted nuts in this. Maybe I'll do it again with chickpeas or fava beans. Anyway, this was easy and good.

And I was happy to bust out my shamefully neglected steamer insert. Really, I should use this thing more. Clean up is a breeze too.


balsamic haricot vert salad
let's use the french name for kicks.
serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2-3 cups fresh green beans
{addition suggestion} pine nuts, slivered almonds, finely chopped pecans toasted on medium high in a dry skillet, stirring often 3-4 minutes until browned and fragrant


{dressing}
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
a couple generous dashes of pepper and garlic powder
a dash of ginger
2 teaspoons spicy mustard {the stuff with horseradish}


DIRECTIONS
Steam beans until cooked and tender but still maintaining a bit of a crunch, about 4-5 minutes. Toast nuts if you're using them. Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss  dressing with beans, nuts and whatever else you feel like throwing in there. Good warm. Good cold.

farmer's market lunch. farmer's market salsa

I've been making my own salsa recently. I use it sometimes as salad dressing and sometimes when I make a couple corn tortilla chips for a midafternoon snack. I've used canned diced tomatoes because I had tons of them, but it's obviously great with higher quality tomatoes, especially those that are about to be a little too ripe to enjoy on your salad. 

The farmer's market today was crazy with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and of course peaches. One stand was giving away cucumbers! Sliced salted cold cucumbers is one of my favorite summer snacks so I will certainly be enjoying that this week...

I had a little over a pound of tomatoes in my bag so they threw in a handful more to make it at least 2 pounds, though I'm sure it was more, and gave it to me for an even $2. I will be baking them in big slices, maybe attempting a summer tomato feta tart similar to this one, this one or this one, and of course eating them raw with salt and pepper and enjoying them in this salsa I just made. Yessss.

Salsa is flexible. Throw in whatever you have. I had onions and tomatillos already so I used:

the ripest tomato in the lot + one and a half tomatillos + a fourth of a large white onion. I also seeded and added half a jalepeno + a half a serrano pepper + fourth of a poblano pepper. Plus a dash of white vinegar + a dash of lime juice + a few generous sprinkles of salt. 

Process it all in a food processor. Eat.

It turned out pink! I really like the taste of tomatillos in salsa, Chuy's uses them. When I asked about cilantro, they said it's dried up in the heat, as had mine. So no cilantro in my salsa.

 

If you've never shopped a farmer's market, you're missing out! If nothing go for the experience. It's really fun to see and talk to the people who live and work around the food they produce. Oftentimes families are there selling their goods. You'll find great fresh juices and baked goods such great breads and baked goods handmade soaps, cheeses, herb mixes, candles. Samples of it all galore and of course great produce. I think a gentleman literally gave me the equivalent of a loaf of bread in all his variety of samples he was enthusiastically explaining and handing out. So fun. 

Some of it may be more expensive than the grocery store, cantelopes and watermelons were today, but a lot of it isn't and it's all much better and more fresh, my huge $2 bag of tomatoes, $5 bin of peaches and $2 bunch of kale for example. Plus it's fun to support the people who grow food locally and now that it's moved right down the street from me, I need to go more. I'm suuuuper excited about my farm fresh eggs! They were $5 a dozen, though, so part of me hopes I don't like them too much...

Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin + Veggies

 My husband is the master of last minute dinner decisions. My freezer and I have become fast friends. I use my cast iron skillet to cook a variety of frozen vegetables often. For our anniversary, I did a one skillet pork tenderloin and vegetables. Marinating for a long time, searing well on all sides and removing when it was @ 145 degrees made for a great, tender piece of meat with a yummy, shreadable, well seared outside. Plus, can't beat that one pot clean up business. Especially when it's a cast iron skillet, I literally rinse it and wipe it clean.

ONE Pan Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Veggies

INGREDIENTS

1 medium sized pork tenderloin {I'm sorry, I truly have no clue how many pounds ours was...}

a thick Asian dressing or marinade of choice. I used Cookwell & Company Asian Ginger Vinaigrette.
3 cups frozen vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli florets, or green beans
2 tablespoons olive oil {learned that extra virgin is not ideal for skillet cooking because it burns at a lower temperature. find just olive oil for skillet cooking. HEB makes some that’s labelled for sautéing.}
Cracked pepper
Coarse kosher salt
balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Trim ends off of tenderloin so it is uniform thickness. Cut in half. Marinate in the fridge overnight, well coated. Remove from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking and pat dry.
 

Thaw vegetables by running warm water over them in a colander or allowing them to sit about 5 minutes in warm water. Cut the brussels sprouts in half. 

Preaheat oven to 425 degrees. Film an ovenproof skillet with oil and sear the tenderloin over medium high heat to brown all sides, about 5 minutes in all.

At the same time meat is browning, add vegetables and generously sprinkle with pepper and salt. Lower heat if things get splattery. Stir to coat and allow to sit undisturbed as meat browns, only stirring once or twice. Sprinkle balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Place skillet in the oven and roast 15-20 minutes until internal temp is 145 degrees. Tent skillet with foil and let rest about 5 minutes. Use more of your marinade as a glaze or make a pan sauce by deglazing the skillet with chicken broth, wine or something like orange juice.

Here's the basic recipe I use to cook vegetables @ the last minute.

Just Freezer Skillet Veggies

INGREDIENTS
3 cups frozen vegetables such as brussels sprouts, broccoli florets, or green beans
2 tablespoons olive oil {learned that extra virgin is not ideal for skillet cooking because it burns at a lower temperature. find just olive oil for skillet cooking. HEB makes some that’s labelled for sautéing.}
Cracked pepper
Coarse kosher salt
balsamic vinegar

DIRECTIONS
Thaw vegetables by running warm water over them in a colander or allowing them to sit about 5 minutes in warm water. Cut the brussels sprouts in half. Heat oil in metal or cast iron skillet on medium high. Add vegetables and generously sprinkle with pepper and salt. Lower heat if things get splattery. Stir to coat and allow to sit undisturbed about 2-3 minutes. Stir again and leave alone for a few more minutes. Once they are looking cooked, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, stir to coat and cook about 2 -3 minutes more, stirring infrequently to allow maximum, flavorful browning.

Remove from heat. Cool. Plate. Sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper.

french baguettes

I made bread and it was heavenly. It made my house smell great. It was killer straight out of the oven, with butter and honey, and now I'm hooked. I can't figure out what website this recipe came from, but I just printed nearly every bread recipe over at pete bakes and can't wait to try them all. I've come a long way and so can you! Do not be scurred.



{french baguettes}
adapted from artisan breads every day by peter reinhart
INGREDIENTS
5 1/2 cups unbleached bread flour
2 tsp salt or 1 tbsp kosher salt
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
2 c. lukewarm water {about 95 degrees. Tap water that feels just warm to the touch is fine}
DIRECTIONS
{prep day} combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer with paddle attachment and mix on lowest speed for 1 minute until well blended and smooth. Dough should form a coarse, shaggy ball. Let rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Switch to dough hook and mix on medium low speed for 2 minutes. Dough should be smooth, supple and tacky but not sticky.

Knead dough by hand on lightly floured work surface for 1 minute, then transfer to a large, clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and immediately refrigerate overnight or up to 4 days.

{baking day} remove dough from refrigerator 2 hours prior to baking. Gently transfer to lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 10 ounce pieces for baguettes. Just divide the dough in fourths if you don't have one but Yes! I bought a $7 kitchen scale for this. I had four 10 ounce balls and then a little 5 ounce one leftover.

Form baguettes: by batting each piece of divided dough into a thick rectangle. With the long end facing you, fold the bottom half to the center and seal the seam. Fold the top half to the center and once again seal the seam. Roll the top half of the dough over the seam to create a new seam on the bottom of the loaf. Rock loaf back and forth with hands moving out toward and increasing pressure at the ends, to slightly taper the loaf until baguette is length of your baking sheet (or baguette pan if you have one).

Mist top of dough with spray oil, loosely cover with plastic wrap and proof and room temperature. Make a "couche" by placing baguettes on a clean towel dusted with flour, bunching up fabric between each loaf to create walls for support. Proof for about 1 1/2 hours or until they have increased to  1 1/2 times their original size.

Prep for baking: About 45 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a rimmed sheet pan which will serve  as the steam pan on the shelf under which the baguettes will be baked. Remove plastic wrap from the dough 15 minutes prior to baking. Gently roll dough onto baguette pan or baking sheet. Just prior to baking score the dough 1/2 inch deep with a serrated knife. Transfer loaves to oven, pour 1 cup hot water into steam pan. Wear an oven mitt & be careful, the steam will be steamy in the hot pan. Warmed the water in my stovetop kettle and poured it in so there was some distance.

Bake for 12 minutes, then rotate pan and bake for another 15-25 minutes until the crust is rich golden brown and the loaves sound hollow when thumped, and the internal temperature is about 200 degrees. Coll on a wire rack for at least 35 minutes before slicing or serving. good luck with that. Store wrapped in a dish towel to maintain crust's crispiness.

::chipotle black beans::

i had made this before so i don't know why it wasn't on here. perhaps i made it before {vittles} was in place. it's a good, easy and versatile dish. you can control the heat with the amount of chipotle peppers, sauce and their seeds.

Chipotle Black Beans
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
5-6 cups cooked black beans or canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 seeded chipotle chiles in adobo, minced (set 1 tablespoon of adobo sauce aside)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
fresh cilantro, minced
DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers, and cook until translucent.
Turn heat to medium and add garlic, cumin, paprika, cocoa, salt and minced chipotle peppers. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then mix in reserved adobo sauce. Stir to combine, then add beans immediately.

When the beans are hot, add vinegar and honey or sugar. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Sprinkle with fresh cilantro before serving over rice.

i did all this in a casserole dish in the microwave. i don't know how you fell about that but it was a quick, one pot dish from prep to service to storage, and that was nice. . . Adjust peppers and sauce according to taste.

{image belongs to foodpeoplewant}

happy birthday vittles!

the 23rd marked the one year anniversary of {vittles!} i missed it!

happy birthday vittles!

and now a recipe for my loyal readers having nothing to do with cupcakes.

fall roasted veggies part deux
::ingredients::
1 zucchini
1 squash
1/2 red bell pepper, large dice
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 cup / can of chickpeas, drained
1 carrot, peeled
seasoning salt
garlic salt
pepper
olive oil
3T finely grated parmesan cheese
1 T dried parsley or other similar seasonings such as italian
::directions::
oven to 425, cover rimmed baking pan with foil. cut squash and zucchini in to large yet bite-sized pieces. cut carrots into pieces half the size of zucchini and squash pieces. if you are adding any potatoes or sweet potatoes {which would be good} cut them the same size as well.{see note} add veggies with peppers, onions and chickpeas to mixing bowl

drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with a few shakes of each of the seasonings, mix well and spread onto baking pan. bake 30 min.

the toasted chickpeas with the bell peppers is such a treat!!

note {the carrots and potatoes take about 20 min longer to cook than the squash and zucchini if they're all about the same size. i tried making the soft veggies larger than the root veggies and it worked fine, but be aware.}

{image belongs to pinkbow}

rosemary roasted potatoes

Do you live in Texas? Are there plants growing around where you live? Chances are you have rosemary growing nearby. I think since it's very resilient and stays green despite droughts, many neighborhoods have rosemary planted all over the place. Our apartment complex certainly has about a dozen gigantic rosemary bushes that I smell all the way up to my walk to the pool. So I found this recipe in a new Tapas book I got and walked out my front door with a pair of scissors. 90 seconds to free and fresh rosemary.
rosemary roasted potatoes
INGREDIENTS
5 "old" potatoes {the white small ones, the size of new potatoes but not red skinned}
the leaves from 1 large sprig of rosemary, finely chopped {about 3 teaspoons}
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 small scallion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
DIRECTIONS
Oven to 400. Cover roasting pan with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Skin potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces, and toss with all remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Pour into roasting pan. Pour or spread with spatula any remaining liquid, onions, etc. from the bowl over the potatoes.

Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes. Stir in the middle but not necessary -- I like one really brown and crispy side rather than a couple lightly crisped sides. Remove from oven and make a pocket over the potatoes with the foil. Allow to sit about 4 minutes. Dump into serving bowl.

I've found that creating that foil pocket for roasted vegetables to cool in allows the moisture to gather and makes it easier to remove the veggies along with their crispy sides, rather than scraping them off the foil and sacrificing that crispy side while it sticks to the foil. But. To each his own.

Don't worry about the neighbors when you go boldly snip your rosemary. Some may realize and admire your genius...and bravery. And don't forget to wash it.

lemon vinaigrette dressing

Homemade dressing is a pretty simple way to make a simple salad feel more special.
I tossed this dressing with arugula, chopped tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese. It would be great poured over steamed asparagus or even as a light topping for a summer pasta.
lemon vinaigrette dressing
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Whisk all ingredients in bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)


{photos belongs to mharvey75 and wineandchocolate}

vegetable latkes

My friends are going to look at this and roll their eyes. Oh, Erin and her self-inflicted, heath freakish oddities. I thought these were good. They're really healthy and feel like a heartier way to eat vegetables. The recipe I found originally used peas, which I omitted, but substituted for soy beans in this recipe to add some protein. I think you could eat these for a main dish. My husband, on the other hand, would disagree. To his credit, these are a little on the strange side for his preferences.


It's pretty flexible too. I think you could use just about any vegetable that meets your fancy. You probably have some articles in your vegetable drawer right now that would be happy to offer their services.
My super cool mesh colanders enjoyed participating. That bottom one suspends itself over the sink. I know you're j.

Mmm carrots. I hadn't peeled a carrot in a looooong while. It was a job given to me once upon a time. Probably since my mom succumbed to the convenience of those bagged baby carrots. This picture reminds me of making carrot cake cupcakes.... go ahead. Check them out, I'll wait for you.
I stored half the grated vegetables and spice mixture for later in the week, then mixed them together with 2 eggs when I made them again.

Indian-Spiced Vegetable Latkes
adapted from smitten kitchen
Makes about 24 pancakes.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup frozen soy beans, shelled*
1 medium onion, peeled
1 medium sized russet or Idaho potato, peeled
1 yam or sweet potato, peeled (I used half an eggplant)
1 large carrot, peeled
1 zucchini
4 large eggs
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
A pinch of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ginger
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 200°F. Place two nonstick baking sheets in oven.

In small saucepan, bring salted water to boil. Add soy beans and cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, then rinse in colander under cool, running water. Set aside in colander to drain completely. (Or, you could do this step in the microwave, and save yourself a good bit of effort.) Mash or add to food processor in step below.

Using box grater or food processor fitted with grating disc, coarsely grate onion, potatoes, carrot and zucchini and place in colander set in sink, setting aside to drain.

In large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Whisk in flour and spices. Mix in cilantro.

Press vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible, then add to bowl. Season mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Using wooden spoon or hands, mix well, but do not overwork.

In heavy-bottomed, 12-inch non-stick skillet over moderately high heat, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil (I used an extra-virgin olive oil spray to lightly coat the pan); until hot but not smoking. Drop 4 scant 1/4-cup portions of potato mixture into pan and flatten with spatula to form four 3-inch pancakes.

Fry until bottoms are golden-brown (the color really counts on this; the darker you let it go, the more the pancake holds together - this goes for both sides.), 4 to 5 minutes, then turn over and fry until golden-brown and crisp, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain; season immediately with salt and pepper. Keep warm on baking sheets in oven while making remaining pancakes.

Using paper towels, carefully wipe out pan. And 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and fry 4 more pancakes. Repeat with remaining batter, wiping out pan and adding 1 to 2 tablespoons oil before each batch.

*Found in the frozen food section likely called edamame

Now, eat your veggies!

tex mex summer salad

Wondering what to do with that avocado now, since you only used 1/6th of it for your sandwich on Saturday? Make a scrumptious little salad! Depending on how generous you feel like being with that avocado, and whether or not you want to add black beans, this could even be a meal.
Cast of characters, minus a few of the flavorings.

tex mex summer salad
INGREDIENTS
1 large avocado
2 roma tomatoes
juice from one lime
1 1/2 cup corn kernels (I used canned)
1 1/2 cup cooked black beans (I'd use canned...but had none)
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/4 to 1/3 c. finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 tsp salt or seasoning salt
2 tsp chili powder
DIRECTIONS
Dice avocado and tomatoes and add to medium sized bowl with corn and black beans. Add lime juice, cilantro and spices and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and chill 30 minutes to a hour before serving.

Perhaps you can tell that my avocado was quite ripe. Great for below sandwich, still tasty but a little mushy for this salad. Chilling this before serving not only enhances the refreshing aspect of the salad but also allows the flavors to blend. Obviously this is quite flexible and I suggest you taste it as you add spices... diced peppers like red or jalapenos would be another great addition. Squeezing a bit of orange into it would probably be really good as well. This could also be a yummy topping for fajitas or grilled shrimp tacos or even salmon. So easy, so versatile, what's not to love?

a better baked tater

No offense intended for the baked potato lovers of the world, but I just don't know why you'd settle for a baked potato when you can do this to them....

Twice Baked Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
2 medium sized potatoes
1/3 c. low fat ricotta
1/2 to 3/4 cup mixed grated cheeses such as Parmesan and Monterrey Jack
seasoning salt
cracked pepper
DIRECTIONS
Clean and cook the potatoes. Give them a few good pokes with a fork and either bake them on 400 for an hour or put them one by one in the microwave on some variation of the Baked Potato setting.

Heat oven to 400. Allow cooked potatoes to cool just enough to handle. Cut each in half lengthwise and carefully scoop flesh in to bowl, leaving a small, even layer on the skins. Place skins on baking sheet. With a fork or hand mixer, combine potato with cheeses and salt and pepper generously to taste. Scoop mixture back into skins and sprinkle with cheese and a pinch of cracked black pepper. Bake about 10 minutes.
The image on the right is before they were subjected to the oven for the second go 'round. The image in the left is obviously just another shot of the completed savoriness in case you missed it the first time.

This is a baked potato done right, in my book. Take everything out (isn't that what you wish you could do to a baked potato in order to mix it up properly?...or is that just me?) Add some creamy cheese. Ample salt. Bake it again to melt it all up to gooey greatness.

meatballs of veal

So part of me wishes I could retire all blog posts and leave those scones at the top. Not only are they the epitome of my baking aspirations but that picture matches my color scheme so well! It's just the perfect little post with the perfect little picture. But alas, life goes on and so does vittles. I have no idea why, I don't even really like them that much, I'd been wanting to make meatballs with veal. They were fun and a pretty easy way to sass up spaghetti with jarred tomato sauce. Ah! I've admitted to using jarred tomato sauce! A working girl's gotta do what a working girl's gotta do.

Veal Meatballs
inspired by Emeril L. & Rachel R.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup day old Italian bread, crumbled
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup wine
1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion, sauteed
3 clove garlic, minced, sauteed
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
dash of lemon juice
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 pound ground veal
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl soak the bread crumbs in the water and wine, then squeeze dry. In a large bowl combine the bread crumbs and the remaining ingredients, mixing with your hands until smooth. Cover and chill for half an hour.

Heat oven to 425. Shape the veal mixture into 1-inch balls. Spritz bottom of rimmed baking dish or cookie sheet with olive oil. Evenly place balls on cookie sheet and spritz tops with olive oil. Bake 10-15 min depending on size of meatballs.
This, I think, is a good base for meatballs. Most of them involve a mixture of meats like pork, beef and veal. I however, could not buy that much ground meat without drowning us in a variety of ground meat leftovers. So I chose veal. Other recipes suggest pan frying or browning in a pan then cooking in simmering tomato sauce. While I thought the cooking in tomato sauce sounded yummy I chose not to do that for a variety of not worth going into leftover situations. But basically the more separate I keep my meal ingredients the more leftover options I allow myself. Had I cooked them in the sauce, they would have been married. Oh the complex thoughts that go through my head. Anyway, Taylor liked these. And don't they look like savory little goobers on that bright yellow dish. Similar in visual savoriness to my Venison Steaks.

Baked Mac & Cheese

Ahhh the gloriousness of macaroni and cheese! The nostalgia, the creaminess, the yummy cheesiness... I'd been aspiring to make homemade mac & cheese for a while and made enough of this for my coworkers to quickly inhale the next day. It was really easy and not even that unhealthy since I dubiously substituted cream and whole milk for whole milk and 2% milk and it turned out great. I also learned that the butter and flour whisked mix before the milk is added is called a roux. Cooking vocab word. You're welcome.

Baked Mac & Cheese with Garlic Breadcrumbs
adapted from Gourmet
INGREDIENTS
For bread crumbs:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs
For macaroni:
1/4 stick unsalted butter
scant 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup 2% milk
8oz elbow macaroni
16 oz sharp cheddar, grated (or your choice of white, yellow, sharp, extra sharp etc.)
DIRECTIONS
Make bread crumbs: Heat butter and oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook garlic and bread crumbs, stirring, until crumbs are golden. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.

Cook macaroni according to directions. Drain in a colander and transfer to a 1 1/2 quart shallow casserole. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk* and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. I added a few dashes of ground pepper and garlic powder. To macaroni, stir in white sauce, cheese, and salt to taste. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

*I recommend allowing the milk to reach room temperature before making sauce. I had to stir a lot longer than 3 minutes before it thickened even a little. It should thicken slightly to resemble a sauce.

That's it, my friends, enjoy!

...on the menu: Salmon with Fresh Tomato Mint Salad

On a quest to make us eat more vegetables outside of salad and now my roasted veggie medley, I bought about every vegetable type at the store this afternoon. So expect more vegetable endeavors but for now this is what was for dinner:

Baked Salmon
Steamed Asparagus
Tomato Mint Salad

Baked Lemon Salmon
INGREDIENTS
2 8oz Salmon fillets
lemon
mint
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
Oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil and place salmon on it. Squeeze half a lemon generously over fillets and sprinkle with a few teaspoons finely chopped mint leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread evenly. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until outside is white and flakes easily.

Tomato Mint Salad
1/2 a large tomato, chopped
1/2 large avocado, chopped
1 cup arugula, chopped
juice from half a lemon (or whole, but the other half was on the salmon)
zest of one lemon
1/4 c. olive oil
1-2 cups corn kernels (I used no salt added canned)
2 T. finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 T. seasoning salt, or more to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine ingredients and serve.

This was basically a veggie leftover salad. We both really liked it and is obviously very flexible. You could also just toss it with your favorite salad dressing like Newman's Italian. I also steamed asparagus in my cool Calphalon steamer insert and the rest is yummy history.

Penne in Vodka Cream Sauce

The recipes that I combined to make this involved first browning prosciutto or Italian sausage in olive oil and garlic. I tried it with ground venison because I wanted to use it. I thought it was good; Taylor said he could taste the vodka too much so I may use less next time and allow it to reduce better than I think I did this time. And of course the sauce can be put on other types of noodles.... here is the doubled version of the recipe.

Penne with Venison in Vodka Cream Sauce
INGREDIENTS
1 (16 oz) package dry penne pasta cooked according to directions
1 T. olive oil
8 cloves garlic minced
1 lb ground venison (or a package of prosciutto or other meat...)
1 t. red pepper flakes
2 (16 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 c. vodka
1 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
parsley, basil, and cracked pepper
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in wok or large pot over medium. Add garlic and red peppers. Saute slightly about 2 minutes, stirring continually. Add meat and brown. Stir in tomatoes and about 1 t. each of dried parsley, basil and cracked pepper...to taste. (though about 1/4 c. fresh would be better) Cook tomatoes until they begin to break up, either about 3 minutes on medium or simmering 15 minutes on low. Stir in vodka and bring to a boil, then add cream and simmer, uncovered about 15 minutes. Add cheese and melt. Toss with cooked penne.

I accidentally bought crushed tomatoes instead of whole peeled and as a result, I think it was more liquid-y. So as it happened, I'm uncertain about the best way to recommend cooking the tomato base. Using crushed tomatoes, I brought the tomato, meat mixture to a boil and then simmered it covered on low for 15 minutes. I think crushed tomatoes would have been fine as long as you did a little less cream and vodka, because they are more liquid-y. Or you could do half crushed, half whole if you wanted some chunks..... but then the recipe is hard to half (like I did) because what do you do with two leftover half cans of tomato product? Also, I think it's important to simmer the vodka and cream addition uncovered so the alcohol can reduce.

Anyway, I'm going to make it again! Sorry for the delay in recipe deliveries and lack of pictures! New feature! wine recommendation! We drank Bogle "Old Vine" Zinfandel with this.

onion and garlic mashed potatoes

I picked up some crab-stuffed salmon at Central Market yesterday and thought it was SO good. Turns out Taylor doesn't like crab. So I get to enjoy the rest of it myself! I made mashed potatoes, and I got to use two of my red kitchen gadgets! Mashed potatoes are one of the things I have the earliest recollection of helping make. I think I may have been delegated the job as a teenager when I kept telling my mom to add more butter and milk.
Onion and Garlic Mashed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter
2-3 potatoes, scrubbed
1/3 cup 2% or whole milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, get fresh cheese and grate it if possible
salt
pepper
DIRECTIONS
Put potatoes in large pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook covered 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile in small sauce pan, melt butter over medium and add onions. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes. Add garlic and simmer about 8-10 minutes more until butter appears to be reduced and onions are translucent and tender. (some wine in there might be fun to try next time!) Allow onion butter mixture to cool a bit and then pour into food processor and puree. Once potatoes are cooked, peel them if desired, cube them and add to blender. Mix on low until potatoes are slightly mashed. Add butter mixture. Mix. Add milk until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, perhaps about 1/2 T. each.

Oniony and garlicy and good! Maybe I'll try truffle oil next!

{image belongs to vegcooking.com}

sweet potatoes with streusel topping

This was my very first Thanksgiving contribution. Besides helping assemble my obsession: Green Bean Casserole. I think it turned out well!

INGREDIENTS
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 egg
4 T. butter, melted
1/2 T. cinnamon
1/2 T. nutmeg
STRUESEL TOPPING
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
DIRECTIONS
Cooking Potatoes
Place sweet potato in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Heat oven to 400 and butter a 9x13 baking dish.

Streusel
Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Add melted butter and rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form.

Potato Assembly
Add cooked and cubed potatoes to a stand mixer and turn to 2. Add milk, sugar, spices and butter and mix well. Add egg and mix for a minute. Add more butter, sugar, and milk to taste. Spread mixture into 9x13 pan and sprinkle streusel over potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes in order for streusel to brown yummily.

(Yams and streusel can be made in advance. Cover separately and refrigerate. Let yams stand at room temperature 1 hour before baking.)

I don't think it matters how you cook the potatoes before doing this dish. I peeled, cubed and then boiled them because I didnt want to spend all day cooking 8 potatoes. (yes, I made two 9x13 pans of this stuff, bleh) Some sites said roasting them helps them keep the best flavor. If I made this again, I think I'd use a whole stick of butter. Also, some recipes called for a little bit of maple syrup. The streusel topping was really good since I decided to rebel against marshmallows.

Now that Thanksgiving has past, it's appropriate to decorate for Christmas! Check out my pics for our first Christmas decor :)