Quinoa Bowl with Kale and Chickpeas

August is here, and the dead of summer is upon us!  While it's definitely my favorite time of year, the heat can be a bit de-motivating when it comes to the kitchen.  It's even too hot to grill (yesterday, it was 107)!  So tonight, I turned to a quick salad that only required cooking a batch of quinoa on the stove.  Everything else is just tossed into a bowl as-is! I loved the heartiness of the greens, grains, and chickpeas along with the crunch from the pepitas, the sweetness from the golden raisins, and the vibrancy of the vinaigrette and feta.  Now it's time to put my feet up and enjoy the AC for the rest of the evening.  Stay cool, everyone!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

3 Tb olive oil

1.5 Tb white balsamic vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced (roughly)

1 bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and roughly chopped

1 can chickpeas, drained

1/2 cup golden raisins (roughly)

1/2 cup pepitas (roughly)

2 oz feta, crumbled (roughly)

1 tsp salt

Directions

Add quinoa and water to a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook for 15 minutes, and then remove from the heat. The water should be absorbed, and the quinoa should be tender.

While the quinoa cooks, make your vinaigrette. Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, and salt until the salt is dissolved. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined. 

"Massage" the chopped kale a bit by squeezing it firmly with your fingers a few times, until you notice that the leaves are a bit more tender. Toss the kale, chickpeas, and golden raisins with the vinaigrette, and let sit until the quinoa is done. 

When the quinoa is finished, toss it immediately with the vinaigrette, kale, chickpeas, and golden raisins. Then toss in the feta cheese, and stir to combine. Taste, and add more salt or lemon juice if desired. 

Serve topped with a good handful of pepitas.

Grilled Pizza with White Beans, Spinach, & Yellow Cherry Tomatoes

I've mentioned my love of grilled pizza before when we hosted a grilled pizza party for friends. It's fun to make, a cinch to throw together thanks to fresh pizza dough at the grocery store, and ridiculously versatile. Whenever warm weather and grilling season arrives, it's one of our favorite things to add back into our dinner rotation, but since this spring has been so rainy in Texas, the grill has been a bit neglected. Until now! This week has been sunny and beautiful, so when I saw this White Bean and Spinach Pizza recipe from The Kitchn, I knew it was the perfect inspiration for our first grilled pizza of the season! So without further ado, let's get to the pizza.

Ingredients

1 ball of fresh pizza dough

Flour for rolling out dough

1/3 cup olive oil

1 large garlic clove

4 oz taleggio, rind removed

Grated mozzarella

1 can of cannellini beans (though you wont need the whole can)

A handful of fresh spinach

6 or so yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Light the grill, and let it get as hot as possible.

(Warning: my grilling instructions will be a bit lacking, as my husband is in charge of the grill at our house).

While the grill heats, toss and roll out your pizza dough.

(We try to get ours as thin as we can and as round as we can, though it usually ends up pretty oddly shaped. There's no judgment here. It'll still taste good).

Also, heat the olive oil in a small pan on the stove over medium heat. Once hot, toss in the minced garlic and let simmer for a few minutes to infuse the olive oil with the flavor of the garlic.

Once the grill is hot, toss on the pizza dough. Close the lid, and cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes.

(We use a wooden pizza peel dusted with semolina to prevent sticking. One good quick jerk of the arm should slide it from the peel to the grill).

Once the bottom has crisped nicely, remove the dough from the grill, and flip it over so that you can decorate the cooked side with the toppings.

Brush the crust with the garlic-infused olive oil, and top with roughly torn pieces of tallegio and the grated mozzarella. Scatter with a good handful of white beans, tomato halves, and fresh spinach leaves.

(Try to avoid overloading the pizza too much so that everything will heat through and melt nicely in the quick amount of time required to cook the bottom of the crust)

Return the pizza to the grill, close the lid, and cook for another 1.5 to 2 minutes. The bottom should be cooked and crispy (a few charred spots are fine), and the cheese should be melted.

Cut into pieces (I use kitchen shears), and serve immediately!

One Pot Chicken Orzo Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

Can I tell you how long I've been wanting to share this recipe with you? It's been months since we improvised this little dinner number (you know, back when blood oranges were in season), and yet here I am, only just now letting you in on the secret. I love a warm pasta salad, and this one can be pulled together using just one pan. Orzo is tossed with a citrusy vinaigrette, shredded chicken, cilantro, toasted almonds, and sweet little pomegranate seeds, and the results are pretty darn good.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

1 cup orzo

1 large chicken breast

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

1/4 cup juice from a blood orange juice
(regular orange would work fine too I bet)

2 Tb balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a dry saucepan over medium heat. Once heated, toss in slivered almonds and toast for a few minutes, stirring and tossing occasionally, until the almonds begin to turn golden brown. Once toasted, remove the almonds to a bowl, and wipe out the saucepan.

Place the chicken breast in the same saucepan, season with salt, and cover with enough water to cover the chicken by about two inches.

Place the saucepan on a burner over high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil reduce the heat, and let simmer for 10 minutes or so, until cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the water to a cutting board. Return the water in the saucepan to a boil. Once boiling, add in the orzo and another pinch of salt. Cook the orzo according to package directions (about 8 minutes).

While the orzo cooks, whisk together the blood orange juice, the balsamic vinegar, and a pinch of salt until the salt is dissolved. Then slowly whisk in the olive oil to make your dressing. You can also shred your chicken breast once it's cool enough to handle.

When the orzo is done, strain and return to the saucepan. Pour in about half of the salad dressing and toss in the shredded chicken. With the burner on medium-low, toss the orzo, chicken, and dressing and cook until the orzo has absorbed some of the dressing and the chicken is warm. Taste and add more dressing as desired.

Once warmed through and dressed to your liking, remove from the heat and toss with the chopped cilantro, about half of the pomegranate seeds, and a couple cracks of black pepper.

Serve warm (though I imagine that it would be good cold as well), topped with the remaining pomegranate seeds and almonds.

Pan-Seared Salmon over Arugula Salad

As much as I miss Boston, can I tell you how thrilled I am that warmer weather has arrived in Texas while winter lingers long past its welcome in New England? Hopefully this post finds you enjoying warmer weather as well, but if not, I'll try sending a little Texas sunshine your way, because Spring has arrived. And with the arrival of spring, so returns my excitement for making salads again!

One of the first meals we cooked in our new house was this beautiful recipe from Serious Eats. While perfect without a single tweak, I couldn't help myself from throwing in a few more things here and there. I've added a splash of soy sauce for the pan-seared salmon. And into the salad, I tossed cucumber slices for a little extra crunch and mandarin oranges for a little sweetness to balance out the bite of the arugula. I feel like mandarin oranges are a little "un-cool," but you know what? They taste good, and they add a pretty pop of color as well.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 4-6 oz salmon fillets, skin on

2 tsp soy sauce

3-4 cups baby arugula

1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 can of mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 avocado, diced

1 Tb lemon juice

2 Tb olive oil + 1 Tb olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in a tablespoon or so of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the salmon in the pan, skin side-down.

Cook for about 6 minutes, until the skin has crisped nicely. About 1-2 minutes into the cooking process, pour a good splash of soy sauce over the top of each fillet.

While the fish cooks, make the dressing by whisking together lemon juice and a pinch of salt until the salt is dissolved. Then whisk in the remaining 2 Tb of olive oil.

Once the salmon skin is nice and crisp and the fish is cooked about halfway through, gently flip the fillets, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until a thermometer inserted reads 130-140 degrees (130 is medium).

While the fish finishes, toss the arugula, cucumber, and avocado with the dressing. Divide onto two plates and scatter with the mandarin oranges.

Once the fish is done, remove from the pan, and place on top of the salad, skin side-up. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Spring Green Frittata

March has been a happy month around here between pie for Pi Day, Irish Soda Bread for St Patrick's Day, and the first day of Spring! To celebrate the change in the seasons, I whipped up a frittata chock full of vegetables (plus a handful of grated cheese for good measure). It's perfect for a quick dinner or weekend breakfast! And wouldn't it be lovely for an Easter brunch? Here's to looking forward to warm weather and sunshine!

Serves  6

Ingredients

Filling

1 Tb olive oil

1 bunch swiss chard, stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons

1 bunch of asparagus, tough ends removed and sliced into 2" pieces

4-5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp herbes de provence

Frittata

9 eggs + 3 egg yolks

1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half

1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tb panko breadcrumbs

1 1/2 tsp salt

black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Heat oil in a large (10") oven-proof skillet (I used cast-iron) over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, herbes de provence, and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally for 8 minutes or so. The mushrooms should be browned and the extra moisture evaporated.

While the mushrooms cook, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, cream, salt, and pepper. Then stir in the breadcrumbs and grated cheese.

Once the mushrooms are browned, add the asparagus and swiss chard to the pan, stirring for 3-5 minutes until the swiss chard has just wilted. 

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables, stirring to combine. If you need to, shake the pan a bit or carefully tilt it to make sure that the eggs settle all around the vegetables. 

Smooth the top of the frittata with your wooden spoon, and then place it in the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the eggs are set and cooked through.

Remove from the oven when done, and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve sprinkled with a little pinch of grated parmesan if desired.

Fish Tacos with Roasted Poblano Guacamole

When I lived in LA, my roommates and I lived around the corner from a little Mexican restaurant that offered 2-for-1 tacos on Taco Tuesday. We were fresh out of college and loved a good deal, so every Tuesday, we walked down the street for fish tacos (or maybe carnitas) and a glass of sangria. It was a tradition for us, like a roommate family dinner along with whatever friends wanted to join in. It may have been six years ago, but any time I make fish tacos, I miss my LA friends and that little restaurant. If you're in the South Bay area of LA, pay the nice folks at El Gringo a visit for me, but if not, why not have your own Taco Tuesday at home?

These fish tacos are a fantastic quick dinner! The guacamole is creamy and flavorful from the lime, cilantro, and roasted peppers, the hot sauce (which can do double duty as salsa if you have tortilla chips on hand) is sweet and spicy, the radishes add a great contrasting crunch with the tender fish, and the cheese contributes a little tanginess to the mix. Enjoy!

 

Serves 2
 

Ingredients

4 soft taco-sized (8") flour tortillas

2 tilapia fillets

2 small (or 1 large) poblano peppers

2 ripe avocados

1 lime, juiced

~1/3 cup cilantro, minced

3 radishes, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

Habanero Hot Sauce (optional but so good - I use 2 habaneros and add cilantro)

Feta or Cotija cheese

salt

olive oil

 

Directions

To roast the peppers, preheat the broiler to "high." Rub the poblano peppers with olive oil, and place on a foil-lined baking sheet under the broiler for 7 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and charred. Flip the peppers, and return to the broiler for another 5-6 minutes to char the other side.

 

Remove the peppers to a plastic baggie (or a bowl sealed with plastic wrap). The captured steam helps loosen the skin for removal. Once the peppers are cool, remove them, peel off the skin, chop off the stem, and discard the seeds. Finely chop the peppers.

 

In a bowl, mash together the avocados, cilantro, poblano peppers, lime juice, and salt to taste (try to avoid undersalting, the cardinal sin of guacamole).

 

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan heats, season both sides of your tilapia fillets with salt. Swirl olive oil into the pan (enough to cover the bottom), and once the oil is hot, place the fish into the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, flip, and let cook for another 3-4 minutes until the fish is done (it should be opaque and flaky). 

 

Remove the fish from the pan, and serve on warm flour tortillas.  I break up one fillet to make two tacos.

 

Top the fish with a generous dollop of the roasted poblano guacamole, a drizzle of the habanero hot sauce, and a scattering of feta and sliced radishes.

Barley Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Shrimp

So there's this salad I really love from the gorgeous blog What Katie Ate. It's absolutely perfect, and I won't judge you if you want to go make her recipe instead of mine. But if you're like me and have the hardest time finding Spanish chorizo, please consider my recipe as a humble substitute. You see, when I was in Boston, I could find Spanish chorizo but never Mexican chorizo. Now that I'm back in Texas, I have the opposite problem. What's the difference between the two? To vastly oversimplify it, Mexican chorizo is crumbly while Spanish chorizo slices into pretty rounds. Both are delicious and wonderful, but in this instance only one will do.

Instead of chorizo, I opted for lovely gulf shrimp seared in bacon grease. I also left out the Puy lentils. This salad is light and refreshing but plenty filling. If baby heirloom tomatoes are still popping up at your grocery store in their pretty reds and yellows and oranges, toss those in, but I'm sure cherry tomatoes would work just as well. Maybe try lime juice instead of lemon. Skip the radishes if those aren't your bag. Or go for different fresh herbs. It's a salad after all, so it's perfectly tweakable. Enjoy!

(based on What Katie Ate's Pearl Barley and Puy Lentil Salad with Roasted Baby Heirloom Tomatoes, Chorizo, Green Beans, and Baby Radish)

Serves 2-3

 

Ingredients

1 cup pearl barley

1 lb of baby heirloom tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes), halved

Handful of radishes, very thinly sliced

Handful of green beans, ends trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tb bacon grease

1/2 lb shrimp, shelled and patted dry

2 lemons, juiced

1 Tb olive oil

2 Tb cilantro, minced

2 Tb mint, minced

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 280F.

 

Spread the halved tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast them for 1.5 hours, until soft and beginning to caramelize. Remove from the oven when done.

 

While the tomatoes roast, blanch the green beans by bringing a saucepan of water to boil. When boiling, dump in the green beans, and lower the heat to a simmer and let cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove the green beans, and plunge into a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain and set aside.

 

Next, add the barley and 3 cups of water to a saucepan (I use the same one I used for the green beans to cut back on dirty dishes), and bring the water to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 35 minutes, until the barley is chewy and tender.

 

When the barley is almost done, whisk together the juice from one of the lemons with the olive oil, and season with some salt and black pepper.

Then heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon grease, allowing it to melt and warm up. When hot, add the shrimp to the pan, searing them for about 2 minutes per side. When done, remove the shrimp to a plate with a slotted spoon.

 

Pour the juice of the remaining lemon into the pan with the remaining bacon grease, stirring to combine. Let cook for a minute or so, until heated.

 

When the barley is done, drain off any remaining water, and toss it with the lemon and olive oil mixture.

 

In a large bowl, toss the barley, roasted tomatoes, blanched green beans, radish slices, and the warm lemon juice and bacon grease mixture.

 

Serve topped with the shrimp and with a good scattering of cilantro and mint.

 

Farmer's Market Dinner: Braised Green Beans with Tomatoes, Field Peas, and Butterbeans

I am having the best time this summer cooking with Texas produce from the McKinney Farmer's Market. In fact, the produce has been stealing the show for most of our meals, like these green beans, purple hull peas, and butterbeans braised with hunks of summer tomatoes that turn into a comforting sauce. Every single vegetable in this dish (except for the shallot) was from vendors at the market!  

 

So this summer, if you're finding yourself with a glut of tomatoes, give this dish a try or whip up this Lentil and Barley Salad or super easy Tomato Goat Cheese Tart. If you've got okra on your hands, pretty please make this Greek Okra with Tomatoes and Feta or these fabulous Okra Corn Fritters.  Cucumber? Definitely try this Cucumber Salad. Load up zucchini and squash slices on these Vegetable Halloumi Skewers or make a bubbly batch of TexMex Squash Casserole. Or if peaches are still rolling in, I don't think you'll regret indulging in some Peach Cobbler. Whatever you've got, happy summer cooking!

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

1 Tb butter

1/2 shallot, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 lb green beans, ends trimmed and cut into bit sized pieces

2 tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup purple hull peas, frozen, canned, or cooked from fresh/dried (or black eyed peas)

1/2 cup butterbeans, frozen, canned, or cooked from fresh/dried

salt and pepper

1 cup rice, cooked according to package directions
(I used Rice Select Royal Blend with light brown rice, red quinoa, and freekeh)

 

Directions

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan.

 

Once hot, toss in the shallot, and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.

 

Add the garlic, paprika, and cayenne to the skillet, and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.

 

Add the green beans, and cook for about 2 minutes before stirring in the diced tomato. Once the tomato juices come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and let everything simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

While the green beans and tomatoes simmer, cook your rice according to the package directions.

 

After the green beans and tomatoes have simmered for about 35 minutes, stir in the peas and butterbeans, cover, and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste (plus a pinch more cayenne if you don't taste quite enough heat for your liking).

 

Serve the bean and tomato mixture over the rice, and enjoy!

"Caprese" Toasts

After bringing home a few beautiful heirloom tomatoes from the McKinney Farmer's Market this weekend, I had a brilliant (if not totally original) idea to put them to good use. Why not riff on the classic Caprese salad to create a light but very satisfying summer dinner? A simple pesto stands in for the basil leaves, and the tomatoes and mozzarella are broiled so that the tomatoes are warm, and the cheese is nice and melty. All of that is piled onto a thick slice of buttery toasted bread. Not bad. Not bad at all.

P.S. As you might guess, this combination also makes for a killer grilled cheese sandwich!

Serves 2

(4 if served with heartier side dishes)
 

Ingredients

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

3 Tb pine nuts, toasted

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parmesan

salt

 

1 round loaf of crusty bread (I used a Country Italian loaf from my grocery store bakery)

2 Tb butter

2 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced and most of the seeds/juice gently removed (regular tomatoes are also completely acceptable)

1/2 lemon

1 Tb olive oil

1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced into ~1/4" rounds

salt and pepper

 

Directions

First, make your pesto. If you want to use jarred pesto, skip this step. In the bowl of a food processor, add basil, garlic, pine nuts, and a smidge of olive oil. Process until a paste is formed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then slowly drizzle in olive oil with the machine running until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during this process if needed. When done, pour the pesto into a bowl, and stir in the parmesan and salt to taste. Set the pesto aside while you prepare your toasts.

 

Set the broiler to High while toasting the bread.

 

Slice four 1" (or slightly thicker) slices of bread from the loaf. Heat a large cast iron skillet (or any large skillet) over medium-high heat. Add in a pat of butter (about 1 Tb), and once it is melted and hot, place the bread into the skillet, swirling them a bit in the butter to ensure good coverage.

 

Let them toast for a couple of minutes, checking them occasionally. Once the bread is toasted and golden, remove it to a plate, and melt another pat of butter in the skillet. Add the bread back to the skillet, toasted side up, and cook until the other side is toasted and golden brown.

 

Remove the toasted bread to a foil-lined baking sheet. Spread generously with the pesto. Top with a couple tomato slices. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice.

 

Place the toast under the broiler for ~2 minutes to cook the tomato.

 

Remove from the oven, and place mozzarella rounds on top of the tomato. Place back under the broiler for another ~2 minutes.

 

Once the cheese is nicely melted, remove and serve immediately.

Baked Eggs with Lentils and Split Peas

As I'm currently living in an empty house with none of my household items, cooking new recipes is basically impossible. So while I impatiently await the movers' delivery truck, I finally got around to writing up this recipe that we loved back in the fall. It's in no way seasonal, but that doesn't make it any less delicious!

It's a great pantry meal where earthy split peas and lentils are brightened up by spices, tangy sour cream, cilantro, and lemon. Dished into adorable ramekins, topped with an egg, and served alongside a simple salad or thick slices of summer tomatoes, it makes for a hearty yet not too heavy meal. So if you can bear to turn on your oven, give it a try!  Otherwise...maybe dust off this recipe when the days turn a little cooler!

(Based on Spiced Lentils with Egg from The Kitchn)

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 Tb olive oil
1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup brown lentils

1/2 cup split green peas

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne (depending on your spice tolerance)

1 tsp cumin

1 strip of lemon peel

salt and pepper

2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped plus a little more for garnish

1/4 cup sour cream

2 eggs

Directions
Before cooking, rinse and drain your lentils and split peas. Preheat the oven to 350F.
 

In a medium saucepan, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the shallot and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they began to lightly brown and soften.

Add the lentils, split peas, strip of lemon peel, and spices, stirring to combine. Let them cook for a minute or two until the spices are nicely fragrant.

Pour in the broth, and raise the burner to high heat. Bring the broth to a boil; then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let everything simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the split peas and lentils are tender. Note that lentils cook quicker than split peas, so they will break down a bit in the cooking process.

When done, remove the pan from the heat, remove the strip of lemon peel, then stir in the cilantro and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon the mixture into two greased individual ramekins or gratin dishes, making a shallow well in the center of each. Gently crack an egg into each ramekin, and sprinkle with a little more salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake the ramekins for 18-25 minutes such that the egg whites are set and the egg yolks are still a bit runny.

When done, garnish with a little more chopped cilantro, and serve immediately

Note: I recommend using small trivets or a folded napkin or dish towel at each place setting to keep the hot-out-of-the-oven ramekins from damaging your dinner table

Warm Chicken and Rice Salad with Potatoes and Green Beans

Sometimes for lunch I want something warm instead of another turkey sandwich (I get in a rut and eat a lot of turkey sandwiches). Enter this chicken and rice salad tossed with potatoes, green beans, tangy feta cheese, briny capers, and a bright red wine vinaigrette. It's warm and satisfying but not too heavy. It would also be perfect for a light summer dinner served on the back porch with a chilled bottle of rose wine. After all, most things are made better when served out on the back porch with a chilled bottle of rose! Here's to looking forward to the long summer evenings that are right around the corner!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup rice or rice and red quinoa blend (I used Rice Select Royal Blend with light brown rice, red quinoa, and freekeh)
~2 cups water, divided
1 Tb butter

4-6 small multi-color new potatoes, washed and diced

1/4 lb green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces

1 10 oz can chunk chicken breast in water, drained 
(feel free to substitute grilled chicken breast or rotisserie chicken)

1 1/2 Tb red wine vinegar

1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard

3 Tb olive oil

2 tsp capers, drained and roughly chopped

~3 oz feta cheese, crumbled

salt and pepper

Directions

In a saucepan, add 1 cup water, 1 Tb butter, and 1/2 cup Rice Select Royal Blend (or any rice or rice blend) along with a good pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, and give it a stir. Cover and reduce heat, and let the rice blend simmer for 18 minutes (for a different rice blend, cook according to package directions).

In a separate saucepan, add the diced potatoes, enough water to cover them by about 1/2 inch, and about 1 tsp salt, and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce to a low boil and let cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife. About 5 minutes into the cooking process, toss in the green beans. Drain when done.

While the rice and vegetables cook, whisk together the red wine vinegar, the dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper until the salt is dissolved. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar and mustard mixture, whisking continuously to emulsify. Finally, stir in the capers. 

When the rice, potatoes, and green beans are cooked, toss them with the chunk chicken meat, the vinaigrette, and the feta cheese. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Broiled Salmon with Avocado Tzatziki

Last week I bought some salmon filets for my husband to cook out on the grill. Well, I should have checked the weather, because that evening, it was pouring down rain. Instead of scrapping our plans and ordering pizza, I decided to use the broiler instead. Just like the grill, it was quick, and cleanup was a cinch (thanks to a foil-lined baking sheet). I topped the salmon with a squeeze of broiled lemon and a generous dollop of avocado tzatziki, which while probably inauthentic was quite delicious. The creamy and cool avocado, greek yogurt, and sour cream is incredibly flavorful thanks to the jalapeno, lemon, and cilantro, and the cucumber adds some nice crunch.  It's perfect with the salmon, but I bet it would also be great with grilled chicken, spread onto a sandwich, or even as a dip with pita wedges or pita chips. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

~1.5 lb salmon, cut into 4 filets

1 avocado, peeled and diced

6 oz greek yogurt

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 - 1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped

2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 halved

2 mini cucumbers, diced

1/4 - 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

salt and pepper

olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven broiler to high.

In the bowl of a food processor, add avocado, greek yogurt, sour cream, jalapeno, and zest and juice of 1 lemon. Puree until smooth and completely blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl at least once if necessary. 

Scrape the avocado yogurt mixture into a bowl, and stir in diced cucumber, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Rub the salmon filets with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place skin side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Rub two lemon halves with olive oil and place alongside the salmon on the baking sheet.

Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 4 minutes. Remove and flip the salmon skin side up using a spatula. Return the baking sheet to the broiler for another 5 minutes. 

Remove the baking sheet and return the salmon to skin side down. The fish should be flaky and done. Squeeze the broiled lemon over the filets, and serve topped with a dollop of the avocado tzatziki.

Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Broccoli, Cheese, and Roasted Garlic Butter

Last week, my husband was craving stuffed baked potatoes. The last time I had a stuffed baked potato was one of Jason's Deli's glorious chili and cheese stuffed affairs, roughly the size of a football, sometime during college, which is entirely too long to go without stuffed baked potatoes in your life. What was I thinking? Here's my remedy for such an oversight: stuffed baked potatoes with broccoli, cheese, and roasted garlic butter! 

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large russet potatoes

2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup colby jack cheese, grated

4 Tb butter, softened

salt and pepper

sour cream (a generous dollop for each potato)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

While the oven preheats, prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Rub generously with olive oil and sea salt. 

Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for a little over 1 hour (or until potatoes are tender when pricked with a knife).

About 30 minutes into baking, place two unpeeled garlic cloves on a square of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Fold the foil around the cloves into a packet, and place in the oven on the baking sheet.

About 45 minutes into baking, toss the broccoli with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a few good pinches of cayenne pepper. Add the broccoli to the baking sheet and roast for another 15-20 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. If the potatoes and broccoli are done, remove the garlic packet, sprinkle the broccoli with the grated cheese, and pop the baking sheet back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 

While the cheese melts, peel the roasted garlic and mince. Stir into the softened butter until well combined.

Remove the baked potatoes from the baking sheet to a plate. Split with a knife, and mash the flesh of the potatoes with a generous amount of the roasted garlic butter and sour cream. Finally, use a spatula to scrape up the roasted broccoli and melted cheese to top the potato. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Tomato Goat Cheese Tart

Even though the calendar says it's spring, winter is still hanging on in Boston. Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow! But I firmly believe that spring is around the corner, and in the meantime I'll keep fighting the good fight to ward off the winter blues. If there's anything that's the polar opposite of winter, isn't it a bright, beautiful tomato? Sure, they're not in season, and they're not at their peak flavor like summer tomatoes, but roasting them on top of a flaky, buttery puff pastry tart helps them shine, even in the cold winter months. So if you're like me and can't wait for a little dose of summer, pop this tart in the oven. It's quick to make and delicious for a light dinner. If you are blessed with better self-control, maybe you can wait until tomatoes start to appear in your garden this summer! Either way, enjoy!

(recipe inspiration from The Endless Meal's Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart with Rosemary and Mascarpone)

Serves 2-4

(depending on what you serve with it)

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1 large red tomato, sliced, juice/seeds gently removed

3-4 small yellow tomatoes, sliced, juice/seeds gently removed

4 oz package of goat cheese

3 sprigs rosemary, stemmed and leaves minced

zest of one lemon

salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

In a bowl, crumble goat cheese and mix well with lemon zest and rosemary.

Fold out the puff pastry sheet, and roll it out with a rolling pin, stretching it a little in each direction. Place the pastry sheet on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (or use a Silpat mat).

Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly across the puff pastry, leaving about 1/2 inch exposed around the edge to form the crust. Top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Bake for 25-27 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned, and the tomatoes are roasted. 

Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

Variation: For a party, it would be really fun to make individual tomato tarts. To do so, cut the puff pastry sheet into 9 squares. Spread each one with some of the goat cheese mixture and top with one large tomato slice (or a few smaller slices).  Bake until the crust is puffed and golden.

Smoked Salmon Salad with Rice, Red Quinoa, and Toasted Pecans

Alright folks, are you ready for this? Two smoked salmon recipes in a row! This is still a relatively novel ingredient to me, as I used to assume it was gross (I know better now). I actually have a very distinct memory of my first meal in France as study abroad student. My French was shaky at best, but I recognized the word "saumon" on the menu. I ordered it, assuming it was a safe option.  When a salad arrived generously draped with what, to me, looked like raw fish, I think my face turned paper-white. I smiled weakly and thanked the waiter, but I was too scared to eat it. Thankfully my gallant friend Joseph came to my rescue, kindly offering to trade plates with me. Now 8 years later, this Smoked Salmon, Rice, and Red Quinoa Salad is one that I'm not allowing anyone to eat for me! I'll take care of my portion all by myself, thank you very much!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

3 celery stalks, diced

1 Tb butter

1 cup water

1/2 chicken bouillon cube (optional)

1/2 cup rice and red quinoa blend (I used Rice Select Royal Blend with light brown rice, red quinoa, and freekeh)

4 oz smoked salmon, broken into large flakes (I used Matt's Amazing Smokehouse Ragin' Cajun)

2 Tb lemon

3 Tb olive oil

salt and pepper

handful of pecans, roughly chopped

Directions

Heat a medium-size sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 Tb of butter.

Once the butter is melted and hot, toss in the diced celery, and let cook for about 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften.

In the same pan, cook your grains according to the package directions. For mine, I heated the water in the microwave until almost boiling. I then poured the water into the pan along with the rice blend and the half chicken bouillon cube.

Raise the heat to high, and once the water is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook according to the package directions, until done and the water is absorbed (about 18 minutes for me).

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice with a pinch of salt until it dissolves. Add a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper; then slowly whisk in the olive oil to form the dressing.

To toast the pecans, heat a small skillet over medium heat with no butter or oil. When hot, toss in the pecans and toast, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until warm and fragrant. When toasted, remove from the pan.

When there's about 1 minute of cooking time left on the rice, add in the flaked smoked salmon and about half of the dressing, stirring to combine. Re-cover the pan, and once the minute is up, remove from the heat and let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Remove the lid, fluff the rice mixture with a fork, and taste. Add the pecans and more dressing if desired (I used almost all of mine), stir to combine, and serve immediately.

Farmer's Market Dinner: Smoked Salmon and Brussels Sprouts Pasta

The Medford Winter Farmer's Market is back in full swing! We don't go every week, but it's so nice to have the option to purchase local produce and wares during these bleaker months. My favorites this past week were the lamb chorizo from Stillman's at the Turkey Farm, the smoked salmon varieties from Matt's Amazing Smokehouse, a canister of loose leaf tea from Soluna Garden Farm, and hand-filled cannoli from Joni's Cannolis (she even lets you sample filling flavors)!

When it comes to shopping, I usually have a detailed meal plan. But at the farmer's market I like to wander. And I like to buy what tickles my fancy that afternoon. When we get home, it's like a delicious puzzle to figure out how on earth to put it all to use. While browsing for ideas, I found this Smoked Salmon Pasta from Cherry on my Sundae. What a great idea to toss flaky smoked salmon with warm, creamy pasta, and why not add thinly shaved brussels sprouts, also from the market? Finish it with a bright, lemon cream sauce and a sprinkle or Parmesan, and you've got yourself a mighty fine dinner.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

8 oz linguine

2 Tb olive oil

1 small shallot, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

12 oz brussels sprouts, trimmed of stems and outer leaves and thinly sliced

4-5 oz smoked salmon, cut into large chunks

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup heavy cream (plus a splash or two more if desired)

3/4 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to package directions, until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and let it heat up. Once the oil is "swirlable", toss the shallot and garlic in the pan, sauteing for 1-2 minutes, until they just begin to soften and brown a bit. 

Add the brussels sprouts, and cook for 2 more minutes, until the leaves begin to wilt.

Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. After about 30 seconds, pour in the heavy cream and lemon juice, stirring to combine.  

Lower the heat to medium, and once the sauce has simmered for 1-2 minutes, gently stir in the chunks of smoked salmon. 

When done, drain the pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water. Add the pasta and reserved water to the skillet, tossing gently to combine with the sauce, vegetables, and salmon. 

When the pasta is coated in the sauce, taste and adjust seasonings as desired with salt, pepper, and another splash of lemon or cream if needed. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately, topped with a little more Parmesan if desired.

Baked Ziti with Turkey and Spinach

Y'all, it was 0 degrees this morning, and I'm really not ok with that. This kind of weather makes me never want to leave our house. I want to wear nothing but sweats and fuzzy socks and cook nothing but hearty, warming food. This Baked Ziti, hot out of the oven, really does the trick (and there's enough spinach thrown in to make it feel good for you). And as with most pasta dishes, it's pretty versatile. Try swapping ground beef, prosciutto, or mushrooms for the turkey. Arugula or swiss chard would be great stand-ins for the spinach. Mix in a little fontina with the mozzarella if you want to get really crazy. Just stay in your warm kitchen, and don't leave the house. It's cold out there!

(based on The Kitchn's Lasagna-Style Baked Ziti)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

12 ounces ziti

1 Tb olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or less, according to your preference)

1 tsp Italian herbs (optional)

salt and black pepper

1 24-oz jar marinara sauce

3/4 bag spinach (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup ricotta

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1 cup grated mozzarella

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Bring a pot of salted water to boil, and cook the pasta until it's al dente, according to the package directions. 

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, and let cook for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Add the turkey to the skillet, breaking up the meat with your wooden spoon, and cook until it’s no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in the crushed red pepper, Italian herbs, and a good pinch of salt. Stir and cook for another 30 seconds or so.

When the pasta is done, drain it, reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water, and return it to the pot.

Toss the pasta with the meat mixture, marinara sauce, spinach, ricotta, and the parmesan. Stir to combine, and allow the spinach to wilt.

Transfer to a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until it's warm and bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Pumpkin and Kale Pasta with Lemon Goat Cheese Sauce

This weekend I cooked some of my Halloween decorations -- the cute little sugar pumpkin sitting in my entry way turned into a delicious dinner! I tweaked this recipe from Serious Eats, opting for tangy and bright goat cheese, a little extra lemon, and a splash of white wine to liven things up. It's a hearty and comforting dish that satisfies my cold weather cravings while still including plenty of vegetables (this time of year, I tend to only want to eat things involving lots of cheese, carbs, and cream of mushroom soup). In other news, we had our first snow yesterday. I'm not ready for that yet!

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

2 Tb olive oil

2 lb sugar pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" cubes

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

~1/2 cup dry vermouth (or white wine)

12 oz farfalle pasta

1 large bunch of kale, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 Tb lemon juice

2 oz goat cheese

salt and pepper

Directions

Heat a dutch oven (or soup pot) over medium high heat. Pour in olive oil, and once hot, add in the pumpkin. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. The pumpkin should begin to soften a bit.

Push the pumpkin to the sides of the pot, exposing the bottom of the pan. Add the shallots and the crushed red pepper to the center of the pan, and let them cook for about one minute before stirring to combine. Next, add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Stir in the stock and vermouth, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Raise the heat to high, add another pinch of salt to the liquid, and then stir in the pasta. 

Once the liquid comes to a boil, partially cover and let cook until the pasta is about 4 minutes away from being done (the box called for 10 minutes for al dente, so I let it cook for about 6 minutes), stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

At this point, begin adding in the kale a handful at a time, stirring it into the liquid so it will begin to wilt. Once all of the kale is wilted down and the pasta is done, turn the heat down to medium low. 

Stir in the lemon juice and goat cheese. The goat cheese will combine with the remaining liquid to make a creamy sauce. Taste, and feel free to add a little extra goat cheese or lemon if desired.

Serve and enjoy!

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Tomato, Swiss Chard, and Poached Eggs

This week we scored a dozen fresh eggs thanks to one of my managers who raises chickens. I originally planned on making this soup recipe (one of my favorites), but to put our eggs to use, I tweaked it a bit to make an israeli couscous, swiss chard, and roasted tomato dish topped with a fresh poached egg!  It's hearty thanks to the couscous, intensely flavorful thanks to the roasted tomatoes and herbs, and the oozy yolk gives it a little extra richness. 

And hey, if eggs aren't your thing (or if you find poaching eggs a bit too intimidating even though I promise, if I can do it, you can do it), ditch the egg and this would be wonderful all on its own as a vegetarian main dish or side.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

7 roma tomatoes, halved

2 Tb butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sprig of rosemary

1 sprig of sage
2 cups israeli couscous
2 1/4 cups water

1 bunch swish chard, stemmed and roughly chopped

salt and pepper

4 eggs, poached

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400F. Place halved tomatoes skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Put in the oven and let roast for 30 minutes.

While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a large pot or enameled Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. In a separate saucepan or in the microwave, bring 2 1/4 cups of water to boil. 

Add 2 Tb of butter to the large pot. Once melted and heated, stir in the minced garlic and let cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the couscous and cook, stirring continually, for about 3 minutes, letting the couscous toast. 

When the couscous is toasted and golden,  pour the boiling water over it, add in the sprigs of rosemary and sage, and then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer for 8-10 minutes.

When the couscous is tender, remove the rosemary and sage, lower the heat to low, stir in the swiss chard, and cover.  Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is wilted (about 5 minutes). 

Once the tomatoes are roasted, remove them from the oven and stir them into the couscous, breaking them up a bit with your spoon. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Once the couscous dish is ready, poach your eggs. I use this super simple method from Smitten Kitchen.

Serve the couscous in four bowls, each topped with a poached egg.