Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Soup

Here in Northern California I think we skipped straight from summer to winter. One week the temperatures where in the 80s, the next in the 50s. {I know most of you don't consider that winter temperatures, but for us that is cold!}

My favorite thing to make when the temperatures drop is a large pot of soup to warm up chilly bodies. Plus, soup recipes always seem to make enough for plenty of leftovers -- one thing I'll never complain about!

Today's recipe is perfect for lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. A cheesy soup with plenty of protein packed in by adding chicken to the mix. Toss in broccoli and you practically have a one pot meal!

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Soup 

adapted from a recipe by Six Sisters' Stuff

 

2 - 2 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, diced after cooking

onion, diced

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. butter

1 c. flour

8 c. reserved chicken broth

2 heads of broccoli, heads cut off into bite size pieces

1 1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. garlic powder

1 t. black pepper

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

1 c. whole milk

5 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated (not packed)

Ahead of time, fill a large stock pot half full with water and place your chicken breasts inside. Boil over high heat for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked through. Reserve water to use as broth and allow chicken to cool.

Heat butter over medium high heat in a large stock pot. Add onion and garlic, cooking for about 5 minutes until onion is softened. Add in flour, stirring well so that is does not burn to bottom of the pan, for about one minute. Slowly add in chicken broth, stirring well after each cup addition. Throw in diced chicken and broccoli, along with the spices and salt. Bring to a slow boil and cook for 30 minutes.

Add in milk and cheese, stirring until cheese is melted in.

Makes about 6-8 servings as a main dish.

Wonderful served with sourdough bread or multigrain crackers.

Butternut Squash Orecchiette with Ricotta

 Another winner on our quest to cook with squash. We don't eat many meatless dishes but this one kept us full and satisfied for the evening.

For those who haven't had experience with cutting up squash, they can be a bit tricky. The butternut squash is easiest peeled first with a vegetable peeler and, then, sliced in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp and seeds, and cut it up. 

Butternut Squash Orecchiette with Ricotta

1 butternut squash cut up into bite size pieces

1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly 

about 20 fresh sage leaves

olive oil

1 lb. orecchiette

15 oz. whole milk ricotta

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place butternut squash, onion, garlic and sage on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and mix to coat. Cook for 40 minutes, stirring a couple times.

Cook orecchiette al dente in a pot of boiling water. Reserve about 1/2 c. of pasta water and dispose of the rest after cooking. 

Place cooked orecchiette with pasta water into a large bowl. Mix well with ricotta cheese. Stir in roasted veggies and sage with the pasta and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 4 servings.

Beef-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is one of the quintessential autumn veggies. It is a treat roasted on its own with a bit of butter and brown sugar. But make it the center of your main dish by using it as a receptacle of your protein and it can really stand out!

The nutty flesh of the squash pairs itself well with Mexican-inspired seasoning in this simple dish, easy to put together quickly on a weeknight.

The squash are roasted separately while the meat filling comes together on the stove. Finish it off with a sprinkling of cheese and a few minutes back in the oven once stuffed and you're set!

Beef-Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 acorn squash, halved with the seeds and pulp scooped out

olive oil

salt

1/2 lb ground beef

1-2 garlic cloves
1/4 c. chopped onion

1/2 c. cooked rice

1/2 c. black beans
1/4 c. crushed tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. oregano
dash of cayenne pepper

1/3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle acorn squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place face down in a baking dish and bake 35-45 minutes.

While squash is baking, brown ground beef in a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stove. Add onions and garlic, cooking for another couple minutes until onions are softened. Turn heat down to low. Add in rice, beans, and tomatoes. Mix well. Then, add in spices and mix well again.

 Flip acorn squash cavity side up and fill each with a quarter of the filling. Sprinkle cheese on top and put back in the oven for about 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Beef Stew

We finally had a day last week that didn't top 80 degrees. I marked it on the calendar when I was meal planning earlier in the week. I've been ready for cold weather food for so long, and here was our chance. 

We purchased 40 lbs of delicious, grass-fed beef through Alpine Ranch in Reno, Nevada. The freezer is chock full of a variety of cuts of beef that should last us at least through mid-November with the rate at which we consume red meat. 

I dug out the stew meat a couple days in advance of our cooler weather. When we reached it, first thing in the morning, I filled the crockpot with this hearty stew which I'm sure will have repeats throughout the winter. 

Crockpot Beef Stew

2 lbs. beef stew meat

1 large onion, diced

4-5 carrots, sliced into 1-in. pieces

2 large russet potatoes, cubed

4-5 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 t. dried oregano

1 bay leaf

 1 t. Worcestershire sauce

2 1/2 c. beef broth

1 c. frozen peas

1/4 c. flour

Place meat, onion, carrots, potatoes, and garlic into your crock pot. Sprinkle with parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and top with a bay leaf. Stir Worcestershire sauce into 2 1/2 c. beef broth. Pour across the top. Cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours or LOW for 10. 

About a half hour before serving, stir in frozen peas and flour, and re-cover the pot.

Serve alongside warm, crusty bread for dipping.

Roasted Red Pepper and Fennel Quiche with Goat Cheese

Well, it's about time.

I've had so many requests for more recipes, more blog posts, it seems I can no longer neglect this little corner of the world wide web. My posts won't be frequent and they won't be regular, but at least I can offer a little something every once and a while. :)

I concocted this recipe the other day when I was searching for a tasty quiche recipe for a breakfast date with a friend. It ended up making enough for two, so I sent one off with my husband for his weekly work Saturday brunch potluck. If you don't want two, it is easy to half the recipe.

And it's a wonderful meatless Lenten recipe, something I'm always searching for more of.

Enjoy. :)

Roasted Red Pepper and Fennel Quiche with Goat Cheese

2 pie crusts

2 large red peppers

1 head of Fennel, green part removed

1 large yellow onion

8 oz. goat cheese

A dozen eggs

1 c. milk

2 t. thyme (I used dried, but it would be great with fresh)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Place your red peppers on a baking sheet, whole and entire. Roast for 30 minutes, turning about every 10 minutes. Keep them in the oven until their skins are completely blackened. Once black, remove from oven and immediately wrap in foil. Leave inside for at least 30 minutes. Once cool, remove stem and seeds, and carefully peel off skin. Cut into thin strips.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F.

Chop onion and fennel. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and fennel for about 10 minutes, until softened. Place in bottom of pie crust along with roasted red peppers, split evenly between two pies. Sprinkle 4 oz. of cheese in each crust. 

In a small bowl, crack 6 eggs. Whisk eggs. Mix in a 1/2 cup of milk and 1 teaspoon of thyme. Pour into pie crust on top of vegetables and cheese. Repeat with second crust.

Place in oven for one hour, or until inserted knife comes out clean. 

Allow to cool for at least a half hour. Delicious hot or cold! 

Return: French Lentil Soup

Folks, we've returned. I know you probably thought this site was defunct, one for the cyber graveyards, but, c'mon, I wouldn't leave you like that! :)

I've been in a whirlwind of activity these past few months, preparing for our wedding, celebrating THE BEST day of my life marrying my best friend, and enjoying our honeymoon adventure in Europe.

But now we're back to 'every day reality,' hitting the road running. Settling into our new apartment, job searching, cooking, baking, creating....oh, how I've missed it.

Europe was unusually cold this year. As I mentioned in my previous post, we've had spring-like weather in California starting in December. Not so in other parts of the world. Rome experienced snow this year -- first time in 26 years. It snowed there on our wedding day, so we didn't actually witness the snowfall, but we were tempted to start a snowball fight at the Vatican when we arrived, upon discovering large piles of snow in St. Peter's Square.

Even Barcelona forgot about its Mediterranean climate and decided to head north for the winter. Luckily, we brought along our heavy, warm coats. Although both of us have lived in locations with chilly winter weather (Virginia and Michigan), it was still a bit of a shock to the system being acclimated only to mild temperatures thus far this winter.

And then, it was 75 degrees Farenheit when we hit the tarmac back in California. I was a tad disappointed as I had a small collection of soup recipes I'd been itching to try. But Mother Nature did a 180 the past few days, and we've been thrown back into winter for a bit with a smattering of rain and hail. Ready to make the most of it! :)

Soup's on!

French Lentil Soup

Adapted from epicurious.com

2 c. onions, diced

1 c. carrots, diced

1 c. celery, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 T. olive oil

1 1/4 c. lentils, rinsed and drained

1 - 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes

4 c. vegetable broth

1 t. oregano

1 t. basil

salt and pepper, to taste

grated parmesan cheese (opt.)

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic, stirring frequently, cook until browned - about 15 minutes.

Mix in lentils, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil. Mix in spices and turn down to medium-low; cover. Allow to simmer on stove for about 40-45 minutes, until lentils are softened. (Add extra liquid as needed.)

Serve warm with grated parmesan cheese.

French Onion Soup

We finally had a bit of winter weather here in Northern California this past week. Perhaps we'll be able to hit the slopes now on real snow. Although.....it has come back around to high 60's, Spring-like weather within 24 hours, so it will probably be melted before I can hit 'publish' on this post.

The day of heavy rains, I pulled out all the stops on my comfort food inclinations. Much tea was consumed. Grilled cheese sandwiches. Crockpot stew accompanied by warm French dipping bread. French onion soup with lots of gooey cheese.

This was my first encounter with French onion soup. Stephen's been talking about it every time there is a drop of rain from sky. After 48 hours non-stop, it was time.

Caramelized onions steeped in a rich beef broth, topped in a generous layer of cheese-covered bread. It doesn't get much better than this. Well, maybe enjoying it in a Paris bistro. But this is considerably less expensive....

French Onion Soup

3 large onions, finely sliced

2 T. olive oil

dash of sugar

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

4 c. beef stock

1/3 c. dry red wine

1 bay leaf

1/4 t. dried thyme

salt and pepper, to taste

slices of French bread

1/2 c. grated Gruyere or other Swiss cheese (I used Jarlsburg)

Heat olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute for about 30-40 minutes, adding sugar after about 10 minutes to aid in the caramelization process. Watch them carefully, stirring every few minutes to ensure they don't burn. Scrap up burnt bits from the bottom, as these greatly enhance the flavor of the soup. The onions are done when they are soft and browned. Stir in garlic, cooking for about 1 minute to unlock the flavor.

Pour in beef stock and red wine. Mix in thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Allow it to cook for about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using oven-proof bowls or ramekins, pour a serving into each bowl. Top with a piece of bread (or a few if it is a small baguette) and sprinkle a generous helping of cheese on top. Place in oven about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy with additional bread to soak up the delicious broth and a glass of the leftover red wine.

We ate leftovers the next day with grilled cheese sandwiches...mmmm, yum!

Sunday Sightings: First Crop of the Season

Holy Guacamole!

The college football season is winding down. This past Monday we watched the Nebraska Huskers get pummeled by the South Carolina Gamecocks in the Capital One Bowl. (Not exactly the outcome we wanted but....)

I can't keep track of all the college Bowls that take place nowadays. The Tostitos Bowl, the Rose Bowl, the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, the Gator Bowl, the Music City Bowl, the Armed Forces Bowl, the Pinstripe Bowl.... There is literally a Bowl now for every company and occasion. I remember the days of perhaps four or five Bowls, when only the best teams of that year were worthy of competing. As someone remarked to me the other day, they've arranged it now so that not one college football team will be left out of playing a Bowl. Wouldn't want to make anyone feel bad.

 

However, the biggest football Bowl and party of the year has yet to arrive. NFL is still in full swing, and Superbowl Sunday is only one month away. I wonder who will go head-to-head this year?? In any case, it's high-time we begin getting ready for those tailgating parties. My interest, in truth, really is in the preparation of a feast for the outdoor picnic....

This guacamole dip is a solid addition to the spread of Game Day appetizers. It is fantastic for dippin' chips or to wrap up in your favorite burrito or taco. What really makes it is the lime and cilantro combination. Don't skimp on the juice!

Zesty Guacamole

2 avocados

juice of one lime

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

1/4 c. chunky salsa (I use Pace Picante Medium)

Choose avocados on the softer side. It is easier to make this guacamole with ones that will easily mash. Cut your avocados into sections. This will help with the mashing process too. Pop sections into a bowl and mash with a fork. Add lime juice and continue until completely mashed.

Sprinkle in cilantro and mix well into the avocado mixture. Do the same with the salsa. You can add a little more or a little less depending on your taste and tolerance of spiciness.

Grab a bag of your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy! (The Tostitos Lime are a great choice.)

Braised Dijon Brussel Sprouts

The latest and greatest veggie to grace our dinner table is the brussel sprout. I've been experimenting with braising combinations as I've become bored with eating these globular green gems steamed with mayo or mustard on the side.

85% of homegrown brussel sprouts end up in the freezer section of the grocery store. That is a great tragedy. Vegetables that have gone to the trouble of being frozen lose their flavor, color and texture. When cooked fresh, their vibrant, crisp leaves are ten times more satisfying (and appetizing).

Here in California, we are a bit spoiled with fresh produce. It helps that the majority of U.S. fruits and veggies are grown here. I know from my time living in Virginia, where I would often find avocados amongst the foreign (huh?) fruits and vegetables, many states have great difficulty, particularly this time of year, finding fresh produce. For those of you on the opposite side of the Rockies, I hope that a bit of our wealth has made its way to you so that you, too, may experience the joys of brussel sprout season. If you are able, scoop up a few.

This is an easy side dish, perfect with a red meat dish. Just about any variety of dry white wine works when cooking this dish. I have also used vermouth when the wine rack was lacking. Water may be substituted for the vegetable or chicken broth, but it will lose a bit of its richness.

Braised Dijon Brussel Sprouts

1 lb. brussel sprouts

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper

2 shallots, chopped

1/2 c. dry white wine

1/2 c. vegetable or chicken broth

2 T. dijon mustard (I used a horseradish version.)

2-3 T. half-and-half (or milk)

Cut all brussel sprouts length-wise. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Place brussel sprouts cut side down. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes until slightly browned.

Remove brussel sprouts from pan. Shake a bit of salt and pepper over them. Using left over oil, sautee shallots for 3 or 4 minutes. Return brussel sprouts to pan.

Pour wine and broth over brussel sprouts. After allowing liquid to come to a slow boil, turn down heat to simmer, and cover with a lid or foil. Cook for 15 minutes.

Place brussel sprouts on a serving platter.

Mix dijon mustard and half-and-half in leftover pan juices. Heat, stirring, for a few minutes, until mustard has dissolved. Pour over brussel sprouts before serving.

The Great Potato Debate

"Are potatoes a vegetable?" my roommate inquired of me as she poured her cereal into a latte bowl one morning.

"Well, of course not," I responded. "They're tubers," still trying to wake up with my morning cup of tea.

"Ah, ha! I knew it! N. and I were arguing over whether they were vegetables, and I told him they couldn't be because they grew in the ground. They're roots."

But, then again, I wasn't so sure that excluded them from being a vegetable.

As much as I wanted to vindicate her stance, what I desired more was the truth. A little research was necessary.

Turns out, spuds have never been included by the Department of Health in the 'five a day' category. They just plain ol' don't make the Food Pyramid at all due to their starchy quality. They usually replace bread, pasta, or rice in a meal, but can't hang with the grains since they don't fit the bill there either.

Despite their homelessness, they are healthy for you. A medium size potato with skin-on provides 27 mg of Vitamin C, 0.2 mg of Vitamin B (vital for your nervous system), and trace amounts of B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), folate, niacin, magnesium, phosphorous, and zinc. It also provides fiber and properties beneficial for the immune system and fighting cellular damage.

But, because they are the root of the potato plant, botanically, potatoes are classified as a vegetable. N. was correct there.

However, nutritionally, potatoes are not vegetables. And since we are simply potato consumers, not growers, roomie and I decided, naturally, we were the winners in this debate.

***********

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Happy Mistake: Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

"I need red lentils for the soup. There are the red lentils. Oh, they're so vibrant! They almost look like they're glowing. Well, I've substituted the dark ones before. There probably isn't much of a difference in flavor....why are you so intimidated by the bright ones?!?"

This was what was going on in my cerebral cortex as I was scanning the bulk bins at the grocery store. Despite the whole debate going on in my head, guess what I didn't buy.

Lentils.

I bought green split peas.

And what's worse, is that I didn't realize this until after I had purchased the other ingredients for the lentil soup, was gathering everything to cook, rinsed off the peas, placed them in the water and was about to stick them on the stove to boil.

All of a sudden, I had a revelation.

"Those aren't lentils."

Wow, Laurel, wow.

I got a phone call.

"How's dinner coming along?"

"I'm not sure."

"Huh??"

"There will have to be a Plan B because I failed to buy the main ingredient for the soup. I bought split peas."

"You can always make a substitution."

Great diversion, rescuing the floodgates from spillage.

Substitution it is.


The lentil soup recipe I was going to use is from the lovely Heidi Swanson over at 101 Cookbooks. I quickly researched a split pea recipe on her blog and stumbled upon this. Thankfully, everything I needed for that recipe was on hand as well. The lemon juice and zest really give it a wonderful zing that excites your tastebuds for something as simple as split pea soup. She has some of the best soup recipes, all vegetarian. Be sure to check them out as the rainy season descends upon us.

Soup's On!

I have been patiently waiting for the arrival of Autumn. The aromas, the flavors, the warmth of Fall foods produce a great sense of comfort I look forward to as the days cool and shorten.

It's been slow arriving this year. We've been 'enjoying' an Indian summer here with several days in the triple digits last week. (Spare the air days at the end of September?!) We've been taunted by cooler evenings, but the days have remained warm.

I've been flipping through my cookbooks over the past few weeks, dog-earing delicious soup recipes. Waiting, waiting, waiting.....

Yesterday, it arrived. Between the clouds and my cold, the time had finally come for some good, ol' fashioned soup-making.

Although this recipe is enough to feed a family of 12, this is not a problem if this does not fit your family profile. Just freeze the remainder or host a dinner party. Your friends will thank you, I promise.

This soup is very easy to cook, although preparation time is about 30 minutes. A sharp knife will ease the process.

Vegetable Soup

adapted from French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano

2 potatoes

1 onion, peeled and quartered

2 garlic cloves, peeled

salt and pepper, to taste

4 leeks

1/2 small cabbage

3 celery ribs

2 turnips

4 carrots

4 T. butter

2 c. canned whole or chopped tomatoes

2 sprigs of parsley

basil (fresh is best, but I used dried)

2 bay leaves

Peel, wash, and chop potatoes. Place in small pot with onions, garlic and salt and pepper. Cover with water and boil until tender. Drain and set aside.

Wash other vegetables and chop them. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in an 8 or 15 qt. pot. Add vegetables and 'sweat' them for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes, potatoes, onion and garlic, and cover with water. Place parsley, basil and bay leaves in pot, stirring in. Cook until all vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes). Remove the bay leaves. Drain and reserve the liquid.

Puree the cooked vegetables in a food processor. (I used a blender which caused the soup to be a bit thicker in the final analysis.) Use the reserved liquid to thin out your soup. (I didn't use much because I like a thicker soup.)

Adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Before serving, add a dollop of creme fraiche. Can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Pumpkin Protein Bars

A huge fan of granola bars, my only beef with them is the quantity of sugar and the lack of protein they provide. I discovered these tasty bars in a quest for a cheaper and healthier replacement. They keep you satisfied for a long time and the recipe is quite versatile if you want to change up your flavors. I've been making them with pumpkin, but feel free to replace that with plain yogurt, adding also either 1/4 c. canola oil or peanut butter to your batter. You can add dried fruit instead of chocolate (but who wants to do that!), or nuts of any variety. Whatever suits your fancy.

Okay, not the prettiest...but I promise they're tasty! ;)

Pumpkin Protein Bars
Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe

1 c. soy or whey protein powder (I used vanilla flavored whey)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. rolled oats

1/2 c. oat bran

1/2 - 3/4 t. cinnamon

3/4 t. salt

1 c. sweetened coconut

1/2 c. brown sugar (to taste)

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1 c. pumpkin

3/4 c. plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt)

2 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a glass 9x13 dish.

Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients. Add to dry and blend together well. The dough will be thick so use those muscles! :)

Spoon into baking dish and distribute evenly. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cut into bars. Place on baking sheet and bake another 15 minutes or until browned around the edges.

These are hearty bars so lil' ones go a long way. I like to freeze them in Ziplocs and snack on them cold straight from the freezer. They serve excellent as an afternoon snack or pre/post-workout fuel.

Teriyaki Chicken with Bok Choy

If you aren't one for frequenting the Saturday morning markets, you're missing out on some of the finest produce this time of year. I purchased some Rainier cherries at the grocery a bit ago, and then another bunch at the market a few days later. There was a significant difference in sweetness between the grocery pick and the market pick, as well as in price. My market find was by far the better deal and was keener in satisfying the sweet tooth.

One of the finest vegetable stands at the one I visit carries a variety of Asian produce. I chose to be a bit adventurous last week and purchased baby bok choy, a vegetable I've never cooked with before. I remembered encountering previously it in stir-fry dishes, but was certain there were other ways to enjoy its leafy green goodness. Here's an option. :)

Teriyaki Chicken with Boy Choy

4 heads of baby bok choy

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T. olive oil

1/4 c. water

pinch of sliced almonds

1 chicken breast

salt and pepper, to season

1 T. olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 shallot (or other onion substitute)

4 T. soy sauce

2 T. vinegar

Slice ends off of bok choy and rinse thoroughly. Separate stalks.

Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in sauce pan. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add bok choy and cook about 1 minutes, stirring. Add water and turn heat down to low. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, until bok choy is softened.

Rinse pan. Add 1 T. olive oil. Heat at medium-low. Slice chicken in strips. Season with salt and pepper.

Add garlic and shallots to the pan, cook about 2-3 minutes until softened. Add chicken to pan and turn, browning on all sides.

Mix together vinegar and soy sauce. Pour over chicken and cover pan, turning down heat to simmer. Let cook about 10 minutes.

Place cooked bok choy in a bowl. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. Place chicken atop bed of bok choy. Enjoy with or without chopsticks. :)

Adventures with Asparagus

Asparagus has always seemed rather enigmatic to me. Not always sure what to pair it with, it usually ends up on my plate sauteed and plain. I could tell, though, it had potential. Albeit, concerned with wrongly tainting its meaty flavor, I decided to through caution to the wind the other night and dive in deep.

To begin my foray into culinary adventure, I bravely sliced a few crimini mushrooms to sautee alongside the asparagus in a generous pat of butter. To brighten to the dish, I squeezed about a quarter of a lemon over the asparagus and mushrooms. This tiny addition literally brings sunshine to your palate upon first bite!

Really going out on a limb, I chose to add a couple hard-boiled eggs to the dish. Eggs never cease to amaze me with the great variety of dishes they complement. French vanilla ice cream, potato salad, macaroons, salad nicoise, heuvos rancheros... Not just for breakfast!! :)

To complete this fantastic dish, I adorned my plated asparagus with shavings of parmesan. A delightful flourish to a mission accomplished.

It Isn't Easy Being Green

My friends' nearly 2-year-old son does not like green foods. (Except for guacamole, which I cannot account for as this food disgusted me when I was young.) This is not unusual for individuals in his age group....or any age group for that matter. :-p Something about sticking something green in one's mouth tends to be unappealing.

His mom has been devising ways of getting him to eat his greens. She said she was going to try adding shredded zucchini to his bran muffins. It is nearly invisible and the flavor entirely disappears. This method has been successful for me in the past with my siblings. As long as I keep it a secret as well. Because as soon as they know it is in there, they can't handle chomping down on something they know contains a substance they don't like. Even if they can't taste it. Weird.

I was eating pasta the other night at my friends' house which included in the mix some small pieces of zucchini. Their son was systematically fishing them out and setting them to the side of his plate. At least he was polite about it. ;-) She had also surrepticiously used tricolored fettucine noodles. He failed to notice the first few bites, but then became aware of the malicious color infesting his plate of food and began selecting bites around them.

Next day, when he asked for a 'nack' (snack), she served him up a plate of leftover pasta, this time run through the food processor. No luck removing the greens. Mom had outsmarted him this time around!! ;-) He was a bit frustrated at first but his hunger got the best of him....

Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

Although it may seem strangely out of season to some, one of the joys of living in California is the ability to enjoy the beauty and taste of FRESH produce all year round. (I realized just how spoiled I was when back at school in Virginia, not only were the prices astronomical on produce in the winter, but the little that was on the stacks looked seriously malnourished....And why were the CALIFORNIA avocados in the foreign produce?!?) I am still able to enjoy vibrant green salads this time of year thanks to the wonderful sunshine that frequently beams brightly from above. :-) Although, I kind of miss the snow....

The past few days I've been heaping my plate with arugula (or rocket), cranberries, sliced almonds, and goat cheese, covered in a sweet poppy seed dressing. The contrast of the slightly bitter-tasting arugula is a perfect match with the sweet flavors of cranberries and goat cheese. The almonds provide a nice, little crunch to the mix.

As Summer Fades Away

I strolled through the Farmers' Market this past Sunday, filling my basket with the last of the fine delicacies of summer produce. These were my finds....

white peaches

fingerling and purple potatoes

tomatillos

figs

cherry and pear tomatoes

purple bell peppers



For a bit of fun and games...anyone want to take a stab at the surfaces that served as backdrops for my lovely fruits and veggies?? :-)