Steamed Asparagus and Radishes with an Espresso Rose Spice Mix

We weren't sure what to expect when introducing our pig cat to his little sister - the puff cat.  Maybe he would take her under his wing (or paws, I suppose), and show her the ropes.  Or maybe he would be offended by her presence, thinking we were trying to replace him with a fluffier, tinier version.  Or maybe he would be sort of a bully, defending his territory against this miniature intruder.

Rambo chose to go with the latter of these options. The defending against a super tiny puff thing that looked more like a cottonball that an actual cat.  That was, apparently, the logical option.  Though in his defense, we do think JiJi can be a bit of a drama queen, reacting to offences that were never even made in the first place.  But I digress.

Sometimes, introductions can be weird.  Or awful.

These seemed like very likely outcomes when I introduced instant espresso powder, ground dried porcini mushrooms, and ground dried rose petals to some steamed asparagus and radishes.

It wasn't weird, or bad, at least to me!  The flavors combined to give a floral, sultry note to the veggies.  A generous douse of melted butter gave them a luxurious feel.  The spicy edge of the radish is tamed in the steam, playing quite nicely with the earthy flavors of the asparagus spears.  All in all, I would say the introductions went quite well, indeed.

And though Rambo and JiJi had a rocky start to their relationship, they get along quite well now.  Rarely are they found more than a couple of feet apart.

Do you also have the problem of being completely incapable of resisting the allure of radishes?  And then you bring them home and are like, oh wow, I'm totally sick of eating these alone as a snack, what else can I do with them?  Fear not! Cooking Light has a slideshow of recipes using those adorable little root vegetables!

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed
1 bunch radishes, leafy tops removed, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 teaspoon ground dried rose petals
1/4 tesaspoon ground instant espresso
3/8 teaspoon vanilla salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch ground clove

Instructions
Bring a medium pot of water to boil.  Add the asparagus spear on one side of a steam basket and the radishes on the other.  Place on top of the boiling water.  Remove the vegetables once they reach your desired tenderness (I did my asparagus for about 6 minutes and the radishes for about 8 minutes).

Whisk the melted butter and lemon juice, and pour desired amount over the steamed vegetables.  In a small bowl, stir together the ground mushrooms, ground rose, espresso, vanilla salt, black pepper, and clove. Sprinkle and toss with the veggies.

Watermelon, Lime, Cotija and Basil Salad

My pastimes include making loud, obnoxious noises.  Like beast noises.  Seth just yells "beast" when I get on a roll.  He occasionally makes a remark about me needing to stop being so beasty, but we all know that he secretly loves the absurd soundscapes I create.

Possible reasons these ridiculous sounds include:
-my way of filling up the space with my essence even when I have nothing to say
-my subconscious is creating performance art
-I just love the freedom in making primal, beastial sounds for no apparent reason
-I enjoy the contrast of making loud beast noises while wearing a dress
-I relish in Seth's annoyance
-all of the above
-none of the above

On Netflix, we see this documentary called "Thunderbeast" popping up in recommendations.  At first it was a joke, like, "Haha, look, Netflix even knows that I'm a beast, maybe I'm even in the movie."

Then Thunderbeast became a fixture.  Always sitting there as a recommended title to watch.  So eventually I was like, huh, what is Thunderbeast even about? Oh buffaloes/bison?, I don't actually know anything about this animal.  Maybe I should learn something.

So it was played.  But between Max, and okay, lets face it, Max, the documentary never got my full attention.  But I was interested.  Thunderbeast is an oddly compelling animal.

Thunderbeast was played again. And again.  Like ten more times.  I still haven't finished it.  I'm sure the NSA is wondering why someone would keep playing this documentary over and over and over again.  Especially when the person supposedly watching it still knows nothing about the animal except that the buffaloes were quite mean to a  lost fawn and left her to some wolves.  And that they have a keen sense of smell.

One of these days I will finally finish it.

Until then, I have a salad.  Pink watermelon chunks sprinkled with basil, cotija cheese, lime juice, and lime zest..  So bright and loud and refreshing.  Just like the noises I create.

Ingredients
watermelon chunks
cotija cheese
lime juice
lime zest
basil

Instructions
Just toss some watermelon chunks with torn basil leaves.  Sprinkle with a bit of cotija cheese and lime zest.  Finish with a drizzle of lime juice.

Grilled Corn with Gorgonzola, Apple, Chive Spread

9 years ago, Seth gave me a stuffed unicorn.  So soft and perfectly sized for hugging, it became necessary for sleeping.  Yes, I am aware that it is ridiculous to need a stuffed animal to sleep when you are approaching 30.

Max recently became attached to this unicorn.  And put his own spin on it, placing a sock on one and only one hoof.  It can now be found sporting an old tee-shirt of his - one featuring the solar system and a rocket ship - as well as a diaper.  You know, in case the unicorn has to go.

I guess I have to accept that it has become his.  Though now I am left without my own sleeping buddy (Seth - umm help please?).  And my sleep has been suffering as a result.

Instead of a unicorn, I can drown my sorrows in some corn on the cob.  Max's word for unicorn and corn are one and the same.  Both are referred to as "na."  And he apparently won't touch this "na."  So this is my "na."  And the unicorn is his.  If only the corn could be used as my stuffed animal.  Then everyone would be happy.

Ingredients
4-8 ears of corn

For the spread:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon grated Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese
1 teaspoon ground toasted hazelnuts
1 teaspoon lemon juice
lots of fresh snipped chives - for both the spread and for sprinkling on the corn

Instructions
Grill corn using favorite method.  For this batch, we brushed olive oil over the corn, wrapped it in its own husk, and placed on the grill.  Once the corn was mostly cooked (Popping a kernel produces juices), we unwrapped it and placed directly on grates to get a little char.  In the past, we've grilled the corn directly on the grates exclusively (medium to medium high heat).

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, grated apple, Gorgonzola, ground hazelnuts, and lemon juice.  Refrigerate until serving.  Before using, stir in a liberal amount of snipped chives and use remaining as garnish.

Frost Kissed Artichokes with Honey Dijon Mayonnaise

Artichokes are a fussy vegetable. They aren't a bundle of asparagus spears, easily turned into a tasty side with some olive oil, a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar. In fact they barely even resemble something edible.

Artichokes are all about process. From prep to cooking to that culminating moment when you finally sit down to eat the fruit (or veggie) of your labors. Instead of resenting the artichoke for its demands of high maintenance, we embrace it.

Each step lovingly performed. First the trimming of pointy ends to avoid pricked skin. Then in this case, a lobbing off of the top third to create a nook to hold the creamy dip. Lemon juice thoroughly applied to the exposed surfaces to prevent discoloration. A hot steamy boil to cook and a cool refreshing one after to stop the cooking process. Finally, the inedible parts of the choke carefully removed. 

A dollop of dip is placed in the hollow and then you can sit down with your reward, dipping each of the outer leaves into the embodiment of richness.  Peeling off that bit of artichoke, delicious and grassy in its own right, but hinting at the grand finale to come later. The inner leaves become completely edible, a crescendo of artichoke, building and building and building until that glorious and bittersweet moment comes when you realize that the heart is all that's left. The artichoke is almost finished but the most delicious bites still await you. That heart is carefully portioned out into equal size bites, neither too big nor too small but that Goldilocks-size of just right. A slight hesitation is made before dipping your one remaining chunk of heart. Very slight...

Now "frost kissed" artichokes are particularly amazing.  During those occasional winters in California when the temperature drops below freezing, we get a couple weeks of unusually nutty and delicious artichokes labeled, "frost kissed."  They may look a little off-putting, with the brown blistering outer leaves, but fully cooked, they are fantastic, and must be picked up whenever available!

Ingredients
2 frost kissed (or large globe) artichokes
2 egg yolks
1 cup canola
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (I like Maille brand)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
fresh thyme sprig
salt and pepper to taste
lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions
To start, set a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil. Using kitchen shears, trim off pointy tips of artichoke leaves. Using a large, sharp knife, cut off the top 1-inch of the artichokes and the end of each stem. Using a knife, remove any small leaves attached directly to the base of the stem. Wash artichokes thoroughly under cold water to clean them off, and dry with paper towel.

Once water is boiling, place artichokes in, and cover with a clean cheese cloth, dish cloth, or cloth napkin. This will soak up water and ensure the artichokes stay wet while cooking. Cover pot with lid and cook about 15-20 minutes. When they are ready, they should be just soft enough to push a fork into the inside of the stem, but no softer. Carefully remove artichokes and pace in a colander over sink to drain.  Place in a large ice bath.

I like to make mayonnaise by hand, though I know others find the food processor easier to use for this. I place the egg yolks in a small bowl, then place a cup of oil next to me and get out a tablespoon. Whisk the egg yolks to break them up. Add a tablespoon of oil. Whisk that into the egg yolks so the yolks absorb it. Then repeat. And repeat. Just be patient. It will probably take about 10 minutes to get through all the oil. Then stir in the Dijon, honey, lemon juice, thyme leaves, and salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until serving.

When ready to serve, carefully remove the innermost clump of leaves to expose the fuzzy choke beneath.  Using a spoon, scoop out all of the fuzzy choke and toss.  Sprinkle salt and pepper into the exposed heart. Then, spoon the honey Dijon mayonnaise into the hollow of each artichoke.  Serve with lemon wedges.

Sweet Potato Fries with Blue Cheese and Chives and a Citrus Blue Cheese Dip

Anxiety permeated the air.  While making these, I kept having visions of grabbing the tray without oven mitts.  I have done this before.  And I really do not want to do it again. It didn't happen this time, thankfully.  But it will.  The visions are most definitely a premonition of an upcoming kitchen accident.

There is an episode of Seinfeld where Elaine is at a job interview and gets into a discussion with the interviewer about whether grace is an all or nothing attribute or whether it is something of which you can have varying amounts   Based purely on my own lived experience, I have to say all or nothing.  I have none.  From where I'm sitting everyone else has "all."  I completely lack it.  I get so caught up in my head that I run into doors, into corners, burn myself, drop things (countless dishes have been broken by me), and I have an absurd amount of bruises dotting my arms and legs.  You can play "what constellation do you think these look like" with my bruises.

And this lack of general grace is, not surprisingly, mirrored in athletics.  I am not an athlete.  I lack all sorts of coordination skills.  Watching me attempt to play a sport is like watching a drunken newborn deer just trying to figure out how to work its legs.

Perhaps because of my lack of athletic grace and ability, I don't really enjoy watching sports.  I never know what is going on with them.  Perhaps it is jealousy masquerading as ennui.  Who knows.

But it is that time of year when a certain football game actually comes into our purview.  Most times we watch, sometimes we don't.  But we usually at least know when the Superbowl is being played, and we generally see it as an excuse to eat some fun food.  Like some roasted sweet potatoes sticks.  Dunked in a lemony blue cheese sauce.  Or topped with it.  Whatever floats your boat.

Ingredients
Sweet Potato Fries:
2 sweet potatoes, cut into sixteenths
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup chopped chives
1-2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Blue Cheese Dip:
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon juice
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
cayenne, to taste

Instructions
Sweet Potato Fries:
Heat oven to 425. Place potatoes in large bowl, coat with 1-2 tablespoons oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on baking sheet (I line mine with a Silpat) and into the oven.  Get one side crispy, then flip each fry, for roughly 30 minutes total roasting time. Once cooked, sprinkle with chopped chives and blue cheese.

Blue Cheese Dip:
Mix all together, either serve on top of fries or as a dip.

Roasted Slices of Carnival Squash Doused in a Gingery Brown Butter

Carnival squash is my very favorite squash.  And this is because of its name.  I have yet to find sources to confirm this, but I am positive that it derives its name from what was found inside by a person long long ago.  They totally found a carnival inside!  Whenever I cut one of these open, I become convinced that I too will experience this - a whole miniature Dr. Seuss-like carnival - exotic and fancily dressed animals, parades, ferris wheels and carousels with horses, game booths, entertainers in glittery sparkly costumes - will be found in my squash. This has yet to actually happen to me, but I will never give up hope that such a thing will come tumbling from the one on my cutting board.  No other squash provides that twinge of excitement when opening it.  Acorn squash? I mean, I guess it would be cool to find an acorn inside if you were a squirrel.  But I am not a squirrel.  Butternut? What is a butternut I would have to ask.  Delicata?  Now this one is kinda neat - there have been reports that a flower and teeny birds have been spotted inside.  But these do not a carnival make. A carnival, now that is indeed exciting. And though I have yet to be the lucky enough to find an actual carnival, drizzling roasted slices of this squash in a gingery, cinnamony, juniper berry brown butter is like a carnival of flavors for my taste buds.

Ingredients
1 carnival squash, halved then sliced
olive oil
salt
1 stick butter
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
juice from 1/2 of Meyer lemon
fleur de sel, to taste

Instructions
To roast the squash:  Heat oven to 400.  Place the slices of squash on a baking sheet (I line mine with a Silpat).  Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Roast for about 10-15 minutes then flip the slices.  Once those have become nice and brown as well, take out of the oven and drizzle with desired amount of the gingery brown butter mixture.

To make the brown butter mixture:  In large saute pan, add butter, ginger, juniper berries, and cinnamon.  Melt then allow the butter brown, about 5-7 minutes total.  You will see brown specks that have formed on the bottom of the pan.  Be careful to not burn the butter. Take off heat and add the lemon juice. Finish with the fleur de sel. Spoon desired amount over the the roasted wedges, making sure to get all those solid bits from the butter.

Stuffing Pasta

Apparently, I've been born without the genes that makes one enjoy stuffing.  Or dressing, as the case may be.  I don't know why that happened in life.  But I just can't seem to like it.  No matter what wonderful things go into it.  Not even my gram's famous stuffing.  None of it.  But stuffing (or dressing) has been deemed a necessary component of the Thanksgiving feast.  And I can't bring myself to make it any more, to once again be disappointed that my genetic makeup prevents me from savoring each bite of this dish.  To once again, get my hopes up, to think that this one stuffing is the one I will like... then have those hopes dashed.  So instead of stuffing, I like doing a pasta dish that I like to think captures a bit of the essence of stuffing.  But not in stuffing form.  In pasta.  So here is a simple dish with brown butter, pancetta, fresh herbs, hazelnuts, and parmesan cheese.  Never disappoints.

Ingredients
2/3 pound farfalle pasta
4 ounces cubed pancetta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup torn sage leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme and/or rosemary leaves
pinch nutmeg
white pepper, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted
juice from 1/2 a lemon
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile,
heat olive oil over medium high heat in skillet and add the pancetta.  Cook until the pancetta has a nice golden brown color (about 5 minutes).  Take off heat and set aside.

In large sauté pan, melt butter over medium-low heat.  Add sage, thyme, and rosemary and let the butter brown, about two minutes.  You will see brown specks that have formed on the bottom of the pan.  Be careful to not burn the butter.  Add pepper, salt and nutmeg, as well as the reserved pancetta.  Sprinkle chopped and toasted hazelnuts.  Take off heat and add lemon juice.  Add pasta to the brown butter mixture and toss with cheese.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Crabapple and Maple Syrup

I am convinced Brussels sprouts have magical powers.  You try them.  And maybe you hate them.  But you can't stop thinking about them.  And you cant resist buying them the next time you see them because they are so cute.  And then you make them again.  And your feelings have warmed up to them.  And this continues until you have fallen madly in love, and you don't really know why.  Most definitely a magic vegetable!

I might have picked up crabapples at the market purely because of how adorable they looked.  Ok, I definitely picked them up for that reason.  And then I thought, well if these are so cute and tiny, and Brussels sprouts are so cute and tiny - then maybe they would work well together! My reasoning skills leave much to be desired, obviously.  But regardless of how I managed to get these two together, I liked the how the sweet tang of crabapple paired with our miniature cabbage friends, the Brussels sprouts.  The maple syrup, bacon, and rosemary ended up making it a dish we can't get out of our minds.

Ingredients
4 cups halved Brussels sprouts
1 small red onion, chopped
8 thickly sliced crabapples
4 slices bacon, chopped

2-3 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sprig rosemary, leaves chopped
kosher salt
white pepper

Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, toss Brussels sprouts, red onion, crabapples, and bacon all together.  In a small bowl, whisk maple syrup, vinegar, olive oil, and rosemary.  Pour the maple syrup mixture over the Brussels sprouts and coat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Place on a baking sheet or 9 x 13 baking pan and roast for about 35 minutes, until the sprouts have cooked through and have developed some nice caramelization.

Roasted Radishes with Vanilla Salt and Basil

Donuts are red, donuts are blue.  I like donuts.  How about you.  These were the lines uttered over and over and over and over again by my sister on the way home from the city one day.  For 2 1/2 hours.  My mom did indeed get us some donuts to placate her.  I have no idea why I thought about that right now, perhaps beause radishes are so vibrantly red, and that red color is such an important part of it.  Radishes are red, the basil is, well, I hope it's not blue...  I like radishes, how about you?  And while I adore radishes...  I now really want a donut.

And on that note, here we have another dish this week where radishes pop up.  I guess in this case it is more than "popping up," it is the raison d'etre.  And vanilla salt as well!  I sometimes fear that the radish is a lonely vegetable.  Oftentimes, it is just sliced and then relegated to a platter of crudites to be half-heartedly and mindlessly dunked in ranch dressing or some ranch look-alike.  Also, my gram had come into an abundance of radishes (I say it as though it is an inheritance), and was wondering what she could do with them.  I have a serious soft spot for this vegetable, but radishes can only take so much exclusion from other ingredients, so much rawness, and so much ranch.  Only so much boredom and ennui and unappreciation from the people who munch on it.  Though this veggie is known for its bitterness, it has a vulnerable and sensitive soul.  Once you char it in the oven, of course.

Ingredients
2 bunches radishes, halved
1/2 teaspoon vanilla salt*
1-2 tablespoons walnut oil

1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon walnut oil

*Vanilla Salt
1 cup kosher salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half

Instructions
*For the Vanilla Salt:  Place in an airtight container, and leave to mingle for a couple days before using.

For the basil orange mixture: Pulse in a food processor until blended.

Coat the radishes in walnut oil and vanilla salt.  Roast at 425 for about 30 minutes, until they have some caramelization and have softened.

Coat the cooked radishes with the basil and orange mixture, then serve.

Grilled Avocados with Shrimp Salad

Today is another exciting day for us - we are guest posting over at Gen Y Foodie!  We absolutely love Dara’s blog, everything is so healthy, fresh, and delicious – and accompanied by gorgeous photos!  Like her Thai marinated skirt steak – YUM!  And her asparagus potato salad? We didn’t even think we liked potato salad but this sounds absolutely fantastic!  If it weren't for her, we wouldn't even know about the amazingness that is homemade cheez-its! So we totally thank her (blame her?) for our addiction to these cheesy, salty snacks!  We also have Dara to thank for introducing us to flax seeds - I now try to sneak them in as many things as possible.  You definitely have to stop by her blog and see all of her yummy things - like her breakfast pizza (how awesome is that??), her baked coconut chicken fingers with pineapple sauce, and her homemade pitas with garlic scape hummus.  Doesn't everything just sound so delicious?  Now hop on over to her blog to check out our recipe for spicy shrimp salad in grilled avocados!

Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos

Super Bowl Recipe #4:  We love grilling.  Something about that mix of hot fire, cast iron grates, and charcoal is absolutely intoxicating.  Here we grill spicy green jalapenos stuffed with a blend of extra sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and topped with a great smoky seasoning that ties it all together.  Until last weekend, we'd gone months without making these, and holy cow, they are even better than we remembered.  If you’re lucky enough to have grill weather this time of year, get out there and fire some of these up!  

Ingredients
8 jalapenos, halved, seeds and insides removed
1 cup finely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup finely grated Monterey Jack cheese
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon coriander
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Mix together cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.  In a small bowl, mix cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.  Pack each jalapeno with some cheese mixture (amount will vary based on the size of jalapeno).  Sprinkle each with a dash of the seasoning mix. 

Heat grill to medium or medium high.  These jalapenos aren’t picky about temperature; any grill that is hot will do.  Place stuffed jalapenos on the grill, close cover, and grill until cheese is all melted, between 2 and 5 minutes.

Chantilly Potatoes

When I was growing up, there was one dish that I demanded my mom to make for the holidays.  That dish was called Chantilly Potatoes.  It is a wonderfully decadent casserole of mashed potatoes, topped with a layer Chantilly cream, and finally, a layer of cheddar and parmesan cheeses.  Digging into it was such a treat.  I have updated that dish with some tips from this year’s Thanksgiving edition of Bon Appetit.  The article had some great ideas for creating some truly flavorful mashed potatoes.  I particularly liked their recommendation of heating the milk with aromatics.  It gives the potatoes a wonderful flavor. 

Ingredients

5 lb Yukon gold potatoes

1 cup whole milk

½ cup heavy cream

2 garlic cloves, peeled

8 black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 sprig thyme

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

.66 ounce container of chives, chopped

2 ½ cups whipping cream

2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Heat oven to 375.  I like using Yukon gold for mashed potatoes because I can get away with not peeling the potatoes. Dice the potatoes and place in a large pot filled halfway with cold water.  Add 3 tablespoons kosher salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender.  Meanwhile, gently heat the milk, cream, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sprig of thyme in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Don’t let the mixture boil.  Once the mixture is very hot, take off heat and let the aromatics infuse the milk for 20 minutes.  Strain out the aromatics using a slotted spoon.  Mash the cooked potatoes with the butter and infused milk.  Stir in chopped chives.  Grease an 8 x 8 baking pan and a 9 x 13 pan.  Spread the mashed potatoes evenly into the prepared pans.  Whip the 2 ½ cups cream using an electric mixer.  Spread the whipped cream over the potatoes, and top with the cheddar and parmesan cheeses.  Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top gets a nice golden brown color. 

Roasted Radish and Carrot Medley

This is super simple, but it is a tasty side dish for a weeknight meal.  The ruby red of the radishes and the vivid orange of the carrots create a vibrant and colorful vegetable medley.  I love the way the spiciness of the black pepper plays off the sweetness of the carrots, and the sweetness of the fresh basil plays off the peppery taste of the radishes.  Lemon juice gives the medley a boost of brightness.

Ingredients

2 bunches radishes, tops removed, halved

1 cup baby carrots

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450.  In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the olive oil, salt and pepper and then place in 8x8 baking pan.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables reach the desired tenderness.  Drizzle lemon juice over the vegetables and toss with fresh basil. 

Perfect Peas

I have always had a fondness for peas, as long as they are not overcooked.  They seem so happy and playful, with a hint of sweetness just waiting to burst through their outer layer.  Seasoning gently with salt, pepper, and butter rounds out the flavor enough for my taste buds.  However, I have learned that not all of us feel that way about peas.  Namely, my husband.  Seth does not share my fondness, unfortunately.  So after tinkering with various combinations, I found that adding fresh herbs, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese imbues these little green orbs with savory pep.  Seth calls these perfect peas, because they are the only way he will eat them happily.

Ingredients

1 pound bag of frozen peas, steamed

1 tbsp butter, softened

1/8 cup chopped mint

1/8 cup chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix butter, herbs, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese.  Melt mixture over cooked peas and serve.

Spicy Sugar Snaps

A quick whisk of some chile oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil and you have a spicy dressing for some sweet sugar snap peas whipped up on no time. A sprinkling of sesame seeds adds a bit of nutty flavor.

Ingredients
8 ounce bag of sugar snap peas, steamed
1 teaspoon chile oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Instructions
Whisk chile oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Drizzle over peas and sprinkle sesame seeds.

Arugula and Blueberry Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

This simple salad comes together in just a few minutes. I like the way the sweetness of blueberries plays off the peppery arugula. A tangy dressing holds it all together.

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients:
1/8 cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon poppy seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon honey

Instructions:
Whisk all ingredients in small bowl until emulsified.

Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups arugula
2 cups spinach
½ cup blueberries
1/3 cup toasted nuts – I like to use pecans or almonds

Instructions:
Place ingredients in large bowl and toss with the lemon poppy seed dressing.

Mango Cucumber Salad

I just love the way the cucumbers and mangoes look in this salad. The green and orange look so summery and playful. The addition of lavender syrup provides a fragrant boost of flavor.

Lavender Syrup
Ingredients:
½ cup water
1/8 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lavender

Instructions:
Bring all ingredients to a boil in small pan over high heat. When sugar is dissolved, strain and cool.

Salad
Ingredients:
2 mangos, diced
½ cucumber, shredded
3-4 tablespoons of lavender syrup

Instructions:
Mix mangos and cucumber with three to four tablespoons of the lavender syrup.

Summer Vegetable Toss

This vegetable toss is super simple and lets late summer vegetables shine. Because the emphasis is on the produce, it is important to get the best possible ingredients. A local farmer’s market is likely to have the juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes and sweet ears of corn that make this dish pop.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 ears corn, husked and kernels cut off
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 small zucchini, shredded
3 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 cup chopped parsley
1 lemon wedge

Instructions
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the corn, tomatoes, and zucchini shreds and sauté for a minute. Add the scallions, garlic, salt and pepper, and cook for about 4 more minutes or until the corn is cooked through. Throw in the parsley and stir. Drizzle lemon juice over the vegetables.

Homemade Beer Bread

Beer bread is great, because it doesn't take hours to make, it has a nice subtle flavor, reminiscent of your favorite beer, and it has has that great pillowy inside and crusty outside you only get from fresh baked, homemade bread. Excellent with a sandwich, pasta, or best of all, on its own.

Ingredients 
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 bottle of beer (we've enjoyed Newcastle and Blue Moon)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in beer. Place batter into greased loaf pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Brush on melted butter and continue baking for another ten minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Orange and Fennel Salad

There are many epic love stories throughout history - Romeo and Juliet, Napoleon and Josephine, Cleopatra and Mark Antony. None of these, however, compare to the perfect pairing of orange and fennel. The blend of citrus notes with the peppery, anise flavor of the fennel is a match made in heaven. Ahh, true love!

Ingredients 
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced with a mandoline
1 orange, supremed and cut into chunks
1/2 cup thinly chopped Romaine lettuce
1/4 cup chopped parsley
juice of half a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Toss fennel, orange, lettuce, and parsley together. Sprinkle lemon juice, salt, and pepper.