"the best guac you ever made"

Happy belated Cinco de Mayo! Vance could barely get his hands out of this guacamole for me to snap a few photos. Chipotle released their guacamole recipe online earlier this week - made at home, it is even better!

Vance claims this is the best guacamole I have ever made - I agree. 

Other festive food for the week included tofu, black bean & corn soft tacos and white turkey enchiladas.

1 package extra firm tofu, pressed and drained

1 can black beans, rinsed

2-4 ears of corn off the cobb

1.5 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon cumin

8 small flour or corn tortillas

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 purple onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon salt

optional toppings:

chopped lettuce, chopped tomato, avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream

In a medium bowl, mash the drained tofu with a fork and add the four dried spices and mix well. In a large saute pan, add the oil, saute the onion for about 3-4 minutes. Add the corn, and saute for another few minutes, add tofu. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit more oil. Add the black beans, season with salt - heat all the way through. Warm the tortillas and serve in taco bar style. This is also very good as a taco salad over lettuce.

I used pulled turkey instead of chicken on these enchiladas by Ree Drummond - they are delicious! Great way to use up leftover roasted chicken or turkey. 

Summer is starting!

no place like home for the holidays

How is that Christmas comes and goes so fast? We had a great time in Pennsylvania, celebrating with family and friends, eating and drinking too much and just enjoying the comforts of home. This is the first year we have been home for Christmas since we got married! A few holiday treats to share...

sour cherries (either fresh or canned - cans are roughly 14.5 ounces)

Maraschino liquor

You will need about 1 cup of liquor for a pint (or can of cherries). If using canned cherries (which I did), rinse in a colander. Bring liquor to a boil, add cherries, remove from heat and allow to cool. The cherries are much tastier than the jarred variety at the grocery store. Keep cherries in the refrigerator and enjoy for the next few months on your sundaes or in your favorite cocktail. 

Speaking of cocktails - try your cherry in an apple & bourbon cocktail.

1-2 shots of bourbon

apple cider

Stir together with ice and garnish with lemon peel and a cherry.

Before we left for the holiday, I had a luncheon with some of my Nashville girlfriends. We had Ina's butternut squash soup and some delicious almond chicken salad. This recipe looks a bit festive with the red grapes, and it is delicious in a sandwich or atop fresh greens.

4 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

extra S&P for seasoning chicken

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup roughly chopped almonds

1 cup red grapes, halved

1/2 cup fresh parsley

1/3 cup honey

1 and 1/3 cup Hellman's Olive Oil Mayonnaise

3-4 celery stalks, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and season with S&P. Assemble on a baking dish and bake for about 45-55 minutes until cooked. While chicken cools, mix together mayo, honey, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Remove chicken skin and shred chicken into a large mixing bowl. Add celery, nuts and mayo mixture - stirring to incorporate. Add in grapes and mix gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes at least 6 servings.

it's roasting time

We have had a few cooler days here in Nashville (of course we still are in the 80's here and again), but cooler weather does call for a menu change. Time to get to roastin'!

roasted acorn squash with brown sugar butter

1 acorn squash (halved or quartered with seeds scooped out)

1-2 teaspoons EVOO

1 tablespoon butter, room temp

1 tablespoon brown sugar

S&P

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Takes acorn squash halves or quarters and assemble on a cookie sheet. Brush all exposed squash flesh with oil, equally split the butter and rub over flesh. Spring brown sugar on each piece and generously salt and pepper. Ensure squash balance flesh-side up. Add a little bit of water to the pan (less than 1/4 cup) and place in oven on middle rack. Roast for an hour - pricking the squash to see if the flesh is soft. It may take up to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Cornish game hens stuffed with wild rice

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped celery

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice

1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley, plus sprigs for garnish

1/3 cup toasted pecan pieces, broken

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

2 tablespoons dried currants

4 dried apricots, diced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 Cornish hens, patted dry

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the onions and celery until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and cook for 1 minute more. In a mixing bowl combine the onion mixture with the rice, parsley, nuts and dried fruits and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup of the rice into the cavity of each hen. Tie the legs of each bird together with kitchen twine. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt the remaining butter with the vinegar. Brush the birds all over with the butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast the hens until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving.

 

been too long!

The summer has been flying by with vacation, dinner parties, farmers market-shopping and more. I haven't posted in quite a while, so here are a few summer food highlights (you may sense a theme...zucchini!)

Julia Child's Zucchini au Gratin - this is rich and delicious. Check out the recipe PBS.

Our friends Emily and Will came over for dinner a few weeks ago and along with the zucchini au gratin, Vance grilled up some delicious yogurt-marinated chicken breasts. The marinade is from Food & Wine and works on a whole chicken or even skinless boneless breasts.
1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt 
1 cup lightly packed cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cumin 
One 3 1/2-pound chicken—halved, breast and rib bones removed, leg bones left intact
(I used 6 chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on)
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Cracked pepper & Kosher salt

In a large resealable plastic bag, mix the yogurt with the cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, cayenne, cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the chicken halves and turn to coat. Seal the bag and transfer to a baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Bring the chicken to room temperature before grilling. Grill over medium-high heat for about 35-45 minutes, bone down. Check for doneness.

Lastly, my friend Lindsay gave me a gigantic zucchini - the challenge was on.

...and then that (above) turned into this (below).



grilled vegetable pasta salad with cilantro lime dressing
4 medium zucchini or summer squash

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper
1 pound small pasta like ditali, small penne or orzo, cooked and slightly cooled
salt and pepper to taste
2 ears corn, unhusked
2 avocado

Dressing
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of half a lime
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat gas or charcoal grill. Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices and brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Soak corn in its husk in large container of water for 10 minutes. Remove from water and shake off excess. Place zucchini slices, corn and peppers directly on grill. For zucchini, grill a few minutes on each side, until slices are tender and have grill marks. Remove and let cool. For corn, grill 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes to cook all sides, until husk is charred all over. Remove peppers when fully charred and let cool. Chop cooled zucchini into 1/2 inch pieces. Husk corn and use a sharp knife to remove kernels from cob. Remove skin and seeds from peppers and chop. Mix vegetables and pasta in a large bowl. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and well combined. Pour dressing over vegetables and pasta and toss to combine. Add cubed avocado and gently incorporate. Refrigerate salad until chilled.

These are some great summer options to bring to a potluck or enjoy at home!

the dougie? No, not in Kentucky.

Vance's parents came to visit this week and we had a great time exploring the South a bit. We headed up to Kentucky, our first Southern road trip. It only took 3 years of living in the South to explore the areas within driving distance of Nashville! 

Louisville, KY - along the Ohio River

We had a very nice visit to Mammoth National Park, Abraham Lincoln's birthplace and museum and then Louisville. Highlights include mint juleps, Louisville Slugger Museum, hot brown & obviously, bourbon. 

I enjoyed a delicious mint julep at Bristol's Bar.

Louisville Slugger Museum - fun spot!

We had hot brown, a Kentucky classic, at the Brown Hotel. 

Hot Brown

1 1/2 tablespoons salted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups heavy cream  

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for garnish

Pinch of ground nutmeg

S&P

14 oz. sliced roasted turkey breast, slice thick

4 slices of Texas toast (crusts trimmed)

4 slices of bacon

2 Roma tomatoes, sliced in half

Paprika

Parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined to form a thick paste or roux. Continue to cook roux for 2 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk heavy cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino-Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 oz. turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and two toast points and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Pour half of the sauce over the dish, completely covering it. Sprinkle with additional cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove and cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley and serve immediately.

Hot brown is definitely a new fav and would be a great use for leftover turkey after the holidays. 

viva mexico!

it's just not Cinco de Mayo without something cheesy and spicy. Turkey, black bean & sweet potato enchiladas made a festive dinner (paired with margaritas & guac of course).

Vance's Margaritas 

2 parts gold tequila

1 part sour mix

1 part triple sec

dash of lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into a salt-rimmed glass, float a bit of 7-Up on top, garnish with lime.

turkey, sweet potato & black bean enchiladas

8-10 corn tortillas

enchilada sauce (I had a large can, and used about 16 ounces)

shredded turkey or chicken (great way to use leftover dark meat or pull meat from a grocery store rotisserie bird)

1 small red onion, chopped

1 small sweet potato, peeled and quartered

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

14.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed

3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1/4 fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6-8 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

S&P to taste

Lightly mist a 8X10 glass baking dish. Pour about 1/4 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom, coating evenly. Assemble corn tortillas in one layer (flipping each tortilla in sauce in before laying it down). Sautee onion in vegetable oil and allow to cool. Microwave the sweet potato in a bit of water - will take about 3 minutes, cool slightly and cube. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken or turkey, beans, sautéed onion, dried spices, cilantro, corn, S&P and about 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce - combine well. Over the corn, spread about half of the meat/bean mixture. Top the first layer with the sweet potato cubes and then a layer of shredded cheese. Assemble the rest of meat mixture on top (using up the remaining amount). Top with corn tortillas, spoon remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas and finally, top with cheese. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes until bubbling. Check after about 25-30 minutes to see if the cheese is getting too dark - you may need to lightly place tin foil over the dish. Allow enchiladas to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

zucchini love.

Delicious zucchini ribbons & savory turkey meatballs.

4 zucchini (peel away any bruised skin)

1 pound ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 purple onion, diced

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons sage, chopped

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

ground pepper to taste

EVOO

In a large saute pan, add a drizzle of EVOO. Saute onion in EVOO until translucent. Add garlic, sage, parsley, and red pepper and sauté for a few more minutes. Remove onion mix to a large bowl and allow to cool slightly. Mix turkey, onion mixture, bread crumbs egg, salt and pepper with hands until just incorporated. Roll turkey mixture into small walnut-sized balls. Heat about 2 tablespoons of EVOO and sauté meatballs on each side for about 2-3 minutes. Finish meatballs in heated sauce of your choice - for about 10-15 minutes. 

To prepare zucchini use a vegetable julienne peeler, mandolin or a Veggeti Spiral Vegetable Slicer - my new kitchen gadget. The Veggeti makes thin or thick ribbons from vegetables like carrots and squash or even potatoes. When zucchini ribbons are ready, blanch for about 3 minutes and drain. Top with sauce and turkey meatballs. Enjoy!

and after all that...I should have just gotten takeout.

Chicken Tikka Masala with Curried Cauliflower & Peas

I have tried a few different chicken tikka masala recipes and this one (the most labor intensive), was the best and yet...I don't know if I will make this again soon because it took the better part of an afternoon.

The recipe is from Serious Eats and I followed it closely, adding a lot of fresh cilantro at the end. I paired the chicken with curry roasted cauliflower and sweet peas. 

The past few weeks have been full of trips to NYC, Hershey, Georgia & Chicago - I am not going anywhere this week, and I am very happy about it!

Consider making this tasty dish or do what I will do next time and just get takeout. 

croquettes

I have all these recipes that I haven't posted to the blog yet! Trying to catch up!
Baked Sweet Potato & Turkey Croquettes
16 oz cooked turkey breast, pulsed in food processor
2-3 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
3/4 cup chicken, turkey or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons EVOO
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
S&P to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked
cooking spray

In a large bowl, mash potatoes with 1/4 cup broth, salt and pepper. Set aside. Saute garlic, and onions in oil on low heat. Add parsley, salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add turkey, and remaining broth, mix well and shut heat off.  Add turkey to mashed potatoes and using your clean hands mix well. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Preheat oven to 450°. Measure 1/4 cup of mixture then form into croquettes. Place on waxed paper. Repeat with remaining mixture. Dip each croquette in egg wash, then breadcrumbs and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup. Spray generously with olive oil spray. Bake in the oven about 15 minutes, or until golden. I also made some quick cranberry sauce and served a few dollops of sauce over the croquettes - oh man, these are good.

"you could call the blog...loaf."

This is blog is about meatloaf. There's nothing clever about it. Two loaves - two varieties of baked deliciousness.

Spicy Sausage & Turkey Meatloaf

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup of minced onion

1 celery stalk, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 carrot, minced

1/2 cup of minced green onion, including the onion greens

2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2/3 cup ketchup, divided 1/3 and 1/3

1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey (or beef if you'd prefer)

3/4 pound of spicy ground spicy sausage (I used pork, but you could use chicken, etc.)

1 cup bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten slightly

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. In large pan, melt butter. Add onion and sauté until translucent, add celery, carrot, garlic and green onions. Saute for about 8 minutes until all vegetable are soft. In large bowl mix slightly cooled vegetables and all remaining ingredients. Mix well with your hands. Mold into a loaf and place in a misted baking pan. Bake for about an hour and test (should be 155 degrees internally) - may take another 10 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes and slice. We enjoyed our meatloaf with spiced sweet potato mash and garlic-broccoli rage.

BBQ Black & Pinto Bean Loaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red onion, diced
1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained well
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained well
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chili peppers, hot or mild, drained
1 cup whole kernel corn, unsweetened
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
  ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg slightly whisked with about 2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup BBQ sauce
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet add oil, turn to medium-low heat and sauté onions until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute for another 5 minutes. Add kidney beans, black beans, green chili peppers and corn, continue to sauté until beans soften up, about 3 minutes (use a wooden spoon to slight smash some beans). Add oregano, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, salt and cayenne pepper, stir to combine.
Combine in a large mixing bowl bean mixture, egg/water and bread crumbs  Lightly spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray, add bean mixture, shape into a loaf. Bake for 30 minutes, add barbecue sauce and bake 1 additional minute. Remove from oven and allow to set 5 minutes. Cut into 8 slices and carefully remove each slice with a spatula.

This loaf can be a bit odd. It is serious bean city...but it is quite good on a toasted bun in sandwich format.