walnut * pepper * paprika

Tasty walnut & roasted red pepper relish to try on tofu, pork, or chicken.

 

¼ cup walnuts

2 red bell peppers (about 1 lb.)

1 clove garlic, grated

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon hot cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon (or more) fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar

S&P to taste

Preheat oven to 350°. Place walnuts in a small bag and crush a bit with a mallet (I prefer this method over chopping on a cutting board). Toast walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until fragrant and slightly darker, 8–10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Heat broiler. Broil bell peppers on a broile rproof rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until softened and skins are blackened in spots, 20–25 minutes. Transfer bell peppers to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let steam 15 minutes. Peel peppers, seed, and chop. Toss bell peppers, garlic, mint, oil, paprika, cayenne, lemon juice, vinegar, and walnuts in a small bowl; season with S&P.

We had our relish atop dry fried tofu and a quinoa, black bean & spinach salad. Very fall, very yum.



nothing bundt cake

the kind folks at Nothing Bundt Cakes offered me a free cake! This eclectic storefront offers a big variety in - you guessed it...bundt cakes. From pecan praline to white chocolate raspberry (and of course reliable classics like vanilla and lemon), these cakes are as delectable as they are pretty!

The timing was perfect as we enjoyed some chocolate chip bundt for Vance's birthday.

My Aunt Middy used to make a delicious chocolate cake with vanilla frosting - and this bundt took me back to those days. Paired with a cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk, the chocolate chip bundt cake with vanilla frosting is a decadent and delicious treat. This spot is now on my short list of favorites for fun desserts!

Yum.

you are special today

Growing up, when it was your birthday or something special happened like you got an award  in school you were given the red plate at dinner. This Clark family tradition is one of my favorite, and it's something that lives on in the Clarbaugh household. 

Vance is very special today (well, it was yesterday, but I think he is special everyday) – 34 years of being special. To celebrate I made a sage spiced pumpkin hummus and a fall dinner including Ina's slow roasted beef.

Sage Spiced Pumpkin Hummus

1/2 can packed pumpkin

1 can chick peas

1/4 cup water

2 tables chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 cloves minced garlic

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup tahini

2/3 tables EVOO

Mix all ingredients (except the olive oil) in food processor until incorporated. Drizzle in the olive oil until desired consistency – nice and smooth. Serve with pita chips, crudités, apple slices or whatever other vehicle you use to get hummus to your mouth.

Along with the hummus, Vance tried a sampling of pumpkin beers (not all of them - but a couple!)

Sam Adam Harvest Pumpkin Ale was my personal fav.

Speaking of beer, Courtney, Jill and I were enjoying a fall pint at the Taproom this week, and it was mentioned how brussel sprouts are one of those foods you grow to enjoy as you become an adult. For me, other foods in this category include meatloaf, cauliflower and fish (outside of fried flounder).

Vance (who perhaps has always had a little adult streak in him) has loved brussels since he was a wee Albaugh. Along with tenderloin and mashed potatoes, I made shredded brussel sprouts with pancetta for his birthday dinner.

1.5 pounds brussel sprouts

4 ounces pancetta, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon butter

S&P to taste

Cut off the hard end and peel away top layer of sprouts. Rinse and dry well. Pulse the brussel sprouts in the food processor until they are all shredded. You might have to do this in two batches. In a large sauté pan, lightly brown the pancetta - remove to a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pancetta fat and then add the garlic. Saute until just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the shredded brussel sprouts to the pan and mix well. After about 5 minutes, add the balsamic vinegar - cook for another 10 minutes until brussel sprouts are tender (add the pancetta back in during the last few minutes). Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Lastly, we enjoyed two great desserts (little much? agreed.) One, I will post on later this week, but the other was a delicious apple pie from The Loving Pie Co. in Berry Hill. Nothing says fall like apple pie!

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.

 

well if this is 30...

I'll take it. I am 30 years old. I actually feel older on this birthday. I also feel happy, loved, appreciated, strong and a bit wiser than I was on my last birthday. For example - it is 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning and I am up, on my second cup of coffee (instead of feeling the pain from too much wine last night). I do believe birthdays are about doing what you want - which is exactly what I did this weekend. Starting with a new recipe (to come later this week) and an old favorite - turkey pumpkin chili. Nothing says "you're 30" like a bowl of chili and a beer. Vance and I had a full day of eating yesterday at the Southern Artisan Cheese Festival and a great dinner at Husk.

Delicious samplings of cheese, meats, beer and wine - Broadbent Rose Vinho Verde just became a new favorite. Vinho Verde - Portuguese for cheap & cheerful, like me!

I mean come on...a cheese festival with this guy? I couldn't be any luckier.

In addition to a delicious soft peach & jalapeño cheese and garlic cheese curds, we also picked up some delicious made in Nashville goodies. Soberdough (all you need is one bottle of beer like a delicious Yazoo brew added to the mix), Nashville Jam Co. Sweet Onion & Garlic, Eli Mason Mint Julep simple syrup, Hog Heaven White BBQ sauce, Provence Bakery Cheddar Chive Sconces & Tru Bee local honey.

We had some of these goodies already, but I wanted to give a nod to a number of our local favorites.

Before heading off to dinner last night, I mixed up a new cocktail.

A favorite of Hemingway, the Josie Russell cocktail.

1 shot light rum

juice from about a 1/4 of a lime

1/2 teaspoon sugar

hard apple cider

In a shaker, combine rum, lime juice and sugar with ice. Pour into a glass and top with hard apple cider, garnish with an apple slice.

Yum.

On to a new decade.

if I don't blog about

...it's like it never happened. This blog has become a photo album for us - more recipes to come, but a quick snippet about summer 2014!

Summer has basically ended, but Vance and I did have a fantastic few months. Including trips to see friends and family and a great vacation.

Fourth of July weekend was spent in Pennsylvania, celebrating with friends at Jen & Rob's wedding reception.

 

 Later in July, we headed off to vacation in Destin, FL.

We did a lot of this...

and had a lot of these...

so happy!

We had great dinners in Florida including a visit to Bud and Alley's in Seaside and amazing Puerto Rican food at Ricon Boricua.

 

On our drive home, we spent a night in Birmingham and had delicious ribs at Dreamland.

We also spent a weekend in Cleveland to visit Vance's family. And what do you do when you are in Cleveland? Visit the Christmas Story House!

Glorious.

We spent last weekend in NYC, where we saw great friends, Eva, Liz & Luke.

As the summer winds down, work travel has picked up. I do intend to do a fair amount of cooking in the coming weeks so keep an eye out for new recipes!

 

 

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!