i like my peaches spicy

Spicy Peach Chutney (adapted from Whole Foods)

2 Anaheim chiles or other mild chiles, seeded and diced
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, or another 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 ½ pounds ripe apricots or peaches, diced (I peeled the peaches first)
1/3 cup raisins
3 cinnamon sticks
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon crush red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine chiles and vinegars in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Set aside. Combine apricots, raisins, cinnamon sticks, salt and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until fruit is softened and a thick sauce forms, about 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in vinegar mixture and cloves. Cook, stirring, until hot throughout, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Discard cinnamon sticks. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. We had our chutney over balsamic tofu, spinach & barley.

foodcycle

Remember when we had that roasted beet, goat cheese & egg sandwich? Well the beet greens looked so green and lovely that I couldn't throw them out. I foodcycled the greens into two tasty dishes.

braised coconut greens & chickpeas over quinoa
2 teaspoons EVOO
1 small yellow onion
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pint cherrie tomatoes, quartered
1 large lime, zested and juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)
1 dried hot red pepper or dash of red pepper flakes
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound beet greens, roughly chopped
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is beginning to brown. Add the garlic, lime zest, and red pepper, if using. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chickpeas and cook over high heat for a few minutes, or until the chickpeas are beginning to turn golden and they are coated with the onion and garlic mixture. Add tomatoes and saute until soft. Toss in the greens, one handful at a time. This will take about 5 minutes; stir in a handful or two and wait for it to wilt down and make room in the pot before adding the next handful. When all the greens have been added, pour in the coconut milk, salt, ground ginger, and lime juice. Bring to a simmer, then turn down the heat and cook for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are warmed through. Taste and add more salt and lime juice, if necessary. Serve over warm quinoa.

wilted balsalmic honey green crostini

1 whole wheat baguette, sliced

4 ounces goat cheese, softened

1 pound (or less) greens (beet, spinach, collard)

pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons balsalmic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

teaspoon honey

Sauté the greens in a large pan until just beginning to wilt - mix in vinegar, remove from heat. Toast the baguette slices. Mix the honey, chili flakes and goat cheese - assemble on each crostini, goat cheese mixture, cherry tomatoes, greens. Drizzle any leftover vinegar over the crostini - devour while warm. 

spring soup & sammy night

zucchini garlic bisque
makes about 3 quarts - good for sharing or freezing!
4 tablespoons butter
2 small white onions, sliced
8 to 9 large cloves garlic, sliced thinly
7-8 medium zucchini, about 3 pounds, half peeled and chopped
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy stock pot over medium heat. When it foams, add the sliced garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want everything to sweat. When the onions are soft, add the zucchini and cook until soft. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender until creamy, or transfer to a standing blender to puree. Taste and season with ginger, salt and pepper. This soup will taste even better after a night's rest in the fridge.

What better to pair zucchini bisque with other than a delicious and colorful sandwich!

sandwich service for two

4 slices hearty bread (like oatmeal, whole grain, sourdough)

3-4 ounces goat cheese, softened

small handful of fresh herbs - I used basil and chives

bunch of fresh beets - mine where quite small and there were about 8 in a bunch

2 eggs

S&P to taste

Preheat the oven to 375. Trim and clean the beets - reserve the greens for later. Toss with some EVOO and Kosher salt in a tin foil packet and place in the oven for about an hour. When the beets are done, allow to cool. Peel off any outer layer that is coming off and slice. Assemble sandwiches: toasted bread, about 2 ounces goat cheese, spread on one piece of toast, chopped herbs, beet slices, fried egg over medium and a little salt and pepper. Top with second piece of toast, slice, devour.

blackberry.lemon.mint

To prepare cocktails for four...

1/2 cup blackberries

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup lemonade

1 cup water

vodka or gin

lemon slices

mint

club soda

In a small saucepan, mash the blackberries with a fork, add sugar, lemonade and water. Heat until a mild simmer and then reduce heat for about 8-10 minutes. Strain the blackberry mixture through a mesh colander to reserve the juice - chill for about an hour. In a rocks glass, assemble ice, blackberry juice, 1-2 shots vodka or gin and top with club soda. Garnish with spanked mint and lemon.

"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!

our april ham

We only have ham once a year - Easter. Well growing up, we always had a holiday dinner at our neighbor's house, the Wilson's - and we had ham then too. It was always so delicious!

Easter has become one of my favorite holidays because I don't have to cook a main dish - Honey Baked does that for me. This year, we were lucky enough to have Kayla and Peter join us for the holiday weekend!

We toured Yazoo Brewery - very fun.

spent an afternoon at Radnor Lake...

Peter was a crane.

In addition to lots of other good food and drink, we went to Hattie B's for hot chicken. And then Peter cried because his chicken was so hot - it was very funny for the rest of us.

After a great long weekend (and lots of leftover ham), I made a delicious split pea soup.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 chopped medium onion

4 carrots, thinly sliced

3 celery stalks, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1 quart chicken stock, homemade is preferable

1 bag (16 ounces) green split peas, picked over and rinsed

ham bone plus 2 cups reserved ham cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large stock pot with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrots, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes. Add broth, split peas, ham bone, and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover; simmer until peas are soft, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove and discard bone from soup. Use an immersion blender to blend about half of the soup (or carefully remove half to a blender). After it is the consistency you like, add ham cubes, and simmer until heated through. If necessary, thin with water. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. Serve topped with croutons. 

Top with some croutons, yum!

put an egg on it

Before the warm weather arrived, I made a delicious farro risotto - truthfully though, this lighter spin on my beloved risotto, makes it a great spring option too.

asparagus farro risotto with farm fresh egg - inspired by Mark Bittman
2 lbs. asparagus, peeled, trimmed and cut into one-inch-long pieces, tips reserved
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (homemade or low-sodium)
2 tablespoons EVOO
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
½ medium onion, diced
1¼ cup semi-pearled farro
½ cup dry white wine
1 heaping teaspoon Kosher salt
¾ cup grated Parmesan
¼ cup finely chopped parsley
4 fresh eggs

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add half the asparagus stalks (not the tips) and cook until quite soft, at least five minutes. Rinse quickly under cold water or put in ice water. Put cooked asparagus in a blender or food processor and add ¼ cup water. Purée adding more water one tablespoon at a time if necessary. Set aside. Place stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large, deep skillet or pot over medium heat. When it is hot, add onion, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Add farro and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add white wine, stir, and let liquid bubble away. Add the salt. Add warmed stock, ½ cup or so at a time, stirring occasionally. Each time stock has just about evaporated, add more. After about 15 minutes, add remaining asparagus pieces and tips, continuing to add stock when necessary. After 5 minutes, begin tasting the risotto. You want the grains to be tender but with a bit of crunch; it could take as long as 30 minutes total to reach this stage. When the risotto is almost ready, bring a medium saucepan with 4 eggs in it to a light boil - boil eggs for about 4 minutes (start timer when boil begins). When risotto is ready, stir in ½ cup asparagus purée. Remove skillet from heat, add cheese, parsley and remaining butter, and stir briskly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve in a shallow bowl and gently crack an egg, scooping out the yolk for serving. Discard the egg whites and shell. Serve immediately.

When the egg is mixed into the risotto it helps create an even creamier delicious dish!

Enjoy!