Assemble all but the pine nuts and the balsalmic vinegar in a large roasting pan.
While the green beans and potatos are roasting, toast the pine nuts over a medium high heat.
Add the toasted pine nuts to the mix. I serve the balsalmic tableside since the kids prefer this dish without!
Recipe here.
For someone who lives in South Texas, I’m way too much of a worrywart when it comes to making salsa. I always want a recipe. But I made a double batch of my avocado tomatillo salsa for Cinco de Mayo last week and I have some odds and ends leftover from that and other cooking projects. I threw this salsa together, and while it looks much less red than most of us are used to, it tastes delicious and very fresh. Salsa is very forgiving, I’m learning and when you make it fresh it’s a great, preservative-free snack. I froze most of this batch in ice cube trays which I then transferred to freezer bags so I can thaw out just as much as I need when it’s time for a snack!
This salsa included: 5 tomatillos, 3 vine-ripe tomatoes, one chopped onion, 3-4 garlic cloves, a handful of fresh cilantro, one seeded jalapeno, the juice from half a lime and salt. (I guess that’s a bit of a recipe after all, eh?)
Known just as “relish” in the Tex-Mex influenced South, this is far different from the relish you put on your hot dogs. We used to serve this in the Mexican restaurant I worked at in college and it was made from scratch in the kitchen, not bought pre-made.
And it’s so easy to make and so good, one of my husband’s favorite snacks. I used produce from the new Pearl Brewery Farmer’s market and Greenling. Just like the refrigerator pickles, this will be ready to eat in about 5 days.
In a pot on the stove combine 2 cups of water, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, a tablespoon of salt, 2 tsp of sugar, and a few grinds from the pepper mill. Heat on low just long enough to desolve the salt and sugar.
In a bowl with a lid or a glass jar with a lid (just not metal, mmmkay?) add two large peeled and coined carrots, one onion sliced and the rings seperated, one jalapeno slized, 3 garlic cloves sliced, and 5-10 peppercorns.
Pour the liquid over the veggie mixture, seal tightly and shake it like a polaroid picture. Stash in the fridge and forget about it for a few days (unless you want to shake it once a day or so). The veggies will last in your fridge for about 3 months. Not that you won’t eat them first!
(before dressing and tossing)
(after dressing and tossing)
(from the March 2009 issue of Southern Living)
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 package or bunch (about 6 ounce) of fresh baby spinach, thoroughly washed
1 cup seedless red grapes, sliced
1.4 crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup raspberry-walnut vinaigrette (Newman’s Own)
Heat pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until toasted and fragrant.
Coarsley chop spinach. Toss together spinach, grapes, feta cheese, and vinaigrette in a serving bowl. Sprinkle with pine-nuts and serve immediately.
The Southern Living article on salads notes that red and purple grapes “contain flavonoids that help reduce cholesterol, protect against heart disease, and promote lung health.”
They also mention that “a small handful of nuts or seeds on your salad can make your meal more filling, helping to reduce hunger pangs and overeating throughout the day.” You may have noticed I already am a big fan of sunflower seeds in my salad. It gives me that nice crunch that I was missing when I stopped using croutons!
I tend to add alot more goodies to my salad this time of year, when there are alot more goodies to add. This salad was made with local lettuce, tomatos, and cucumbers. As well as avocados, sunflower seeds, and homemade sourdough croutons. Yummy!
Tossing and Turning: I posted this link last year, but it bears repeating…it’s a mix and match salad inclusions PDF printable from Oprah’s website. It’s full of wonderful ideas!
For more salad and salad dressing recipes from Oprah, click here!
What salads do you love?
Amber did some good old-fashioned (and delicious looking!) canned pickles. I like the super crunchiness of Classen pickles so I thought I would try my hand at some refrigerator pickles this past week.
These were super-easy! I used the recipe from here. The only difference was I heated the solution enough to dissolve salt (since I was using a coarser grain sea salt). I used two large garlic cloves and some fresh dill. (I wasn’t a huge fan of the dill and ended up taking it out a few days later, but my husband liked it).
The flavor started to emerge on the 3rd day. My husband has eaten a few but I’m letting them soak up the flavors a little longer. They will last a good three months in the fridge. Think I’ll do some hamburger slices next!
Fresh okra is easy, and is the only way my husband will eat it unless it is in gumbo!
Wash the okra and slice off the ends. Slice into rounds and soak in buttermilk. I often dip my veggies into egg before the cornmeal coating, becuase it picks up more coating that way. But buttermilk will be plenty here since the okra will release a thick…well, goo…when you cut it. (This goo is what works so well as a thickner in gumbo!)
Make a breading of two parts corn meal to one part unbleached all purpose flour plus salt and pepper to taste.
Heat canola oil and medium to medium high heat (I use a cast iron skillet for all my frying). Pull the okra from the buttermilk, dip in the cornmeal mixture until covered on all sides then fry in the oil.
Drain on paper towels, a brown paper bag, or kitchen towels.
You may want to add a little more salt to the finished product.
This recipe was in Susan Wittig Albert’s About Thyme newsletter a couple of weeks ago. She writes 2 mystery series (and a 3rd with her husband Bill) which I read and enjoy. Her China Bayles series is set around a herb shop and tea room in the South Texas hill country, so she knows her business about herbs!
I asked her permission to reprint it and she was kind enough to say yes (and respond practically immediately, isn’t she cool?).
Cheese has been an important part of the human diet for at least five thousand years. The smooth texture and unobtrusive taste of milder cheeses make them a perfect companion for savory herbs. Boursin cheese—a mild, creamy cheese flavored with herbs—was originally created in 1957 by François Boursin in the Normandy region of France. Now, the term is used to describe many herb-flavored cheese. You can buy it at the supermarket, or make your own taste-alike.
Boursin
1 cup farmer’s cheese
1 cup Asaigo or Parmesan cheese, grated
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (don’t use “lite” or low-fat)
1 stick butter, softened
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced chives
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ cup minced parsley
1 teaspoon fresh minced marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
In a large bowl, blend the cheeses. Blend in the butter and lemon juice. Add the other ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate to blend flavors.
Sign up for the About Thyme newsletter here! I’ve been receiving it for years and have NEVER gotten spammed.
Susan’s blog, Lifescapes, about life in the Texas hill country, can be found here.
“Learning to bake bread is one of the things that saved me. I feel fortunate to have found a way to nourish myself and others.” –Edward Espe Brown
Impatient Pizza
(and other flat bread variations)
Baking yeast-based breads seems to be a rite of passage or the ultimate merit badge for many cooks. Some people liken it as a break from a corporate consumptive society… a way of getting back to their roots. Many of us don’t have the space for a vegetable patch and a chicken coop… but anyone with an oven can bake a loaf of bread. For me, baking bread from scratch seems to be as much about the process as it is about the product. It is the ultimate soul food meditation. Yeast, a living organism, when added to flour and water creates a new living entity that we watch grow and mature during the rising process. And there is no cheaper therapy than kneading bread dough. Not to mention the fact that it is a fraction of the cost, and much healthier than its commercial counterparts which are pumped full of preservatives and air.
Flat breads like pizza dough and foccacia were the first yeast breads I was able to bake successfully. While every other loaf of bread came out so dense and brick-like, I could have donated them to a gym for weightlifting, my flat breads, based on a basic recipe from the now-defunct Veggie Life magazine, turned out lovely every time. Years later, after finally mastering some more complicated bread recipes, I remain stumped as to why flat breads never caused me any grief…. After all, the chemistry in making yeast breads is all the same. But so many people have had the same experience of flat breads being their first successful attempt at yeast based bread baking. So if you are a beginner at yeast breads, this is a great starter recipe. If you are an old hat, this is a good sturdy recipe to add to your repertoire. Either way you will love the speed of this recipe…. This flat bread only requires one 45-minute rise. Just as quick as having a pizza delivered! Contrary to popular opinion, pizza is NOT an unhealthy meal when done right…this is a great weeknight dinner alternative.
¼ cup lukewarm water
1 tbs. bulk yeast or one of those little yeast packages (for a really thick crust you can double the yeast)
3 cups of bread flour (you can substitute ½ a cup of the bread flour out with some whole wheat flour or use King Arthur White Whole wheat for the full amount)
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ tbs. sugar
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 cup lukewarm water
1 tbs. olive oil (to oil the bowl)
½ tbs. of corn meal
1 cup of marinara, alfredo, or pesto sauce
8 ounces of mozzarella cheese (or feta, gorgonzola, or whatever else tickles your taste buds
Toppings, which can include, but are not limited too tomato slices, mushrooms, olives, peppers, onions, ham, pepperoni, grilled chicken, spinach, garlic, or anything else!
More grated Parmesan cheese for the top and for the table.
In a mixing bowl, pour in yeast and the ¼ cup of lukewarm water. You want the water to be warm enough to activate the yeast, but not so hot it kills it. Ideally, the water will be 90-110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you turn your faucet over to warm, and run your wrist under the tap the water should be neither too cold or too hot on your skin…if it feels the same temperature as your body you have got it just right. Stir the yeast and water until the yeast granules are dissolved.
Add the flour, salt, sugar, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and 1 cup of water. If you have a stand mixer, use your dough hook attachment to mix. If you don’t have a mixer available, mix with a strong wooden spoon (or any other stirring utensil that is equally tough) until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. At that point you can mix with your hands until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Turn out the dough on a floured surface (like a bread board) and knead a bit more…. But this recipe really doesn’t need much
Oil a bowl (the same bowl you mixed your dough in is fine) and place dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dishtowel. I use a dishtowel that I have run under warm water than wrung out REALLY well. The warm damp environment the towel creates makes the dough rise faster. Put the bowl in a warm place (a spot on the counter that gets light from the window, on top of the stove while the oven is preheating, etc.) and let it rise for 45 minutes. During the last 10 or so minutes of rising, you can preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Spread cornmeal over your cookie sheet or pizza stone (this is the best way to keep the crust from sticking without it getting soggy bottomed). Punch down dough and either roll it out on your cookie sheet or practice your “that’s amore” pizza toss. Use your fingers to poke little dimples in the crust. Top with sauce, cheese, and any toppings that appeal. Bake until crust is golden on the edges and cheese is bubbly…about 10-12 minutes.
You can half or completely eliminate the cheese to eliminate some fat. Low fat cheeses work well too, but non-fat cheese tends to melt poorly. You can also pat the top of the pizza with a absorbent paper towel when it comes out of the oven and can soak up about 1/3 of the extra fats and grease that will rise to the top from the cheese and whatever meats you are using.
To make a foccacia type bread to go as a side dish that goes great with pasta and salad, brush the dough with a little olive oil once it is spread out on the cookie sheet. You can top it with fresh or dried herbs (rosemary is wonderful), coarse sea salt, or grated cheese for cheese bread.
For a dessert pizza, you can cut out the Parmesan cheese from the crust, and replace the garlic powder with cinnamon. Brush the crust lightly with melted butter, and you can pie topping, fresh fruit, jam, cream cheese, and/or a cinnamon crumb topping.
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fat removed and cut into bite sized peices
1/4 cup of a bottled, light Asian-style dressing with sesame and ginger (I like Newman’s Own brand)
2 cups packaged julienned carrots
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 head butterhead lettuce, leaves seperated
Salt, pepper, olive or canola oil
Options for garnish: 1/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped, lime wedges, soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
Other veggie options to go with carrots: red peppers, sliced water chestnuts, etc.
For a little more heat: Use more red pepper flakes, rooster sauce, mongolian fire oil added to the stir fry. I also added a little dark sesame oil for more depth of flavor.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Use a little bit of oil or nonstick cooking spray to lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook and stir for about 3 minutes or until browned.
Add 1 tbs of the dressing and the carrots and any other veggies to the skillet; cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the veggies are crisp-tender and chicken is no longer pink. Stir in red pepper and any additional seasoning you would like.
Stack lettuce on plates. Top with chicken-carrot mixture. Sprinkle with copped nuts, serve with remaining dressing and lime wedges.
I used the leftover chicken and carrot mixture over brown rice for lunch the next day!
