It’s getting HOT and making pasta every night is killing me. I’ve been trying to branch out to more salads now that it’s summer.
Pre-tofu
This is a really tasty dish to take to a cookout! For those of you who are convinced that potatoes are inherently EVIL in their white starchiness – this salad’s for you. **Also great for mayo haters.**
All you need:
4 small pink or red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
large handful of green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1″ pieces
2 TBSP coarse mustard
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
Olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar (or agave nectar)
Salt
1/4 c chopped dill (use dry dill if that’s all you have – about 2 TBSP)
1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 stalks celery, trimmed & diced
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and diced (I peeled mine – whoops!)
1 TBSP fresh chives
OPTIONAL: 6 oz baked or extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
This is definitely a chopping intensive salad but more special than the old mayo-laden potato salad I grew up with. [And I like mayo!]
First, set water to boil for your taters. Once it’s boiling, they need to cook until just tender. This should take about 10 mins. Set your timer for 9 minutes so you can toss in the green beans for the last 30 seconds. You just want them to turn bright green. Then drain the potatoes & beans.
Make your dressing: in a small bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, sugar & salt. Whisk together. Taste & adjust to your liking!
Heat about a TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the chopped dill, add a few pinches of salt
and add the leeks.
Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl (because of time constraints I usually go right into a large lidded container!) combine the potatoes, green beans, celery, cucumber, chives and half of the leek with most of the dressing. Toss gently, taste and add salt as needed. Serve with remainder of leek and dressing atop. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
OPTIONAL: Not every uses/is comfortable with tofu but it adds a benign presence of protein to this salad and is virtually unnoticeable. I bought a block of organic tofu at Trader Joe’s. Before I even boil the potatoes I drain the tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and place in a kitchen towel with my cast iron skillet on top. The presses the extra water out of the tofu so that it can absorb the flavors of the salad dressing. Press it for about 30 minutes if you think of it. Then dice it and add to salad. Try it this once time if you have never used tofu before! (Or don’t!)
This salad is a very pretty dish to take to a summer cookout/party.
Pre-tofu
Maddie ate a small bowl of it before dinner. Bea spit the potato out.
Bright, pretty summer salad that takes potato salad to a new level!
Ingredients
4 small pink or red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, quartered
large handful of green beans, trimmed and sliced into 1″ pieces
2 TBSP coarse mustard
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
Olive oil
½ tsp sugar (or agave nectar)
Salt
¼ c chopped dill (use dry dill if that’s all you have – about 2 TBSP)
1 small leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
6 stalks celery, trimmed & diced
1 cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and diced (I peeled mine – whoops!)
1 TBSP fresh chives
OPTIONAL: 6 oz baked or extra firm tofu cut into small cubes
Instructions
First, set water to boil for your taters. Once it’s boiling, they need to cook until just tender. This should take about 10 mins. Set your timer for 9 minutes so you can toss in the green beans for the last 30 seconds. You just want them to turn bright green. Then drain the potatoes & beans.
Make your dressing: in a small bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, the mustard, vinegar, sugar & salt. Whisk together. Taste & adjust to your liking!
Heat about a TBSP of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add the chopped dill, add a few pinches of salt and add the leeks.
Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a large bowl combine the potatoes, green beans, celery, cucumber, chives and half of the leek with most of the dressing. Toss gently, taste and add salt as needed. Serve with remainder of leek and dressing atop chilled or at room temperature.
OPTIONAL: Not every uses/is comfortable with tofu but it adds a benign presence of protein to this salad and is virtually unnoticeable. I bought a block of organic tofu at Trader Joe’s. Before I even boil the potatoes I drain the tofu, wrap it in a paper towel and place in a kitchen towel with my cast iron skillet on top. The presses the extra water out of the tofu so that it can absorb the flavors of the salad dressing. Press it for about 30 minutes if you think of it. Then dice it and add to salad. Try it this once time if you have never used tofu before!
Want to hear something crazy? My kids like mushrooms. The list of things my husband doesn’t like is too long for this blog posting so having 2 preschoolers who like mushrooms makes me feel pretty happy. Don’t worry – they hate lots of other things (like grilled cheese).
Last week I bought 2 oz cartons of crimini mushrooms thinking I’d find the time to make a summer vegetable torta despite my husband having his 40th birthday the day before Easter while also having his father in the hospital. What was I thinking?
Monday night we got home late and in endless battle against making “noodles” I whipped this up to avoid finding these shriveled a week later and having to toss.
This takes about 15-20 minutes from start to finish. You can’t make pasta with jar sauce much faster.
You’ll need:
8 oz mushrooms (I used crimini but you can use any you have on hand)
2 TBSP olive oil (or butter)
2 TBSP onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 TBSP flour, separated
2 c vegetarian chicken flavored broth
1 c whole milk (or cream or evaporated milk)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste!)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
This is so easy!
1. Brush dirt off mushrooms & slice.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions & mushrooms and cook until onions are soft (about 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Stir in 2 T of flour, coating the vegetables.
4. Add broth, stirring frequently until it thickens.
5. In a small bowl, combine cream with remaining 1 T flour and seasonings. Whisk together until combined thoroughly.
6. Add mixture to soup, stirring occasionally as it thickens.
OPTIONAL: add fresh chopped thyme or tarragon!
I doubled the recipe and we had about 2 bowls of leftovers.
A surprisingly tasty, simple & quick cream of mushroom soup!
Ingredients
8 oz mushrooms (I used crimini but you can use any you have on hand)
2 TBSP olive oil (or butter)
2 TBSP onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 TBSP flour, separated
2 c vegetarian chicken flavored broth
1 c whole milk (or cream or evaporated milk)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste!)
¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Brush dirt off of mushrooms & slice.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions & mushrooms and cook until onions are soft (about 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in 2 T of flour, coating the vegetables.
Add broth, stirring frequently until it thickens.
In a small bowl, combine cream with remaining 1 T flour and seasonings. Whisk together until combined thoroughly.
Add mixture to soup, stirring occasionally as it thickens.
**UPDATE: Z Garden does indeed have high chairs!**
This place opened up a year or so ago across Pico from Virginia Park. When I saw the sign, “Healthy Mediterranean Food” I thought, “Yeah, RIGHT!” b/c that building had housed cheap & UNhealthy Mexican food before that. Some buildings seem to doom whichever restaurants inhabit them.
G took the girls there last July when I was out of town. He claimed it good. I thought, “Yeah RIGHT!” since G doesn’t have taste buds.
Finally I tried it out last week after a Clover Park day with my friend and her kids. SO good! I forgot to take pix so I went back again last weekend.
Phew! The holidays kicked my butt this year. How did my parents do this? Better yet, WHY did they do it??
Although I try to post only the best of my kitchen attempts, here are some of my absolute favorites from last year. I mean the ones I crave & want to make again & again.
Happy New Year to you!!
1. Gardener’s Pie (vegetarian version of Shepherd’s Pie): This is always a huge hit. I took it to a Christmas pot luck this year and got so many compliments from vegetarian & non vegetarians alike.
2. Best Coffee Cake in the World There are no surprising ingredients in this but it’s simply delicious. Perfect for a special brunch or to warm up a chilly Sunday morning.
3. Kermit Smoothie (green smoothie) Want to sneak a handful of spinach into your family’s gullets? Try this! So yummy, easy & fun.
4. Blueberry Lara Bars. A healthy, yummy & portable snack. Perfect for hiking or just to carry in your purse (or man purse) to keep the munchies at bay.
5. No Knead Bread. If you’ve never made bread before I strongly encourage you try this one! It takes less than 5 minutes to prep and is so rewarding! There’s something wonderful about the smell of bread baking in your home.
6. Glory Bowl. After the holidays many people (ahem, THIS person) feel compelled to eat a little, shall we say, “lighter?” Although this dish contains many light elements the rice & dressing make it so satisfying. I had serious doubts about it when my dear friend Kinga recommended it but now it’s one of my favorites. Try it!! I mean it, really! I wouldn’t put it up here if it weren’t super yummy.
7. Red Velvet Cupcakes. Make these for Valentine’s Day! Or use green food coloring and make them for St. Patrick’s Day.
8. Simple Caesar Salad. This is a cheater’s version of caesar salad. Oh garsh sometimes I crave caesar salad so much but don’t want to get involved with raw eggs & anchovies etc. This is a satisfying remedy when you’re short on time. Now that I make this I find most restaurant salads disappointing. Totally reminds me of an ex boyfriend’s mom (who happened to be an excellent cook) answering the waiter’s “How is everything?” with a tragic look followed by her New York accented, “Mine’s bettah.”
9. Chocolate & Butterscotch Chip Cookies. After trying many recipes, I have to say that these are my favorites for both simplicity & results. Because of the cornstarch they end up a bit pale and can trick you into thinking they aren’t done but they are soooooo sooooooo sooooooo (sooooo) good. Every time I make them I have to double the recipe b/c of all the greedy hands snitching them off the cooling racks (G!!!).
10. Vegetable Pot Pie. I just realized I have a few “best _____ in the WORLD” recipes. Do I exaggerate? Or am I just hungry? Anyway, this pot pie was a sleeper hit! I always loved pot pies. From the nastiest to the high end restaurant ones. But I was tired of paying $5.00 for a tiny Amy’s vegetable pot pie, plus I thought I could feed more than 1 person with a lot less packaging. This recipe takes almost 3 hours to make but is TOTALLY worth it! YUM.
11. Broccoli Gribiche. Last year I started making some dishes from Heidi Swanson’s “Super Natural Every Day” and this was one of the hits. I seriously didn’t make ONE bad dish from that cookbook and still use it every week. This is a surprisingly hearty, satisfying yet tasty meal that can be a main or side. The simple ingredients make it a no-brainer!
12. Moscow Mule. Alcohol is a good way to end a list/night/year so here is a simple, tasty drink that we enjoyed time & again mostly during the summer. Our friend Trish introduced us to them last June when we stayed at her house in Denver. We drank them all summer. Not all day but you know what I mean.
I hope you enjoy these recipes & for all the best to you in 2013!
London. 1994. I was sleeping on someone’s floor that summer. We decided to go see “Reservoir Dogs” at the cinema. (Yes, I called it “cinema” to get you in the frame of mind.) I ordered popcorn. Crammed a large fistful into my maw. What the WHAAAAT??? Sweet? It was sweet. AND savory. Mmmmmmm…like an adult’s Cracker Jack.
People were smoking cigarettes in there. The good old days!
Last week, a new friend was telling me how to make microwave popcorn in a brown paper bag. (Thanks, Kristy!) I remembered seeing something about it on Pinterest so I decided to give it a whirl.
Today I got a hankering for the sweet version so I looked up some recipes. Most of them called for what most Santa Monica moms consider the devil of all sugars: corn syrup (which makes a mean pecan pie) but I thought I could find something more “natural.” It came out real nice. REAL nice!
Btw: if you’re interested, here’s what’s in Pop Secret, Premium Popcorn:
POP SECRET, PREMIUM POPCORN, 1-STEP WHITE CHEDDAR
INGREDIENTS: Popcorn, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Modified Cornstarch, Maltodextrin, Natural Flavor & Artificial Flavor, Lactic Acid, Monosodium Glutamate, Color (Yellow 5 Lake & Yellow 6 Lake), Nonfat Milk, Freshness Preserved by Propyl Gallate.
That isn’t sooooooo bad. But check out this one!
ORVILLE REDENBACHER’S, MICROWAVE SHAKEABLES, REAL RANCH POPCORN
INGREDIENTS: Popcorn Orville Redenbacher’s Gourmet Popping Corn, Palm Oil, Salt, Freshness Preserved with TBHQ and Citric Acid. Pouch Ranch Seasoning, [Buttermilk, Salt, Tomato Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Cornstarch, Sugar, Whey, Sodium Diacetate, Onion Powder, Citric Acid, Garlic Powder, Spices, Cheddar Cheese (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes), Lactic Acid, Natural Flavor and Artificial Flavors, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate, Canola Oil, Artificial Color (Including Titanium Dioxide, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Blue 2 and FD&C Yellow 5) Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Less Than (2%) Silicon Dioxide Added as an Anticaking Agent], Buttermilk Powder, Salt, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring, Modified Cornstarch, Tomato Powder, Citric Acid, Spice and Herb, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Spice and Coloring, Artificial Color, FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Red 40.
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INGREDIENTS:
1/4 c popcorn kernels
1 TBSP olive oil
salt to taste (1 pinch up to 1/4 tsp)
brown paper bag (OR a vented lid which can be laid across a micro safe bowl – prolly more eco friendly)
First I’ll show you how to make the straight up kind, then I’ll share a couple of variations.
Combine kernels, olive oil & salt in a small bowl.
Unceremoniously DUMP into a brown paper bag (or your bowl – incidentally, I plan on using a bowl with a vented lid as soon as I GET a vented lid.) But hey, I had a package of brown paper bags from 2009 – when I was teaching 6th grade.
Some recipes advised STAPLING the bag. Listen, I used to bus tables at The Old Heidelberg in Naples, FL and will never forget the sparks that flew when I put a wicker bread basket with staples in the micro. Nor the ass-chewing I got from the cooks.
I folded my bag.
Unsure of how long to microwave it, I pushed the “POPCORN” button.
Then, b/c I missed the heavenly trill of the smoke detectors, I pushed it again.
Dad-blame it!!
So I tried it again. This time I just pushed the popcorn button once. When I heard the popping slow down, it happened to turn off. I suggest you stand right by your microwave and when the popping slows down, turn it off since all microwaves tend to have different POWER.
The second time it came out perfect! I added a little salt.
Now for the flavors.
1. SPICY. Add a tsp of spice rub to the kernel/oil/salt mixture. I used Tony Chachere’s spice rub.
Tasty!
2. HERB/PARMESAN. Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs to the kernel/oil/salt mixture. I used rosemary & thyme.
Make sure the herbs are coated in oil so they don’t burn. You can also mix them in the oil/kernel concoction for about 5 minutes prior to nuking so they can infuse the oil.
Sprinkle fresh parmesan on top of the popped corn. YUM!
(I forgot to take a picture of that.)
3. SWEET. This is my favorite. Add 1-2 tsp of maple syrup to the kernel/oil/salt mixture. You still need the salt!
Because of the sugar it seems to burn but it might be just caramelizing. Just pay extra attention to cooking time.
It looks burnt but it’s not!
Macro feature really can’t make my fingers/nails look dirty enough!
Quick & easy snack. Sooooo much healthier than the store bought microwave popcorn!
Ingredients
¼ c popcorn kernels
1 TBSP olive oil
1 pinch salt (you can always add more later)
brown paper bag OR microwave safe bowl with vented lid (lid can be bought separately)
OPTIONAL:
creole spices
sprigs of fresh herbs
fresh parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine popcorn kernels, olive oil & salt.
Pour mixture into a brown paper bag.
Fold bag several times.
Microwave using “Popcorn” button. If you don’t have that button, try 2 minutes on HIGH but be ready to shut it off when the popping slows down!
Notes
To add flavors:
1. SPICY: add spices directly to bowl of oil/kernels/salt. Continue as you did with the plain.
2. HERBS: add sprigs of fresh herbs to the bowl of oil/kernels/salt. Allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Continue as you did with the plain.
3. SWEET: add 1-2 tsp of maple syrup to the bowl of oil/kernel/salt. Continue as you did with the plain.
2.2.1
Finally, the one con to making popcorn this way: there tend to be a lot more unpopped kernels than you’d get in the pre-made microwave popcorn bag. I’ve yet to find a solution to this problem but am interested in hearing if anyone out there has?
