Fresh and Easy Salsa

 

 

It's Tuesday, yo! I don't know about you, but here in San Diego, that can only mean one thing... Tacos! Taco Tuesday is a legitimate event. A reason to eat, create, and cook delicious tacos. Traditional tacos, crispy tacos, corn tortilla tacos, lettuce wrap tacos.... Ground beef, chicken, pork, lobster... You name it, and San Diego puts it in a taco. There's no stopping the creativity, taste, or options, and for this reason, it's incredibly easy to celebrate taco Tuesday each and every Tuesday without ever getting bored. 

 

Tonight's menu includes a self-serve topping bar, flour tortillas, and traditional ground beef. It's an incredibly easy to prepare meal, that is high in flavor. And at the epicenter of all that flavor? Homemade salsa.

 

There are so many different iterations of salsa. I make several different ones, depending on my mood, and what's on that day's menu. This is by far, not only one of my favorites, but also the most versatile. It's even a great base, from which to build more complex salsa's. And, it pairs perfectly with ground beef.  

 

Ingredients

 

3 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered

1/2 of a large jalepeno

1 small red onion

the juice of 1 lime

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp kosher salt

 

Directions

 

6 hours prior to service (letting your salsa sit for a minimum of 6 hours, intensifies the flavor profiles, and creates an even tastier salsa) grind all above ingredients in a food processor for about 30 seconds. Refrigerate.  

 

 

Seriously, that's it. Simple, easy, fresh. There will be no turning back.

 

Prosciutto, Dill, and Marscapone Egg Puff

This Sunday is Easter and, if your family is anything like mine, you are starting to put together a Brunch menu for post egg-finding nourishment. 

At our house, the Egg hunting is a full out contact sports. We actually have to have two separate hunts, a kids hunt and a grown-up hunt. It's that, or specifically assign each participant their own color, size, and type of egg to find.  It's that competitive. For a family that mostly eschews all sports activities, on Easter, we surprise ourselves.

The morale behind all this, is that by 10:30? We. Are. Starving.


I came up with this take on a dish my aunt makes (stay tuned for my version of that dish) and calls "The Egg Puff." What's an Egg puff you ask? Well, it's sort of a cross between a frittata (although much less fun to say) and a soufflé.  But its much, much easier than either, and twice as versatile. It can be made ahead and served cold, or prepped ahead and popped into the oven right before serving and enjoyed warm. I often make both versions, and serve them simultaneously to make sure both vegetarians and carnivores (who, lets face it, luck out and eat both) have options. It's that easy.

Ingredients:

10 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 carton mascarpone (16 oz)
4 cups shredded mozzarella
10 slices of prosciutto, diced
2 TBS fresh dill, minced
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat eggs until light, fluffy, and pale yellow.

Add flour, backing powder, salt, mascarpone, mozzarella, butter, dill, and prosciutto, blend until smooth.

 

Pour mixture into a well buttered baking pan. I used a 8 1/2 by 12 Le Creuset. 

 

Bake 40-45 mins; top should start looking like this...

... and the puff should look solid (not watery), although moveable, when jiggled.

 

And that, is it. Trust me, once you add this to your brunch or breakfast rotation, you won't go back.

Blood Orange Margarita

The citrus around here has been phenomenal lately. Crisp, fresh, sweet... perfection. It's lending itself brilliantly to all different types of recipes...but by far, the best way to enjoy it.. is juiced. And what makes fruit juice even better? Tequila, of course. 

I've wanted to do a sangria style margarita for a while now. And the vanilla blood oranges I had access to a couple of weeks ago, were the perfect vehicle. Trust me.  Once you have had a Margarita this way, there is no going back.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Silver Patron Tequila
6 oz Agave
2 oz Grand Marnier
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/3 cup freshly squeezed vanilla blood orange juice
2 vanilla blood oranges, sliced
12 cumquats, sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
Pink Himalayan course salt
Ice
Blood Orange Soda (I used the Trader Joes brand)

In a large pitcher combine the agave nectar and Grand Marnier. Stir until combined. Add cumquat and blood orange slices to the pitcher. Add both juices and tequila. Stir. Refrigerate 4-6 hours before serving.

Rub a lime wedge around the edge of each glass, then dip glass in salt to rim. Add 3-5 ice cubes to glass. Fill glass 2/3 full with Margarita mixture. Top with blood orange soda (about 2oz).

Pumpkin Pancakes

It's Veteran's Day, and with no work to do and no place to be, it's the perfect time to indulge in some breakfast for lunch. (In case you were wondering? We also had breakfast for breakfast too). 

I whipped out my trusty Vanilla Bean Pancake recipe; but low and behold, we had no vanilla. Zip, Zilch, Nada. This, in and of itself, is a heinous pantry crime-- one I fully intend on rectifying as soon as I am done with this post! Luckily for me, I had just purchased canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, because? 

My kids are pumpkin fiends. Seriously. I currently have 8 boxes of pumpkin bars, three boxes of pumpkin o's, pumpkin bread, pumpkin yogurt, and pumpkin granola. I'll say it again... my kids are pumpkin fiends.i

Which in this case was extremely advantageous; as vanilla bean pancakes quickly became pumpkin pancakes with just a few minor adjustments. Like the original, they are dairy free (I think using rice milk instead of whole milk creates a lighter, fluffier pancake), however for those of you "true" dairy fanatics, regular milk will work just as well.

Ingredients:

4 cups and 2 T of flour, 

1/2 cup of sugar

1 t salt

1 t pumpkin pie spice

4 t baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 box of rice milk (plain, unsweetened)

2 T canned pumpkin

Directions:

Preheat a griddle over medium heat. 

Whisk together the dry ingredients.

Add pumpkin, eggs, oil and rice milk. Whisk until batter is almost smooth. 

Using a cookie batter scoop, ladle out pumpkin batter on griddle, Flip pancakes when bubbles form and start to burst.

Tastes of Fall: Apple Cinnamon Sangria

So a couple of years ago, we had the summer of Sangria. And what a summer it was. Multiple recipes tested, tasted, and repeated. Sangria continues to be a staple of summer.

But what about now? Fall has set in, and just like with food, I'm starting to crave something a little less light and crisp, and a little more filling and homey.

Enter the perfect season changer: Apple Cinnamon Sangria.

Made with Hard Cider, instead of wine, and maple syrup instead of honey or sugar, it's a heartier version of the summer favorite. And every bit as drinkable.

Ingredients:

6 Fuji apples, core removed and sliced
2 oranges, sliced
1/4 cup real Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey
1 cinnamon stick
33 oz of Hard Apple Cider
Unfiltered apple juice

Directions:

8 hours before serving combine all ingredients except for apple juice in a large pitcher. Mix to combine. Refrigerate. Couldn't be simpler to enjoy fall in a glass.

When serving, fill glasses 2/3 full with Sangria and top with cold unfiltered apple juice.

Sesame Butter Basted Scallops

So it's no secret that my kids watch (are obsessed with) cooking competitions. They argue it out with Gordon Ramsey and Tom Colicchio, each and every time. They criticize and provide "helpful" hits for my dishes, each and every time. That's the downside. The upside? They are exposed to new foods, and new methods of cooking, and they are constantly asking for me to make things, that they haven't tried. Their most recent request? Scallops.  Now, I LOVE scallops anyway I can get them; raw, seared, wrapped in bacon, baked, etc.... But for the kids first experience, I just wanted to serve them simply, so they could really taste what a scallop is supposed to be. No fuss, no muss, just pure unadulterated scallop.

And, you guys! This scallop dish was just that. Perfect, simple, easy, and all scallop! Not to toot my own horn, but I may or may not have texted Jamie after tasting them, saying they were the best I've ever had. 

Ingredients:

18 Large scallops (I plan on 2-4 per person)

1/4 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Directions:

Remove scallops from fridge. Place on paper towel. Salt both sides of the scallop. Let sit while prepping pan.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When warm add all but 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil. Turn heat to medium high and add half the butter. When butter starts to turn a beautiful golden brown add scallops to the pan. The key to a good sear is high heat, and not over crowding the pan. I did mine in two batches. 

Once scallops are in the pan, leave them alone for 2-4 minutes- gently basting them by spooning the melted butter/oil over the top. Move them gently with tongs to see if they are easily moved, or still "stuck" to the pan. Here's the key- if you can't move them, don't. Once they are a beautiful golden brown, you will be able to easily flip them over. Once they are flipped, add 1/2 of the remaining butter. Continue to spoon baste for another 2-4 minutes, until you are easily able to remove them from the pan. Set aside to rest, cover with tin foil.

Add remaining oil (the last bit of the butter will go in, after the second batch of scallops has been flipped). Repeat.

That's it. All that's left is to enjoy them. 

Oh, and make sure you get them from an actual fish market- there is a big difference in quality and taste!

I can handle a little more bok choy on my plate, can you? Otherwise known as, the Art of the Noodle Bowl.

Thursday's are my fun days. They are the days in which my Farmer's Market Box, full of fresh organic and local produce, and all its extras arrive. They are there, waiting for me on my doorstep, when the kids and I arrive home from the daily school pick-up. I know I will have some type of pasta, bread, cheese, fish, sausage and a variety of fruits and veggies waiting for me-- but the exact type and kind? It's a pure mystery. (I'll confess, that while yes, I have specifically ordered certain items for the week- I've long since forgotten what they were). It's basically my own personal chopped basket. Together with the kids, I plan our meal as we pull out our bounty of food and stock the fridge.

Last night, the overwhelming suggestion was a bok choy and tofu noodle bowl. Purely demanded (and completely devoured) by my four munchkins. It's a incredibly easy stir-fry, and one that can be changed or embellished to add whatever fresh produce you might have on hand. Let's face it, it's so versatile, that I having no udon noodles on hand, deigned to use the fresh angel hair pasta that came with my delivery.

Ingredients

Sesame Oil

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup pineapple juice

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large spring onion, diced

1 package extra firm tofu, chopped

2 heads of bok choy, greens and part of the stems chopped

1 lb udon noodles (or, as I did, Angel Hair)

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Follow package instructions for noodles. Drain and set aside.

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with sesame seed oil. Heat at medium-high. Once oil starts rippling, add onions and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tofu. Sauté for 2 more minutes. Add bok choy, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Toss to coat, and let bok choy soften, about 5 minutes. Add noodles and stir to coat. Let sauté for another 3-5 minutes to absorb all flavors. Serve.

I

BBQ'd Au Gratin Potatoes

Durning the summer we grill. A. Lot. The grill gets as much use as the oven does during the colder months...and that's pretty telling. We LOVE the grill.

The only problem I have, is that when we are outdoors grilling, I want everything to be made on the grill, outdoors, in one location. I do all the prep and marinating indoors, but when that's done, and the grill is turned on, I don't want to go back inside. I want to be outside, with my friends and family, and not give the kitchen another thought.

This side dish was born out of that desire, and the wish for a starch other than potato or macaroni salad. It's prepped indoors, but cooks outside, utilizing the heat omitted by grill to serve as an oven.

Ingredients:

6 small leeks, thinly sliced white and pale green only

A bag of Yukon B potatoes (about 15 small potatoes), thinly sliced

1 cup of 2% milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 TBSP horseradish 

2 TBSP whipped cream cheese

2 tsp kosher salt

1/3 cup unsalted butter (about 3/4 of a stick), thinly sliced

Directions: 

Leeks are tricky things. You have to wash them. I'll repeat that again. You have to wash them. They grow in sandy soil, which becomes trapped between their layers. In order to prevent a mouthful of sand, the easiest thing is to slice them first, dump the pieces into a strainer, and rinse. Thoroughly.

Once all sand is removed, pat dry and add them to the bottom of a heavy duty foil pan. I use foil on the grill, because the flames and smoke can easily damage non-disposable pans.  This way, I can throw away the whole mess when done; which makes my clean-up easier, and we all know how much I love anything that makes clean-up easier!

Add in the potatoes, and pats of butter.

In a separate bowl, wisk together milk, cream, horseradish, salt and cream cheese. Pour mixture over potatoes, leeks, and butter. Toss to coat vegetables.

Cover with tin foil and place on grill out of the way, on indirect heat. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces potatoes.

Roasted Garlic Salsa

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic, top sliced off to expose cloves

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 red pepper

3 large poblano peppers

2 TBSP fresh cilantro leaves

1 large heirloom tomato (beefsteak tomato size), cut in large pieces

1 shallot

Juice of one lime

Juice of one lemon

2 tsp cracked black pepper 

Sea salt, divided uses

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Place garlic head in center of a tin foil square. Pour a generous amount of olive oil over garlic cloves, and gereously salt the top. Wrap garlic in tinfoil, bringing up edges and crimp closed. Place tin foil bundle on top shelf of oven. Place bell pepper next to garlic. Bake for at least 30 minutes, until garlic is soft, turning pepper over periodically to blister all sides. Add poblano peppers during last 10 minutes. 

Remove from oven, cover and let cool. 

Squeeze garlic cloves out of their peel into a blender bowl, along with any olive oil that pooled to the bottom of the tin foil. Remove stem, skin and seeds from red bell pepper, and add to blender. Remove stem and seeds from poblano peppers and add to bowl. Add tomatoes, shallots, cilantro, 1tsp of salt, pepper, and citrus juice. Combine all ingredients using high pulse. Salsa should have texture without being chunky. Taste for additional salt. Salsa will be relatively mild. 

Melon Mint Sangria

This? Is the summer of Sangria.

It seems like every summer I get focused on a particular food item. Having the time to really work out the kinks, developing flavors, and perfecting the recipe, always works best during the lazy days of summer.  It doesn't hurt that we eat most meals outdoors, have friends over for bbq's, and have access to some really great local ingredients. It's how I perfected my ribs, garlic shrimp, and summer salads. And now, it's coming up with the perfect summer drink. 

I got started on the Fourth of July, wanting to have a fun fruity drink for our annual BBQ...and really, putting together the fruit, liquor, wine, and method was fun.  So fun, that I've now done two other versions, and have a few more percolating around in my brain. 

This particular version however? Might leave them all in the dust. It's that good. However, to quote Levar Burton (as it's also the summer of Reading Rainbow), you don't have to take my word for it. Try it. I guarantee it won't be the only time you do!

Ingredients: 

1/2 mini watermelon, balled

1/2 french baby melon, balled

1/2 ogen melon, melon

1/2 sugar cube melon, balled

2 limes, thinly sliced

2 TBSP honey

1/4 cup Remy Martin

1 1/2 bottles of Savignion Blanc

1 can of sprite

Handful of fresh mint

Directions:

Using a melon baller, remove seeds, and ball the flesh of each 1/2 melon. Place half of the melon balls in a large pitcher, and half in a Tupperware container. Place the Tupperware in the freezer. Add lime slices, Remy Martin, and honey to the pitcher. Stir. Pour in wine and mix to combine. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

To serve, place 4-6 frozen melon balls in the bottom of a glass, add 3-4 fresh mint leaves, and fill the glass 1/4 way with sprite. Add 2 lime slices, and 6 melon balls from the pitcher to glass. Pour wine to fill, and serve.

Bloody Mary Marinated Tri-Tip

This is perhaps my all time favorite beef marinade. It works equally well with tri-tip as it does with flank or skirt steak. It's got a hint of heat, a dash of sweet, some great salt, and the lime and tomato work together to break down some of the toughness you can find with this cut of meat. Once cooked, the subtle flavors of the meat compliment so many things without overpowering other flavors, that I've used as a base for many different recipes. From beef fajitas to skirt steak topped with chimichurri sauce; a cous-cous steak salad to a cheese steak sandwich, it's a versatile* marinade you need to have in your repitoire. Plus, it's super easy to make, and you can use the left over ingredients to make yourself an actual Bloody Mary while you wait.

Ingredients:

2 tri-tip cuts of beef, approximately 4lbs of meat

4 cups of tomato juice

1/4 cup of grapeseed oil

1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 Tablespoons creamy horseradish

1 TBlsp celery seed

1 tsp celery salt

Juice of 1 lime

2 tsp white pepper

I garlic clove, minced

2 tsp salt 

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Directions:

Place tri-tip in a large (gallon) ziplock bag. Pour in tomato juice, oil, Worchestershire, and lime. Add dry ingredients. Seal bag, omitting all air, and manipulate liquid around meat until combined. Place in fridge for 4-6 hours. 1/2 hour before grilling, remove meat, pat dry, and let sit out to rest.

Grill on a medium flame, turning every 8 or so minutes, until meat feels firm, but still has some give. (About 25 minutes). Remove from heat and lest rest for 20 minutes. Carve against the grain. 

*lest you think I was over confident about its versatility, we originally served this particular tri-tip as fajitas with grilled veggies. Today I repurposed it as a salad tossed with leftover taco toppings, rose vinegar, evoo, and topped with smoked sea salt. It's the marinade that keeps on giving.

Sangria

We have a BBQ every 4th of July. It's been going on for at least 12 years, if not longer. Since we've had kids, the day has included a trip to our small town parade- the same parade I attended every year as a child- followed by "swimming" and food back at our place.

While we tend to serve traditional American fare... Hotdogs, hamburgers, grilled corn-on-the cob, I also try to include a few fun surprises every year.  This year, I decided to play around with Sangria. It worked, almost a little too well, some might say, but it was the perfect addition to a summer BBQ. 

Sangria can be subjective, and it's fun to play around with the wine and fruit you use... But if you want a no-fuss, easy go-to recipe, try mine. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Ingredients:

2 rip peaches, pitted and sliced

2 Granny Smith apples, sliced (I cut mine into stars for the 4th)

4 ripe plums, pitted and quartered

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup Cointreau

1 and a half bottles of Savigon Blanc

Directions:

Place sliced fruit at the bottom of a large pitcher. Toss with Cointreau. Add wine and sugar, stir. Refrigerate overnight if serving in morning or early afternoon. Can be made the morning of, and refrigerated all day, if serving at night.

Sweet and Tangy Brussel Sprouts

So Brussels weren't part of our FMB this week- but when your three year-old points them out at the store, and squeals in anticipation- you buy them. As, I did.

Always experimenting with different ways to do Brussels, since they are a commonly requested side 'round these parts, I tried a new marinade before roasting them...Delish! Tangy and sweet, you are sure to love it as much as we did.

Ingredients:

30 Brussels, washed, cleaned, and halved

2 TBSP Extra virgin olive oil

2 TBSP Apple Cider vinegar

1 TBSP honey

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread Brussels evenly on sheet. Drizzle olive oil, vinegar, and honey over the top. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top. Using your hands, toss Brussels, distributing liquids, and reposition evenly.

Place sheet in top quarter of oven, and roast 20-25 minutes, until Brussels are fork tender.

Fresh Corn and Arugula Salad with Rose Vinagrette

We received some beautiful fresh corn on the cob with our box last Thursday, and immediately I knew I wanted to make a corn salad. I make several varieties of corn salad- and almost all of them during the summer. Corn screams summer, and this salad is a great alternative to grilling corn for the forth of July!

The key here, is to make sure all your ingredients are dry before combining. That way, they are enhanced by the Vinagrette, as opposed to soaking it in and becoming soggy. You can make the dressing ahead of time, and simply toss right before serving.

Ingredients:

4 ears of corn, husks removed

2 cups of arugula, washed and patted dry

1 16oz container of fresh mozzarella bites in water, strained, patted dry, and halved 

1 carton of cherry heirloom tomatoes

2 avocados, chopped, run through cold water, and dried

8 basil leaves, chiffonade  

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil. Using a sharp knife, remove corn kernels from cob. (If you do this over a kitchen towel, the kernels will stick to the towel, and not all over the floor). Place kernels in boiling water for 3 minutes. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, gently tossing to combine. 

For the Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rose vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine in Tupperware, cover, and shake until combined. Add to salad, a little bit at a time, being careful not to overdress, just before serving.

Simple Summer Strawberry Salad

Are we loving the alliteration? No? Just me then... So, in last week's FMB loot, I received some amazing fresh Stawberries (or Strawbs as my Aussie friend Alex is want to call them), Red Romaine, and leftover spring onions. Perfect for a BBQ side salad!

Ingredients:

1 head Red Romaine Lettuce, washed and torn

1 head Butter Lettuce, washed and torn

1 carton Fresh Strawberries, sliced

1 bunch (about 6) spring onions, primarily the light green part 

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled 

For the Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Pomegranate Vinegar

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

1-2 tsp sugar, adjusted to taste depending on sweetness of vinegar 

Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Combine dressing ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to blend.

Place lettuce in a large bowl. Toss with just enough dressing to coat leaves. Sprinkle strawberries, onions and pistachios on top.

Avocado Crema

We grilled this weekend. Tri tip and shrimp, which I served with fresh tortillas and cabbage. I wanted to create a mild sauce that would go with both proteins and not overpower either marinade. We got some really great avocados in this weeks Farmer's Market Box, and even though I have some earmarked for pasta later in the week, I used one to make a crema (fancy word for flavored sour cream). Sounds complex, but is about as easy as it comes.

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1/2 cup of sour cream

Juice of one small lemon

Dash of garlic powder

Dash of white pepper

Salt to taste

Directions:

Halve avocado and remove seed. Peel, dice, and run under cold water. (Rinsing cut avocados under cold water prevents them from turning brown). In a small bowl, mash avocado with a fork. Add in sour cream, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Continue using a fork until ingredients are incorporated. If you are not planning on using immediately, lay Saran Wrap directly on top of Crema, so that the mixture has no exposure to oxygen (this will further prevent browning), and refrigerate.

Grilled and Chilled Veggie Pasta Salad with Basil dressing

This was a fun one! It's super simple to replicate, and easy to change up depending on what you have in your fridge and your pantry. You can use the basil dressing as a marinade, to coat lettuce for a green salad, drizzled over fish, or eaten straight out of the bowl with a spoon (yes, I have been known to do this...shhhhhh). I used orzo, but any small bite sized pasta would work just as well. 

To start, bring a large pot of salted water to boil, and add in one package of orzo. After cooking for about 7 minutes, remove pasta, rinse with cold water (I only rinse my pasta if I am going to chill it, the cold water helps the pasta not stick together in one large pasta blob, otherwise it's a no-no). When pasta reaches room temperature, remove from cold water, drain and place in bowl. Drizzle a small amount of grapeseed oil over pasta, toss, and refrigerate.

For the dressing:

Ingredients:

10 large basil leaves

2 cloves of garlic

1 Tablespoon honey

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

A dash of salt and pepper

1/2 cup white balsamic dressing

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except for oil in a blender. Blend until combined. While blender runs on low, slowly drizzle in oil, only until mixture is combined.

Reserve at least 1/2 cup of dressing, and refrigerate. Toss pasta with just enough dressing to coat, and return to fridge. Let pasta sit in fridge for a bit to absorb flavor. 

For Veggies:

Ingredients

4 assorted varieties of summer squash, thinly sliced

6 green onions

1 bunch of pencil asparagus

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup grapeseed oil

Directions:

In a large ziplock baggy add vegetables, oil, and vinegar. Sprinkle in a dash of salt and pepper. Close bag and shake to coat. Let vegetables rest for at least 30 minutes at room temp.

Heat indoor grill pan to medium. Grill veggies until barely tender, about 4-6 minutes a side. Veggies should have slight-brown grill marks, but not be falling apart. Cool. 

Cut asparagus into bite sized pieces, squash into strips, and slice the green onions.

To composes salad. Chiffonade 10 fresh basil leaves, and add to pasta. Add veggies to pasta. Add leftover salad dressing to pasta dish, 1/4 cup at a time, tasting I between additions, to make sure that salad is not overdressed. Refrigerate until serving time.

Summer of Fun: Recipe Challange

I totally outed myself on Facebook yesterday...

Me, and my lack of commitment to actually write down the recipes I create on a weekly basis. 

I cook. All. The. Time. That's not the problem... The problem I have is pausing to photograph what I do, write down measurements for people to duplicate (and trust me, for someone who tends not to measure when she cooks, that is a much more difficult task than it sounds like), and then find time to sit in front of the iPad and actually write out the recipes. This? Is what I need to get better at, or there is no hope of me ever creating a cookbook. Ever.

So, I made the rather bold announcement yesterday, that I am committing myself to write out 3 new recipes a week. Yes, Three. To give myself a jumping-off point, and to have a little fun in the kitchen, I am going to highlight the items found in my weekly Specialty Produce Farmer's Market Produce Box, along with add-ons I order additionally. I play my own personal Chopped game each week when I receive my delivery- and this way, we are guaranteed a variety of fresh, seasonal, local, and sustainable ingredients from which to create our recipes from. Plus, if you get a box, it's easy to "play" along, and if you don't, the ingredients will be readily available to you. Some recipes may just be super simple sides, marinades or dressings, others may utilize proteins and starches I have around the house...I'm not limiting myself to only FMB items, just making sure I include them in what I do.  'Cause let's face it, that's how I cook regardless of if I'm writing it down or not- fresh, local, seasonal- it's what's on the menu! 

So let's get started, shall we? I'm getting a new delivery today, can't wait to see what I'll be working with. To get your appetites ready, I'll be posting a recipe today that highlights two ingredients from last weeks box...and bacon.  

Pesto Tortellini with bacon, spring onions, and grape tomatoes

Here's a little insight into what I'll be doing over the summer: last week's box included some amazing spring onions and grape tomatoes which I incorporated into an amazing pasta dish. 

It's super simple to make, and easily interchangeable. You can use a homemade pesto, or save a step and dump in a jar of your favorite store-bought version. While I used tortellini, if you are avoiding dairy you could substitute a different type of pasta that you have on hand (I would suggest a thicker pasta like a rotelle or parpadelle). And, if you avoid meat, you could skip the bacon and start the recipe by substituting grapeseed oil in place of bacon fat. 

Ingredients:

Bacon, 8-10 pieces roughly chopped

1 carton of grape tomatoes, quartered

1 bunch of spring onions, whites only, thinly sliced

1 cup of corn, kernels off the cob, can use frozen as well

1lb fresh pasta, I prefer tortellini 

8oz of your favorite pesto sauce

Directions

In a large skillet on medium heat, brown bacon.

Remove from pan and drain, leaving a thin layer of bacon fat covering the bottom of the pan. (Here's where you would heat grapeseed oil until shimmering, if you were wanting to leave out the meat).

Add sliced spring onions to fat. Make sure you stir, as onions are thin, and you want them to slightly crisp, without burning. Add in tomatoes. Turn heat to low, and let simmer until tomatoes are soft.

While tomatoes are softening, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add in fresh tortellini and cook according to directions. Drain and set aside.

Add corn to tomato mixture. Cook for 2-4 minutes until just tender. Return bacon to pan. Add tortellini to vegetable/bacon mixture and add pesto. Stir to coat with sauce. Remove from heat and serve.

BBQ Pork Lettuce Wraps with a Cabbage/Radish Slaw

BBQ Pork. Lettuce Wrap. Cabbage/Radish Slaw. It's pretty much the perfect marriage. A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy with both a crunch and a melt-in-your mouth creaminess. It's what's for dinner.

BBQ Pork

Ingredients

3 1/2 - 4 lb pork shoulder roast

1 sweet onion, peeled and sliced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

8 cups, two boxes, of chicken stock

Your favorite sweet BBQ sauce

Sugar, salt, and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 450. Let pork rest outside the fridge for 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel. Season all over with sugar, salt and pepper. Pour BBQ sauce in hand (about 4 TBSP) and rub all over meat. Layer sliced onions on the bottom of a heavy, oven safe Dutch oven. Add minced garlic. Coat with 2 TBSP off BBQ sauce. Place pork roast on top of onions.

Roast for 15 minutes at 450, to seal in juices. Turn heat down to 325. Add 8 cups of chicken stock to pan. Liquid should almost cover roast. Roast for 3 1/2 hours. 

Remove from oven. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid, and all of the onions. Place roast in large bowl. Remove any ties, and shred meat with forks. Add cooking liquid, onions, and 1 cup BBQ sauce to bowl. Stir.

Cabbage/Radish Slaw

Ingredients

1 large head of green cabbage, core removed and shredded

6 radishes, sliced thinly

1/2 bunch of Italian parsley, leaves diced

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 TBSP sugar

In a small bowl wisk sugar into vinegar until dissolved. Stream in vegetable oil while whisking. Set aside.

In a large bowl toss shredded cabbage, radishes, and parsley. Pour dressing over and toss. Let sit in fridge for several hours.

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

Butter lettuce, leaves removed and intact

BBQ pork

Cabbage/Radish Slaw

Directions

For each cup take one lettuce leaf, add heaping spoonful of pork, and top with slaw.