Watermelon Agua Fresca

July 3, 2012 by


“Agua Fresca” is basically just a term for flavored water, and falls in the same category as Horchata.  It’s a great cooling drink served with spicy food, and I think would be a fun twist on the usual watermelon served at a Fourth of July BBQ.
We love it because it’s slightly sweet but incredibly refreshing, so it goes great with grilled food too.

WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA

8 cups watermelon chunks (seedless, or make sure there are no seeds in your chunks)
1 cup water
2-4 T honey or sugar (depending on how sweet your melon is)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp kosher salt

Puree the watermelon and water, either in a blender, food processor, or a stick blender. (work in batches if necessary).
Push through a fine mesh sieve to get completely smooth.
Mix in the remaining ingredients until well combined.
Serve over ice with lime wedges, if desired.

Filed Under: Drinks, Mexican

Broccoli Salad

June 29, 2012 by

A couple of months ago I started volunteering with Bountiful Baskets as a site coordinator.  If you’ve never tried it, head over to their website and check it out.  It’s pretty awesome. It’s a non-profit, all volunteer run food co-op.  Every week I come home with all this fresh produce and it’s been so much fun to try new things and have such an abundance of fruits and vegetables in the house.

I was trying to think of something new to do with broccoli, and decided to make a salad for a bbq instead of a pasta salad.  We loved it. I know usually broccoli salad has raisins, but I really prefer dried cranberries.  They add a great tartness.  And cashews go great with the broccoli, while you could omit as well if you have nut allergies.  See my tip at the bottom for adding extra crunch by using the broccoli stems as well.
This will keep covered in the fridge for at least a couple of days as well, so it’s great for a make-ahead dish for 4th of July potlucks/bbqs too.

BROCCOLI SALAD
8 cups broccoli florets*
1/2 lb bacon (about 6-8 slices) cooked crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 cup roasted cashews
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup mayonnaise
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Place the broccoli, bacon, onion, cashews, and cranberries in a large bowl and mix together.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.   Add to the salad and toss to coat evenly.

*I know that you can buy bags of broccoli florets, but I suggest buying uncut heads of broccoli.  Cut the florets off in small pieces, then dice some of the stem.  It adds a great crunch to the salad.

VARIATIONS: If you’d rather, you can use almonds instead of cashews, or omit nuts all together.  You could also use raisins instead of the cranberries, I just prefer the tart cranberries.

Filed Under: Salad / Dressings, Side Dishes

Carna Asada Tacos

June 26, 2012 by

My hubby has a new hobby.  Well, okay, it’s not that new.  I’ll give you the scenario.  He tries something at at restaurant (or in this case, at the taco truck) that he likes, then asks me if I could make that.  Lucky for him, I like a challenge.
Especially if it’s something I like too. : )
I have to say, I think these turned out even better than the taco trucks.  I’ve seen lots of recipes for carna asada tacos, but usually they have a lengthy marinate recipe that includes things like soy sauce.  I knew the tacos we’ve had and loved were dressed much more simply than that, but a marinade was still a good idea, but needed to be a simple one.  Here’s the best tips I came up:
1. Use “skirt steak” not “carna asada meat”.  Carna asada meat is usually the end cuts off a few cuts of meat, and while it is cheaper, you won’t be able to trim it properly and will probably have more gristle and such.
2. Cut steak into a couple pieces so it will fit better in pan you have chosen to cook in.  Crowding the pan causes the temperature to drop and your steak will steam instead of sear.
3.  Use a large griddle or heavy cast iron pan to cook steak.  While grills are great, for this you really want a good sear on the whole surface of the steak.
4.  If your steak isn’t searing as good, try a little trick: sprinkle just a little bit of sugar on the surface of the steak, this will caramelize and help sear.

CARNA ASADA TACOS
For Steak:
1 1/2 to 2 lbs skirt steak
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil

To Serve:
Small corn tortillas, warmed on a dry skillet
white onion, diced
Cilantro
Radishes, sliced thinly
Lime wedges
Roasted Salsa Verde

Skirt steak usually comes in long strips.  Cut into a couple pieces and trim any excess fat off.  Put in a bowl with remaining ingredients and rub marinate into steak, turning a few times to make sure it’s coated well.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally 6 to 8 hours.


Get either a griddle or heavy pan hot over medium high heat. (Cast iron works well).
Drizzle a small amount of oil on pan, and when hot, remove steak from marinade and cook until well seared, then flip and cook until well seared on second side.
(Cook in batches if needed, don’t crowd the pan).
Let rest for a few minutes on a board, then chop.
If desired, put back on the hot pan and sear for a couple more minutes.
To serve, put in small corn tortillas with radishes, cilantro, onion, roasted salsa verde, and lime wedges.

Filed Under: Beef, Mexican

Roasted Salsas

June 26, 2012 by

While I love a simple Pico de Gallo , I have recently discover what roasted salsas can do to simple tacos or other Mexican dishes.  They add a great layer of flavor you just don’t get otherwise, and are my new favorite things to serve with Mexican food.  Wether we’re having tacos, enchiladas, or even just for dips, I love em.  And they’re simple enough I can make both in no time.

 

ROASTED SALSA VERDE
5 to 6 tomatillos, about 1/2 lb
1/2 to 1 jalapeno (depending on how much heat you want)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup cilantro
1 T lime juice
salt, to taste


Adjust oven rack to about 6 inches from heating element and heat broiler.
Peel husks off tomatillos and rinse off.  (It’s normal for them to have a little sticky residue.)
Cut in half, then put cut side down on a large baking sheet.  Remove seeds from jalapeno and place on baking sheet along with garlic.
Broil for 5-7 minutes or until well charred.  Let cool for a few minutes.

Put everything into the bowl of a food processor (you could also use a blender if you don’t have a food processor), and pulse a few times until chopped up.  Add lime juice, cilantro, and salt.  Pulse again until well mixed.  Taste and adjust salt if needed.

ROASTED RED SALSA

3 tomatoes, about 1 1/2 lbs
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 to 1 jalapeno, seeded and cut in quarters
drizzle olive oil
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2-4 T lime juice
salt to taste

Quarter tomatoes, and place on a large baking sheet, along with onion, garlic, and jalapeno.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
Broil for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Set aside to cool briefly.

Put everything in the bowl of a food processor (or blender) and pulse to chop.  Add cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pulse again until well combined.

Filed Under: Appetizers / Dips / Snacks, Mexican

Grilled Pizza with Roasted Garlic Chicken and Citrus Vinaigrette

June 21, 2012 by

 

This is one of those meals I could make every week and not get tired of it.  I love homemade Naan bread, but this grilled pizza definitely makes the cut as well.  Using the leftover garlic infused oil from the roasted garlic paste just made sense.  Why not?  It adds a subtle garlic taste without being overwhelming.

The vinaigrette is a perfect pairing, it really lightens it up and adds a fresh citrus flavor.  We’ve also made the salad with red leaf lettuce instead of the spinach, and I think romaine would be good as well, or even a mix of greens.
Serve the pizza with the chicken and salad and let everyone make a kind of taco or wrap out of it, adding the vinaigrette to the salad beforehand, or serving on the side.

Grilled Pizza with Roasted Garlic Chicken and Citrus Vinaigrette

For the pizza:
1 batch pizza dough
reserved garlic oil, or olive oil

Raise dough as usual in recipe.  Separate into 8 balls.
Roll out each dough ball on an unfloured surface to about 8-10 inches across.  Brush with garlic oil.  Grill over medium heat (I used a grill pan).

Cook for a couple minutes on each side.  It’s ready to flip when it starts to bubble.

Brush with the garlic oil.
Keep warm in a tortilla keeper if desired.

For the Chicken:
4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
1 1/2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
4 T roasted garlic paste

Coat the chicken with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill over medium heat (again using a grill pan or outdoor grill) for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.   Spread with garlic paste and et rest.  Cut into strips.

For the Salad:
8 cups baby spinach
1 1/2 cups diced mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups tomato wedges
1/4 cup red onion, slivered
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Toss together.  Toss with vinaigrette or serve on the side.

For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
2 lemons (about 1/3 cup juice)
1 orange (about 1/3 cup juice)
1 shallot, diced
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Juice the lemons and orange.  Combine in a blender with shallot and salt and pepper.  With motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream until creamy.  Adjust seasoning if needed.

Recipe adapted from Michael Chiarello

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Chicken / Turkey, Pizza, Salad / Dressings

Easy Roasted Garlic

June 20, 2012 by

Roasted garlic is one of my favorite ingredients.  It’s a main staple around here, and luckily my hubby loves it too… or we might need counseling. ; )
I love to keep a good amount on hand in my freezer since I go through it quite a bit, but I have to admit sometimes I get tired of the sticky mess of squeezing the garlic out of skins like I have always done in my old recipe.

Once I was making appetizers for a church function for a couple hundred people, and I had the brilliant idea of making homemade baguettes with roasted garlic butter for one of the appetizers.  Only I thought I would buy the peeled garlic cloves and roast them that way.  I tossed them with a bit of olive oil and wrapped them in foil.  Into the oven they went to roast.. and then the smoke began.  The whole house was filled with garlicky smoke (not in a good way I might add!) and we were all coughing and tearing up.. I think we ended up eating out for dinner that night to get away from the smell!
When I saw this recipe I was doubtful it would work but I figured it was worth one more shot.  I’m so glad I tried it! Not only did the garlic come out perfectly, it was simple and easy and in the end I was left with some garlic infused olive oil that I have no problems finding a use for!  Check back tomorrow for an amazing use for both!

EASY ROASTED GARLIC
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound peeled garlic cloves (about 3 cups) I buy a big bag at Costco
1/4 tsp salt
pinch pepper

Heat the oven 350 degrees.
Using an oven proof pan, heat the olive oil on the stovetop over medium high heat.  Add the garlic cloves, then season with salt and pepper.
When the cloves are lightly golden brown, put the pan in the oven.

Roast for about 20 minutes (more or less) or until they are browned.
Don’t over brown them, then they won’t mash.  You want them soft but still getting that roasting flavor from some browning.
Let cool, the remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
Mash and store in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for later use.
Reserve oil for use in sautéing, vinaigrettes, etc.

Recipe slightly adapted from Michael Chiarello

 

Filed Under: Freezer

Blondies

June 15, 2012 by

 

I have a favorite brownie recipe.  But blondies? I had tried a couple recipes that were just so/so, but not as good as I wanted.  It was almost bedtime, and as I was flipping through a favorite cookbook I spotted this recipe.  I had to give it a try, so I whipped them together and they were out of the oven before storytime.
They smelled amazing as they came out of the oven and the first bite did not disappoint.  They are moist and chewy, and exactly what I’ve been searching for.  And while they make a fairly big pan, don’t expect these to stick around for too long unless you bury them in the back of the freezer, covered with frozen peas or broccoli.
I shared some with a couple friends, and the recipe requests came immediately.
I think next time I might try them with dried cranberries or cherries instead of the walnuts, just to mix it up a little.

BLONDIES
4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 1/2 cups brown sugar (recipe originally called for dark, but I use light)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
2 heaping cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 3/4 cups walnut pieces, toasted

Mix the melted butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl.  Allow to cool slightly if warm, then whisk in eggs and vanilla.
Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined, then stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of the walnuts.
Grease a jelly roll pan (12 by 17 inches) and spread batter in pan.
Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips and walnuts across entire surface.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for an additional 16-21 minutes, or until edges are golden but still slightly soft.
Don’t bake until firm.  Cool completely before cutting in bars, then wrap in plastic wrap snugly.  Store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or wrap well and freeze.

Recipe source: The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread

Filed Under: Brownies / Bars

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

June 12, 2012 by
Father’s Day is coming up fast.  We keep it pretty simple around here, my hubby can usually expect a t shirt that the kids “decorate” for him and a yummy dessert.
Okay, and a nice dinner.. but he’s kind of used to that. 🙂
This is a super rich dessert, and best served in small slices since it’s so sweet, and of course with a glass of milk.  And seriously, when has the combination of peanut butter and chocolate ever been bad?
 
PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE
For the Cake:
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cups butter, at room temp
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
 
For the peanut butter glaze:
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2-4 T milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 T mini chocolate chips
 
Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
Use a hand or stand mixer to cream the peanut butter and butter together.  Add sugar, beat for 5 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined.
Add the flour mixture a little at a time until all incorporated.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Spray a 10 inch tube or bundt pan with PAM, then pour batter in and tap on the counter a couple of times to pop any air pockets.
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 325 degrees. (If cake is browning too quickly at an hour, cover top with foil.)
Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cool for 20 minutes, then flip onto a rack or platter to completely cool.
 
Make the glaze:  Whisk everything but the mini chocolate chips together in a bowl until smooth, adding milk to desired consistency.
Drizzle over cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.  Let glaze harden at room temperature, or put in the fridge to speed up.
 
Recipe slightly adapted from Recipe Girl
Filed Under: Cake / Cake Pops

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

June 7, 2012 by

My daughter finds very few things in this world as enjoyable as decorating cookies.  And while I agree it can be a lot of fun, it can also be a bit of work.  Before I know there are 50 cookie cutter out because we couldn’t decide which shapes to make.. bowls of colored frosting everywhere.. and the sprinkles.  Ohhhhh, the sprinkles.
But since we do enjoy it and end up having enough fun to be worth the mess, I’ll keep doing it.  But sometimes these are a great compromise.  The kids still get to frost them and get out the sprinkles, but no cutters are involved, and they are MUCH quicker to make.
But besides that, they’re just plain good.  These are super buttery and soft and taste like a cookie you would buy at a nice bakery.  I love that the frosting hardens up pretty good as well, without getting too crunchy.
That makes them great to give as a gift since they can be stacked without getting messy.

SOFT FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES

For cookies:
4 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 T baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 T vanilla extract (or 1-2 T vanilla bean paste)

For frosting:
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 T) unsalted butter, melted
1 T vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
1/2 cup milk (plus more if needed)
food coloring, optional

Make cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Mix for 2-3 minutes, beating until soft and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Then mix in the vanilla.
Add dry ingredients on low speed, mixing just until incorporated.
Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

For large cookies: scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball.  Flatten slightly and place on prepared baking sheets, 2-3 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes or jsut until set.  The edges should be just slightly browned if at all.  Let cool on baking sheet for several minutes, then cool on a wire rack completely.
For small cookies: Follow above directions, except make balls about 2 T in size and bake for about 8 minutes.

Make frosting: Place powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
Add butter, vanilla, and milk and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in more milk if needed, 1 tsp at a time, to desired consistency.  Color if desired.
Spread on cooled cookies.  If frosting thickens too much, just add a small amount of milk to make workable.  Store in an airtight container.

Recipe slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats

 

Filed Under: Cookies

Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs with Tomato Cream Sauce

June 5, 2012 by

I always have a stash of meatballs in my freezer for quick dinners, but every now and again I’ll make these for something a little more special.
This is one of my hubby’s favorite meals, and on the top of my list as well.  I love that it’s so simple to make, but feels like a special dinner.
Especially if you serve it with fresh baguettes.
One warning though, if you don’t get these to the table and serve dinner promptly… well, there won’t be any for dinner. : )
Between my hubby and 5 year old, these can be polished off in a flash.

MOZZARELLA STUFFED MEATBALLS
WITH TOMATO CREAM SAUCE
For the Meatballs:
3 T olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 slices firm bread, cut in small cubes
1/2 cup milk
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 T Italian seasoning
8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 24 cubes

For the Sauce:
3 garlic cloves, crushed
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup milk or cream

To serve:
1 lb spaghetti, cooked al dente
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Heat 1 T olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic, saute until softened, then put on a plate to cool.
Place the bread cubes in a bowl and pour the milk over.  Let soak.
Combine the beef, pork, egg, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl.
Squeeze excess milk from bread and add to meat mixture along with cooled onions.
Use your hands to gently combine everything.  Divide mixture into 24 balls (I find it easiest to divide bowl contents in quarters, then each quarter into 6).

Wrap each meatball around a cube of mozzarella, incasing completely.
Place on a cookie sheet and repeat until done.
Heat the  remaining 2 T olive oil in a large skillet (I find a large electric skillet makes this go quite faster.)
Working in batches, sear the meatballs on all sides, don’t cook all the way through, just brown the outside.
Then return to the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

While meatballs are baking, cook the noodles and make the sauce.
In same skillet used to sear meatballs, saute garlic.
Add crushed tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and sugar.
Let simmer for a few minutes, add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in cream or milk, then add noodles and toss with sauce, then add meatballs and top with basil.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

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Filed Under: Beef, Pasta, Pork, Sauces / Condiments