I am dieting. *sigh* I said it and just as I said it - I found these. I may have to take a day off.
Shy Brothers Farm - Hannahbells
Evil evil people.
Here is the NYTimes article written by Satan to tempt me.
It worked.
The CSA is burying us in tomatoes. I have never been a big fan of tomatoes or should I say raw tomatoes. Something about the squishy seedy texture. I avoided them for a long time. To be fair to myself, the typical tomato is a sad tasteless thing.
America has killed the tomato. *bows head*
Or so I thought....then the Heirloom varieties raised their ugly, deformed little heads. Purple...green...blood red...maroon...shaped like brains or tumors and oh so delicious.
One of my favorites salads is the Italian Insalata Panzanella. But in the past I would pick around the tomatoes and feast on the dressing coated bread. But Heirlooms have made that behavior a thing of the past.
*angels sing* Here is the recipe and this....is what I will eat ALL WEEK. Amen.
Insalata Panzanella
Salad for 2
1 Ciabatta or any dense peasant bread (probably not best with a seeded bread)
8 oz. fresh heirloom tomatoes (get a really ugly one!), chopped in chunks - not too small now
1T. red wine vinegar
fresh lemon juice
small bell pepper, sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/3 red onion, sliced
Fresh basil
1/2 avocado
2T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Rub your salad bowl with the raw garlic clove. Toss the bell pepper, the tomatoes and the red onion in the bowl. Sprinkle salt/pepper over tomatoes. Slice the avocado on top and add the basil.
Dressing - mix the vinegar, lemon juice and oil together. Add chunked bread to bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Toss and eat.
My submission for the Newman's Own summer recipe contest.
Newman’s Own Lighten Up! Italian Grilled Vegetable Salad
Serves/Makes: 6 Prep: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
8 ounces boxed couscous
2 red peppers – sliced into 1inch chunks
1 green pepper – sliced into 1 inch chunks
1 red onion - sliced into 1 inch chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 ounces fresh spinach, chopped
2 teaspoons roasted minced garlic (available in your produce section by the jarred garlic) - optional
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup Newman’s Own Lighten Up! Salad Dressing
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
Wooden skewers
Directions:
Prep and heat grill for vegetables.
Cook couscous according to package directions. Set aside and cool.
Toss the red and green peppers and the red onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt and pepper. Slide the vegetable chunks (kabob style) onto wood skewers. Place the skewers on a hot grill until vegetables have grill marks and are softened. Approx. 10 minutes.
Add grilled vegetables, fresh spinach, oregano, parsley, lemon juice, and the Newman’s dressing to the couscous and toss mixture. Chill salad for 1 hour.
Toss with Feta cheese before serving.
Gluten free cooking is a bit out of the norm for me. I am all carbs all the time and going without wheat just seems - well whats the point? But I do understand that some people avoid it from an intolerance standpoint.
My friend B is not friend of gluten and came to stay for the weekend. I wanted to do my famous Sunday breakfast for her but alas my pancakes were on the NO list. So I went looking for some GF alternatives.
Gluten Free Girl is good at what she does and she does a lot of GF cooking. Here is a link to her recipe for Blueberry Polenta pancakes. A few notes:
Alise's Blueberry Maple Compote
2 cups of fresh or frozen blue berries
1 cup Vermont maple syrup
1 TB of corn starch or King Arthur's Signature Secrets Culinary Thickener
squeeze of fresh lemon for brightness or 1tsp. almond extract
In a saucepan, heat blueberries and syrup until the berries burst. Add the thickening agent - if you are using the King Arthur product just add directly to the blueberry mixture. If you are using corn starch, dissolve in 2 tablespoons of water before adding.
Remove the pan from heat and add the lemon or the extract. Serve warm.
Last night, we picked purple beans from the CSA. Made a fresh bean salad on the fly.
Cold Lemon Purple Bean Salad
3 cups purple beans, trimmed
12 half medium red onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup feta, crumbled
Blanch the beans for 30 seconds in boiling water. You want them to stay crisp! Add the other ingredients and toss.
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in jar with lid and shake vigorously. Add to vegetable mixture and toss.
Just back from NYC...will have some food reviews to post. Also, its CSA day! Will post tonight.
I am itching for a fight. No...a showdown...NO a Dinner Impossible episode!!!!!!! I have thought about competitively cooking for a while. Visions of me in a white apron holding that fabulous pie/cake/entree/appetizer and humbly accepting that WHOPPING check while my fellow contestants look on with seething envy.
"How does she do it? It tastes like pure heaven. Bitch.", they mumble under their breath.
Of course, I am there just for the pure joy of cooking - the money and the admiration are nothing next to the satisfaction I feel from just nourishing my fellow human beings. *sigh*
Of course those who know me are now crying BULLSHIT and they would be right. I have a mean competitive streak. Even the other night it lead me to tormenting a 12 year old after wiping up the floor with him at UNO. Hey, he was the one that started talking smack first. But I digress...
Cooking contests...I am ready to join in on the fray. I have won one contest for some Thai spiced nuts
So since receiving these lovely (though I have to admit also gritty) salad greens, it has felt a bit...um...sacriligious to put regular goopy store bought dressing on their delicate leaves. Inspired by my step mother who has a famous old Grey Poupon jar that doubles as a salad dressing maker, I make a fabulous EASY dressing for almost any type of salad.
Honey Mustard Dressing by Yours Truly (psssst...thats me)
1 TB Grey Poupon Country Dijon mustard (yes yes I have tried others including the REAL french ones and NOPE not even close)
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 tsp. fresh chopped garlic
2 tsp. honey
pinch of salt and pepper
Now all of these measurements are subject to your personal taste. I say add all the items and then start adding more and tasting along the way. Some people like a more tart taste - more vinegar. Others - more sweet hence more honey.
If you are really fancy - blend them all in a blender for a really creamy dressing. I prefer a jam jar and the old "shake" method = less dishes to wash. I can also keep the extra in the fridge for the next day.
I encourage you to dress the salad as opposed to just pouring it over the greens and eating. Greens really don't need a lot of help to taste good. So go easy and toss the greens lightly with some dressing. Soggy leaves are nasty - even if its with this fabulous dressing.
Enjoy!
A
What a lovely way to close a day. I arrived just at the tail end of pick up. Here is the list of delights that I picked.
Last night's dinner: Adam's 7 seed bread, Does Leap goat cheese, garlic chives, Malden Smoked Salt flakes and a lovely mixed greens salad.
As I looked over the last few postings I noticed a trend my posts...BBQ. Here is an article from the NY Times on South Carolina BBQ. Mmmmmmm.....
Scott’s Variety Store and Bar-B-Q in Hemingway, S.C.
I am so excited my town's farmers market opens tomorrow. My neighbor Mark is the local bread supplier - Mollybean Breads - named after his precocious daughter Molly. That little blond girl walked right up to my door and invited herself in. I have cats you see. :-)
I have loved BBQ since I was little. My grandmothers were from North Carolina and they made that delicious peppery-vinegar BBQ. Top it with some coleslaw on a squishy white bun and you were in heaven. My grandmothers have both passed but my mother carries on the tradition but with her own flair - gourmet buns, more hot sauce then my grandmothers would have thought proper and her own stellar coleslaw.
We ordered the Pork Ribs and the Pulled pork with Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans and Slaw. I missing one side and maybe M will help me out. Can we hear the WAWAHHHHH please?And they have risen in Burlington, Vermont. Hi all....its been a while. But I am ready to start blogging again.
I won't go over the last 6 months in detail. The bare facts are...I live in Westford, Vermont in a beautiful, cute saltbox house in the woods. I have a newly planted herb garden and I am now starting to cook regularly.
So we are off....tonight since there is a dearth of good Mexican food I will be attempting healthy chicken enchiladas!
Wish me luck... A
So its official...my new title is to be Alise Brasch - flatlander. I will be moving to Vermont in mid-October. Home of Green Mountains, the Fresh Network, City Market, American Flatbread and the very patient M. Look for a change in scenary for the blog. And thanks to everyone for the well wishes and support.
Ok. Some of the items on this list are a bit daunting - others a no brainer. The UK blog Very Good Taste has issued a challenge. Are you up for it?
Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results.
Here is my list.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison - yes. Tom Bennett's house in college. They told me it was steak then Tom leaned over and whispered "How's Bambi?
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros - spicy morning goodness - like my eggs scrambled please
4. Steak tartare - Fritzls in Lake Zurich - shared it with my uncle. I loved the spicy mustard and shallots that came with it. Come to think of it - I love ANYTHING with mustard and shallots as a side (pate!)
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue - ohhhhh one of my favorites. Started at Geja's at the age of 14 - its been downhill ever since!
8. Carp
9. Borscht - Miss Brandy's borscht - sitting in her lovely abode and slurping her bright pink soup.
10. Baba ghanoush - not loving the eggplant
11. Calamari
12. Pho - Tank Noodle on Argyle.
13. PB&J sandwich - WHO doesn't love it?
14. Aloo gobi1
5. Hot dog from a street cart - I keep breaking my 1 hot dog a year rule. I love hot dogs.
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle - yum
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes - Blueberry wine from Vermont.
19. Steamed pork buns - WOW BAO and long walks in the blue city
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes - the only tomato I like
22. Fresh wild berries - sweet strawberries
23. Foie gras - Le Francais for my grandfather's 90th. I would rather eat pate.
24. Rice and beans - like mine soupy and in New Orleans
25. Brawn, or head cheese - I think I accidently ate this in Germany. It was cold and nasty.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - do I dare?
27. Dulce de leche - from a spoon!
28. Oysters - Oysters Rockafeller after graduating from Clams Casino. Remember those summer motobike rides? Mmmmmm....
29. Baklava - Deb's baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas - make my nose run
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - I''ll take the bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut - just starting to appreciate this sourness
35. Root beer float - pass on the root beer
36. Cognac with a fat cigar - I could get into this one but I will take hand rolled cigarittos please
37. Clotted cream tea - yum
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O - New Orleans Bourben Street - '08
39. Gumbo - see above
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk - does cheese count?
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu - risk your life for this one?
47. Chicken tikka masala - Hema's on Oakley.
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut - only warm they suck cold
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear - prickly pear shakes
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer - again Hema's
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal - Big Mac's are just TOO MUCH
56. Spaetzle - my family's comfort food
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine - really bad Poutine in the Montreal airport.
60. Carob chips - a little dusty but not bad
61. S’mores - i hate all marshmellows except burnt ones in this combo
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst - Blue's favorite
65. Durian - smelled this in Thailand - reeked right out of the plastic. Heard it tastes like custard
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake - yes to all please
68. Haggis - I think Brandy loved this one
69. Fried plantain - these are so good with rice and beans
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho - All kinds are wonderful. I remember watermelon gazpacho from that place.
72. Caviar and blini - salty and overrated
73. Louche absinthe - been dying to try this stuff
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - does eating at the Roadkill cafe in Sturgis count??
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie - apple.
78. Snail - chewy and lots of garlic and butter
79. Lapsang souchong - lovely tea
80. Bellini - not loving the peach
81. Tom yum - oh yes - just tried this in the last few years. I love coconut milk.
82. Eggs Benedict - scramble the egg
83. Pocky - I remember sharing pocky - could have gone through boxes and boxes. Like the almond chocolate ones.
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef - Top Australian chef at a lovely Thai restaurant
86. Hare
87. Goulash - Kuhn's for Sunday dinner
88. Flowers - almost too lovely to eat
89. Horse - almost in Montreal. Blue was up for it - I wasn't
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam - NO NO NO
92. Soft shell crab - freaks me out. Eating the endoskeleton. But I will eat eggs - go figure
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano - rain, centro, deserted restaurant. feet out windows
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor - a version at Vermillion - not a big hit
98. Polenta - oh yes
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee - not as great as I thought
100. Snake
I have always loved road trips. Something about touching 5 states in a small amount of time - whether by car or motobike has always thrilled me. In the car, it is the challenge of filling 14 hours with conversation and finding the best pie. Motobike gave me temperature changes and the ultimate test of how long my ass could hold out.
M and I decided to roadtrip down to NOLA for K and E's wedding. I loved the idea - M made faces about 14 hours in the car. We started out late on Wednesday after a lovely breakfast at Southport Grocery. A bit frustrating for me as they did not have my beloved peppadews. I believe I asked if they indeed had them, received an affirmative and then received a salad without them. M thought my frustration was very amusing.
We went straight to Memphis and arrived in time for dinner. As is totally uncharacteristic for me, I had forgotten all my research and we had no clue as to dinner locations. We did know we wanted BBQ - hey its Memphis! M did a quick search on the GPS and lo and behold there was Neeley's. Some of you know Neeley's from the Food Network - family does BBQ. So again I was excited. M was exhausted from listening to my mouth run for 7 hours. And you didn't think I talked much... *smirk*
We ordered the combination platter - brisket, pulled pork, and ribs. It also came with the lovely fatty sides - mac and cheese, cole slaw, etc. The brisket was dry - a disappointment after missing Miss N's brisket this holiday season. The pulled pork was yummy and the ribs were also good. A bit disappointing for so much hype. M and I both agreed we needed more sauce. Maybe its the northerners in us. I was craving the peach cobbler but felt overstuffed as is. So how does a Maytag Blue Cheesecake starter sound? Heard great things about this place. Maybe next weekend.
May Street Market
Ok. I am not a huge fan of the frozen meal. But I have been known to eat a Mac and Cheese Lean Cuisine in an effort to not totally blow my diet and as a way to appease that fat, cheesy craving. I do, however, realize they really are crap and not a great way to fuel my body at work.
