summer 2012

While it's not officially summer, its already 90 everyday and like every other American family we spent our memorial day kicking off the start of summer fun. Of course our brand of celebrating revolved around the barbecue and hanging out in our dirt pit back yard. :( I am obviously a failure at maintaing a yard and my neighbors all hate me but that's another blog. Anyway on to the important stuff... Jon made a brisket and smoked a side of salmon, which we ate on all weekend. Tony and I had fun with desserts -sweet and saltines -thanks Trisha Yearwood. You both know my affinity for sweet and salty desserts and this was ridiculously simple and mildly (VERY) addictive. You will want to give some of these away because it makes a half sheet pan and you will want to eat ALL of them.

 We also made rhubarb ice cream -I know I just posted about ice cream but it just never gets old trying out new flavors. Usually rhubarb is paired with strawberry and I feel like I never have a grasp on what rhubarb really tastes like. So we did it and I have a new understanding of rhubarb. Tart flavor like a cranberry but with a great silky texture and it turned the ice cream a perfect shade of pale pink. Basically I cooked it down, pureed it, and added it to my favorite vanilla custard base.

Lately I have been making this simple side dish which is requested by both Jon and Tony (Sammy gets the pureed and underseasoned version HA) its a corn and edamame casserole. So here's the recipes below. Can't wait to see what you girls have been up to.

Sweet and Saltines
2 packages saltine crackers
2 stick butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 bag chocolate chips

Lay out saltine (salt side down) on a greased 1/2 sheet pan or slipmat lined sheet pan

Melt butter and sugar in a small saucepan and allow to boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and add vanilla

Pour butter sugar mix over saltines trying to coat evenly

Bake in 350 oven for 5 minutes

Pull out from oven and layer chocolate chips over the crackers

Allow to sit for 5 minutes and the take an offset spatula and spread chocolate into and even layer

Allow to cool and break into random size pieces

Rhubarb Ice Cream
2 large stalks rhubarb
1/2 c. sugar
1 orange -juice and zest
Bring to a simmer and allow to rhubarb to break down -About 10-15 minutes
Set aside and cool
Puree until a smooth paste

1 c. milk
2 c. heavy cream
pinch salt
3/4 c. sugar
vanilla bean -split
5 egg yolks

Heat milk, salt, sugar, and vanilla bean
Temper eggs
Chill very well

Add rhubarb puree and churn in ice cream maker


Corn and Edamame
4 ears fresh corn -cut off the cob and scraped completely clean catching all the milk that comes out
1 bag frozen edamame
1/2 red bell pepper -diced small
1/2 yellow onion -diced small
1 stick butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
3 Tb dry ranch dressing seasoning
1 Tb basil -minced
1 Tb cilantro -minced
1 Tb flat leaf parsley -minced

Combine all ingredients except herbs in a casserole dish
Bake in oven /about 30 minutes
mix in fresh herbs at the last minutes

Salmon Salad
great to do with leftover salmon -I mix up the produce just based on what i have lying around
2 limes zested and juiced
2 lemons zested and juiced
1 Tb dijon mustard
2 Tb honey
1 1/2-2 # cooked and cooled salmon -flaked into large chunks
1 c. corn (or leftover corn and edamame salad)
1/2 bunch cilantro
5-6 basil leaves -chiffonade
1/2 red onion -diced
1/4 c. diced celery
1/4 c. green onions -sliced
2 avocados -diced small
1 small can mandarin oranges -drained
salt and pepper TT

Combine citrus, mustard, and honey
Pour over remaining ingredients, carefully folding in avocado and oranges so they don't break up too much
Allow to sit for 1 hour
Taste and adjust seasoning

Smoked queso

I saw this recipe in better homes and gardens and thought I should give it a try. It's not a traditional queso with American cheese but it's made with real cheddar and Monterey jack cheese it's gooey and yummy! This is basically a fundito style queso that you have to pull the stringy melted cheese out with a warm tortilla.

Smoked queso
8 oz Monterey jack-cubed
8 oz mild cheddar-cubed
1/2 onion -diced
2 cloves garlic -minced
3 jalapeños - diced small
2 Roma tomatoes- diced small
1 tsp dry oregano
2 tsp season salt
Place cheese around cast iron skillet leaving space between each one Put onto 250 smoker and allow to melt Don't overcook or cheese will separate While cheese is melting sauté onions garlic and jalapeños until soft Add tomatoes and seasoning When cheese is melted add tomato topping

Starting It Off Right

The Week ahead includes our anniversary, a neighbors wedding, and an overnight at the Cherokee "Hard Rock" Casino so we are getting in our greens NOW while we have will power. I made a Warm Chicken Salad with Pears, Sweet Peppers, Green Onions, Toasted Pine Nuts, Croutons, Leftover Roast Chicken (re-heated), and tossed with a dressing (rosemary, lemon juice, sherry vinegar & whole grain mustard). I really do LOVE salads and don't know why I don't make them as Entrees more often. Perhaps a mid-year resolution ;-).... NOW if I just had some Coffee Ice-Cream!

SUNDAY'S NIGHT DINNER

Blackened Chicken with Avocado Sauce and Couscous

   2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

   ½ Teaspoon of Paprika

   ¼ Teaspoon of Salt

   ¼ Teaspoon of Pepper

   ¼ Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper

   ¼ Teaspoon of Onion Powder

   ¼ Teaspoon of Cumin

Mix all dry ingredients then coat both sides of the Chicken. I then threw theses on the Gas Grill but could easily do inside as well. Nice Flavor.

I served the Chicken over Couscous and topped with an Avocado Sauce made with Avocado and Greek Yogurt, simply puree. The coolness of the sauce was a nice touch in contrast to the heat of the Chicken. Have a Great Week!

hello coffee ice cream

So my weekend spent with Eli was much more focused on sewing (Eli may need a fabric intervention, but that's another blog...) but we really packed a lot in a short time. I love spending time in Denver. I always leave relaxed and inspired!! Dinner at Tables was fab, that tuna tar tar was so yummy and those cornmeal waffles... YUM! Anyway we made some tasty food ourselves including the best coffee ice cream I have ever had. I would put it up there with Hagendaas or Starbucks. We used a recipe from Dave Libovitz and when I make it again I'll back off the sugar just a touch maybe down to 1/2 c.. We did not add the coffee grinds at the end, but I'm sure it would be a great finishing touch. It might even offset the sugar.

Coffee Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups whole coffee beans (decaf unless you want the caffeine in your ice cream)

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon finely ground coffee (press grinds through a fine mesh sieve

Heat the milk, sugar, whole coffee beans, salt, and 1/2 cup of the cream in a medium saucepan until it is quite warm and steamy, but not boiling. Once the mixture is warm, cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Pour the remaining 1 cup of cream into a medium size metal bowl, set on ice over a larger bowl. Set a mesh strainer on top of the bowls. Set aside.

Reheat the milk and coffee mixture, on medium heat, until again hot and steamy (not boiling!). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks together. Slowly pour the heated milk and coffee mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly so that the egg yolks are tempered by the warm milk, but not cooked by it. Scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof, flat-bottomed spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula so that you can run your finger across the coating and have the coating not run. This can take about 10 minutes.

Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Press on the coffee beans in the strainer to extract as much of the coffee flavor as possible. Then discard the beans. Mix in the vanilla and finely ground coffee, and stir until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Hump Day

Just had to share a picture that one of our dinner guests took last week of the Mini Cherry Pies in a Jar (4/2 blog). I made those again and the Chicken Burgers again! Both are just so easy! Can't wait to see what you gals made over your sister's weekend visit. I'm in the mood for a  Cinco de Mayo menu, but might just settle for a Margarita. Happy Hump Day!