Okay, Summer, welcome! The garden missed you and so did jwa. I could go either way, but I know the garden enjoys you so it’s okay. Except that it’s hot. Which I guess is okay because then I can make huge salads for dinner. Hey, kind of like this one!

I used the Alton Brown recipe for inspiration and then sort of changed it. A bit less spinach, less bacon, balsamic for red wine vinegar and I added garbanzos and feta for more of a dinner salad type thing. It was delicious! Plus, it gave me an excuse to buy bacon outside of the traditional bacon season in this household (Oct – Feb). Hooray for rule-breaking!

Spinach and Feta Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing Recipe adapted from Alton Brown 6 ounces baby spinach 2 large eggs 4 pieces bacon 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground black . . . → Read More: Spinach and Feta Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing]]>

Okay, Summer, welcome! The garden missed you and so did jwa. I could go either way, but I know the garden enjoys you so it’s okay. Except that it’s hot. Which I guess is okay because then I can make huge salads for dinner. Hey, kind of like this one!

I used the Alton Brown recipe for inspiration and then sort of changed it. A bit less spinach, less bacon, balsamic for red wine vinegar and I added garbanzos and feta for more of a dinner salad type thing. It was delicious! Plus, it gave me an excuse to buy bacon outside of the traditional bacon season in this household (Oct – Feb). Hooray for rule-breaking!

Spinach and Feta Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Recipe adapted from Alton Brown
6 ounces baby spinach
2 large eggs
4 pieces bacon
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Wash, drain and pat dry thoroughly. Place into a large mixing bowl and set aside. Place the eggs in a soup pot and cover with cold water by at least 1-inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. When it starts boiling, turn the heat off and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse eggs in cold water until you can handle them easily, then peel and slice.

Fry the bacon and when done, drain on a paper towel lines plate. Reserve the bacon grease. When the bacon is cool enough to handle crumble up and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons bacon fat to a small pan and over low heat, whisk in the vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Season with a small pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. For some reason, I whisked all my non-bacon fat ingredients together in a bowl and then poured the bowl’s contents into the pan with the bacon grease. I’m not sure why I did that. It just dirtied an extra bowl…but the picture is nice!

Add the mushrooms, sliced onion, garbanzo beans, eggs, bacon and feta to the spinach and toss. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and a little sprinkle of salt. Add the dressing and toss again to combine. Divide the spinach between two big plates or bowls. Serve immediately.

This is a delicious Summer meal in that it is relatively quick and can be served room temperature (or even chilled). We had it recently and there was not a leftover to be had. It was originally a shrimp & salsa-type recipe but I turned the salsa into a salad by adding quinoa, beans, and feta cheese. It was great with some hot sauce on the side and a bottle of cold Sauvignon Blanc.

Okay, I think that’s all I got. I haven’t gotten too much sleep the last two nights and it appears that’s my limit. Bedtime at 8pm? For me, ‘fraid so.

Chile Grilled Shrimp with Corn, Avocado & Quinoa Salad Adapted from a recipe in Steven Raichlen’s Indoor! Grilling 1lb large shrimp, peeled and de-veined 1 tbsp chile powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp olive . . . → Read More: Chile Grilled Shrimp with Corn, Avocado & Quinoa Salad]]>

This is a delicious Summer meal in that it is relatively quick and can be served room temperature (or even chilled). We had it recently and there was not a leftover to be had. It was originally a shrimp & salsa-type recipe but I turned the salsa into a salad by adding quinoa, beans, and feta cheese. It was great with some hot sauce on the side and a bottle of cold Sauvignon Blanc.

Okay, I think that’s all I got. I haven’t gotten too much sleep the last two nights and it appears that’s my limit. Bedtime at 8pm? For me, ‘fraid so.

Chile Grilled Shrimp with Corn, Avocado & Quinoa Salad
Adapted from a recipe in Steven Raichlen’s Indoor! Grilling
1lb large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 tbsp chile powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil + a little extra for drizzling on the salad
1/2 cup Quinoa
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
2 to 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (plus lime wedges for serving)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
1 ear sweet corn, shucked
3 tbsp diced red onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the Shrimp:
Place the chile powder, garlic powder, oregano, cumin, salt pepper and olive oil in a mixing bowl and whisk to mix. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Let the shrimp marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

I used a grill pan but you could also grill outdoors. For a grill pan, preheat it over medium heat. And when it’s really hot, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan.

Cook the marinated shrimp 1 to 3 minutes per side. They’ll turn pink and hopefully get a little bit of char from the marinade.

For the Salad:
Cook quinoa according to package instructions (usually, it’d be 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water, salt, boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes). Set aside to cool.

Cut the kernels off the corn. I usually do this just standing the corn up in a very large bowl and slicing down the sides. This way, I also get any liquid or flying corn kernels in the bowl (instead of on the floor, wall, counter, etc…). Place the avocado in the bowl and gently toss it and the corn with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Add the diced bell pepper, jalapeño, cooked and cooled quinoa, garbanzo beans, feta and cilantro to the mixing bowl and gently toss it all to mix. Drizzle with a little olive oil.

Taste for seasoning, adding more lime juice as necessary and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add shrimp to the top of the salad.

Serve at room temperature or chilled and with lime wedges.

This was an easy and delicious Valentine’s Day dinner. I made the herb butter the day before (as well as grinding up the dried porcinis then) and the rest jwa and I made together last night. Teamwork!

I was surprised at how much I loved the kale. I’ve always cooked kale but this was a great way to eat it raw. I plan on making this salad a lot more this Winter.

And the beef. What is there to say about filet mignon with a nice, herbed pat of butter on top? Besides, “mmmmmmmmmmmmmm…” And of course, “Thank you cow, you were delicious!”

Porcini-Crusted Filet Mignon with Fresh Herb Butter Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine 3 tbsp butter 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon 1 small garlic clove, pressed about half of a .5 oz package dried porcini mushrooms 2 1-inch-ish-thick filet mignon steaks 1 tbsp olive oil Kosher salt & freshly . . . → Read More: Be My Valentine: Porcini-Crusted Filet Mignon with Fresh Herb Butter]]>

This was an easy and delicious Valentine’s Day dinner. I made the herb butter the day before (as well as grinding up the dried porcinis then) and the rest jwa and I made together last night. Teamwork!

I was surprised at how much I loved the kale. I’ve always cooked kale but this was a great way to eat it raw. I plan on making this salad a lot more this Winter.

And the beef. What is there to say about filet mignon with a nice, herbed pat of butter on top? Besides, “mmmmmmmmmmmmmm…” And of course, “Thank you cow, you were delicious!”

Porcini-Crusted Filet Mignon with Fresh Herb Butter
Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 small garlic clove, pressed
about half of a .5 oz package dried porcini mushrooms
2 1-inch-ish-thick filet mignon steaks
1 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl for herb butter. Season butter to taste with salt and pepper.

Roll up in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours to a day.

Process dried porcini mushrooms in spice grinder to fine powder.

Transfer powder to plate. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Press steaks into porcini powder to coat both sides well.

Melt 1 tablespoon herb butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy, large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Transfer steaks to plates. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of herb butter atop each steak and serve.

And to go with your plate of meaty deliciousness?

Tuscan Kale and Parmesan Salad
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
1/3 – 1/2 pound Tuscan kale (also called lacinato kale) or tender regular kale, stems and center ribs discarded
1 tbsp finely chopped shallot or sweet onion
1 scant tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Whisk together shallot (or onion), lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.

Toss kale and Parmesan in a large bowl with enough dressing to coat well, then season with salt and pepper. Let sit about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Well, it looks like this is the second salad post in a row. I will fix that by posting about ice cream next!

This recipe made a great cold lunch. You could serve it hot or warm, but I think it works just as well as a cold salad. The nice part there is you could roast all the veggies the night before (or in the AM), when it is cooler, toss it all together (minus the dressing), and then serve it later in the day, with the cool mango-sesame dressing. I actually made the salad at night, divided it out into bowls, packed the dressing up on the side, and both jwa and I had it for lunch at work the next day.

The original recipe just had snap peas, but I substituted green beans and added a bunch of other vegetables (and decreased the grilled . . . → Read More: Asian Chicken Noodle Salad with Roasted Vegetables]]>

Well, it looks like this is the second salad post in a row. I will fix that by posting about ice cream next!

This recipe made a great cold lunch. You could serve it hot or warm, but I think it works just as well as a cold salad. The nice part there is you could roast all the veggies the night before (or in the AM), when it is cooler, toss it all together (minus the dressing), and then serve it later in the day, with the cool mango-sesame dressing. I actually made the salad at night, divided it out into bowls, packed the dressing up on the side, and both jwa and I had it for lunch at work the next day.

The original recipe just had snap peas, but I substituted green beans and added a bunch of other vegetables (and decreased the grilled chicken to one breast, instead of two). I also chose to use frozen mango pieces, instead of the original recipe’s prepared, jarred mango chutney.

You can really add whatever vegetables you like here — as few or as many that you’d like. I kind of just used this as an excuse to clean out my produce bin. An excess of summer zucchini would probably work well here too!

Asian Chicken Noodle Salad with Roasted Vegetables
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine — makes 2-4 servings, depending on how hungry you are
12 ounces green beans, trimmed
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin 2.5-inch long pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into thin 2.5-inch long pieces
1/2 a white onion, halved and sliced into 1/2 rings
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
10 cherry tomatoes, halved if large
1 8- to 9-ounce package fresh Japanese-style noodles (such as udon)
1 tbsp Asian sesame oil
1 grilled chicken breast, cut horizontally in half, then crosswise into thin strips
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thai basil
Toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup frozen mango slices (or chunks), defrosted — of course fresh will work too!
6 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
6 3/4 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp (or to taste) dried crushed red pepper

Make Dressing:
Combine all ingredients in blender. Cover tightly; blend until dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to use. Leftover dressing can be kept refrigerated for about a week.

Salad:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange all vegetables to a baking sheet. It’ll look like a lot but vegetables always cook down. Sprinkle with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes. remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, add noodles to boiling water. Cook until tender but firm, 3 minutes (or as directed on package). Transfer to large bowl. Toss noodles with sesame oil. Add roasted vegetables, chicken, green onions and basil; toss with enough dressing to coat.

Arrange salad in bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Extra dressing works great with almost anything. A dip for vegetables, sauce for more grilled chicken, spring rolls…a spoon.

The other day, I checked the freezer and discovered a bag of frozen, shelled edamame. Then, I searched online for something interesting to do with it. I found something that was both interesting and delicious, for this is a very tasty and refreshing salad. The ginger works well, as does the garlic I added to the original recipe, which sadly, had none. So sad. Everything needs garlic.

Anyway, we had this salad on the side with some Japanese grilled fish (salmon). That recipe is here and was also quite good. Together, the pair made a great, light Summer dinner.

Oh! And big discovery — I pulled the husks and silks away from the cobs, rubbed the corn with olive oil and grilled it on my grill pan! About 15 minutes total time and it was done and ready to use in the recipe. That’s a . . . → Read More: It’s Summer! Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad]]>

The other day, I checked the freezer and discovered a bag of frozen, shelled edamame. Then, I searched online for something interesting to do with it. I found something that was both interesting and delicious, for this is a very tasty and refreshing salad. The ginger works well, as does the garlic I added to the original recipe, which sadly, had none. So sad. Everything needs garlic.

Anyway, we had this salad on the side with some Japanese grilled fish (salmon). That recipe is here and was also quite good. Together, the pair made a great, light Summer dinner.

Oh! And big discovery — I pulled the husks and silks away from the cobs, rubbed the corn with olive oil and grilled it on my grill pan! About 15 minutes total time and it was done and ready to use in the recipe. That’s a nice alternative to going outside to grill for just a couple of ears of corn (especially here, as it was just in a salad and not to be eaten on the cob). I was quite proud of myself for coming up with this method of cooking corn inside, because I certainly didn’t want to turn on the oven or boil it.

Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad
Recipe adapted from one published in Self Magazine
2 ears fresh corn, unhusked, or 1 1/4 cups cooked corn kernels
1/2 cup shelled edamame (frozen is fine, just cook according to package)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Soak fresh corn in cold water about 30 minutes. Heat grill on high. Grill corn in husk, 10 to 15 minutes, turning once. Let cool. Remove husks. Cut corn from cob into a bowl; combine with remaining ingredients.

Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Give it a stir and you’re good to go!

Coming up sometime in the future: something Greek, from the new $5.99 clearance Greek cookbook I scored at Borders, Miso-glazed fish, and a tasty halibut recipe!