Vaction Food, Part 2

In my real life, I don't get to cook much.  I've mentioned it before, but my husband has a crazy/awful work schedule (he gets home at 9:30 pm), so I don't get to cook dinners the way I'd like to.  When you have to reheat dinners, you tend to go with things that won't dry out in the microwave...argh!  The mister's schedule is the bane of my existence.

One awesome part of being on vacation was getting to actually COOK a few meals.  I even grilled a few times (that's a big deal for me since I don't own a grill, thank you very much).  Here's one of the better meals I made:

Argentine Grilled Steaks with Peppers and Onions
I found this yummy sounding steak rub called Argentine Steak Rub while wondering around Cost Plus prior to vacation.  The spice rub contains salt, pepper, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, and fennel.  Unlike Greta, I love fennel (side note: have you ever tried grilled fennel? OMG...so amazing!).  Since the spice rub was already mixed and ready to go, I thought this would be an easy option for vacation cooking.

I bought a packet of sirloin steaks from the grocery, rubbed them down with a generous amount of the Argentine Steak Rub and then grilled them over a hot grill.  I like my steaks bloody (red and dripping!) but the hubs prefers his meat to be more on the "done" side, so I let the steaks go a little longer than I would have if I were just cooking for myself.  I let the meat rest and then sliced it up.  I was happy that there was still some pink, even if the blood wasn't running the way I like it.  I squeezed a lime over the sliced meat and served it with tortillas, peppers, onions, and guacamole.

I love fajitas--the combo of onions, peppers, and meat can't be beat!  So to add to my dinner, I sauteed some red, yellow and orange peppers with a Walla Walla sweet onion in olive oil.  I threw in garlic, salt, pepper, and a tiny bit of sugar to the peppers/onions and let them get good and cooked.  Nothing is better than caramelized onions and peppers!  I usually add thyme to my onions and peppers, but I wanted to keep things simple since I knew the meat was going to add all the herbs and spices I needed.

I also smooshed up an avocado together with a few cloves of garlic, a few scoops of already-made (store bought) salsa, and the juice of a lime.  I've been craving guacamole ever since my molcajete experiment, so I did a quick and easy version to satisfy my culinary urges.  Let me say this right now: I am freaking awesome with an avocado!  Though my quick guac paled in comparison to the real deal I made recently, it was fresh and yummy.  I even got my husband to try some and he actually liked it (this is a big damn deal!).

To finish the dinner off, I threw some tortillas in foil and tossed it onto the grill.  The bottom tortilla got slightly burnt by the grill, but this was a happy accident.  We used it to scoop up the guac when we were done with dinner, and I swear--that was better than any dessert I could have whipped up!

Burnt tortillas & guac--a happy accident!

Even though I had to cook and my poor (but well-fed) husband had to clean, this was one of the best meals we had all vacation.  I still have no plans to buy a grill, but I could get similar results on my grill pan, in the dead of winter when I need to conjure up some summertime memories.

Vacation Food, Part 1

Sadly, I am back from my week-long vacation on the coast of Washington.  Every year, my husband and I rent a super cute cottage on the Pacific for a week in July.  We like having a place to call home--a place with a kitchen so I can do some cooking if the mood strikes.  I did manage to whip up a few things this time around...and I'll get to that soon enough...but today I'm going to talk about our adventures eating out.

While the town where we rent our cottage is awesome, there's not a whole hell of a lot around.  That's part of the charm, I suppose!  So when it comes to eating out, we have limited options.  Thankfully, we've found a few really good choices.  If you're planning a trip to the Pacific Beach/Ocean Shores/Lake Quinault part of WA state, let me share with you my dining selections.

Crappy iphone camera!  The view from Ocean Crest's dining room ROCKS!

Ocean Crest Resort (Moclips, WA)
Moclips.  Great name for a town, eh?  If you drive fast enough, you just might blink and miss fabulous Moclips.  And you can certainly drive by the Ocean Crest Resort without thinking too much of it.  But what it lacks in curb appeal, Ocean Crest more than makes up for with its insanely beautiful view of the Pacific.

The restaurant is perched high up in the trees and overlooks the beach.  You dine on top of the world, with the ocean and setting sun in full view.  Your entertainment comes from various birds and other wildlife (we saw the resort's unofficial cat--Mr. Kitty--while eating there.  According to a waitress, raccoons sometimes make visits to the resort's bird feeders.)

The food is pretty good.  I wish they had a few more options on the menu, but that's just me.  Highlights of meals I've eaten there include: crab cakes (they come with a yummy red pepper puree!), Asian-style scallops (my mom's favorite thing on the menu), Louisiana-style shrimp (an appetizer, but I would LOVE it as a main dish over pasta), steamed clams with gremolata (a special appetizer that was high on the nom-factor--as in nom, nom, nom...delicious), and a dish of local chanterelle mushrooms (also a special appetizer that my mushroom fiend of a husband went wild for).

If you're a wine lover, this is the place to visit.  For being in a nothing town, Ocean Crest has a crazy wine selection and often hosts winemaker dinners.  Their wine steward is friendly and knowledgeable.  They recently added wine flights to their menu, and I had three wines from Charles Smith that were AMAZING.  

One final note about Ocean Crest: Apparently, this is one of Apolo Ohno's favorite vacation spots.  That's kind of awesome!

Sausage Roll and Mashed Potatoes/Cabbage at Galway Bay

Galway Bay (Ocean Shores, WA)
I'm not the biggest fan of Irish food, but for some reason, my husband loves it.  We always make at least one trip to Galway Bay and my hubby almost always gets either their sausage roll or chicken and mushroom pasty. The last time we went, I tried their fish and chips.  Oh My God!  They were amazing.  I could care less about the chips (I'm not a fan of the potato in general--I guess that's why I'm also not a big fan of Irish food!), but the fish was so damn good.  It was crispy, tender, and not one bit greasy.  I'm hooked.

Galway Bay is kind of a dive--in a good way--but it's a fun place to go grab a bite.  They also have an Irish import store with some cute items and they feature a lot of live music at night. I once convinced my non-alcoholic husband to down a Guinness here, so this place will always be special! In my mind, it's the best place to eat in Ocean Shores, but that's not saying much, I'm afraid!

View from the deck at the Roosevelt Dining Room

 Roosevelt Dining Room, Lake Quinault Lodge (Lake Quinault, WA)
Ok, so the food here isn't the best or the most budget-friendly, but we always seem to stop here.  The views from the Lake Quinault Lodge are incredible.  The lake is gorgeous and sometimes the clouds hang low over the surrounding hills/forest making the view even more magical.

We love hiking in the rainforest that surrounds the lake, and always work up an appetite.  The Roosevelt Dining Room is one of the few dining options in the area (the other option is the general store across the street, but they're slower than molasses and not that great).  At the Lodge, my husband usually gets the Monte Cristo with a side of sweet potato fries (see below). Me?  I usually opt for something boring like a salad or a burger.  As I said, I don't think the food here is great, but the location and views can't be beat!

The mister's Monte Cristo.  Too ham-y for me!

 Next time you hear from me, I'll share a few of the meals I made during vacation!

A Morning At The Farm

We live north of Seattle above the Snohomish Valley - that is filled with farms. On one of my recent trips in to Snohomish, I noticed a large ad for Mountain View Blueberry Farms - U Pick Blueberries and was reminded of the fun I had last year taking my son picking (and eating). I checked out their website, found their hours and asked Aidan if he would be up to blueberry picking with Mom - he gave me a big YES!

Aidan and I got up around 08:30, had a good breakfast, covered ourselves in suntan lotion and then headed out to pick some berries! We were there for a little over an hour and picked about 3 pounds of berries (about $6.00 worth). We both had fun together and the weather was perfect for picking berries! The blueberry season will continue to the mid-to-end of August, so we will probably get the opportunity to go again!

Tips for picking fruit: Check the farm's website before you go! Lots of places only take cash and can be open at off days/times. Make sure you wear sunscreen and hats - my kid complains about being sticky, but a sunburn is not fun or safe. If you are going for a long time, make sure that you take water with you and some wet wipes for your hands. Picking the fruit right at the farm is a really nice outing for the family and the results are fresh fruits that you can all enjoy!

Here is a recipe for Fresh Blueberry Coffee Cake (from my trusted Southern Living Cookbook):
1 1/4 cups fresh blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Glaze (3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon warm water, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; combine all ingredients, stirring well)

• Combine blueberries, 1/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside.

• Cream butter; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

• Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in almond extract.

• Spoon half the batter inot a greased 10-inch Bundt or tube pan; spoon on half the berry sauce, swirling partially through batter with a knife. Repeat with remaining batter and berry sauce. Sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done. Let stand 5 minutes before removing from pan. Invert onto serving plate, and drizzle with glaze.

Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Non-Dairy Brownies, Are They Good?

I recently started a new job (yeah!!) and one of my co-workers has a gluten food allergy. One night we decided to have a gluten free dinner - that was easy, we had taco salads (super yummy and gluten free thanks to corn tortilla chips). I wanted to also have something chocolaty for dessert and I found Pamela's Chocolate Brownie Mix (that is gluten and wheat free) and thought I would give it a try.

These were very easy to make. I used the directions for the original oil recipe:
1 bag of Pamela's Brownie Mix
1 egg
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a lightly greased square pan. Cook at 350 degrees for 18 minutes, then let cool. Cut into squares and enjoy!

I ended up cooking my batch for an additional 5 minutes (my stove usually takes a bit longer) and I let them cool for about 2 hours before I cut them. They were moist and filled with chocolate chunks and very good for a mix. I can't say that I missed the flour or wheat and felt that these were a great substitute! My one complaint is the price, almost $8.00 at Safeway, but if you can not eat wheat, gluten, or dairy I would spend the money to get my dessert fix!

Hey! Where is Everyone?

Sorry we're spotty with the posts right now. Greta just started a brand new job (yay Greta!) and I'm trying to prep myself for my upcoming vacation. This week somehow vanished and next week's going to be dicey too, especially since I'll be at the beach and blogging just won't be on my radar.

Hang tight--we'll be back at it before you know it. In the meantime, enjoy your summer! Get out there and enjoy that fresh summer produce!

Salad Days!

Yesterday, Greta gave you a great idea for summer grilling. But when it's really hot...when you don't want to heat the house up or have a whole lot to eat...your best option is something easy, something like a salad.

There are so many good combinations of greens, veggies, fruit, protein, etc. that can come together to make a yummy, substantial meal. Here's one of my favorite salads--it comes from
Giada De Laurentiis and it's really worth trying out. My husband and I love salad, especially raw in salads. The addition of the orange vinaigrette and the salty, crumbled prosciutto really make this special. Give it a try--you'll love it (and if you have extra dressing, consider using it for a marinade for chicken or shrimp...yum!)

Spinach Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients

* 6 slices prosciutto
* 2 oranges, zested
* 2 small oranges, juiced or 1 large orange, juiced
* 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 clove garlic, peeled
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 10 to 12 ounces pre-washed spinach

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the prosciutto slices on a baking sheet and bake until just crisp, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Crumble the prosciutto slices into a container and store in the refrigerator.

In a blender, combine the orange zest, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. With the blender running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until combined. Transfer to a container and store in the refrigerator.

To serve, put the spinach in a large bowl. Toss with enough of the vinaigrette to coat the spinach. Sprinkle with the crisp prosciutto crumbles, toss again, and serve.I also like to have what I call "Cold Plate" for dinner on hot summer nights. For a Cold Plate, you just need to put whatever salads, veggies, etc. you like on a plate and serve it up. I lay down some crisp greens and add a nice scoop of Chicken Salad (one of my favorite things ever!). I add to the plate raw red peppers, celery, carrots, olives, pepperocini, and maybe a hard boiled egg or sliced tomato if you want. It's an easy dinner and if you don't want to cook, you can just grab pre-cooked Chicken Salad from a deli or the grocery store.

If you want to make your own Chicken Salad, try this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa (note: I never use tarragon because I can't stand the stuff! I use parsley instead.)

Chicken Salad Contessa

Ingredients

* 2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on (1 1/2 pounds)
* Good olive oil
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper * 1/2 cup pecan halves
* 1/2 cup walnuts halves
* 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, divided
* 1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2
* Lettuce leaves, for serving

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.

When the chicken is cool, remove meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice.

Meanwhile, place the pecans and walnuts on a separate sheet pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.

For the dressing, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Fold in half the chopped tarragon leaves.

Place the diced chicken in a bowl, add the pecans, walnuts and grapes. Pour the dressing over the chicken and toss well. Sprinkle the remaining chopped tarragon leaves on top, and serve on a bed of lettuce leaves.
There are so many great salads to be made. I also like throwing together mixed greens, crumbled blue cheese, sliced green onions, craisins, nuts of some sort, and tossing it all with a blue cheese vinaigrette. Yum! Also good, especially for summer: baby spinach, fresh strawberries or raspberries and chopped macadamia nuts with a raspberry vinaigrette--it's crunchy, fresh, and delicious.

What's your favorite salad?

*recipes and photos from Food Network.

Beating The Summer Heat

When the mercury rises, I lose my appetite for heavy, rich foods. In their place, I find myself wanting lighter, grilled fare. To help weather the summer heat, I break out my grill as often as I can and eat my meals on the shaded deck outside.

This past week, it really felt like summer in the Seattle area. Although not the searing heat that the East Coast is suffering through, it was still hotter than normal out here. To get through one of the hotter evenings, I was asked to cook the whole meal on the grill (so that the oven/stove didn't heat up the house anymore than it already was). The other request was that the meal contain shrimp and veggies. My response was shrimp and veggie skewers with polenta and Rainer cherries.

Here is my recipe for the meal:

Shrimp and Veggies
Ingredients
2 lbs shrimp
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 large onion

Marinade
1 1/2 cups Chardonnay
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 of a fresh squeezed lime
2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper (use more if you like)

• Place skewers in water and allow to soak (the longer the better).
• Add all marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Clean, peel, and devein the shrimp.
• Cut all veggies into bite sized pieces.
• Add the shrimp and veggies to a large zip lock bag and pour in the marinade; coat well.
• Refrigerate mixture for at least 2 hours.
• Divide the shrimp into 4 equal servings and place on skewers.
• Divide the veggies and place on skewers.
• Preheat the grill.
• Add the veggie skewers to the grill and cook over medium-high heat for ~3-5 minutes per side. Once cooked to the desired doneness, move to the upper rack (to keep warm).
• Add the shrimp skewers and cook for ~3 minutes per side.
  

Grilled Polenta
1 tube of polenta, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (~12)
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
chili powder

• Place polenta slices on a cookie sheet that has been lightly coated with olive oil.
• Brush both sides of the polenta slices with olive oil.
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili powder.
• Place the slices on the grill - I use a grill sheet, but you could add them directly to the rack. Cook on medium-high heat for ~5-7 minutes per side. I flipped mine 3 times to make sure that I had a nice crunch on both sides.

Serve everything up and enjoy! This is a pretty low calorie meal, is super tasty and perfect on a hot summer night.

Quick Dinner: Turkey Marsala

Let me say this right now: for the most part, my Safeway sucks. You have to constantly check expiration dates on everything from milk to bread to canned goods (I once found a year old loaf of bread on their shelves...no lie!), their produce is sub-par (and often filled with pesky fruit flies), and the never seem to have particular cuts of meat that I want.

One of my favorite proteins is turkey breast cutlets. They're very easy to cook...and very versatile. But Safeway rarely has them in stock. The other day, I saw a few packages in the poultry section and I snatched them up.

There's so much you can do with turkey breast cutlets--here's a quick, easy, yummy recipe that should be a family-pleaser:

Turkey Marsala

• One package of turkey breast cutlets (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (use whatever you like--I used criminis)
• 2 tsp dried thyme
  
• 1/3 cup marsala
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1-2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (optional!)

1. Heat olive oil over med-high heat in a non-stick skillet.
   
2. Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge turkey cutlets in flour and tap to remove excess.
3. When oil is hot, add flour-coated turkey cutlets to the pan and cook until turkey is no longer raw, about 4 minutes or so per side (more if you like it browned and a bit crunchy!).
4. Place cooked turkey on a plate and cover with foil.
5. Add a little more oil to your pan (or just spray it with Pam if you don't want to add the fat) and add the shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
   
6. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook the vegetable mixture until mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes.
7. Pour the marsala and chicken broth into the pan, stirring to get up any cooked on bits that may be at the bottom of the pan. Add the juice of the lemon and stir well. Allow the mixture to cook over high heat to reduce a bit.
8. Add the butter to the marsala/mushroom mixture. This will help thicken up the sauce.
9. Return the turkey cutlets to the pan (be sure to pour in any juices that accumulated) and heat through.
10. Sprinkle parsley over the turkey and serve immediately.
    

The Answer To Leftovers - Casserole

What do you do with leftover taco fixings (aside from have tacos again)? My answer, to make a casserole.

As Lydia said in her post yesterday, we had tacos for the fourth of July and with it, lots of leftovers (no guac though). I didn't want to have the same dinner over, so I mixed everything together in a large bowl - this included seasoned taco meat, refried black beans, Spanish rice, tomatoes, onions, salsa, sour cream, and crunchy taco shells (broken into bite sized pieces). I then put the mix in a casserole dish and covered it with leftover cheese (I added a bit more cheese too) and cooked it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

I still had shredded lettuce and 1/2 an avocado, so that became a salad. I added some carrot shreds and hot peppers and Mom made a vinaigrette for it and we squeezed a fresh lemon over it all. The salad went nicely with the casserole and gave us something fresh to eat.

When I served the dish, we ate it with leftover tortilla chips, salsa and sour cream (some of Lydia's guacamole would have been delicious too). It was a really good use of taco leftovers and I would make it again! The best part is you can add anything you like to the dish and it will probably work well!

Holy Guacamole!

Since our family is not big on sticking to the rules when it comes to food and celebrations (remember: we had tachos for Thanksgiving!), this 4th of July we got together and ate tacos!

Greta pulled everything together (tasty, seasoned ground beef, refried black beans, Spanish rice, and all the taco fixings), so I felt like I should at least make one contribution. My molcajete has been thoroughly seasoned and has been waiting to be used, so I decided to make guacamole for the family dinner.
A few days ago, I went to one of my favorite places, Trader Joe's. I was all set to pick up my guacamole ingredients, but super-fabulous TJ's had something better--a guacamole kit! For about $3.50, I picked up almost everything I needed: two avocados, a roma tomato, a couple cloves of garlic, a jalapeno pepper, a lime, and a shallot. Perfecto!

Just before dinner was ready, I whipped up the guac in my molcajete. Here's what I did:

• Roughly chop the shallot and garlic cloves. Place them in the molcajete and add a hefty pinch of kosher salt. Using the pestle, grind the shallot and garlic into a paste (the salt will facilitate grinding). If you don't have a molcajete, throw the salt over the shallot and garlic and, using your chef's knife, chop everything into a nice paste.
• Slice open an avocado and scoop out the meat into the molcajete (when I made this, I only used 1 1/2 avocado--use as much as you want!). Squeeze the juice of at least one lime over the avocado (I used 1 1/2 limes)--this will help keep the avocado from turning brown. If you don't have a molcajete, just use a normal bowl.
• With your pestle (or the back of a spoon if not using a molcajete), squish the avocado, mixing the lime juice and shallot/garlic combo.
• Finely mince as much of the jalapeno as you like (be sure to remove the seeds and membranes) and add it to the avocado mixture. Stir, or combine with the pestle.
  
• Chop the roma tomato into bite-sized pieces. Add as much as you want to the guac and stir (or grind) well. (I used about 1/2 the roma tomato).
• Adjust the guacamole to your taste--you may want to add more salt, lime, or tomato.
• Serve immediately! It's super yummy on tortilla chips, in tacos, however you want to serve it.
• NOTE: If you like it, you could add some fresh cilantro to the guac!
  

My dad raved about this guac and said it was the best he'd ever had. He said anytime I want to make it, he'd be willing to eat it!

I liked how simple this was to make using the molcajete. You can control how fine the avocado chunks are very easily. It may just be wishful thinking, but I think the molcajete helps improve the flavor of the guac. And I was very happy that the molcajete didn't add any unwanted grit...I worked like crazy to prep the darn thing, so I'm glad my elbow-grease paid off.

Whether you have a molcajete or not, be sure to whip up this guacamole! It's easy, fresh and, best of all, delicious!

Happy 4th of July!

I can't believe July 4th is almost here. Thanks to our strangely cool weather, we haven't really had more than a taste of summer here in the Seattle area. I guess I shouldn't complain: the rest of the country has had to suffer through blistering heat, something I am just not equipped to deal with.As we get ready to celebrate our independence, I thought I'd take a moment to reflect on some of the places I've lived over the years. America is a huge country, and there are so many regional differences that keep things interesting.

Here are some July 4th inspired foods from my personal, regional history with America.

MARYLAND
My sister and I grew up in Maryland. Though I lived there for about 18 years of my life, I have no great desire to return to the mid-Atlantic. It's too darn hot (and humid!) in the summer and it's way too flat for my tastes.

But when it comes to the 4th of July in MD, you can't beat a good Maryland-style crab feast! We would devour what seemed like dozens of tasty blue crabs coated in Old Bay, served up with fresh corn, tomatoes, and bread. Not to mention cold beer for the grown ups (as a kid, I opted for Coke while Greta drank milk...blech! Milk and crabs?).

If you want to have a Maryland crab feast but you're not in MD, you're in luck. You can order from Phillip's and have everything you need sent to you. We did this last year. It was a lot of fun!

VERMONT
I moved to Vermont after high school and graduated from Castleton State College. Vermont has a very special place in my heart, and I find myself missing the Green Mountain State more than I care to admit.

When it comes time to fire up the grill, hot dogs are a favorite. But in VT (and other areas in New England), hot dog buns are very different than what the rest of the country is used to. New England hot dog buns look like a folded piece of white bread, and for some reason they make hot dogs (or lobster rolls) taste so much better.

While you can't buy New England hot dog buns easily, you can make them yourself. Check out this blog entry from one of my faves, King Arthur Flour, on how to use their New England Hot Dog Bun Pan.

NORTH CAROLINA
I've never lived in NC, but my late father-in-law was from there. As a kid, our family made a few trips to the south (to Disney World and to South Carolina) and every time we crossed into North Carolina, we made sure to stop off for some pulled pork sandwiches.

North Carolina style BBQ is by far our family favorite. The sauce is more vinegar based instead of being dominated by tomato sauce. The pulled pork is tender and perfect, and sops up the vinegar-y sauce in porky heaven.

In honor of my father-in-law--and because I really crave a good NC-style pulled pork from time to time, check out this recipe--'ll have to try it sometime soon!

No matter what you eat or how you celebrate, have a fun, safe 4th of July!

Yummy Chicken Bake

I was in charge of making a meal that could be made ahead of time and would still be tasty whenever we got around to serving it. I searched the pantry and freezer and came up with a Black Bean, Chicken, Polenta Bake. It was fairly easy to make, serves 6 and was also relatively low in calories (but still flavorful). Here is my recipe, I made it ahead of time and stored it in the refrigerator for about 6 hours before cooking it. I would also add some sour cream and tortilla chips, but I didn't have any on hand and I didn't want to run to the store. I served this with a simple tossed salad and it was delicious.

Black Bean, Chicken, Polenta Bake
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp fresh, chopped garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 (18 oz) log pre-cooked polenta, cut in to 1/2" rounds (~12 total)
5 oz white cheddar cheese, shredded

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chicken, onions, and garlic until the onions are translucent and the chicken is fully cooked. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt & pepper. Add black beans, tomatoes and corn and mix well.
• Cut polenta in to 1/2" rounds and line the bottom of a large casserole dish with them. Pour the chicken mixture over the polenta. Top with shredded cheese and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly (about 30 minutes).
  

Sustainable Eating

Organic food has been the rage for a while now, but lately a new trend in food is emerging: sustainable eating. I was flipping through the July edition of Whole Living (a terrific magazine filled with tips for healthy living and cooking) and they featured a whole section focused on 50 ways to eat sustainably.

I encourage you to pick up this magazine (or check out their website). I'm not going to list all their tips, but here are a handful of my favorite suggestions.

• Shop at farmers' markets...regularly! You'll be supporting local agriculture and getting fresher products. Check your local farmers' market for staples like onions and potatoes. Stock up on fruits and veggies that are in season and freeze any leftovers. Talk to vendors--ask questions and ask for samples!
  
• Follow advice from chef Alice Waters. She says, "local is always the priority, but the organic label really does mean something. If you can't buy local, buy organic--coffees, teas, jams, olive oils, honey, nuts, raisins, oatmeal, beans, grains. There's so much available across the country now." On a related note, be sure to check out the Environmental Working Group's website. They list the dirty dozen--fruits and veggies you should always buy organic, if possible.
  
• Buy local eggs and breads to eliminate unnecessary packaging, travel time for your food, and to get the freshest possible product. You'll also be supporting your local economy, which is satisfying.
  
• Be package conscious. Try to buy products that come in the least amount of packaging possible--or in containers that are easily recyclable.
• Eat safer seafood. This is a huge concern now that BP is destroying the Gulf of Mexico. According to Whole Living, just about any fish from Alaska is safe because (surprisingly), they have some of the most environmentally sound fishing practices in the US. Also safe to consume: anything in a shell (oysters, mussels, clams), wild American shrimp (not farm raised!), and local seafood (here in WA we have Dungeness crabs and an abundance of fresh, local seafood to pick from--we're lucky).
• Buy whole chickens. There was a period in my life that I had almost no money, and I bought whole chickens all the time. They're cheaper than buying already cut up and skinned chicken parts. You can get a ton of meat from a whole chicken that can be used in a variety of ways. And, if you know how to use a knife, it's easy to butcher a chicken to meet your needs. While you're at it, learn how to make your own chicken stock using scraps of chicken, bone, and vegetables you probably already have lying around your kitchen!
• Go plastic free. This is easier said than done. But go ahead and start small: instead of buying expensive Tupperware or cheap, throw away Gladware, opt for glass storage containers. They're safer to use for microwaving, they won't get stained if you store tomato based products in them, and--unless you drop and break them--they'll outlive your plastic storage containers by far. If you still need to use plastics, be sure to use safer products. Check the bottom of your plastic containers: if there is a number 2, 4, or 5 on there, you're product is less likely to release toxins when heated.
  

It's nice that we're thinking more about where our food comes from and how it is produced. While buying local/organic may be too expensive or inconvenient at times, I think it's good to do what you can. I'll try to incorporate some of these tips into my shopping/cooking routines. But wow! There's a lot to consider and it can be hard to keep track of it all.

Saturday Dinner

Over the weekend, I was thinking about what I had on-hand and what would taste good together. I came up with Apricot Glazed Chicken, Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds, and Basmati Rice with Peas. I started preparing the ingredients around 04:30 and had dinner served at 05:30 - so this was a pretty quick meal to make.

Almond Glazed Chicken
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
cooking spray
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon garlic
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2-3 tablespoons chicken broth
toasted almonds to garnish

• Spray a large, non-stick skillet with cooking oil and heat over medium-high. Add garlic, rosemary and chicken. Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides (3-4 minutes per side).
• Heat oven to 375 degrees and spray an oven safe cooking dish with cooking spray.
• Once the chicken has browned, remove from the skillet and place in the prepared baking dish. Add apricot preserves and broth to the hot skillet to deglaze it. Allow the preserves to bubble slightly.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover with foil and cook in the oven for an additional 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with some toasted almonds (about 1 tablespoon).
  

Snow Peas with Toasted Almonds
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (reserve some for the chicken)
1 tablespoon peanut oil (vegetable oil or sesame oil can also be used)
1 cup snow peas

• In a medium sized non-stick skillet (or wok), heat oil over medium-high to high heat. Add the snow peas and stir fry for about 3-5 minutes; stir often.
  
• Right before removing from heat, add toasted almonds and mix well.
• Serve immediately.
  

Basmati Rice with Peas
2 cups chicken broth (I prefer low sodium)
1 cup Basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen peas

• Bring the broth to a boil over high heat. Add rice, reduce heat to simmer, and cover.
• Simmer rice for 15-20 minutes.
• About 1 minute before removing the rice from heat, add the peas and allow to simmer; cover.
• Serve and enjoy!