herbs

Fresh Produce

~ nancyruth ~ Leave a comment

My thoughts from my kitchen this week are about vegetables. I have been dreaming about fresh vegetables. Given that I have been putting off going to the grocery store we have been eating frozen vegetables and canned fruit. We, Hubby and I, tend to over-buy groceries wherever we go. We spend too much on groceries and then find ourselves wanting to go out to eat but cannot justify it. If we spend less on groceries we should be able to go out when we have an urge to do so. We have also been doing this to avoid the contaminated produce amid the Cyclospora outbreak.

We have been housebound by the hazardous air quality in our region. We are “older” so we figure we are in the category of “sensitive individuals” even though we do not (knock on wood) have lung/breathing issues. So one afternoon I feel restless and decide to do the grocery shopping. We diligently make a list and head off to the Walmart. I do not particularly like shopping at the Walmart but the prices are more compelling than shopping at the mainline grocers. Plus we can buy 5 dozen eggs for about $10. It is a weekend afternoon and everyone and their dog is here. The parking lot is filled. We take our list and start walking to the entrance. A woman and her child are heading back to her car. Hubby comments that it looks jamming inside. She reports that the checkout lines are backed up into the aisles. She is glad to be out of there.

Hubby and I think about this. Being retired we have the luxury of not having to run our errands on weekends. He suggests we go get ice cream instead. Good idea. We head back to our car. On the way to the ice cream place I head up the road past a farm market that I know about and have shopped at before. It was on the highway exit on my way home from work so it has been a few years. But it is open. Yay! Local produce is higher priced than at the grocery stores. It’s sort of “boutique-y” around here. But it is most likely not contaminated. The greenhouse that abuts the store entrance is full of planters which have just been watered and we dodge the water dripping from the ceiling. There are herb planters here. Inside we find produce.

Two for one! Basil, chives, parsley, and thyme.

And now the recipe: Summer Squash

Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds. Fill cavity with bits of butter, garlic, onion, and a little parsley. Wrap in foil. Cook on the grill for about 10-15 minutes. Unwrap and enjoy!

Look at all the lovely produce, summer squash, broccoli, and lettuce!

Orzo Casserole, my way

~ nancyruth ~ 1 Comment

I cooked! I read a recipe in the New York Times cooking section and thought “I could make that!” Mind you, I did not have all the ingredients but “what the hey!” Here is the original: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024402-one-pan-zucchini-pesto-orzo?action=click&module=RecipeBox&pgType=recipebox-page&region=all&rank=0

So I had no zucchini nor mozzarella cheese nor mint nor a lemon nor parmesan. What I did have was orzo pasta, I thought I had a jar of pesto, and my neighbor’s garden fresh tomatoes. What I did: I substituted fresh basil for the mint, jarred lemon juice for the lemon juice and zest, the little bit of homemade pesto for the pesto, and Feta for the mozzarella. And cooked chicken for some protein.

  • about one cup chopped cooked chicken; this was the meat from two thighs
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • olive oil for the skillet
  • sprinkle of red pepper flakes
  • pinch of fine sea salt
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock, homemade and previously frozen
  • 1 cup orzo
  • scant 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 ounces of crumbled Feta cheese
  • handful of fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped, and one sprig of fresh oregano leaves removed from the stem
  • grated Romano cheese, about 1/4 cup
  • about 1/4 cup pesto from previously frozen homemade

In a large skillet I sautéed the onion in olive oil with the red pepper flakes and a bit of salt until slightly browned and then added the chicken. Then I stirred in the stock and brought to simmer, added the orzo and lemon juice and another pinch of salt. Covered this and let cook for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small bowl I tossed together the tomatoes, fresh herbs, another pinch of salt, and another shake of red pepper flakes with a drizzle of olive oil. This marinated while the orzo cooked.

When the orzo was done, I added the Romano cheese and the pesto. Stirred this and let cook one more minute with the lid on the pan.

To serve top with the tomato mixture and more Romano cheese.

This was very tasty. It could have served three people but we had not had lunch that day so Hubby and I ate it all.

French Carrot Salad from an American kitchen

~ nancyruth ~ 1 Comment

In my everlasting love of cooking and reading I have the charter edition of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Magazine. You will recognize him from America’s Test Kitchen. There are some interesting recipes in here, one of which was grated carrot salad. I have several recipes for this and have made it, adding Craisins in the past and sometimes crushed pineapple. Having matured in my food tastes I can now understand the addition of olive oil. Before I would only add the fruit juice, lemon or orange or combination of both.

Having carrots in the house I thought I would try this. I, naturally, did not have all of the necessary ingredients. I don’t have white balsamic vinegar, nor fresh tarragon. I never let any of these problems stop me, do you? I use a fresh lemon and dried tarragon. So this is not really the recipe from the magazine, but is definitely inspired by it.

  • juice from one lemon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 6 carrots, peeled and shredded
  • handful of fresh parsley

Using my food processor with the shredder blade, I shred the carrots. I mix the first five ingredients to make a dressing. Mix that into the shredded carrots. Then chop the parsley, leaves only, and stir that into the salad. Voila!

20161026_220241963_ios

Hubby describes it as “hmmm, what did you season it with? Oil and herbs?” Yes! And they like it. And it’s probably good for us, too!

 

A dog fight of flavors!

~ nancyruth ~ 2 Comments

Chimichurri. What is it? According to Wikipedia, chimichurri, it is loosely translated as “a mixture of several things in no particular order”. is that the best definition or what?! Anyway I came across a recipe from a magazine several years ago that I saved just because it was on a page with other interesting recipes to try. I am not sure which magazine this was. It was the sauce to serve with shrimp but with Hubby allergic to shrimp I did not think anything further about the recipe…until now!

20160621_222120506_iOSI have a thriving container garden of herbs hanging on the banister of my back porch. And I have all of the ones listed in this recipe! And I came across other recipes in my recent reading of food magazines while walking the treadmill that called for other combination of herbs. I thought it odd that mint was in here along with the others and the basil with dill. But I want to make this but with what? Steak? Pasta? Seafood?

I recently bought fish “burgers” at the store. Just for something different. Not Salmon burgers, but Alaskan Pollock. I don’t usually plan menus but I was writing a few ideas down and thought the chimichurri would compliment the fish. It would be different than the usual mayo with pickle relish tartar sauce.

Per usual I just go about harvesting the plants without really measuring. Then I chop everything into bits. I pour out a bit too much red pepper flakes but it works out well. A little after bite never hurt! I think I used about 3/4 cup of olive oil.

20160621_223118477_iOS

Looks beautiful, even if I do say so myself! It really should be served in a small mason jar with a spoon, but it looks very nice in the cruet! Now to dinner…

20160621_224358151_iOS