The Cheese Ball

I love cheese. I do. Who doesn't? Well actually, I know someone who doesn't, but for the most part, people enjoy cheese. Jason had his final conducting master's recital yesterday and I made the food for the reception, so it was the perfect opportunity to try my hand at making...a cheese ball! And honestly, it was so simple and so SO delicious! Creamy, nutty, flavorful cheesy goodness. And since the holidays are upon us, I thought it would be an opportune time to share the yummy recipe I found at Cooking for Seven with all of you. *If you're watching your calories or cholesterol, if you use all reduced fat products, it would probably still taste yummy...don't quote me on that, but it's definitely worth a shot!

Favorite Cheese Ball

1 8-oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup finely(or fancy) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of cayenne powder
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1) Place all ingredients except pecans in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on low speed until well combined. (Seriously, this can get crazy. I almost shot cheesy clumps around the kitchen while using our hand mixer because the recipe said medium-low...so no, pulse the mixer if you can and go slowly...or hand mix well until combined.)

2) Scrape the mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap. Cover with the plastic wrap and shape into a ball (or log). Put the cheese ball on a plate (still wrapped) and place in the fridge to harden, about 1 hour.

3) Remove ball from fridge, unwrap, and roll the ball in the chopped pecans. (You can toast pecans in a dry frying pan on low heat, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until they become lightly toasted and fragrant). Place back in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. When ready to serve, place on a plate or platter and serve with crackers or pita chips.

*Have fun experimenting with different cheeses and spices! I think this would be amazing with bacon added in, or with fresh rosemary, or even dried fruit like cranberries or apricot pieces. Enjoy!

Zucchini Parmesan

Ok, so this one's a bit of work but man oh man, is it ever worth it! Trust me, you'll want to forego your other meals and eat only this from now on. Maybe that's a bit much, but honestly, it's good. Amazing, actually. So here we go! {Oh and sorry I've been so bad about posting recipes...life suddenly got hectic but I'm going to try and be better.}

Monster Zucchini Parmesan
from HouseboatEats.com


1 giant zucchini
4 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 eggs, beaten
1½ cups flour, seperated
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1½ cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade**
olive oil, for frying2 Tbsp fresh basil, diced {or 1.5 Tbsp dried basil}
¾ cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1½ to 2 cups tomato sauce


**{process 5 or 6 slices of bread in a food processor until you have crumbs that are small but not too fine. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250 for 10-15 minutes.}**

Wash zucchini, remove ends and slice evenly into ½ inch thick coins. Beat eggs in a wide shallow bowl. Place 1 cup of flour in a different shallow bowl. In a separate shallow bowl (like a pie tin), combine ½ cup flour, garlic powders, paprika, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, and bread crumbs, stirring to mix ingredients well. Dip sliced zucchini into flour, then beaten egg, and then into the bread crumb mixture.

Peel garlic. Pour olive oil into a non-stick skillet (form a thick layer, about ¼ inch) and heat on medium high, adding whole garlic cloves. As the garlic cloves become golden, crush them into the oil using the tines of a fork, but before they brown, chop them and set them aside.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Place a few zucchini slices at a time into the hot oil (don’t overload the pan). Turn zucchini over as they become golden brown, about 2 or 3 minutes per side depending on the heat of your oil. If the zucchini are sputtering and popping when you put them into the oil, turn your heat down. When the zucchini slices are golden, remove to a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle lightly to taste with salt and pepper if desired. You may need to dump out the oil and clean the pan if it gets too dirty with burnt breading.

Brush a casserole dish with olive oil and arrange zucchini on bottom. Sprinkle with a layer of Parmesan cheese and a layer of mozzarella. Add some chopped basil and reserved sautéed garlic, then finish with a (light) layer of tomato sauce. Continue to make layers of zucchini, cheeses, and sauce until all ingredients are used, ending with mozzarella. Sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs, if desired, or just leave some basil and mozzarella on the top.

Place in oven at 350°F for 25 minutes or until bubbly. Cool several minutes before serving.

Reflection

Today is the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the day our world changed forever. As I've heard many say over the course of days leading up to the anniversary, I remember that day like it was yesterday. It remains quite clear in my memory bank, as it was not only a day of terrible tragedy for our nation, for our world, but it was the day that my innocence was truly lost.

My mom and I were at home. It was my Senior year of high school. I was 17 years old. I was getting ready for the day, had just stepped out of the shower, when I heard my mom talking on the phone with my Dad in the kitchen. I remember walking down the hall, towel still wrapped around my head, unsure of why my mom had such shock and sadness in her voice, and there was a sense of great unease in the air. She told me to turn on the news, a plane had flown in to a building in NYC. It wasn't clear to us at that time that it was intentional, that the plane had been hijacked. We stared at the images on the screen, unable to register the reality of what was happening. The news correspondents would go full minutes without saying anything at all, just sighs, or utterances of disbelief.

We spent all day watching the events unfold at school. Each class was spent glued to the tv screen. The adults in our lives who we were used to receiving guidance from, who always seemed to have it together, have all the answers, seemed just a shocked {if not more so} than us, their students.

It seemed unreal then, and in some ways, it still does. American life changed that day. Our reality, our sense of stability, of security, altered in a way that has left us forever marked. I remember thinking that our world would never be the same, that we had no idea how or in what capacity we would be able to move forward, if at all. How could we rebuild? Why had this happened?

It was my first real experience with how truly cruel and inhumane people could be. I was 17. I had no real gauge of horror, of senseless loss of human life, other than what I had studied in history class, read in books, saw in movies or on tv in remote places of the world that I had never visited. It had never hit home like that until then. I was afraid. I was confused. I couldn't understand how people could be so heartless, so unimaginably horrific --- on purpose.

My boyfriend {now husband} was also 17, as were most of my guy friends. Dick Cheney was talking about the possibility of reinstating the draft, and this terrified me. When they turned 18 in a few short months, would they be sent off to war to fight a battle I couldn't even fully wrap my head around; a battle fueled by immense anger, hatred, and the drive to avenge the lives of the 3,000+ people we lost that day? To avenge the families of the loss of their loved ones? The uncertainty that followed in the days, weeks and months was overwhelming. To this day, I am afraid to fly.

Looking back on that day 10 years ago, it still startles me how quickly the world can change. All it takes is just one moment. 8:45 a.m. people were going about their lives as if it were any other day. 8:46 a.m. marks the single most horrifying terrorist attack on American soil. Osama bin Laden was found and killed, after a decade in hiding, in May of 2011. The War on Terror continues.

As a nation, we struggled to our feet, staggered forward, regained our footing, held our heads high, and have since resolved to never forget. We will never forget the thousands of lives that were lost, nor the lives, the world, which remain forever changed. We have fought to rebuild, to heal, and to remember to live, truly live, without fear because that is what they tried to wrench away from us that day, along with our hope, our dreams, our security, and our faith.

May we look upon today as a reminder of how short and precious our lives are, what a blessing the gift and miracle of life truly is, and remember those who are no longer with us. May we honor the heroes of that day, those first responders, those women and men who ran in as everyone else was scrambling to run out, those few who led fellow co-workers down the stairwells to safety, and may they never be forgotten for their selfless acts of heroism, of bravery, even in the face of death.

We are Americans. We are strong, we are proud, and we will survive. God Bless us all, and God Bless the United States of America, land of the free, home of the brave.

Zucchini fritters

The summer of zucchini continues! These are tasty little morsels of zucchini goodness. You can't eat just one...consider yourself warned. :)

- 2.5 - 3 cups zucchini, grated

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 2 eggs

- 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

- 1 cup feta, crumbled

- few squeezes of sriracha, optional

- 5 Tbsp all-purpose flour

- black pepper

- salt

- vegetable oil for frying

1) Put the grated zucchini in a colander lined with paper towels or cheese cloth. Place colander in the sink or in a larger bowl. Sprinkle zucchini with salt, mix, and let stand for 20-30 minutes. Water will drip through colander into bowl. Carefully squeeze out any excess liquid.

2) In a medium mixing bowl, combine zucchini, onion, garlic, egg, cilantro, eggs, feta, sriracha {if using}, and flour. Season with salt and pepper.

3) Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. {Just enough oil to coat bottom of pan} Ladle batter by large spoonfuls {I used a gravy ladle} into the pan for each fritter, like you would a pancake, and cook on each side 3-4 minutes. Keep a lid handy --- as the oil heats, it may get angry and splatter. Transfer cooked fritters to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Pat off excess oil. Serve warm.

Jalapeno Quiche

I made this quiche for a brunch we had with my cousins a few months back, and served it with fresh fruit. You can adjust the spiciness of the quiche by adding a squirt of sriracha to the mixture or by leaving in a few of the jalapeno seeds. For mild quiche, make sure you de-seed each jalapeno carefully {with the exception of the pieces on top, which are more for decoration.}

Ingredients:

- 1 9-inch pie crust

- 1/2 cup cream cheese

- 2 jalapenos de-seeded & diced, and 1 jalapeno sliced into six rounds

- 1/2 cup cream

- 1/2 cup half n half

- 4 large eggs {or 5 small}

- 1/8 tsp nutmeg

- 1/8 tsp paprika

- 1/8 tsp salt

- 1/8 tsp pepper

- 1/2 cup grated cheddar-jack, pepper jack or your favorite cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1) Thaw pie crust for 10 minutes. Prick pie crust all over the bottom & sides with a fork to make tiny air holes. Bake pie crust for 10 minutes. Remove pie crust and reduce oven temperature to 350.

2) Microwave cream cheese just until soft, approx. 20-40 seconds. {Watch carefully - you don't want it to be a liquid or explode} While crust is still hot, spread cream cheese over the bottom as evenly as possible. Sprinkle with the diced jalapenos.

3) Combine cream & half n half in a pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until tiny bubbles appear around the edges {scalding, which is just under the boiling point}. Remove from heat.

4) Beat eggs together in a bowl. Add cream/half n half mixture to eggs and mix well. Keep the mixture moving - you don't want to allow the eggs to scramble in the hot cream.

5) Add all spices. Pour into crust and bake for 30 minutes.

6) After 30 minutes, remove from oven and arrange jalapeno rounds in a circle on top, and return to oven for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-12 more minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown. {At the very end, if the cheese still hasn't browned up nicely, you can also pop it in the broiler for a minute or two to brown the cheese - just be sure to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.}

7) Cool 30-40 minutes to let set and then serve warm; or cool completely and serve cold.

Zucchini Quesadillas

The summer of zucchini is upon us. We have two very happy {read: heavily producing} zucchini plants and we get one monstrous zucchini a day, on average. Which, as you can imagine, is a LOT of zucchini! Good thing it's a versatile vegetable and one that we really enjoy. And because this is my blog, and I write about what I cook, you can count on quite a few zucchini recipes for your cooking pleasure. :)

Recipe adapted from marthastewart.com.

Quesadillas:

4 tablespoons olive oil {divided 3,1}

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

salt

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 medium {or 1 large} zucchini, halved lengthwise & thinly sliced crosswise

1 small can sweet kernel corn

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced {optional}

4-8inch {or 2-16inch HUGE} tortillas

2 cups grated pepper jack cheese {or 1 cup pepper jack + 1 cup Mexican cheese blend}

Toppings:

black olives

sour cream

guacamole {quick and dirty: 1-2 large avocados, smashed + a bit of season salt}

sliced jalapenos

Preheat oven to 400.

1) In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add onion and a dash of salt. Cook until onion softens slightly, approximately 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 more minute.

2) Add zucchini, corn and bell pepper {if using} to the skillet. Cook until zucchini and bell pepper are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro.

3) Brush one side of all tortillas with remaining tablespoon of oil {if you don't have a pastry brush, you can use a paper towel}. Lay 2 tortillas {or 1 if using big tortillas} oiled side down, onto a baking sheet. Place half of the zucchini mixture on each {don't overload}, and top each with cheese. Place remaining 2 tortillas {or 1 if using the larger tortillas} on top, oiled side up. Press down gently with a spatula.

4) Bake until cheese has melted and tortillas are golden brown, approximately 12 minutes. **If your tortillas aren't too heavily loaded with zucchini goodness, you can attempt to flip the quesadilla to brown the other side, but I didn't attempt this...1) I didn't want to risk the whole thing falling apart and 2) I used huge tortillas and it was just too large to flip without catastrophe. Honestly, it didn't matter if both sides weren't browned. It's tasty no matter what!**

5) Remove from oven and let cool slightly so the mixture and cheese have a chance to meld together. Slice into wedges using a pizza cutter. Top with extra cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, black olives, and/or jalapenos!

Peanut Noodle Salad

This is a delightfully light and flavorful summer noodle salad. I adapted the recipe from another blog: peasandthankyou.com.

For the peanut sauce:

- 1/2 cup light coconut milk

- 1/2 cup fire roasted tomatoes in juice {Muir Glen Organic is the brand I used}. If you

can't find fire roasted, plain stewed tomatoes would do in a pinch.

- 1/4 cup peanut butter {I used chunky}

- 3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

- juice of 1 lime

- 2 tsp minced ginger

- 1 tsp minced garlic

- 1 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup

- sriracha to taste {for a bit of heat; optional}

1) combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

For the noodle salad:

- 8 oz. rice noodles {can be found in the Asian section}

- 1 red pepper, chopped

- 2 cups bok choy, chopped {mostly leafy green part}

- 2 cups frozen shelled edamame {if you can't find edamame, baby lima beans will do in a pinch}

- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

- 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

1) Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2) Spritz wok or large frying pan with cooking spray or a Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. Heat over medium high heat. Add bell pepper, bok choy and edamame and stir fry until crisp tender, approximately 4-5 minutes.

3) Add drained noodles directly to pan.

4) Add sauce and toss to coat. {I reserved 1/2 cup of sauce to add to any leftovers}

5) Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve cool. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts.

BBQ Chicken Tortilla Pizza

I first made this delicious pizza a few months ago, after attending a friend's birthday party, where renditions of this pizza were made. Hope you enjoy and if you decide to make it {or any of my recipes} please feel free to give me feedback. :)

Some quantities are omitted, as it depends on how you like your pizza {how much sauce, cheese, etc you prefer}.

4-5 chicken breast tenderloins

BBQ sauce {I used Stub's Original - kinda sweet, kinda smokey, with a bit of kick}

1 tortilla {the biggest, thickest you can find}

shredded mozzarella cheese

shredded parmesan cheese

1 large sweet yellow onion

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

dash of salt

sprinkling of sugar

1/2 bunch cilantro, rough chopped

*optional toppings: sliced jalapeno, sliced avocado

Preheat oven to 350.

1) Marinate chicken tenderloins in BBQ sauce for at least 20 minutes.

2) While chicken is marinating, peel onion and slice into thin rings, stack, and then cut in

half. Heat heavy saute pan on medium heat - add olive oil and butter to pan. Once butter melts, add onions. Stir to coat the onions, reduce heat to medium-low then spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, sprinkle onions with a bit of salt and sugar. Continue to cook and stir approximately 20-30 minutes more, until onions are a rich brown color. Here is a link to a tutorial on how to successfully caramelize onions. http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_caramelize_onions/ Set aside onions to cool.

3)Either BBQ or pan grill chicken tenderloins until cooked through. Chop into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

4) Heat a large frying pan or wok on medium-high heat. Add tortilla to pan and heat until big air bubbles form in the center and the edges crisp slightly. Remove from heat.

5) Place tortilla on a baking sheet {either rub down baking sheet with olive oil, spray with non-stick spray or sprinkle with a bit of corn meal}. Spoon BBQ sauce onto tortilla and slather out towards the edges. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Arrange and spread caramelized onions. Top with BBQ chicken pieces. Bake for 12-15 minutes {or until cheese melts and tortilla edges are slightly browned}.

6) Once pizza is baked and out of the oven, sprinkle with chopped cilantro. You may also choose to add sliced jalapenos or slices of avocado to your pizza once it is out of the oven and ready to serve. Enjoy!

Korean-Style Pickled Jalapenos

My mother-in-law showed me how to make this popular Korean side dish. We try to eat Korean food a few times a month, not only because it's tasty and we love it, but because it's important for Jason to keep in touch with his Korean heritage...and what better way to do that than through food! :)

**Important note: wear food gloves or plastic baggie gloves when handling jalapenos, especially in this large of a quantity. I wore gloves and even still my fingers were burning this morning. Even when wearing gloves, wash hands after preparing jalapenos, and try to avoid touching your face {especially your eyes and nose} for a good while after cutting these babies up.**

1 large pickling jar {large enough to hold 4 cups of liquid + the jalapenos}

2 pounds of jalapenos, seeded & halved {the larger ones can be quartered}

2 cups low sodium soy sauce

1 cup sake or dry white wine

1 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1) Cut the tops off the jalapenos, cut jalapenos in half and de-seed them over a trash can or the sink. **The heat is in the seed, so if you have pets or young

children who crawl on the floor, be sure to mop or wipe down the floor in the kitchen after de-seeding the jalapenos as the seeds are tiny and can escape you.**

2) Place prepared jalapenos in jar and mix in pickling ingredients. Stir to combine all.

3) Seal jar and place in refrigerator for 3 weeks. During this time DO NOT open jar - it doesn't need to be mixed.

After fermentation time is complete, enjoy jalapenos with Korean food, with rice and chicken/meat, or cut up and use in a variety of dishes. In a pinch, we marinate chicken or salmon in soyaki from Trader Joe's, cook it up and serve with rice, a side vegetable and these tasty jalapenos! :) Keep refrigerated - they will keep for several months {up to 6}.

Stuffed Chicken Breast {w/spicy turkey sausage, feta, onion, garlic and cilantro}

Ok guys, I was pleasantly surprised by how well this all came together and just how tasty the combination was. Super good, I promise. Let me know what you think!

Filling:

1/2 small sweet onion, diced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil {I used crimini mushroom infused oil}

1/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

1-2 spicy turkey sausages, casing removed {I used

Jennie O & froze the remaining sausages for later use}

Heat olive oil in a small skillet and saute onion and garlic until browned. Set mixture aside to cool. In same skillet, cook turkey sausage thoroughly, breaking it apart as it cooks into small chunks. Set aside to cool with onions and garlic. Once cool, mix in feta and cilantro.

Chicken:

4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, fat trimmed

12 toothpicks

extra virgin olive oil for brushing chicken

poultry seasoning or Italian seasoning

meat thermometer

cooking spray for baking pan

Heat oven to 375. Make 3-inch deep pocket in chicken so it opens like a book. {Cut a pocket lengthwise in each breast, starting with the

thick side and cutting 3/4 of the way through the width of each breast.} Stuff each pocket with the sausage filling and use two toothpicks to close each pocket. Brush each breast with olive oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning. Spray a 13x9 baking panwith cooking spray. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each breast 4 minutes on the first side, flip, and cook the second side for 3 minutes. Place all four breasts in baking pan. Insert meat thermometer into the thickest part of the biggest breast and cook in oven for approximately 20-30 minutes {depending on size of breast} or until meat thermometer reaches 190.

**Serving suggestion: terrific with lemony couscous and grilled asparagus.

Mexican Rice

Great side dish served alongside quesadillas, grilled tri tip or chicken, and enchiladas, or excellent in burritos, tacos, or tostadas! Very tasty, very easy!

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup long grain or medium grain rice

1tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1/2 cup {approx. 6 oz) tomato sauce

2 cups chicken broth

Feta cheese, optional

1) Heat oil in pan, and add rice. Cook rice in oil until golden brown and puffy, stirring constantly so rice doesn't burn. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with garlic salt and cumin. Once rice begins to turn golden, add onion and cook until tender.

2) Add in tomato sauce and 2 cups chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Red Potato Salad with Bacon

Adapted from a recipe by Brown Eyed Baker

4 - 5 cups red potatoes, cubed

10 slices bacon {I used thick cut applewood bacon}

1/2 cup mayonnaise**

2 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

4 hard boiled eggs, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

3/4 green bell pepper, diced

1 small sweet onion, chopped

1/2 cup sweet gerkin pickles, diced

1 tsp black pepper

1) Boil the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 10 min. {Fill pot with water until potatoes are just covered. When rolling boil is reached, reduce heat a bit to sustain a bubbling boil to prevent water from boiling over. After 5 minutes, test a potato cube. Watch closely to avoid over cooking, otherwise salad will be mushy.} Drain potatoes and set aside to cool.

2) Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Place on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the bacon drippings in the skillet.

3) Add the mayo, sugar, and salt to the skillet and whisk to combine with bacon drippings.

4) Place bacon strips in a large plastic baggie, seal and crunch the bacon into pieces.

5) In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, eggs, celery, green pepper, onion, pickles and bacon. Pour mayo mixture over ingredients, sprinkle mixture with pepper and stir to coat evenly.

6) Cover and chill at least 2 hours before serving.

** If potato mixture is too dry, more mayo can be added as needed.

Rotini Pasta w/ Snap Peas & Sweet Cherry Tomatoes

If you're wondering why I keep using snap peas, 1) they're tasty and 2) we have a Costco bag of them that need to be used before they go bad! :)

This particular recipe was the product of leftover veggies we had in the fridge and it came together surprisingly well. The slight crunch of the snap peas, paired with the sweetness of the tomatoes, the spicy bite of the jalapeño and cilantro, and the savory saltiness of the feta cheese made for one tasty dish. The addition of the lemon chicken pushed it over the top. Hope you enjoy it!

Lemon chicken:

6 raw chicken tenders

juice of two lemons

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken in fridge for 20-30 minutes. Pan fry until done. {To avoid garlic burning in pan, scrape garlic from chicken before cooking.} Set aside to cool.

Pasta:

Salt

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided

1 bunch scallions, green and white parts, chopped

1/2 pound sugar snap peas, roughly chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 cup sweet cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1 bunch chives, rough chopped

1 box rotini pasta {I used whole wheat}

3/4 cup feta cheese

1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the scallions, snap peas, jalapeno, tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. {Snap peas should be a bit crunchy}. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the cilantro and chives. Reserve the skillet.

2) Meanwhile, cook the rotini in the boiling water until al dente. Reserve 2/3 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and toss with the vegetables.

3) Pour the reserved cooking water into the skillet and add the remaining 1 Tbsp butter. Bring to a boil, whisking until the butter melts, then cook until reduced slightly {should be golden in color}. Pour the "sauce" over the pasta, add in the feta cheese and toss.

4) Slice the lemon chicken against the grain, and top the pasta with the chicken. Add additional feta if desired.

Updated Garden Pics!

Our garden is growing, and growing fast! It's amazing how much it has filled in and continues to change from day to day. Our onion stalks are starting to fall over and dry out which means they are close to harvest. Today, we noticed that a few onion bulbs are starting to push up from the soil, which is good, and they look about the size of my fist. We harvested the largest head of bibb lettuce {which you can see in the bottom picture} and it's so beautifully full and green. I can't believe we grew most of this from seed!

We added in four new plants over the weekend - two zucchini plants {the ones I started from seed didn't transfer well and died within days of transplanting them. Sad day}, honeydew melon and an eggplant. We've been fighting gophers these last few days and actually successfully caught and relocated one today after flooding out his tunnels {you know me, I'm a huge animal lover so this was very hard for me. He escaped unscathed but came close to biting the dust --- he's just lucky he ended up in our garden because I'm pretty sure other people wouldn't have been so forgiving...}. We've been trying to fight them using humane methods {such as planting lots of marigolds, one of which is featured here} but after the gopher took down an entire head of lettuce, we had to take action. Hopefully, we won't have any more uninvited furry visitors squatting our garden...at least for awhile...

Rosemary Focaccia Bread Recipe

Adapted from The Taste of Home Baking Book

1 small to medium sweet onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1-1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

1-1/2 cups warm water {110 - 115 degrees f, divided. I don't have a candy

thermometer, so I guesstimated...it shouldn't be scalding but it should be a bit warmer than luk

e warm}

3 to 4 cups all-purpose flour {explained in directions}

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

and divided

1) In a skillet, saute onions in 1/4 cup oil until tender; cool. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup warm water; let stand for 5 minutes. {Tip: Yeast should appear foamy after letting stand for 5 min in the warm water. If not, the yeast should be discarded. Bread won't rise properly if the yeast is not activated.} Add 2 Tbsp oil, salt and remaining water. Add 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

2) Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Add onions and half of the rosemary; knead 1 minute longer. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes.

3) Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Pat each portion flat. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Grease two baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stretch each portion of dough into a 10-inch circle on prepared sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

4) Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and remaining rosemary. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool.

Storage tip: Freshly baked bread does not have preservatives, so it will go bad quickly. To store, wrap chunks of bread {or the whole thing if you have a big enough freezer bag} in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil, then place in freezer bag. Double up on bags if possible.

Rosemary Focaccia

Recipe to follow but I thought I'd post some photos of the process and finished product to entice ya'll with first. ;) It really is a very flavorful bread, but very light too. Great with a bit of butter or dipped in oil and balsamic vinegar, or even topped with a little honey - also makes a great sandwich!

Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry with Cashews & Sugar Snap Peas

Adapted from a recipe by Kim Hahn

6 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces
1-2 cups sugar snap peas, whole/in pod
2 Tbsp soy sauce, divided {I used low sodium}
4 green onions, cut into pieces on a diagonal
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes {can be omitted if you don't like heat}
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves/tenders, cut into slices or small chunks
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup toasted or lightly salted cashews
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
{sriracha chili sauce is amazing on this as well, but optional}

Serve over cooked brown rice or pearled barley.

1) Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until tender-crisp, about 2-3 min. Drain well and set aside. Rinse sugar snap peas and set aside.

2) If necessary, lightly toast your sesame seeds in a small frying pan over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent from burning. When the seeds become aromatic, they are done. Set aside to cool.

3) In a medium bowl, combine 1 Tbsp of the soy sauce, green onions, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 20 minutes.

4) Combine the chicken broth, cornstarch and remaining Tbsp of soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

5) Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken mixture and stir frequently until most of the chicken is opaque, approx. 3 min. Add the broccoli and broth mixture. Bring the heat up to high and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid thickens. Stir in the cashews and sugar snap peas. Serve immediately over rice or barley, and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Add sriracha chili sauce if desired for a nice bit of heat.

Melissa's Nutty Fruity Munchie Mix

Need a go-to snack that is easy to make and makes a lot? How about a snack that is chock-full of protein, and healthy as well as tasty? This trail mix concoction is truly healthful, delicious and won't break the bank. Bonus: it's easy as pie to assemble. You can substitute what I use in mine for whatever dried fruits or nuts you prefer and/or have on hand. Mix it up! {Tip: don't use banana chips. They're tasty, yes, but they will make everything else also taste like banana...and that's no bueno.}

I use a large glass container with an air-tight lid, but you can use tupperware, too, just make sure whatever container you choose is air-tight so the nuts don't spoil and the other ingredients don't get stale.

This trail mix is very free-form so I'm not even going to give you measurements. Just add whatever you have or whatever sounds good, or whatever you can afford or have space for and it'll taste great, I guarantee it! We get our ingredients in the bulk section at the our local health food store. Whole foods, Clark's, Lassen's, Lazy Acres, etc all have dry good bulk sections. It's cheaper this way: our whole container came to just over $10! {Freakishly good deal, especially when you consider how crazy expensive pre-packaged trail mix is in MUCH smaller quantities.}

Ingredients:

Raisins
Dried cranberries
Dried pineapple slices {rough chopped once you get 'em home}
Yogurt raisins
Dried peas {lightly salted}
Spanish peanuts
Sunflower seeds, roasted
Walnuts
Raw almonds
Flaked coconut

Dump all of the ingredients in to your container of choice, lid it up and give 'er a good shake. Enjoy! :)

New Additions!

Today was finally a good day to transplant our zucchini, butternut squash, corn and sugar snap pea seedlings {two of each plant, except for the sugar snap pea}. It was cool, overcast and not windy so in they went!

Sugar Snap Pea

Zucchini

Corn

Butternut Squash

The garden is really coming along nicely. The lettuce heads are starting to form and the carrots, beets and chard are growing pretty quickly now! Our broccoli is coming in, too, although I had to pull the biggest plant because something was munching on it - the other ones are doing ok so hopefully they'll start to catch up in size. It's so fun watching everything grow! I just hope my seedlings transferred ok and won't be in too much shock. I planted them in their peat moss seedling pots as recommended by a book I've been reading. I have put so much time and effort in to them that it was actually kind of sad to leave them in the plot...They're my little seedling babies! :)

Rosemary Garlic Chicken

1-2 tsps fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp butter {for the pan}
4-6 chicken tenders
pepper to taste {I used citrus flavored pepper that I bought in Texas, but black will work, too}
non-stick cooking spray for the pan, if needed


In a medium saucepan, heat butter on medium heat. Add rosemary and garlic to pan, and let sizzle for about a minute, but don't let garlic brown too much. Add chicken to pan. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Cook approximately 4 min, taking care to scrape the garlic and rosemary from bottom of pan as chicken cooks to keep from burning but to also use on the chicken as a kind of rub while the meat cooks. Flip chicken and cook an additional 4 min or until cooked through. Chicken should brown nicely on each side. Serve with cooked pearl barley and a veggie or with a fresh green salad. Yum!

New Direction

In case you hadn't noticed ---

1) I am in LOVE with food: planting it, growing it, photographing it, cooking it, sharing it, eating it, reading about it, writing about it, etc etc. Which brings me to my next point, and that is ....

2) I think this blog has begun to evolve in to a food blog. I am enjoying our garden and the process more than I thought I would, and I have always enjoyed cooking so I suppose it shouldn't surprise anyone that this has taken place. I'm having a blast!

So, what does that mean for the future of this blog? I think you can expect to find recipes here, photos of our garden and the food I cook, as well as posts that are not food related...but they'll probably be few and far between. I'm excited about where this blog is going and hope you'll join me for the ride!


Our haul from a local farmer's market


Our first baby bibb & romaine lettuce harvest!

One of a Kind

My grandfather, Harry, one of the true heroes in my life, passed away one week ago today, April 13, 2011. It was sudden, it was tragic, and I miss him more than words can express. For those of you who did not have the pleasure of meeting my grandpa, he was so special. He was kind, funny, genuine, gentle, and always, without fail, would put others' needs ahead of his own. He was adorable. He could make a mean Tri Tip, and I craved that Tri Tip even after I stopped eating meat. The love he had for my grandmother and the bond they shared --- mutual respect, compassion and adoration. They would have been married for 65 years in June. I cannot fathom the reality that he is gone. What will life be like without him? He made our world a better place just by being in it. What a blessing he was to our family, and I feel so lucky and honored to call him my grandpa. A part of him will always live on in me, and I can't wait to one day share his story and legacy with our own children. My mom got him a hat a few Christmases ago that said, You're Looking at a Legend. It was funny, and he got such a kick out of it. But it was true. He was indeed. We love you, Grandpa, and miss you desperately. Thank you for always being there for all of us, our one true North in this crazy, mixed up world. We will always hold your memory close to our hearts. May you rest in peace.

Our veggies are growing!

Garden Pics

As promised, here are the pics of our little garden plot, AND our meyer lemon tree blossoms! {The garden pics are from planting day and a pic of when the lettuce started to sprout. To date, all of our veggies have sprouted and are coming right along, so an updated pic will need to be added soon!}