"I Had a Delicious Time"

It's Not Goodbye, It's See You Later

2011-11-01T20:49:00.000-05:00

You know those experiences in life that help you to become fully engaged? When you're in the moment and the melody of your life is in "tune" ? For me, it happens on beautiful mornings when the day is new and the growing season here in Minnesota has produced beautiful abundant produce. I am in my element when perusing the tables at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market. I often say there is nothing I'd rather do but visit the bursting market. I practically skip through the isles (not exaggerating), well maybe not skip anymore it's more crowded in the last few years. People are catching on that that eating fresh and local is best, both for your health and your wallet. How fun to actually have a relationship with the people growing your food!

How cool is this. In the middle of the big city - and the local growers bring the farm to us!

I don't know the cute man standing next to the beautiful mums, but I do know these two beautiful people below. Mary and Lester Hall. Their family has been part of the Minneapolis Farmer's Market for over 25 years! It is truly a labor of love and a family affair. They grow my favorite dark leafy greens, green beans, brussles sprouts, and my new favorite, okra. It's not just for gumbo anymore!

With Lester's hearty laugh,and Mary's warm and engaging personality, they not only sell these beautiful vegetables and beans they also give you wonderful tips on how to easily prepare them. You can use them in the traditional Southern ways or listen to Mary's helpful tips on how to use new techniques by sauteing or roasting them to help retain more nutrients. She calls them "Super Foods". Studies prove this, and I agree with her. What better nutrition can you get for $1.00 a bunch? Having wiggled kale into the family's diet, Mary has now shown me collard greens are equally good. These greens and more are grown locally, pesticide-free on the family farm in Princeton, MN.

You can feel the nutrition going straight to your veins just by looking at the deep rich color. Mary explained how to prepare the collard greens the traditional way by long braising them with a ham shank. But she recommended a healthier and quicker way: Saute some onion, garlic, red pepper in olive oil, then add the collards and a splash of broth. you can cook them for 20-25 minutes with a delicious result. My family loved them.

The sweet potatoes come from Lester's family farm in Mississippi. They are beautiful, and with everything on their table grown without pesticides. Can't you just see them made into a beautiful twice baked sweet potato or a creamy sweet potato ginger spoonbread?

Okra is not something I usually race to buy at the market, but I will now. Mary told me to just roast it with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and finish it with some parmesan cheese. Here are the results, delicious! Evidently, it's loaded

with fiber and anti-oxidants. The health benefits of this ancient vegetable are too numerous to list here, google it, you'll be amazed!

As far as these gorgeous brussels sprouts go, we all know roasting them seems to be in vogue, but have you ever shredded them and cooked them quickly in a bit of olive oil? Great just like that, but add some toasted nuts of your choice and to guild the lily, a tablespoon of cream and you'll be in love.

Mary's uncle an "old school Southern Gentleman" is a farmer in Louisiana. He ships burlap sacks of beautiful pesticide free dried beans to her weekly and she divides them into one pound bags complete with cooking instructions and her own basic recipes stapled on the bag. Mary loves to encourage people to eat more beans especially for the incredible health benefits. Lester's favorites are the Louisiana "Crowder Peas". I've got a pot cooking on the stove right now (I put a bit of smoked bacon in for good measure). He loves them for their nutty flavor. Pair them with a pot of rice and you have a delicious protein packed meal.

I didn't take a picture of the pot of crowder peas, the photo probably wouldn't do them justice. Let's just say, there was only a bit left in the pot. The bonus is I have a half a bag left for another meal. They made a wonderful creamy pot of goodness.

The Minneapolis Farmer's Market is open 7 days a week through mid November. Mary and Lester are done for the season, but please make a point of visiting them next season. It's such a rich experience when you get to know the faces behind your food. I'll remind you in the spring!

As the market here winds to a close, go get those last few bits of sunshine, and remember to connect with the people you see behind the tables, they have rich stories to tell and you might just make a lasting friend.

I love this quote from Julia Child, "What keeps me motivated is not the food itself, but all of the bonds and memories the food represents"

Labor Day Burgers and Pie, Oh My!

2011-09-02T01:13:00.001-05:00

Labor Day...the last hurrah! Not really, but let's squeeze all we can out of those grills this season. This summer we discovered the grinding attachment for our Kitchen Aid mixer. All I can say is wow. Yes you can have an extraordinary gourmet burger at home. Luckily we also discovered Clancey's Meats in Linden Hills, and now that we found this mecca of meat we will never be satisfied anywhere else. They offer the finest quality products with helpful and employees passionate about meat, all of which make you want to go back for more. They have many interesting specialty food items as well. One visit we found some wonderful pickled ramps that added that special something to a family picnic.

I'm going to let David write this next few paragraphs because this is really his department.

Buy Meat with a fat content of about 15% - sometimes at Clancy's they have lean cuts. You can get a lean cut and som fattier cuts and grind them together. Just tell the butcher what I want to do, and he will help you get the right cut and fat content. Butchers are some of the most helpful people on the planet.

I just followed the directions on the grinder. I also put the fresh meat into the freezer about 20 mins to 1 hour before grinding. This will keep the meat moving through the grinder cleanly. warmer meat will smear and clog up the machine.

The grinding is so satisfying. You can tell why butchers get into the business.

Once the meat is ground - you can choose to grind it again, if you want. I choose not to. I then form the patties with minimal squeezing and pressing. our son dan formed the ones in the pics. he made sure they were perfect in shape - I think his pottery skills were showing. I like the edges of my burgers rough. How will you make yours?

Salt and pepper - liberally.

When grilling, leave the meat on the grill longer. There's a higher moisture content in the freshly ground meat, so you can and should leave it on each side longer to get the proper char. I still haven't perfected this. The meat can take the heat without being over cooked. I have to fight the urge to call it done, as it doesn't compare to cooking average ground beef.

Thanks, Kelli for letting me add a paragraph! Can I do it again sometime? I'd like to share my journey in making the perfect french omelet.

Let them rest a bit :) Find the best buns you can and butter and toast/grill them. This makes a huge difference, do not skimp on your buns!

These burgers are so good they don't need much to dress them up. We added a nice slab of heirloom tomatoes and some pickled onions.

Now for one of the BEST pies for this time of year. This is a "go to" recipe I got from a "Rosie" magazine. I'm not usually a recipe clipper, but this one I saved and passed on the old fashioned way, with a pen and paper. I made this pie for years then lost the tattered clipping. Recently I called a good friend that I KNOW I shared the recipe with. She says, "oh my Mom's blueberry pie recipe?" no, I say it's mine, well actually Rosie's which actually caught my eye because it was from Minnesota's very own Marjorie Johnson of State Fair Blue Ribbon baking fame. You might have seen her on the talk show circuit. She's a tiny person with a huge personality!

Blue Ribbon Blueberry Pie

(adapted from Marjorie Johnson)

Crust for a 9 inch pie

Use your favorite recipe I like this one from Melissa Clark. Here's a cool video to show you how easy it is to make your own crust. http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/video-how-to-make-the-perfect-pie-crust/ or go ahead an just get a ready made dough and blind bake it.

Filling:

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. corn starch

1/8 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 cups blueberries* (divided)

2 Tbsp. butter

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, salt

Stir in water and lemon juice until smooth

Add 1 1/2 cup blueberries*

Bring to full boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute.

Stir occasionally until smooth and shiny.

Remove from heat

Stir in butter.

Put in bowl - refrigerate 1 hour.

Stir in 1 1/2 cup blueberries*

Pour into a baked pie crust

Chill 3 hours.

Top with whipped cream fresh blueberries and raspberries.

This pie would be good with any berry...blackberries, raspberries, or hey, what about fresh peaches?? YUM.

Farmer's Market in a Jar

2011-08-23T01:08:00.001-05:00

I grew up in Southern Minnesota in quintessential small town America complete with a band stand in Central Park and surrounded by rich farmland as far as the eye could see. I loved summer as a kid. If I described a typical day it might sound like it came from a page of a sappy novel, I'll save that for my memoirs. This time of year traditionally stirred up melancholy feelings as well. I know, that doesn't make sense. My birthday comes in mid-August, who doesn't love their birthday, and also on it's heels was the Steele County Fair. Our county fair was a highlight of the summer, and it ushered in the best of the season, blue ribbons and all. Along with the culmination of the warm and luscious days of summer there would be a tinge of sadness. A nip in the air during the nights on the Midway reminded me it would soon be Fall, the start of school and no more home grown tomatoes. One of my most favorite things to eat in the world is a piece of "good bread" toasted with a slather of mayo, a thick slab of a juicy tomato and a sprinkling of salt. My Mom taught me about this simple delicacy. Bliss.

All of these feeling came rushing at me this week and the temperatures at night have been dropping and I have been enjoying the farmer's market at it's peak. I can't get enough! Could I possibly get my fill of tomatoes before they're gone?

I met my Aunt and cousin at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market last Saturday and they couldn't believe how much I was buying. "What are you going to do with all of it"? Here is what came out of my shopping spree that day. I put some "food in jars" I didn't actually "can" it, but this will keep for a week or so (if it lasts that long)

Pictured right to left: Bacon Jam, Oven Roasted Tomatoes, Basil Almond Pesto, Tomato Jam

Bacon Jam
(adapted from Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker Bacon Jam)

1 1/2 lbs. of smoked bacon (Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked Bacon is nitrate free and a great price) Cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions diced
3 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg's)
1/2 c. dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
3/4 c. brewed coffee

Cook bacon until it is crisp tender (about 20 min.) Remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to some paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. of the bacon fat. Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until translucent (about 6 min.) Add vinegar, sugar, maple syrup and coffee bring to a boil scrapping up and bacon bits from the bottom of the pan. Add bacon and stir to combine.

Cook uncovered for 3 1/2 to 4 hrs until thick and syrupy. ( you can use a slow cooker on high if you don't have time to check on it.) Transfer to a food processor and pulse a few times. Put in an air tight container. Will keep up to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.

Great on so many things. How about a fried egg sandwich, the "B" in BLT, with a smear of goat cheese, right off the spoon!! Possibilities are endless.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

You don't really need a recipe for this, but I'll give you one.

Tomatoes, Cherry or Romas

Cut in half. Place on a roasting pan. I have a dedicated pan to roasting, but if you don't just use a piece of parchment on a jelly roll pan. Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt. Roast at 225 degrees for about 3 hours.

Let cool. Put in a jar with a bit of extra olive oil.

Variations: add cloves of garlic or fresh thyme on pan.

Great added to pastas or on sandwiches. Put them in a cassarole dish for final minutes of roasting with some feta cheese and slivered basil and you have an outstanding appetizer. Sop up with crusty bread.

Basil Almond Pesto

1 c. almonds
2 c. basil leaves
2 cloves of minced garlic (you can probably put it in whole)
Juice of half a lemon
Zest from one lemon
3/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Pulse almonds in the food process first until well processed. Add the basil, garlic, lemon and zest. Pulse until pureed. Slowly add olive oil and add salt to taste. Put into a jar and cover with a film of olive oil. cover with a tight fitting lid. Refrigerate. Can keep for up to two weeks.

Tomato Jam
(NY Times Food Section)

1 1/2 lbs. of ripe tomatoes
1 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 jalapeno (or other pepper) seeded and diced

Combine all ingredients in a medium heavy bottom sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture has the consistency of a thick jam, about 1 hr and 15 min. Taste and adjust seasoning, then cool and refrigerate until ready to use. Will keep one week in refrigerator. Great with eggs, chicken or fish...how about with some soft creamy cheese on top of a cracker.

Ending with one last spoonful. I hope you enjoy every bite of what this summer has to offer.

Yo Ho Ho and Three Tablespoons of Rum

2011-08-16T00:21:00.001-05:00

What is better than a lovely summer evening surrounded by people who share your passion for good food and drink, the hospitality of a gracious hostess, and lots and lots of smoked pork! Last week the MN Food Bloggers got together to celebrate and boy do they know how throw a party. Molly Herrmann and Tracy Morgan of "Kitchen in the Market" provided salads and make your own kabobs with wonderous sauces, Ole Olmanson of "Food for my Family" perfectly smoked pork shoulder in a "China Box"...I know I had to google it. So, you have to wash all of this goodness down with drinks that are equally delicious. I couldn't pick so I had them all. Keep in mind this was a Monday night. I started out in a very civilized manner with a lovely taste of a beautiful red wine from Kitchak Winery in Napa Valley, I could have stopped there and been very satisfied...but oh no, someone said "Have you tasted that sangria?" I toddled over to the "punch bowl" and tried it for myself. The sangria was unique in that it was bourbon based. I don't know this recipe exactly, but I do know that rosemary, blueberries and peaches were steeped in the bourbon and then finished off with rose wine. I think most of my conversations were in the vicinity of that sangria! But wait...once again I heard delighted people say "Have you tried the dark Fulton beer with the truffles?" turns out our own "Kate in the Kitchen" made creamy chocolate truffles that paired wonderfully with Fulton's dark beer!

Here's where the rum comes in...I know you were wondering. Even though truffles and beer would have been a fine end to the evening we had a little friendly competition set up. Everyone in the group was invited to bring a pan of bars for a "bake off" (this is Minnesota you know...land of potlucks, jello "salads" and bars. Seventeen people threw their hats into the ring. I knew when this was announced I would give it a go. Trying to find something familiar but with a twist and settling on these apricot bars laced with rosemary and you guessed it RUM (although the recipe called for brandy all I could find that would even come a bit close was spiced rum)

I'm going to fast forward. I won!!! Didn't expect to. Running late, didn't get a chance to do a trial run. I am so honored because the judges were a few of my favorite food celebrities in town. Zoe Francois of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" and Zoe Bakes, Joy Summers of City Pages, and "Eating the Minneapple" and Stephanie March of Mpls/St. Paul Magazine. To top it off Andrew Zimmern was there and told me he thought the bars were "Frickin awesome". Needless to say I was a very happy girl. I think the Captain Morgan did the trick.

Rosemary Apricot Bars

Adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

and David Lebovitz

Rosemary Shortbread:

12 Tbsp. unsalted butter room temp. (I used Irish butter for the creaminess)

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. vanilla

Zest from 1/2 lemon (optional, but I think brightens the taste of the bar)

1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 3/4 flour

Apricot Filling:

2 c. California dried apricots (Trader Joe's carries this tart treat) if you can't find them add the juice of 1/2 lemon to other varieties

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 Tbsp. honey (try to get a good local honey. I used Ames Farms Prairie Flower)

2 Tbsp. brandy (I didn't have any so I substituted Captain Morgan Spiced Rum)

pinch of salt (kosher or Maldon salt preferred)

Crumb Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. dark brown sugar

1/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans or almonds ( I toasted them a bit first)

pinch of salt

3 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter cut in cubes

Line a 9 inch baking pan with foil and butter the inside of the pan.

Make the shortbread dough by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can do this by hand but a stand mixer with a paddle attachment works well. Add the salt, vanilla, lemon zest and rosemary until combined. Slowly add the flour to the mixture. Lightly flour your hands and press the dough into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for at least 30 min. before baking. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown about 25 to 30 min. Let cool to room temp.

Combine all of the apricot filling ingredients in a heavy bottom pan. Simmer for 45 min. (mine took at least an hour) until most of the liquid is absorbed into the apricots. Let cool and then puree in a food processor until smooth.

Spread cooled apricot mixture on the cooled shortbread.

Make crumb topping by adding all of the topping ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment and combine until it all starts to clump together.

Top the apricot layer with the crumb topping and then bake at 350 degrees for about 20 to 25 min. and topping is browned.

Let completely cool in the pan, or if you are late for a "bake off" just go and let them cool on the way. Don't worry about them and you just might win :)

EVOO night at Levain

2011-07-10T12:12:00.016-05:00

Wearing her ruby slippers, Dorothy clicked her heels three times and wished she were back in Kansas...As for me, I wish to be back at Cafe Levain in South Minneapolis at the Minnesota Food Blogger dinner sponsored by California Olive Ranch Olive Oil, the creative culinary talents of chef Adam Vickerman and hosted by Will and Jenny Hsu.

Beautiful ruby slippers are worn by Stephanie Meyer of FreshTart.net.

Stephanie is a leader in the food blogging community here in Minneapolis/St. Paul. She has been instrumental in gathering fellow food writers, photographers and food lovers together through the MN Food Bloggers network. At every event I look forward to seeing her super stylish shoes, as well as those of Dainia Miwa of TwinCitiesFoodie.com (not pictured, but hers were equally stunning)

Our six course meal started here in the Turtle Bread Garden down the street from the restaurant. Chef Vickerman creates his beautifully fresh dishes from local and seasonal ingredients.

The space is simple and homey. A perfect neighborhood restaurant. How could we not feel at home with the staff greeting us at the door with a glass of Dry Creek Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and three lovely crostinis topped with pate and pickled rhubarb, another with white beans and anchovies and the mysterious one which turned out to be a delightful roasted cauliflower mixture.

The room was glowing with the evening sun and also with the warmth of like minded people (especially our new friends from Eat.Drink.Life.Love seated at the table with us). We were all thrilled to be there enjoying every bite and sip of wine and olive oil. Yes, you heard it correctly sip of olive oil.

Olive oil tasting 101: Swirl, smell, sip. Taste, and close your eyes to detect the subtle undertones just like a fine wine.

The freshest extra virgin olive oil is evidently not imported...it's from California! The price point of this excellent olive oil is affordable and available at local co-ops and Byerly's and Lund's markets.

Not only did we have great wine paired with every course, each part of the meal included a different olive oil pairing used in each dish. (No we didn't drink the olive oil each time).

Each dish was uncomplicated yet with special nuances that make you wonder what that special undertone is. This beautiful neon green soup was our "Amuse-bouche" which in French means "to excite the taste buds" and give a peek into the chef's approach to cooking. It did not dissappoint. Fresh Pea Kohlarabi soup with a punch of chives, bit of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

The freshness continued with our crisp from the garden salad of tender lettuces, radishes and peas lightly dressed with a buttermilk tarragon vinaigrette. The interest and contrast came from the sweetness of the candied nuts and creaminess of the chevre.

Sample of one of the salad recipes chef Vickerman has shared on Heavy Table http://heavytable.com/toscas-adam-vickerman-on-eating-seasonally/

This crispy on the outside, oh so pink on the inside Alaskan King Salmon, was perfectly cooked, moist and flavorful. Wonderfully dimensional in taste as it was served on a bed of creamy white beans and grilled sugar snap peas in a bit of chili oil.

Wait! There's more. Charred hanger steak with outstanding flavor served with fingerling potatoes and the piece de resistance was the ragout of local mushrooms flavored with preserved lemons and balsamic vinegar.

We didn't get a picture of the lovely unique dessert, having dived into it too soon. The starring ingredient in this trio of sweetness was the California Olive Oil Ranch olive oil. Buttery olive oil cake, creamy olive oil gelatto, and luxurious olive oil panna cotta. People at other tables were licking their plates. 5 glasses of wine and behavior changes a bit.

We received a lovely bottle of olive oil as a parting gift. The whole evening was such a treat. Now to leave you with a treat: a recipe from one of my all time favorite chefs Suzanne Goin from her cookbook "Sunday Suppers at Luques". Summer Fruit Salad with Arugula and Marcona Almonds. featuring the delicious California Olive Ranch oil. Enjoy!

The Midnight Baker Strikes Again

2011-07-07T17:16:00.003-05:00

Here we are mid-summer. I always have high hopes for waking up early, walking around the lake at dawn, finishing a yoga class by nine and making a beautiful breakfast for everyone. Well...this is not happening. My positive thinking side is saying, there's still hope, you can do it! The fact is, I am naturally a night owl and if you don't get to bed until 1am chances are you won't get up at dawn ready to take on the world. My daughter Maria seems to be following in my lead. I've started to call her the "Midnight Baker". Sweet smells of banana bread waft from the kitchen in the middle of the night. These Sticky Lemon Rolls are her latest creation, her first attempt with using yeast. She whipped the dough together, let it rise, rolled them out and packed them with sweet tangy lemony goodness. The beauty of this recipe is that the prepared rolls can sit around in the refrigerator over night and are ready to bake in the light of day.

To me a bowl of lemons on the table is art. Don't they just make you happy? To you lucky Californians, if you don't have a lemon tree, go plant one. Also keep lemons on hand for their many health benefits. I know this is a stretch since we are using them in a sweet treat recipe, but check out the many benefits of lemon and other citrus fruits phytonutrients, antioxidant and even antibiotic properties.

Look at how crusty and flaky they look. If a first timer can make them, so can you.

Top them off with the cream cheese lemon zesty glaze.

Enjoy with a steamy cup of tea or coffee. I'd get up early for these. They are wonderfully addicting. The pan was gone in hours (we did share a few with the neighbors) Stay tuned for the next installment of my "Midnight Baker". What will she bake up next?

This recipe has a lot of words...but don't let that intimidate you.

Sticky Lemon Rolls with Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze
(Recipe adapted from ( TheKitchn.com )

Makes 12 rolls

Lemon Roll Dough:
3 Lemons
1 pkg. active yeast (2 1/2 tsp)
3/4 c. warm milk (not hot)
1/2 c. (1 stick) very soft unsalted butter
1/4 c. white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 eggs

Sticky Lemon Filling:
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg (if you've got it...or use ground, no prob)
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (very soft)

Lemon Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar (which we had to borrow from the neighbor)

Make the Dough:
Zest and juice the lemons. Divide the zest into three parts. Divide the juice into two parts. Set aside. (half of juice used for filling, half will be used for glaze)

In the bowl of a stand mixer sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and let stand for a few minutes. With the mixer paddle attachment, stir in softened butter, sugar, vanilla and 1 c. of flour. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and one part (1/3) of the lemon zest. Stir in eggs and enough of the flour to make a soft and sticky dough.

Switch to the dough hook, and knead for about 5 min. or until the dough is elastic and pliable. Spray the dough with cooking oil and turn over so it is covered in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel. Let stand until it has nearly doubled in volume (about an hour.)

Make the filling:
In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the nutmeg and ginger. Then work in the second part of the lemon zest with your fingers until it resembles soft sand. Slowly pour in one part of the lemon juice, stirring. Stop when it forms a wet clumpy mixture. (you might not need all of the juice)

Assemble the rolls:
Lightly grease a 9 x 13 pan with baking spray or butter. On a floured surface roll out the dough into a large yet still thick rectangle (about 10 x 15)

Spread the dough evenly with the 3 Tbsp. of softened butter. Pour and spread the lemon mixture over the top. Roll the dough up tightly starting at the top long end of the dough. Stretch and pull the dough taut as you go to keep the filling inside. Cut the long dough roll into 12 even pieces. Pinch the bottom of each roll closed. Place each one cut side up into the prepared pan.

Cover the rolls with a towel and let them rise for an hour or until puffy and nearly doubled. (Instead of doing this we put them in the refrigerator at this point...they can stay in there for up to 24 hrs.) When you are ready to bake take them out of the refrigerator and let them rise in the same manner.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 min.

Make the glaze:
With a food processor, or mixer beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the remaining lemon juice until well blended. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth and creamy.

Finish the rolls:
When the rolls are baked smear with cream cheese glaze and sprinkle with remaining lemon zest. Let cool for 10 min. before serving, but they are best when served while still warm.

A Little Bit of Heaven

2011-07-05T21:43:00.007-05:00

"We're going on a picnic, and this is what we're going to bring..." Grandma started our nap time stories with these words and we'd fill in the blank. I usually said potato salad (but that recipe is for another post) Her technique was to get us to close our eyes and imagine this ideal picnic with wonderful food, games and family around us. Then she would tell us that is what heaven will be like.

Last month we paid a formal tribute to my Mom's life. This celebration gathered family from across the country. We cried, laughed and had wonderful times with our extended family. My oldest kids live in California and were home for an extended time after the memorial. These pictures and simple picnic food ideas are from our family picnic with all four kids home. When younger and all under one roof, we'd go to "Turtle Fountain" near the Lake Harriet Rose Garden, our favorite spot. This particular evening was glorious with picture perfect weather, lovely simple food, a dance ensemble performing in the garden, and a game of bocce ball. Dessert came later at Sebastian Joe's Ice cream, another tradition.

Picnic instructions:
Get a bag, throw in cheese, cutting board...and your favorite "hooch". Is that how you spell it? If it's in a mason jar it's legal at the park right? San Pellegrino for the young ones.

Next, get a crusty baguette from Rustica Bakery $2.50. Voted one of the 10 best bread bakeries in America (according to Bon Appetit Magazine)

Wonderful smoked ham from Clancey's Meats in Linden Hills

Plugra European Style Butter - Under the advice from my oldest son...that's all you really need. And he's right.

Check out this snazzy new teak salad bowl I found at the thrift store for 5 bucks!

That morning we all went to the Minneapolis Farmer's Market and collected fresh and locally grown buttery lettuce, radishes and asparagus. Here are a few things we created from the trip to the market.

Simple Farmer's Market Salad

Butter lettuce (or any other beautiful tender lettuce from the market or your garden)
Thinly sliced radishes

Dress with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 to 2 cloves of garlic (smash with the back side of a lg knife and mash about 1/4 tsp salt in)
1 c. mayo
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. Flat leaf Italian parsley
Few Tbsp. snipped fresh herbs...Chives are great (whatever you like)

Buttermilk (well shaken) add enough to dressing to achieve desired consistency

Freshly ground pepper and salt
Dash of cayenne pepper or hot pepper sauce

Mix all together. Taste to get seasoning to your taste.

Blanched Asparagus
Check out this "How to video" Keep it green and crisp.

Dip it in your own homemade mustard (a chance to use another mason jar...I love them)

HOMEMADE MUSTARD

1/4 c Colman's Mustard
1/4 c White wine vinegar
1/3 c Dry white wine
1 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
3 Egg yolks

You begin with Colman's Mustard, adding vinegar for tartness and wine for mellowness; then you cook with egg yolks to give the spread its velvety smooth texture. You can season the mildly flavored mustard as suggested, or leave if plain. For gift-giving, package the mustards in jars and identify them with decorative labels. In top of a double boiler, stir together mustard, vinegar, wine, sugar, and salt. Let stand, uncovered, for 2 hours. Beat egg yolks into mustard mixture.

Place over simmering water and cook, stirring with a wire whisk, until mixture thickens slightly (about 5 minutes). Pour into small jars and let cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a month.

Makes about 1 cup.

The bubbly white flat bread in the picture is Armenian Cracker Bread...Lavash. It comes in the big rounds made by Valley Bakery. We break it up and run it under tap water quickly to soften it a bit. Great with cheese...plus it's Armenian and so is my family.

Kale, It's What's for Breakfast....(Lunch and Dinner too)

2011-06-26T14:38:00.010-05:00

This is one of those simple meals that qualifies for the phrase, "Bang for your Buck". It's quick to make, tastes great and gives you a good amount of nutrients. Kale is one of my all time favorite vegetables. Pair it with some onion, Nitrate-free smoked bacon, for it's smoky salty goodness and an egg...viola, great for breakfast lunch or dinner!

There are several varieties of kale , but the three most common are curly kale (the kind we always thought was not edible...just for garnishing plates and salad bars) , red kale, and Lacinato kale . Curly kale has ruffled leaves with a bright green color, a lively pungent flavor with bitter peppery qualities The Lacinato kale is the most common. It is also called “dinosaur kale.” It is made up of dark blue-green leaves with a slightly sweeter, more delicate taste than curly kale. I usually go for the Lacinato when I can find it...easier now that it seems to be "trendy". If you have a Twitter account follow me...I "tweet" under the name @crazy4kale.

Kale and Eggs

4 slices of smoked bacon (cut into bit size pieces)
1/2 Lg onion chopped
1 bunch of Kale (cleaned and cut into ribbons)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. (crushed red pepper if you like a "kick")

Cook bacon until crisp tender remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to bacon dripping and cook until soft and a bit caramelized. Add Kale and saute until softened. Season to taste.

Cap it all off with an egg. I like over easy fried in olive oil or poached with a soft loose yolk, but you could certain scramble this all together. Such a quick meal that I can now make even faster since I found the "Cut n Clean" Greens at Whole Foods triple washed and ready to go.

Kale is an alkaline food, full of fiber and sulfuric compounds, which have been found to help prevent a wide variety of cancers. Research suggests that the phytonutrients found in these foods also help activate detoxifying enzymes in the liver, which work to neutralize potentially carcinogenic substances. What a great addition to recipes you already make, sneak it into soups and pastas. Move over spinach!

Our favorite salad is, Massaged Kale Salad. When I posted this recipe the first time we liked it...but now we LOVE it. The beauty of the recipe is that it's more of a technique. You can substitute what you have on hand and make different combinations. The one we like the best is a combination of apple, golden raisins, toasted pecans and a smoky blue cheese. I brought it to a food blogger dinner and the host Stephanie of FreshTart.net took this great photo. (scroll down...it's after her killer White Bean Gratin recipe).

Butter is Back!

2011-05-23T12:29:00.002-05:00

Did you hear? Butter is not evil. It's loaded with nutrients and unlike some liquid oils, butter is not treated with high heat to process destroying nutrients. One of butter's beneficial nutrients include lauric acid, an immune-protective nutrient. Butter is rich in vitamins A, D, E and K and contains other essential nutrients, along with short-chain fatty acids, which are not easily stored as fat in the body. All of that being said I don't mind sharing this favorite recipe with you. Butter is back!

Our family loves to eat outside on our deck and breakfast is no exception. We even plug in an electric griddle and cook the pancakes outdoors too. Spring is passing us by...not many al fresco meals yet, but plenty of raindrops. Oatmeal Pancakes were cooked in the warmth of our kitchen this weekend. They are easy, nutritious, tender and filling. The only catch is that you have to remember to soak the oats in buttermilk the night before...so worth it. These pancakes may sound ordinary, but they are absolutely wonderful. Top them with some cinnamon butter and some fresh berries and you have a breakfast as good as any weekend brunch at a restaurant, (Just add champagne evidently it's good for your health too! )

Oatmeal Pancakes

2 c. Old Fashioned Oats (if you only have quick, that's ok too)
2 c. Buttermilk (sometimes I use the old milk and vinegar or lemon juice trick if I don't have buttermilk)
2 eggs
1 stick unsalted butter (I've used half a stick...still good, if you're not convinced of the butter benefits)
1/2 c. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt.
1 tsp. vanilla (great addition to most pancake batters)

Combine oats and buttermilk in a medium size bowl the night before you want to make the pancakes.

In the morning mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl. In another bowl lightly beat the eggs. Melt and slightly cool the butter. Mix the eggs and butter into the oatmeal mixture. Add the flour mixture and gently mix together.
This batter is thick.

Prepare a griddle with oil. Make sure it's good and hot. Flip when the pancakes are set around the edges and nice and brown. Serve with pure maple syrup.

* Great cooked with some coconut oil (great health benefits in raw organic coconut oil too)

Cinnamon Honey Butter
1/4 c. softened unsalted butter
2 tsp. honey
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix together. Slather on your favorite pancakes. Would be great on apple or sweet potato pancakes. Stay tuned for those recipes :) in the Fall (unless it never warms up here)

We love these pancakes with fresh berries, but give them an "oatmeal cookie" flavor by adding some walnuts and raisin to the batter.

A Delicious Life Well Lived

2011-05-07T12:13:00.003-05:00

I haven't blogged for a while. My fingers hesitate on the keys. I want to write, I need to write. If I start to form the words, this will all be real and I so wish it wasn't. Last week my beautiful Mother Loretta passed away far too soon and much too young. She is so much of the reason I have a delicious time and why I appreciate wonderful food, and sharing it with others. Her zest for life and all things sparkly were transferred every day with her smile. She would read cookbooks like novels, pour over the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Magazine restaurant section planning her next adventure. Dad didn't always share her desire to check out new restaurants, but he would often find her dressed to the nines on Friday when he got home, knowing if she coyly used the phrase let's just "go out for a cup of soup" he would usually oblige. It always turned out to be much more than soup!

My "cooking lessons" were watching her create magic out of her cast iron skillet and limited tools. Not usually allowed to help, but I always observed and loved to look at the pictures in her 1960's Better Crocker cookbook. This is where she got the recipe for her scratch buttermilk pancakes with the separated egg whites that were lighter than air, sparking my desire for homemade while everyone else was embracing the processed easy box mixes. The jewel of the book to me was the flaming Baked Alaska. I begged for it...never got it until I was married with kids of my own. This turned out to be Grandma's special Christmas Eve gift to all of us. Every year she would make it in the same bowl with rum soaked pound cake and new flavors of premium ice cream. She would flame the masterpiece to our ooohs and aahhs, a treasured tradition. A silver bowl held the berry compote she ladled over the creamy delight. Mom always paid close attention to presentation, teaching me that everything tastes better on a pretty plate or a crystal glass.

Mom was great at making something from nothing and also jazzing up the ordinary to make it gourmet. One of her creations came from her days in boarding school. The food wasn't always the best, but she fondly remembered a simple dish they served in the cafeteria called Egg Gravy. It's basically creamed eggs on toast...doesn't sound too appealing right. Well it's turned into a family favorite loved by all. The condiments make it extra special, you'll love it. My twist is adding some kale as a side...always working the nutrition angle. I'm sure she won't mind.

Loretta's Famous Egg Gravy

Scrambled eggs, in white sauce with crusty oven toast, served with toppings

White Sauce

2 Tbsp. Butter
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 c. milk
Salt and Pepper to taste. I add some garlic too.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir until the butter and flour are well combined. Pour in milk, stirring constantly as it thickens. Add more milk depending on desired consistency.

Scrambled Eggs

8 Eggs
2 Tbsp. water or milk
2 Tbsp. Butter

Heat butter to foaming pour in beaten eggs. Cook until soft curds form

Stir scrambled eggs into the white sauce. Serve over bread of your choice toasted in the oven to give it extra crunchiness. Butter the toast and spoon the "gravy" over the toast. This dish is complete like this, but Mom always had tons of condiments so everyone could customize their own. Here are some favorite topping ideas, but of course use your imagination as well

Scallions
Shredded Cheddar
Crisp smoked bacon
Sauteed Mushrooms
Sliced Green Olives
**(Sauteed Kale with onions and smoked bacon)

"As Thick as Pea Soup"

2011-02-20T20:24:00.003-06:00

We had "Pea Soup" weather last week...such thick fog you couldn't see the end of your nose, well, I guess that is a bit of an exaggeration. Today we are having "white out" conditions, so a big pot of soup and hot from the oven bread seem like the perfect answer to the cold blustery conditions.

Dried split peas are a legume loaded with soluable and insoluable fiber, potassium, Dried peas also provide good to excellent amounts of four important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein. On top of all this they have virtually no fat and contain isoflavones which are phytonutrients that can be linked to reducing the risk of certain health conditions.

I found this recipe in the cookbook by local authors Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson, "Savoring the Seasons in the Northland" This soup is so easy, flavorful and a great comfort food. Just a few ingredients, but lots of flavor. My twelve year son said "Make this again!!" It was also fun to share some information from the book about our Minnesota Swedish heritage with him. The book is packed with interesting information. For example Sweden originally was predominately Catholic and followed a meatless Friday tradition. So this was a hearty meal traditionaly eaten on Thursdays with pancakes and lingonberries. The majority of American Swedes are Lutheran and some still follow this same tradition today. Who knew? You can eat it any day of the week!

Yellow (Green) Split Pea Soup

Adapted from "Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland" Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson

2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Onion Peeled and Diced
2 Stalks Celery Diced (I didn't have any, so I used extra onion)
3 Carrots Diced
1/2 tsp. Tumeric
1/2 c. Sherry (optional. I didn't have this, still tasted great)
4 c. Yellow or Green Dried Peas
10 c. Chicken Stock (homemade or low-sodium canned)
1 meaty Ham Bone or two Ham Hocks ( I used a smoked ham hock, inexpensive...great flavor)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

In a large stock pot heat the butter and saute the onion, celery and carrot until soft. Add tumeric, sherry , peas, stock and ham bone bring to a boil and then simmer covered for about and hour. Remove the ham bone, remove the meat and reserve. Puree the soup in batches in a food processor until smooth. Add reserved ham and garnish with cracked black pepper.

This makes a large pot and the leftover soup freezes well.

" I'll Gladly Pay you Tuesday..."

2011-02-10T11:01:00.002-06:00

Man cannot live on Kale and cabbage alone! Popeye had his spinach, but Wimpy loved a good burger! Last week, my family and I won the jackpot! We were treated to a VIP party at the brand new "Smashburger" in Eden Prairie, MN. When the kids asked the typical late afternoon question..."What's for dinner"? I got to say "were going to Smashburger, and you can have anything you want!" Coincidently, this question came right after I finished watching last week's Oprah episode when she reports back on going Vegan for a month. Our family "leans vegetarian" but we all love a good burger, but not just any burger, and Smashburger met our high expectations. They use 100% angus beef that is cooked to order and lots of condiment choices (none of those pale sick looking tomatoes) and toast their buns! They don't just serve burgers, so there is truly is something for everyone. Smashchicken, Smashsalads and even a veggie burger. We tried all of their sides and like the Smashfries the best. (Shoe string french fries with sea salt and rosemary...yum)

We tried four burgers and cut them in quarters so we could each try something different. The "Twin Cities Classic" was our favorite loaded with gooey cheese and plenty of grilled onions, lettuce tomato on an onion bun, followed closely behind was the "Spicy Baja". We like this burger's unique smokiness and creamy guacamole and fresh jalapenos...you can't beat it, especially in the "semi-fast food world". I think quality ingredients are key here. They even use Hagen Daz ice cream in their shakes!

This special event was offered to those of us who are in the "Twitter" world I follow @SmashburgerMSP which is kind of ironic since my twitter handle is @crazy4kale,

A Case For Cauliflower

2011-02-07T17:07:00.002-06:00

Do you look at a head of cauliflower in the market and think, "Cauliflower, hmm...that's probably good for me, but it's white, how much nutrition could it have. I have no clue how to fix it", will my family eat it? Well, next time toss it in your basket and try this oh so easy, delicious technique. Of course I'm adding a smoked bacon (nitrate free) and a head of garlic so you can't really go wrong.

Cauliflower is actually in the cruciferous family of vegetables loaded with vitamins, minerals and a sulfur compound which makes it a great disease preventative. In addition to all of the phytonutrients 1 c. of cauliflower contains as much vitamin C as an orange!

Roasting vegetables is an easy way to make this otherwise blah vegetable sing. I reserve one of my baking sheets just for roasting, so it's now nicely "seasoned" which means black. This quick high temperature process caramelizes the florets, mellows the garlic and crisps the smoky bacon just enough. Trust me, I served this last night to a few people of claimed they didn't like cauliflower and now I'm sure they were won over!

Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Smoked Bacon

1 head of cauliflower (cut into florets...this breaks down the cell walls which helps release healthy enzymes)
1 head of garlic (peeled left whole)
3 - 4 slices of good smoked bacon (Trader Joe's Applewood smoked or at Whole Foods you can just buy a couple slices from the case)

A couple good grinds of pepper

Place on a baking tray. you really don't need to add extra salt, that comes from the bacon and maybe just a tiny drizzle of olive, but really the bacon takes care of coating the cauliflower to give it those lovely golden edges.

Roast in the oven @ 425 degrees until the cauliflower browns slightly, the bacon is crisp tender and the garlic is soft.
You'll love it.

Trust me...you will crave this dish.

An Egg on Top

2011-01-10T13:43:00.001-06:00

I LOVE the new wool socks my daughter gave me for Christmas...life changing actually. This is spoken from a person who does not "own" winter and would love to wear "Havaianas" year round. My toes have some feeling now as I sit in our frigid basement at the computer tapping out my first blog post of the new year. Gone are the trips to the farmer's market and my bounty of local colorful vegetables. Now I am searching out ways to make our food as colorful and warming as possible to get us through the winter. My apologies to those of you who love the season, and have all of the right gear to make it cheerfully through these cold days, but for me I'm counting the days until spring.

This recipe comes from one of my new cookbooks which I love and recommend. "In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite" by Melissa Clark. The warming spices of cumin and cinnamon accent the smoky chipotle peppers and contrasting touch of honey making this a wonderful dish which everyone in the family loved. Another plus is that it couldn't have been easier to make. Serve it along side some brown rice and you have a home run. Another plus is that the sweet potatoes have Alpha carotene which is a hardworking, free-radical-fighting antioxidant that's found in almost all colorful veggies,

Spiced Chipotle Honey Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potatoes
Melissa Clark "In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite"

4 Sweet Potatoes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus additional to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
Chopped cilantro or basil, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degress F. In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potatoes in 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil and scatteron the bottom of a roasting pan. Roast for 15 min.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, chipotles, garlic, honey, vinegar, salt, cumin, and cinnamon to make a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken. Carefully place the chicken on top of the sweet potatoes and continue to roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes longer. Serve garnished with cilantro or basil.

During our Christmas break we ate out a few times. We have a few favorite "hole in the wall" places. The Anchor in NE Minneapolis is great for authentic fish and chips, and great grass fed burgers. The owners are friendly, remembered us even after only a couple times. The wait can be long, but it's worth it. a glass of "Nordeast" beer can help shorten the wait. We also had a great burger at the "Blue Door Pub" in St. Paul, known for their blue cheese stuffed burger called the "Blucy" and beer battered green beans. Both places serve a burger topped with a fried egg...a little added nutrition if you ask me, especially since they use good free range organic eggs. At our house we use organic eggs from Larry Schultz Farms. The farm is in my home town of Owatonna, MN and Larry graduated with my brother!

I always say everything is better with an egg on top!! This isn't an original idea, but check out the picture below...we ordered pizza one cold night during Christmas break, so the next morning for breakfast we put an egg on top of our re-heated left over pizza (with a side of sauteed kale) It made a divine breakfast. Who says pizza isn't nutritious?

Not Your Mama's Pesto

2010-11-19T10:30:00.003-06:00

I have an affinity for mason jars...I know I'm not alone because there is a blog out there called "Food in Jars". It think it's better for your health to store food in glass containers, plus it just makes the food look more appealing. Maybe this affection can be traced to my love of reading "Little House on the Prairie books. Last week I made two batches of granola and stored it in jars. I'd like to tell you I shared it with friends, but we ate it so fast, I didn't even have the chance to display it decoratively on my baker's rack. My daughter Lauren got me excited about making it...she had just made a couple yummy combinations with orange zest, dried cranberries and lots of nuts. Once you know a basic formula, you can be creative and use what you have in your pantry. The aroma of the baking granola is heavenly. It's easy and gratifying...because you can say, hey, I made that! You could use this recipe from "Art and Lemons" as a guide. Nikki writes a beautiful blog, great writing and recipes, plus she put her granola in a jar! Wait a minute, I titled this post "Not Your Mama's Pesto", so let's talk about pesto.

The "out of the box pesto" I just made (and put in a cute jar) was from "Shefzilla, Haute cuisine at Home". It's a Cilantro pesto recipe and is definitely not run of the mill. It's bright green color and unique flavor can add interest to many dishes. I made the suggested recipe of Shrimp and Cilantro Pizza and it was a winner!

I didn't have an yeast in the house, so I improvised and didn't make the crust from scratch. Instead I used some Indian Tandoori Naan bread from Traders Joe's. I worked very well, but I'm sure homemade pizza dough would be best. The pesto's flavor has an Asian flair, substituting Toasted Sesame Oil for the traditional olive oil, adding fish sauce and my favorite Sriacha for a kick. Keep this on hand in your refrigerator...think of the possibilities, even on eggs!

Cilantro Pesto
(Shefzilla, Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home)

1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems, rinsed thoroughly in cold water
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp Sriracha
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
1/4 c. cold water

1. Bring 2 qts. water to a hard boik and add 1 tsp. salt. Blanch cilantro until tender about 30 seconds. Remove from boiling water and rinse under cold tap water until coll, 10 seconds. Squeeze out excess water and roughly chop.

2. Place blanced and chopped cilantro in container of blender and add remaining ingredients (sesame oil through water) Cover and blend on high until smooth about 1 minute. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Shrimp and Cilantro Pizza
(adapted from Shefzilla, Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home)
3 Tap. Cilantro pesto
1 8 oz. pizza dough portion (grilled) (I substitued pre-made naan bread)
8 poached shrimp (sliced in half length-wise)
3 Tbsp. finely grated Grana Padano (I used Parmesan I had on hand)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Spread Cilantro Pesto evenly on the grilled pizza dough. Top with Poached Shrimp, Cheese and red pepper flakes. (At this point, I did put mine into the oven to toast it up a bit) The recipe doesn't call for reheating....your choice.

I learned a few things I didn't know about cilantro. It is very healthy for you. Cilantro is detoxifying and can actually remove heavy metals from your system! Check out this article...very interesting! http://www.rawfoodinfo.com/articles/art_cilantroremheavymetals.html

If you want to try a more traditional cilantro pesto, here is another version. Enjoy!

Cilantro Pesto

3/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 c. fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
1/2 c. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients in the food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Shefzilla "Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home"

2010-11-14T14:20:00.002-06:00

Do I really have to put my flip-flops away? Is the party over? Farmer's Market season is coming to an end here in Minneapolis. One "Last Hurrah", a chance to soak in my favorite newly discovered (by me anyway) Kingfield Farmer's Market on Nicollet Ave. A few weeks ago I made my way to this cozy "Sunday only" market with a goal. My mission was to secure a signed copy of Stewart Woodman's new cookbook "Shefzilla" Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home for my son Dan. We both have admired Stewart's creative food and style in his restaurant, Heidi's, (named after his wife an accomplished chef in her own right) and his food blog, Shefzilla. My mission was accomplished and I got a personalized copy of the book for Dan, instructing him to "Live his dream"...which he is doing in a fine restaurant in Los Angeles. I have yet to send it to him, because I can't put it down. Hopefully I won't get his copy all dog eared and stained before I get it in the mail. Better get my own copy!

Last Christmas when our family was all together in one state, we decided the six of us would enjoy a gift from a favorite Auntie and go out to enjoy some fine dining. We picked Heidi's, had a "lick your plate" meal and had wonderful family time and tried not to be too giddy as we discretely took pictures of our food. Dan went back into the kitchen to give Stewart his regards and praise. So glad we did because the restaurant was destroyed by fire a few months later. There is a happy ending though...this new cookbook was born from this "time off" for the Woodman's and they will be opening the restaurant in a new space on Lyndale Ave. before the first of the year if all goes as planned.

So fun to meet Stewart. I think I stumbled over my words...star struck by chef celebritydom. The book is great, giving the home cook flavors that are unique and will keep your guests wanting more. Perfect if you're looking for that show stopping dish to bring to a holiday party.

The Woodman children were right there at their side as they demonstrated , Seared Salmon Spring Rolls, Simply delicious. The dipping sauce gives it that "give me more" flavor. That's one of the things that makes this cookbook great. He shares many of his sauces, stocks, dips that add that extra pop to the dishes. It inspired me to go to Penzey's Spices to pick up some pink peppercorns, black sesame seeds and a few more interesting spices to add to my repitoire.

The side bars (gold text boxes) also make this book extraordinary. Stewart shares his insight about his journey...how he came to this place and how deeply in love he is with his craft. Not just a cookbook, but stories and life's lessons to boot.

Yes, that's me next to Heidi. I was in the crowd and got to help with the demo. LOVED this day.

Everyone got to sample. Last week Stewart also shared this recipe on the morning news. Check the link for a video demo. of the recipe.
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/morning_news/in_the_kitchen/shefzilla-seared-salmon-spring-rolls-nov-12-2010

Seared Salmon Spring Rolls
Recipe by Chef Stewart Woodman
Shefzilla: Conquering Haute Cuisine at Home

Makes 5–6 rolls

For marinated salmon:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
1 pound salmon, cut in 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon canola oil

1. Place first 7 ingredients (soy sauce through celery salt) in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour over salmon and marinate, covered, in refrigerator 2 hours.

2. Preheat sauté pan over high heat, add canola oil, and heat to smoking point. Add salmon to the pan; discard marinade. Cook about 2 minutes, turning salmon occasionally to sear on all sides.

3. Remove salmon and pan juices to plate and let cool to about room temperature. Flake salmon with a fork and set aside with pan juices.

Assembly:
6 (8-inch) spring roll wrappers
About 24 to 30 cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into thin 3-by-1/4-inch ribbons
About ½ cup Dipping Sauce

Fill large bowl with warm water. Working in batches, soak 1 to 3 spring roll wrappers in water until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove rounds from water and arrange in single layer on work surface. Place 4 to 5 cilantro leaves, 1/8 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and 2 cucumber ribbons down middle of each round. Place about 1/3 cup flaked salmon filling with juices on each round. Fold one edge of each round over filling. Fold in ends. Roll up rice paper rounds tightly. Transfer to platter. Repeat with remaining rounds. Slice spring rolls in half diagonally. Spoon about 1 tablespoon dipping sauce over each half. Serve immediately.

Dipping Sauce
Makes about 2 ½ cups
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, sliced thin
6 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
10 tablespoons fish sauce
¼ cup shredded carrot

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Before I left the market, I was drawn to the Foxy Falafel tent, "Because Chickpeas are Cool". I happened to run into my new friend Crystal, a Twin Cities food writer and fellow "foodie" who writes Cafe Cyan. She was just handed her warm pita filled with crispy goodness and before she got her first bite, I asked if I could take a picture of it...as any good blogger would do.

What makes these falafel so special is that they sprout the chickpeas increasing their nutritional value, plus digestibility...and the SAUCES, did I mention the sauces? Smoky garlicky harissa, cucumber yogurt and the lemony tahini sauce. Plus, these condiments.

Sorry to tease you, but Foxy Falafel is done for the season. You'll have to wait until next Spring. I am working on my own at home falafel recipes (which I will share) in case you can't wait that long. I know Foxy's are hard to beat...be sure to try their Beet Falafel...OUTSTANDING, with it's lemony goat cheese sauce. (I'm drooling)

Stay tuned for my next post. We enjoyed Shefzilla's Cilantro Pesto Shrimp Pizza, great flavor...I will share the green delight.

P.S. Did you know cilantro has amazing health properties?

Sauerkraut Balls and "Sweet Nutritious Beer"

2010-10-13T23:29:00.003-05:00

This has been the most colorful glorious Fall we've had in years! I confess a tear came to my eye while driving by our local Lake Calhoun a few days ago...the sun was at an angle that made the water look deep blue, the trees bright orange, sun sparking on the water as the sailboats were gliding by...spectacular. Such a great time to soak in this beauty and take a drive. I hope you got to enjoy it, too. We traveled down Highway 169 last weekend and helped David realize his dream of visiting New Ulm, Minnesota and the Schell's Brewery. (He claims he's wanted to make the trip for the last 20 years!!) Definitely an October activity, since Oktoberfest is in full swing. It wasn't exactly the kids idea of a "family day"...but it turned out to be perfectly perfect, especially since the day ended with their request of an enormous caramel apple from Emma Krumbee's Orchard. O.K., I'm sure you're all wondering...doesn't she usually talk about health and nutrition? I did do some research, and "sweet nutritious beer", as one of our good friends calls it, actually does have some health benefits! Check it out http://www.essortment.com/all/beerhealthbene_rryq.htm and the darker the beer the better http://www.beer-universe.com/beer-education-article/2010-08-24/Nutritious-Beer-The-Darker-the-Better/ good thing, because after the beer sampling at the end of the tour, I liked the Schell's Dark best. This historic brewery has a rich history and family tradition, celebrating 150 years in business.

Here's the tie in...Shaklee is 54 years old and also has a rich family history founded and run by Dr. Shaklee and his sons. We now have an outstanding owner, Roger Barnett who is carrying on the with the quality products, research and integrity my family has come to know and trust in the 20 years we've been using them. Nearly $300 million has been invested in research and development, and 100 published clinical studies to back up the products. Shaklee participated in a Landmark Study conducted by the University of California Berkley. It was the first ever study of long term supplement users showing people who use Shaklee supplements have markedly better health compared to those who took a multi-vitamin, or no supplements at all. Check out the published clinical study for yourself. http://landmarkstudy.com/

Our day began here. See... no clouds in the sky!

We didn't get to ride in the vintage beer bus...but it's kinda cute isn't it?

The end of the tour. They gave us "samples" of their beer and the kids got "1919 Rootbeer" the recipe the Schell family came up with to help them make money during prohibition!

We made our way into town and ended up at Veigel's Kaiserhoff restaurant, in search of my Sister-in-law's uber favorite Kaiserhoff secret sauce they sell by the bottle (or case, as she tells me). So...when in Rome (or New Ulm) during Oktoberfest, you have to eat German food. Plenty of health giving cabbage and sausage, plus these little delicacies the Sauerkraut Ball. These were, OK...but I liked the idea, so I found a recipe of my own. If your uncertain of the beer being nutritious...I know for sure that fermented cabbage is very healthy!!

Sauerkraut Balls
(My German half is showing)

1 c. sauerkraut, drained and chopped
1/4 to 1/2 c. chopped corned beef
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 c. water
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp. salt

Coating:
2 eggs beaten
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs

Mix the kraut, corned beef, 1 c. of the bread crumbs, 1 egg, onion, water, parsley, horseradish, garlic and salt. Refrigerate at least 1 hr. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Shape sauerkraut mixture into inch balls. Dip balls in 2 beaten eggs; then roll in the 1/2 c. bread crumbs. Bake on ungreased baking sheet until lightly brown. (About 20 min.) I'm sure the "Kaiserhoff Secret Sauce" would be the best condiment to go with these :)

Here comes a recipe for a healthy pizza idea David said was "The best pizza he's ever eaten" Whoa...hope it lives up to it's reputation.

Kale, Red Onion, Kalamata Olive and Goat Cheese Pizza

Check out this post for easy to make pizza dough http://kelli-abrahamian.blogspot.com/search?q=Pizza+Farm

or buy ready made dough or crust. (Trader Joe's has a few good choices)

Saute chopped kale, a couple cloves of minced garlic with some olive oil until just wilted. (It will cook more and get a bit crispy when it bakes on the pizza)

Top unbaked crust with olive oil, minced garlic, the sauteed kale mixture, thinly sliced red onions, pitted kalamata olives, and blobs of fresh goat cheese. Bake on a pizza stone or pizza pan. in a 450 - 500 degree oven until brown (anyway you like it) This one could have been "toastier" but you can't go wrong...don't stress.

This next recipe is a "go to recipe" for weekend mornings that include a steamy pot of french press coffee or a cup of Shaklee Cinch Energy Tea You can make any flavor combination you like. I whip them up quickly in a food processor, just a few pulses until the dough comes together. You mix in your favorite flavor and shape it into a disk like this.

We made two flavors last weekend, mixed berry and cherry walnut. You can be creative, even add savory mix-ins and omit the sugar.

Scones (pick your flavor)
Adapted from the Zuni Cafe Cookbook, Orange Currant

1 1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick) put it in the freezer, ice cold butter works best
1 egg
1/4 to 1/2 c. milk

1 Tbsp. orange zest
juice from half and orange
1/4 c. currants

(If you are making a different flavor, omit the orange juice and just a more milk in it's place)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk to combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the butter bits are pea-sized.
Add currants and orange zest. Add orange juice, egg, and milk, and stir to combine.
Flour work surface. Pat dough into a 7-inch circle, and cut into 6 wedges.
Place wedges about 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light golden-brown. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.

I brush them with a beaten egg (cream works too) and bake on a parchment lined baking tray...(it's works fine without it too)

Back to the "sweet nutritious beer" just saw this post on my Facebook feed...couldn't resist sharing. I haven't tried it yet, but everything in this book "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" is great. Bradley Benn's Beer Bread.

Stay tuned for dates of upcoming Women's Nutrition presentation that we are planning. Loads of excellent information you can use.

Enjoying the Fruits of the Season

2010-09-17T09:40:00.001-05:00

The Table. It's the heart of the family, the meeting place for friends, the place to play games, put together puzzles and EAT. I often hear people ask "why does everything have to revolve around food"? I say why not? The sharing of a meal brings people together. How about preparing food together? If you don't feel comfortable cooking for people other than your family...make it an event. Invite people to bring ingredients and try a new recipe together. You can laugh and bond. The entertainment and the meal can be rolled up into one! We did just that with some new friends last weekend. Actually, Joanne and I have know each other since high school, but we have never socialized together with our husbands. We traveled an hour south of the city to their beautiful countryside home in the middle of beautifully restored prairie land. When you walk into the house it is perfectly serene with views of the wooded lot it is nestled into. But the best part...a gourmet kitchen with a center island, perfect for a group cooking experience...topped off by the garden delights we picked from their garden. Try Tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, arugula, garlic, onions and plenty of fresh herbs...I could hardly contain myself. This is a recipe for a beautiful evening ending at a table bathed in candlelight and topped off by great conversation and fresh berry kuchen (I know...I make that a lot) and whipped cream.

Maintaining connections with friends and family is an important part of maintaining good health...there are studies to prove it. Are you concerned about your health and your families health? Make a point of meeting at the table everyday. After raising four kids, two out of the house, the advice I give new parents is just that. Make every effort to eat meals together. Of course I always put some Shaklee supplements beside everyone's plate.

Especially now that school has started it is so important to get all of the nutrients you need to stay healthy. I can't fully explain how great these products are, you just have to try them for yourself. The research has been done for you and there is a 100% money back guarantee. What do you have to lose?

Here is a wonderful soup we made that night with the bounty of tomatoes from the garden! So good I made it twice this week. Thank you, Patty, for the gift of tomatoes and kale you left on my doorstep! This is one of the things I made out of them. I made a kale pizza too...but I'll share the recipe for that another time.

Roasted Tomato Soup with Chipotle Cream
Fresh Tart (freshtart.net) Stepanie Meyer

3 lbs. garden tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
3 unpeeled large garlic cloves
3 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. butter 1 1/2 c. chicken broth (perhaps more, to thin the soup to your liking)
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 chipotle chili (from a can of chipotle chilis in adobo sauce), minced to a paste (add some of the adobo sauce as well for more heat)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread the tomatoes, skin side down, in the one layer in 2 foil-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle the tomatoes with a little salt. Add the garlic to 1 of the pans, and bake the tomatoes and the garlic for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are very soft and their skin is dark brown. Let the tomatoes and garlic cool in the pans on racks.

Stir together the cream and chipotle pepper and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan cook the shallot, the oregano, and a sprinkle of salt over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is soft. Add the tomatoes, garlic (skins discarded), and broth. Simmer the mixture, covered for 15 minutes. Puree in a blender, or use an immersion blender, until soup is smooth. Add more broth to achieve desired consistency. Stir in balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve swirled with chipotle cream. (Can be made one day ahead, cover and chill.)

This next recipe might sound strange, but I made it twice last week as well and it was a big hit. How can you go wrong combing lusicous ripe peaches and tomatoes...it's the season.

Peach, Tomato and Basil Salad
(Penny De Los Santos)

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional
2 cloves chopped garlic
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine

Arugula Salad with Roasted Figs and Goat Cheese

Use the same balsamic vinaigrette for this salad.

Fresh figs are in season, so buy them while you can. I cut these in half and sauteed them in a bit of olive oil. Then I roasted them on a baking sheet in the oven for a short time.

Peppery arugula is perfect to offset the creamy goat cheese and sweet figs.

We made these potatoes from the garden potatoes. The recipe calls for preserved lemon (which I found in the product dept. of Whole Foods) for a great price...but forgot to bring it to our gathering. We used some from lemon instead...the recipe didn't turn out the way it was intended, but our theme for the night was "It'll be just fine" and it was.

Crash Hot Potatoes
Fresh Tart (freshtart.net) Stephanie Meyer
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Serves 6

12 whole new potatoes
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary (or other fresh herbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 of a whole preserved lemon, seeds discarded, minced (I find jars of whole preserved lemons at Whole Foods)
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and cook them until they are fork-tender.

While the potatoes cook, add heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the rosemary and garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant and just softening, about 4 minutes. Stir in preserved lemon and set aside.

Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil on a baking sheet and spread evenly. Drain potatoes and place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly crushes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and crush lightly again. Spoon a bit of the garlic oil on each potato, using all the oil. Sprinkle the potatoes lightly with salt.

Place potatoes in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Grind black pepper over the hot potatoes and serve immediately.

Truly, these potatoes were even better the next morning for brunch. I added the forgotten preserved lemon, cooked them up "hash style" added some arugula and cooked an egg on top. DELICIOUS!!

Don't waste any time enjoying the fruits of the season and this gorgeous Fall weather. Plan some get togethers with friends new and old. I would love to cook with you and share Shaklee. Call me, or I'll call you...so don't be surprised if you hear from me soon :)

Tarts, Tacos and Tomatoes

2010-09-01T21:26:00.002-05:00

Summer is coming to an end. The whole month of August has been a blur, but I want to share some of the highlights with you, at least from a gastronomical point of view! I tend to get melancholy as a season passes...but I am trying to get in all of the tomatoes, berries, peaches I can before we get into the crisp fall vegetables and apples. The time shared with family, great friends, (along with the good food) is a shot in the arm to strengthen your immune system! Laughter truly is good medicine. Check out this amazing article: http://www.naturalnews.com/007551.html.

August was filled with time with all of my kids, going to the farmer's market together, cooking, hiking and lots of laughter with extended family and old friends. I celebrated another birthday...at Disneyland of all places. I'm now closing in on 50 and I'm so grateful for Shaklee supplements and how great I feel when I take them regularly and how I love to help other people feel well too.

Vitalizer is a product I take everyday. Shaklee makes it easy for you to get the nutrients you need in a convenient form. Vitalizer is by far the most advanced, comprehensive multi-nutrient supplement you can buy. If you take this everyday, you're guarantees to enjoy the wonderful feeling of health and vitality!

Life is short, so let's start with dessert! Here is a picture of my birthday tart. It's really a recipe from my friend's Susie and Stephanie for their award winning blueberry kuchen, but when we went to the farmer's market...this is what looked good, so we improvised. That's the beauty of this recipe...use the fruit you like. Made it with blueberries and mangos and it was great too.

Blueberry Kuchen (I made with Blackberries and Peaches)

Adapted from Dara & Co. Minnesota Monthly Stephanie Meyer

From Susie Shubert
Serves 10-12

I baked this in a 10 inch Tart Pan with a removable bottem...but you can bake it in a springform pan.

2 1/4 c. flour, divided
dash salt
1 c. (two sticks) butter
1 1/4 c. sugar, divided, plus a little more for sprinkling
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
6 c. blueberries, divided
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F. Using a food processor or pastry blender, combine 2 c. flour, butter, 1/4 c. sugar, and vinegar until dough just comes together. Press evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan, pushing the sides up a bit higher to form edges.

In a small bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 c. flour, 1 c. sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the crust, top with 4 c. of the blueberries, and then the remaining flour-cinnamon mixture. Shake the pan a little so the flour sinks down around the berries and the berries are evenly distributed. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the edges of the crust are deep golden brown and the berries are bubbling.

Transfer pan to a rack and distribute remaining 2 c. of blueberries evenly over the top. Sprinkle with a little sugar, let cool for 30 minutes, and serve warm with vanilla ice cream (or cool to room temperature).

Here is another very similar recipe with the addition of coconut in the crust!! Equally simple and impressive dessert. A good way to use the Summer's bounty of beautiful berries.

Really Raspberry Coconut Tart (from Alice Medrich)

From Lottie and Doof

Crust:

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and still warm
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 cups raspberries, rinsed and spread on paper towels to drain
Powdered sugar, for dusting

CRUST

Position a rack in lower third of oven. Place your heaviest, darkest baking sheet (or pizza stone) on the rack and preheat oven to 425°F.

Set a medium bowl near the stove. Spread the coconut in a wide heavy skillet, set over medium heat, and stir constantly until the coconut begins to color slightly. Turn the heat down and continue to stir until the coconut is mostly light golden brown and flecked with some white. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes, be careful not to burn the coconut. Immediately scrape toasted coconut into bowl.

Stir the sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt into the coconut. Add the flour and mix just until well blended. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. This takes a little patience as there is just enough dough.

FILLING

Mix the sugar and flour together in a medium bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups of the berries and gently fold or toss to coat them with the sugar mixture. Pour the berries (including any loose flour or sugar) into the crust and spread them evenly.

Set the pan on a square of foil and fold the edges of the foil up and loosely over the edges of the crust to protect them temporarily. Set on the hot baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350°F, unfold the foil to expose crust edge, and bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the berry juices are bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes more. About halfway through, use a fork to gently break up the berries.

Remove the tart from the oven and arrange the remaining berries attractively, as close together as possible, over the hot berries. Cool completely on a rack.

Remove the sides of the tart pan and dust the tart with powdered sugar before serving. The tart is best if served within a few hours of baking.

Here is the kitchen island before my son Dan started to cook my delicious birthday dinner. We started with a beautiful baguette my daughter Lauren made, paired with radishes, butter, salt and some "stinky cheese"...what could be better?

The next course was clams and mussels in a white wine, fennel, garlic broth. Then....get ready for this, I'm sorry I don't have a picture, but we had the most fabulous stuffed zucchini blossoms with ricotta, herbs and lemon battered and fried (not sure if that is the fancy culinary term) served with a salsa verde. YUM. The entree was a grilled chicken breast served on a bed of roasted baby heirlooms from the market, a nicoise olive tapenade and creamy feta on top. Ok...I know, I'm so lucky to have a son who's a chef. I was an experience...the cooking process is part of the entire pleasure of the meal.

Here is a glimpse of another meal. We weren't sure what we were going to have...and this is the meal that happened. Grilled Shrimp tacos...so good. We just brushed the shrimp with olive oil and some smoked paprika and grilled them along with some scallions and corn tortillas. Dan whipped up a rouille (similar to this recipe http://bit.ly/ceoPVb) and some radish salsa, shredded cabbage (what do I say? Eat something from the cabbage family everyday) plus some rice pilaf . We had a feast!

This is food porn to me: a homegrown ripe tomato sandwich. A piece of great bread toasted with a good slather of mayo, a slice of tomato, and a sprinkle of salt. Hint, hint...if anyone has extras in their garden, you know who would appreciate them sooo much.

Here is a great idea if you have an abundance of tomatoes and you're not sure what to do with them (after you've already given some to me).

Tomato Jam
(James Beard Foundation)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3/4 cup chopped onion
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, chopped fine
4 cups coarsely chopped plum tomatoes, seeded and peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

To make the tomato jam, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil and sauté the garlic, onion, red pepper, and rosemary in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan until soft but not brown. Add the tomatoes and cook down over medium-low heat until the tomatoes have given up most of their water and turned a deep orangey-red, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season to taste. Here's an idea, serve on toasted baguette with a smear of goat cheese!!

We started with a tart...let's end with a tart...a Tomato Tart :)

Tomato Tart

Store bought Puff Pastry

Tomatoes

Basil leaves

Cheese of your choice

Cut the rolled pastry into a circle or rectangle big enough for you or how ever many you are feeding.
Slice the tomatoes thickly and place onto pastry layering slightly and keeping a couple of inches from the edges.
Tuck some torn basil leaves in here and there. Season and sprinkle the cheese over the tomatoes if you are using it.
Brush the edges of the pastry with milk.
Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes until pastry has risen and tomatoes and cooked through

Shaklee helps to bring out the "Best of You". We have new products to improve your lives. The new product guides are available. I would love to show you how Shaklee can help improve your life.

Come to the Table

2010-08-19T22:21:00.007-05:00

I'm humming..."Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..." , you know the rest. Tuesday evening my heart was singing. I accepted a gracious invitation of a special "Blog Love" event hosted by Kris Ann and Kristin co-authors of one of my all time FAVORITE blogs Love Feast Table.

If you see beauty in the everday, love to surround yourself with extraordinary things, people and food you love, plus appreciate the beauty and "fanciness" in daily life, this is a site you will visit again and again to be inspired to create your own best life.

These passionate women also had the insight to coin a phrase...a concept called a "Love Bomb". What is a "Love Bomb"? It is ..."the act of preparing, serving and sharing a meal or morsel with someone you normally wouldn't" What an incredible concept...one I'd like to perpetuate. These two wonderful women are BFFs with the kind of friends that only come along once in a life time, if you're lucky. As Kristin and Kris Ann say, " Much of our days are spent managing our homes, kids and dryer lint, but we've kept our creative spirits percolating all along." and they are able to coordinate this blog across the miles, one living in Minnesota and one in Baltimore.

Tuesday night's "Blog Love" event was a gift to all of us local "bloggers". It was a "Love Bomb" of sorts, designed to encourage what these enlightened women do best on their site...help all of their devoted readers follow their passions and use their gifts to make their world more beautiful in every way. Camille en Rouge a jewel on Main Street in the quaint town of Prior Lake, Minnesota was the venue. What a gorgeous, ever changing array of interesting, sublime merchandise! The perfect shop for buying wonderful things for your home or gifts for friends...very affordable and so unique!

We were lavished with gifts. Aveda from Southdale, provided hand massages, and custom perfume with their rich natural products, Kelli Lea of "Kelli Lea Designs" made us each unique handmade bags to hold our treasures, The Vintage Pearl designed and gave us all sterling necklaces stamped with the words "Blog Love". Kristin's husband, the chef made a delicious Spanish Ceasar Salad. The buttery croissants were provided by the darling bakery just down the street, Edelweiss Bakery. A sassy handmade apron was presented in a drawing provided by J & J Inspirations. Mela Kamin generously shared her passion and gifts by giving us all one of her CD's. This entire evening was documented by the exceptional photography of SuzanneJean Photography.

Here are a couple of the talented ladies I met. The cute blonde on the left is Maggie aka "Gussy" Check out her story (everyone has one, what's yours') SO COOL. She sews incredible creations you just have to check out, and Mela the ultra talented blond in the middle, has the voice of an angel, you must buy her CD or have her come and speak at your next function, so inspiring! The Blonde (don't look at my roots) on right, the grateful soul attending this Delicious Time is ME.

I didn't get the pleasure of meeting all of these women but I do know the beautiful brunette in the super stylish outfit in the middle is Susie from "Finding Borneo" (My Son has Asberger's and All I Got Was This Lousy Handbook) Her site is witty and insightful, you'll love it! The blonde on the right is Erin from Foodalyst a "foodie" that analyzes food and life.

Thank you so much Love Feast Table...good things happen when you come together at the "Table".

We all had a "delicious time".

Gone Fishin'

2010-08-06T18:56:00.002-05:00

My head is swimming with thoughts, I'm not sure where to start. We are currently in beautiful Southern California spending a "delicious time" with family and friends. It's also Shaklee Global Conference time in Anaheim, and David's class reunion...so much to report. The weekend before I got on the airplane, I traveled to Northern Minnesota. Ely, to be exact, and spent time with dear "old/new" friends in a picturesque lake home in the wilderness. Words cannot describe the beauty of the area or the incredible hospitality my friend Julie extended. This group of girlfriends have reacquainted after 30 years, and have found a strong connection even though we didn't "hang out" too much in high school. Stories, laughter, and bonding as only women can do is such a blessing. Of course, we had to eat. Barb made a fabulously healthy Indonesian Rice Salad and I can't wait to share it with you. We made simple delicious food, did yoga on the porch overlooking the lake, hiked (picked fresh raspberries along the path)...you get the picture, it was the ultimate B & B. Here is a shot of breakfast the last morning...pure bliss, whole grain pancakes, toasted pecans, organic blueberries and dark roast coffee (Thanks Jerry!)

I don't know if you know, but my heart is in Minnesota and California. Two of my older kids live here, and family and dear friends. We had so much fun being together. It's true that the "family table" is where we laugh and talk...and it doesn't hurt when the food is extra special, which doesn't mean it has to be fancy, but adding that extra something an a lot of love, you can eat like a king! Adding some top quality Shaklee supplements is the icing on the cake...you can rest assured you and your family are getting everything you need to live well and and enjoy life the the fullest.

The last two days at the Shaklee Global Conference are beyond words. We need to talk!! Shaklee has 4 additional NEW clinical studies, 4 NEW products, and a fantastic new plan to help you reach your dreams of having the money and the time to enjoy what you love. Shaklee is a business I do "from the heart"...that offers a way to provide a healthier life for everyone.

Shaklee announced 4 new products this morning. I'll highlight one here, but the rest are on my Shaklee website .

You can't turn around without hearing a new report on the importance of Vitamin D levels for living well and combating disease. New Shaklee Vita-D3 (1:28 video) adds to our already solid and smart supplement choices. Add some sunshine to your day with Vita-D3™! Recent research shows that vitamin D—the "sunshine vitamin"—offers a multitude of benefits including supporting healthy heart function, immune and bone health. But, depending on where you live, the time of year, and your skin color—you may be among the many Americans who aren't getting enough of this essential nutrient. Boost your level of vitamin D with Shaklee Vita-D3. The perfect choice for overall health and well-being, Vita-D3 provides 1,000 IU of high potency vitamin D3 to help your body thrive! Item # 21214 Available NOW!

Indonesian Rice Salad

(My friend Barb)

2 cups short grain brown rice

Dressing:

1/3 cup peanut oil

2 T toasted sesame oil

1/2 cup pineapple juice (or orange juice)

some orange zest

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 t crushed red pepper

1 T chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 T tamari

1 t salt

2 T maple syrup (or honey)

2 T cider vinegar

1 cup chopped pineapple

2-3 scallions, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

1 red and 1 yellow bell peppers, diced

1 small bag of snow peas

1-2 handfuls of fresh mung bean sprouts

1 cup toasted cashew (or roasted peanuts, almonds, or combination)

Cook brown rice in 3 cups water. While rice cooks, combine in a large bowl

the dressing ingredients. Add the hot rice to the dressing, mix well, and

add the scallions, celery, dried fruit, peppers, snow peas, bean sprouts, and nuts.

We sipped on this delicious drink...the perfect summer drink as the sun sets over a fuschia sky

Sangria !

as served by Barbara Ann at Eagles Nest #2

1 bottle dry red wine, like a Spanish Rioja

1 cup cognac or brandy

1/2 cup simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, boiled briefly until dissolved; also tasty in iced tea, mint juleps, and mojitos)

1/2 cup orange juice ( I used orange/mango because that is what lurked in the refrigerator)

2 oranges, sliced into thin rounds

2 lemons, sliced

2 green apples, sliced

2 handfuls blackberries

Combine everything but the wine in a pitcher and let it soak and cool in the refrigerator

for about two hours. Add enough wine to cover all the fruit, then pack it all up and head to the lake to meet your friends.

Immediately upon arrival, add the rest of the wine to the pitcher, break out the goblets, pour generously, and toast your

good fortune. Beware the apples. Viva amigas! Allegedly lasts up to two days, refrigerated.

One of my favorite afternoons this week was spent at a sidewalk cafe in Los Angeles with my kids. One on one time to talk, share hopes and dreams...oh, and eat of course. The food was fresh a "farm to table" concept, using local produce. One of the salads we enjoyed was similar to this.

Fattoush Salad
Adapted from Kayln's Kitchen
2 whole wheat pita pocket breads, cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide, then toasted and crumbled (we used a couple handfuls of "Stacy's Pita Chips" from Costco

1 tsp. chopped garlic (2-4 cloves garlic)
1 tsp. salt (I used fine grind sea salt)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 2 large lemons (I love lemon, so adjust the amount to your own taste)
1 tsp. powdered Sumac, plus more for sprinkling on individual salads if desired) Not everyone has sumac in their spice cabinet...we used smoked paprika, if you don't have that use sweet paprika
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1 cup diced tomatoes (let drain a minute or two if extra juicy)
1 cup diced cucumber
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley (leaves only, no stems)
optional ingredients: chopped green pepper or radishes

(Skip this first step if you are using packaged pita chips) Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400F/200C. While oven heats, mash together the chopped garlic and salt using a mortar and pestle, or the side of a knife or spoon. Put garlic-salt paste in a small bowl, then add lemon juice and 1 tsp. Sumac. Whisk in olive oil and set dressing aside. (You can also make the dressing in a glass jar and shake to combine.)

Cut whole wheat pita into strips about 3/4 inch wide and arrange on baking sheet. (Some recipes call for brushing the pita with olive oil, but I didn't do that.) Bake until pita strips are crisp but only barely starting to brown, less than 10 minutes. Watch carefully because they can go from crisp to overly brown rather quickly.

Remove outer leaves from Romaine, trim stem end, then wash and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Cut Romaine into fourths lengthwise, then turn and chop crosswise into small pieces. (If you have a salad spinner, you can chop the Romaine first, then wash.) Put chopped Romaine into salad bowl large enough toss all ingredients.

Stayed tuned! I have so much more new information to share with you and recipes using ingredients from the farmer's market. Let's talk soon.

Pizza Farm

2010-07-14T22:34:00.001-05:00

A Beautiful Summer's evening, a lovely drive through rolling hills, a huge lake (Lake Pepin, which is really a river) eagles soaring overhead, a quaint town named after a city in Sweden, turn left, you're almost there, past the tiny cemetary on the hill, turn right by the sign that says "Liberal Cathoic Church" hmmm... keep going along the dusty gravel road, look for parked cars...you must be close, the smell of pizza is in the air. Pizza? Until last week, I had never heard of the A - Z Produce farm. The "Pizza Farm" , as they're known, just outside of Stockholm, Wisconsin serves gourmet pizzas. One night a week, they make brick oven baked delights, made from the organic produce and meat from their picturesque farm. You can explain it, but you have to experience it to really understand it. This is an organic family farm. The herbs, vegetables and "happy pigs" provide the wonderful toppings for the delicious pizzas.

July 12th marked our 24th wedding anniversary...we said we were going to wait to celebrate, but instead we first had a wee little night out at "The Anchor" in NE Minneapolis, which I highly recommend for some of the best fish and chips in town...add a local Grainbelt Nordeaster and you've got it made. An inexpensive delicious eating experience. So I was really surprised when David said pack up a bottle of wine and a blanket, "we're going for pizza in Wisconsin"...I guess I wasn't too surprised, our friend Tim told us about this unique rural dining experience, so David thought we'd follow Tim's lead. The Fisher and Bannen Farm only serves pizza on Tuesdays from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., and that means pizza, ONLY pizza. Bring your own "everything else"...and that's where you can get creative. We brought a bottle of red, a root beer for Pete, some salads, utensils and something to sit on. The fun and friendly couples sitting along side us in our little pine covered nook on the lawn were smart and stopped at Homemade pie shop in Stockholm on the way. They highly recommend the coconut cream pie...next time. I did have these beautiful fresh vegetables from our friend Bou's family garden to make some simple salads to go with our pizza.

The most unusual pizza, perhaps, is the four stations pizza. One-quarter of the pizza is sausage, roasted pepper and fresh mozzarella; a second is pepperoni, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, basil and garlic; the third is pesto, cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella; and the fourth is roasted beets, onion, basil and Gorgonzola cheese....next time!!

After you order your pizza from the great combos on the chalk board, you can sit anywhere you please...with the crowd, secluded in the trees with a table, candles and flowers, or close to the pasture with the animals!

Our pizza was ready in about an hour...the time was not an issue. We had fun observing the variety of people who had gathered there for the "Wood Stock" of pizza. "Hippies"...actually highly tattooed Bohemian types are quite the norm these days, book club ladies, "Red Hat Society" ladies, families, and couples looking for a romantic rendezvous.

This experience has inspired me...maybe we should open up our home? our backyard?...we could build a wood burning oven?...is it allowed in our the city's code? We could call it "Pizza Fridays at the Abes? I do have a baking stone and a grill, plus the life changing pizza and bread dough recipe from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" This recipe is so easy...I swear. You can always have pizza or bread dough in your fridge!! I've been making Rosemary and Sea salt Foccacia out of this dough too.

Olive Oil Pizza Dough
(From Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day)
Makes about 4 pizzas)

2 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 TBSP. granulated yeast
1 1/2 TBSP salt
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
6 1/2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

Mix the water, yeast, salt, sugar and olive oil in a 5-quart, lidded container.

Mix the flour in. Use a wooden spoon, (you could use a stand mixer...but it's not really necessary) you are mixing the dough just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Cover, not airtight, and let sit at room temp. for about 2 hrs., until dough rises (nearly doubles)

Store in the fridge, keep it covered, but not air tight, and use within 12 days.

On the day you are going to make pizza, bring the dough out of the fridge. Dust the surface of the dough with some flour and pull off one quarter of the dough (using a serrated knife). This is about the size of a grapefruit. Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge to be used another day. Using floured hands, quickly shape into a ball and then roll out. I sometimes just stretch it. Using flour when needed to keep it from sticking.

I Wish I had one of these...but use what you've got. (That is actually OUR pizza in there!!!)

We picked #1 Combo - "Happy Pigs" for the evening. Roasted tomatoes, onions, basil, green olives, kalamata olives, and sausage.

Summer Squash and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 lemon
4 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
Few leaves of fresh basil, cut into thin slivers
1/2 medium yellow zucchini, sliced as thinly as you can pull off with a knife or your mandoline (I went for 1/8-inch thick with mine)
1/2 medium green zucchini, sliced as the same as above
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Roll your pizza dough into a thin 12-inch circle and lay it on a stone that has been dusted lightly with cornmeal.

In a small bowl, stir together the goat cheese with the juice of half your lemon. Season it with salt and freshly ground pepper, and spread it over your pizza dough. Scatter fresh basil slivers over the cheese.

Arrange your zucchini coins in concentric circles over the goat cheese spread, overlapping them slightly. You can alternate their colors, if you’re feeling fancy. Squeeze the juice of the second half of your lemon on top of you zucchini, then drizzle with olive oil and finish with more salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes (your baking time will vary, so please watch carefully), or until the edges of your pizza are golden brown and the zucchini looks roasted and a little curled up at the edges

How about a Breakfast Pizza idea...This one is from the "Big Sur Bakery Cookbook"

6 strips bacon
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups grated mozzarella
6 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced chives
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 shallot, minced

One to two hours* before baking, place the dough in a warm spot. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and set a pizza stone on it. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees 30 minutes before you are ready to bake the pizza.

Prepare the dough and toppings: Fry the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Cool on a paper-towel-lined plate; roughly chop.

Dip your hands and a ball of dough into the flour. On a lightly floured countertop, pat the dough into a disc with your fingertips, then drape the dough over your fists and carefully stretch it from beneath to form a 12-inch circle.

Generously dust the surface of a pizza peel or large inverted sheet pan with flour ( I use some cornmeal too) and place the stretched dough on it. Sprinkle the dough with half of the Parmesan, mozzarella and bacon. Crack 3 eggs over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza: Shake the pizza peel slightly to make sure the dough is not sticking. Carefully lift any sections that are sticking and sprinkle a bit more flour underneath, then slide the pizza directly onto the baking stone in one quick forward-and-back motion. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. When the crust is golden, the cheese is melted and the egg yolks are cooked, use the peel to transfer the pizza to a cutting board. Sprinkle half of the parsley, chives, scallions and shallot on top. Let cool for 2 minutes, slice and serve immediately. Prepare the second pizza in the same way.

Come on over! I'll make you a pizza and we can talk about Shaklee. Isn't it about time for you to find out more about these wonderful green, organic healthy products?...I would love to show you how great they are.

Contact your Shaklee distributor for more information. Fresh Clean water is so important for a healthy lifestyle. Check out the new "Get Clean Water Pitcher" We can't wait for ours to arrive.

"Everything Goes With Green"

2010-06-24T12:59:00.002-05:00

We celebrated Father's Day with the "Third Annual Mini-Golf Tournament". Go to a course...nope. The young cousins in the family constructed very creative golf holes in the backyard out of what they can find in the garage and around the house. It keeps them busy for most of the day, so the Dad's can go out and do anything they want, which is usually play "big boy golf". The day was finished off by another creative activity...involving food of course. It was such a beautiful day, so we planned to eat on the deck and create a "panini bar". If you have an electric press this works very well, grab an extension cord, and make them outside. Everyone is assigned to bring a favorite ingredient...so the combinations are as creative as the kids golf course. Fresh mozzerella, roasted red pepper, caramelized onions, olive tapenade, basil leaves, arugula pesto (recipe below), blue cheese, cheddar, tomatoes. Just add a salad and you have an instant party!

This summer I've been convicted to get as many green leafy vegetables on the table as possible. You will notice most of the recipes are green this week! With the farmer's markets and crop shares available greens are very inexpensive and PACKED with nutrients. Green leafy vegetables are arguably one of the richest sources of nutrition and have numerous health advantages, including cancer prevention and detoxification.
Despite their many health benefits they are one of the most under-consumed foods in the average person's diet. Studies have shown that eating two or three servings of green leafy vegetables per week significantly lowers the risk of stomach, breast and skin cancer. These same antioxidants have also been proven to decrease the risk of heart disease and prevent cataract and macticular degeneration in the eye.

Shaklee is all about "Green". Of course our "Get Clean" products were among the first truly green cleaning products, but a couple other truly green products are Herb Lax #20144 and Alfalfa #20153 An original Dr. Shaklee formula, Herb Lax contains an enhanced proprientary blend, including Senna leaf, which has been used for thousands of years as a natural laxative, plus other complementary herbs. Encourages a mild cleansing action to aid the body’s natural processes. Alfalfa is another Dr. Shaklee signature formula, it is a storehouse of nutrients. Its tap root reaches down as deep as 20 feet, searching out nutrients and minerals from deposits in the soil, while its leaves gather large amounts of chlorophyll through the natural process of photosynthesis. How green can you get?

Garlic is another thing I use in most meals. It helps boost the immune system, prevent colds, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and fight fungal or yeast infections. Shaklee Garlic # 20084 is an amazing product...and you won't keep your friends away...it's odor controlled with rosemary and spearmint! This quick sauce is great with so many things...grilled vegetables, couscous, meats, pita chips use your imagination.

Garlic Yogurt Sauce
1 c. whole milk yogurt (Greek would be good)
1 clove of garlic mashed with a pinch of salt
a few drizzles of olive oil

This is good just the way it is, but of course you could doctor it up any way you choose. It would be great with a sprinkling of smoked spanish paprika (you can get it at Penzey's Spices....love this stuff, kind of a secret ingredient you should have in your spice drawer!

Loved this next recipe. You could use a number of different ingredients. It even tastes great the next day.

Massaged Kale Salad

(Cookus Interuptus) link to fun video of this salad being made

1 bunch kale
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup sunflower seeds, toasted (or Sweet Glazed Nuts)
¼ cup diced red onion
1/3 cup currants
¾ cup diced apple, (½ apple)
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

De-stem kale by pulling leaf away from the stem. Wash leaves. Spin or pat dry. Stack leaves, rollup and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade). Put kale in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, massage salt into kale with your hands for 2 minutes. To toast seeds, put in a dry skillet over low to medium heat and stir constantly for a few minutes until they change color and give off a nutty aroma.
Put kale in a fresh bowl and discard any leftover liquid. Stir onion, currants, apple and toasted seeds into kale. Dress with oil and vinegar and toss. Taste for salt and vinegar, adding more if necessary. When at desired flavor, toss in cheese.

Preparation time 15 minutes
Makes 6 servings

This is a quick saute we really like. In the recipe it calls for blanching the broccoli rabe...last time I made it I skipped that step and it worked just fine.

Broccoli Rabe Toasts with Olive Oil, Garlic, and Red Pepper
Adapted from Gourmet, April 2006

This has a lot of "bang for your buck" Just buy a bunch of broccoli rabe, put a pot of water on to boil, and all you have to worry about is your impending garlic breath. Especially good with a glass of red wine and maybe some manchego cheese :)

For the toasts:
A few slices, about 1/3 inch thick, from a long, crusty, country loaf
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 garlic clove, halved crosswise

For the broccoli rabe:
1 lb broccoli rabe, large stems discarded and the remainder coarsely chopped
3 Tbs good-quality olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
3 Tbs water
¼ tsp salt

Preheat the broiler, and fill a large saucepan or Dutch oven about 2/3rds full of salted water. Bring it to a boil over high heat.

While the water is heating, prepare the toasts. Place the slices of bread on a baking sheet, brush both sides of the bread with oil, and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Broil the bread about 4 inches from the heating element, turning the slices halfway through, until golden, about 3 minutes total. Gently rub both sides of the bread with the garlic. Discard the garlic, and set the toasts aside.

When the water comes to a boil, add the broccoli rabe, and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the broccoli rabe into a colander, and press it gently to remove any excess water. Set it aside.

Wipe the pot clean, add the oil, and warm it over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Taking care to avoid hot oil splatters, add the broccoli rabe, water, and salt, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.

Divide the warm broccoli rabe over the toasts, and serve.

I got this next idea from my Brother Kevin. He was "flying solo" while Pam was away last week. He made this chicken in "strip" form and his kids loved it. Last night I made it for David with a side of fresh green beans. It took 30 min...and we got to enjoy a candle lit "date" on the deck.

No Recipe Recipe Dijon Panko Chicken with Lemon Garlic Green Beans

I did what Kevin said...pound some chicken breasts, coat them with dijon mustard and then dredge them in panko bread crumb (add some salt and pepper...plus some parmesan if you have it) Bake them in a hot oven for about 30 min. ( cut into to make sure the chicken is cooked through) it should be really juicy with a crisp crust.

While the chicken is cooking, wash and trim some fresh green beans. I put some olive oil in my cast iron skillet, threw in the beans. Right before they were done (crisp/tender) I tossed a couple cloves of garlic in the pan. Finish it off with some lemon zest, a sqeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Easy meal.

This is the pesto I had for the paninis. You can use it on pasta, or add to mayo for a nice kick on a sandwich.

Lemon Arugula Pesto Sauce

Lemon-Arugula Pesto Sauce
(by Reeni)

1/2 cup walnuts
2 cloves garlic
1 and 1/2 cups Baby Arugula leaves
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Romano
1/2 cup Extra-Virgin Olive oil
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Toast the walnuts in a skillet on low for 5-7 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To the bowl of your food processor add the walnuts, garlic, arugula, and parsley. Pulse to chop.

Stream in the oil and lemon juice. Pulse constantly until nice and smooth.

Add cheese and pulse briefly to combine.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This month Shaklee is running a fabulous special for those of you who are not yet "members". Membership is FREE until June 30th with a 50 pv order. Contact me for details. Also ask me about a new benefit of membership I am offering members in my group. How would you like some one on one nutritional/cooking consultation? I can help you revamp your pantry and we can cook a few dishes together.

Family Time

2010-06-17T18:33:00.001-05:00

June..."Dads and Grads". Last weekend my nephew Erik graduated from High School. My Brother Steve and his wife Sara put on a wonderful party to celebrate the event. Lots of friends and family...Steve smoked six turkeys, 500 buns were sliced, my Mom made her famous potato salad (secret recipe) but I'm sure she would share it with you, David and I made tons of asian pasta salad, buttermilk coleslaw (I have to give him credit for all of the chopping) and two luscious cakes that were gone in a flash. Sara did an incredible job orchestrating the event for over 200 people. Lots of love went into every detail. I think many people went home with tupperware containers of food...it was like the "loaves and the fishes". It's times like these that we remember what is most important to us: family, friends and everyone coming together celebrate and honor each other. This weekend we will have the chance to say "thank you" to our Dads for the love and care they've given us. So...get together, it doesn't have to be elaborate...simple can be best.

Simple whole foods and top quality Shaklee nutrition is best for you, as well. Everyday we are making choices that affect our health. Choose wisely and it will pay off in your health and well being. A simple addition to a good diet is a balanced mulit-vitamin like Shaklee's wonderful Vita-Lea. The best of Shaklee science in one of the most comprehensive and balanced supplements you can buy, Vita-Lea® is specially formulated to provide you with 23 essential vitamins and minerals to promote overall health and vitality. Taken daily, Vita-Lea supports long-term colon, heart, and eye health, promotes strong bones and a healthy immune system, and provides protection against free radical damage. A superior formulation compared to other leading multivitamins.

• 2 times the calcium to support bone building and maintenance
of bone density

• 2 times the vitamin D to support calcium absorption and
healthy bones and teeth

• 2 times the beta carotene, the natural, plant-based form of
vitamin An E to promote immune, heart, and
cellular health

• 2 times the magnesium to help maintain heart rhythm, as
well as muscle and nerve function

• 3 times the vitamin K to support bone metabolism and
blood coagulation

• 6 times the boron to aid in the metabolism of vitamin D and
support bone development production

How about a grain that also packs a strong punch? We enjoyed this healthy salad made from quinoa...you can get it in most grocery stores...just ask if you can't find it. It cooks up in minutes. I usually make extra because it makes a good cereal...add some cinnamon, nuts, or berries and you have a protein rich breakfast.

Pronounced “KEEN-wah,” the ancient Incas called it the Mother Grain and they were definitely on to something good. Quinoa is close to one of the most complete foods in nature because it contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and mineral, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. It contains all 9 essential amino acids that are required by the body as building blocks for muscles.

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Lemon & Feta

(The Kitchen Sink.com)

Excuse my over cooked asparagus...it tasted really good anyway :) Loved the combo...creamy, crunchy and tangy. "A winner" - the Abes

Serves 2 to 4

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more (to taste) for seasoning the salad
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon shredded parmigiano-reggiano
fresh cracked black pepper
1 large garlic clove, peeled and left whole
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the quinoa, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium size pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook (covered) for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Set aside.

While the quinoa cooks, spread the asparagus on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil, the shredded parmigiano, salt and pepper over the asparagus; toss to coat the spears evenly and spread the spears into one even layer. Place the garlic clove on top of the spears and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until the asparagus is blistered in spots, but retains a bite. Allow the spears to cool slightly and slice into one-inch pieces. Mince the garlic.

While the asparagus roasts, whisk together the mustard and lemon juice in the bottom of a large bowl. Whisk in the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In the large bowl holding the vinaigrette, add the cooked quinoa, sliced asparagus, minced garlic and toasted almonds. Toss to distribute the vinaigrette throughout the quinoa. Taste for seasoning and add salt and/or pepper as needed. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the crumbled feta.

Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Here are a few pictures of simplicity. I've been preaching about how easy this bread is to make (see my Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day post) Be "in charge" of what goes into your bread...three simple ingredients. No additives.

"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts."
— James Beard

Good bread, butter, radishes and salt. A simple pleasure!

Want something special to make for Dad? This is so versatile...you can use whatever fruit is in season. We made this combo last weekend and loved it!!

Rhubarb Toasted Walnut Clafoutis ( what I used...but you can use almost any stone fruit or berry) Sounds fancy, but it's not. You can "jazz" it up with some whipped cream (try adding some honey or cinnamon to it) or a good vanilla ice cream.
(Adapted from Smitten Kitchen.com)

Serves at least six

Butter as needed
1/2 cup flour, more for dusting pan
3 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch salt
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used milk)
3/4 cup milk
Dash of flavoring, such as almond or vanilla extract, a liqueur or brandy (optional)
About 3 cups of fruit (sliced pears or apples or any kind of berry or pitted cherry)
Powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a gratin dish, about 9 by 5 by 2 inches, or a 10-inch round deep pie plate or porcelain dish, by smearing it with butter, just a teaspoon or so. Dust it with flour, rotating pan so flour sticks to all the butter; invert dish to get rid of excess.

2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until frothy. Add 1/2 cup flour, and whisk until smooth. Add granulated sugar and salt and whisk until combined. Add cream and milk and whisk until smooth.

3. Layer fruit over bottom of the dish. Pour batter over fruit to as close to top of dish as you dare; you may have a little leftover batter, depending on size of your dish. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until clafoutis is nicely browned on top and a knife inserted into it comes out clean. Sift some powdered sugar over it and serve warm or at room temperature. Clafoutis does not keep (not sure I agree with this); serve within a couple of hours of making it.

Cultivate a sense of purpose and surround yourself with positive people! Find the reason for which you get up in the morning...it's one of the secrets to a long and happy life. Incorporate good nutrition and Shaklee nutritional supplementation into your day. It can change your life. It has changed ours. Having a Shaklee business is a great way to find your purpose...we help people live healthier lives and find also give them the opportunity to build a strong financial future. I would love to show you how!

"We've Got the Beets"

2010-06-09T19:59:00.001-05:00

Beets...I love them, some people think they taste like dirt. I call it a rich, "earthy" taste. Any vegetable with a color that deep has to be good for you. This is the beauty of these summer months. We can take full advantage of the bounty of the farmer's markets and load up on vegetables and fruits and the anti-oxidants they provide. Last weekend we enjoyed meals on the deck with friends...breakfast both mornings (even with some raindrops) a glass of wine and snacks while sitting in our neighbor's camper in their driveway (This is how we celebrate the return of summer in the "Golden Ghetto" of Edina) a cooking demonstration from Cat Cora where she taught me you can even grill avocados...(see highlights on my blog) and a Sunday supper with my parents with a plate loaded asian pasta salad, beet salad, Ellen's green beans and Lentil walnut burgers in a pita. Whoa, it was a delicious weekend!!

Taking the ordinary...and making it extraordinary. I love that idea. For example, we had our standard pancakes on Sunday morning, but when you put a table cloth on the deck table, add fresh berries, toasted nuts and hot coffee plus a beautiful sunny morning...you have something special. Enjoy the small things.

The anti-oxidants are found in all of the wonderful vegetables and fruits. If you don't eat 6 to 9 servings a day let my suggest taking extraordinary Shaklee nutritional products. These are premium quality food supplements that use only the finest raw ingredients backed by published clinical studies. Shaklee Vitalizer taken once a day with meals can fill in the gaps in your diet. For added protection of your cells add a spoonful of Vivix a day. Vivix contains polyphenols, resveratrol, and ellagic acid which helps protect and repair DNA, activate genetic regulators to help turn down cellular aging, and support cellular energy (mitochondrial biogenesis)...big words I know, but this all supports heart, joint, brain health and cognitive function. Vivix contains ultra-pure resveratrol.

LOVED this first recipe. So easy...it uses the whole beet...greens and all, how healthy is that?

Warm Beet Salad
La Fujimama.com

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 small beets
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup water

Dressing:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon clover honey
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Coarse salt, to taste

1. Cut off the greens from the beets. Trim and peel the beets. Cut the beets in half lengthwise, and then lay the cut-side down and cut the halves into 1/4-inch-thick slices. *You may want to wear gloves to do this, otherwise your fingers will be stained pink!!*

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, beets, lemon zest, and water to the pan and then cover and cook until the beets are tender, about 7 to 12 minutes. Add more water as needed during the cooking process.

3. While the beets are cooking, rinse off the beet greens and cut off and discard the stems. Chop up the leaves. When the beets are tender, add the beet greens, cover, and cook until the greens are wilted, about 1 minute.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the dressing ingredients and toss to coat. Sprinkle with coarse salt

Asian Noodle Salad
(adapted from Ina Garten)

Kosher salt
1/2 pound thin spaghetti
1 pound sugar snap peas
1 cup vegetable oil (I used less...maybe 2/3 c.)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce (used a wee bit less as well...I used bragg's aminos)
3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (Trader Joes Creamy natural worked well)
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (I used cilantro)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.

For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

Combine the spaghetti, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and the parsley and toss together.

Roasted Beet Hummus
(adapted from Simply Recipes)

1/2 pound beets (about 4 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*
2 Tbsp tahini sesame seed paste
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
Generous pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Scrub the beets well cut into quarters. Place on a a baking tray (with a lip) to roast...I have a "jelly roll" type pan that I use only for roasting vegetables etc. give them a few swirls of olive oil salt and pepper and roast in the oven at 425 degrees until you can easily pierce them with a fork.

Place all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.

Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

Eat with pita chips, or with sliced cucumber or celery, or on a crostini with goat cheese and shaved mint.

I'm sure if you want to add the traditional garbanzo beans to this for added protein, it would still be great.

Makes 2 cups.

Here is a great fritatta idea I got from my friend Steph. She is an avid home cook and blogger, she writes the blog FreshTart.net, and is contributing home-cooking posts to Dara & Co. in Minnesota Monthly.

This recipe was in her last post to Dara & Co.

Potato-Asparagus Frittata

2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 lb. new potatoes, sliced thin
1/4 tsp. (pinch) dried thyme
salt
1/2 lb. asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large eggs
1/4 c. cream or half-n-half
2 Tbsp. minced fresh herbs (basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, chives—any one or in combination)
1/2 c. grated cheese (Parmesan, cheddar, Swiss, feta—whatever you like)
freshly ground pepper

Preheat the broiler. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil, then the shallot, potatoes, and dried thyme. Sprinkle a little salt over the potatoes, stir to coat them with oil, then cover the pan for 5 minutes. Turn the potatoes and cover again for 5 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and lightly browned. Add the asparagus to the pan with another light sprinkle of salt. Cover for 2 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp.

While the potatoes and asparagus cook: In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, cream, and 1/2 tsp. of salt together. Pour eggs over cooked potatoes and asparagus. When the bottom of the eggs starts to set, start lifting edges of the frittata to allow uncooked egg to run to the bottom of the pan. When the frittata is mostly set (the top will still be uncooked), remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh herbs and then cheese. Drizzle top with 1-2 tsp. of olive oil. Transfer pan to the oven and broil, watching very carefully, for 1-2 minutes or until the top of the frittata is set, lightly browned, and puffed a bit on the edges. Remove from the oven and top with a few grinds of black pepper.

Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. The frittata is excellent the next day, cold or reheated.

These "Burgers" were kind of a falafel like made with lentils and toasted walnuts and a nice blend of spices.

Spicy Lentil Walnut Burgers

Martha Stewart

3/4 cup toasted walnuts
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup lentils, cooked, drained, and cooled
1/4 cup grated onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg

4 large pitas
Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce, for serving
Sliced avocado, for serving
Cherry tomatoes, halved, for serving

In the bowl of a food processor, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until finely ground. Add lentils, onion, and 1 tablespoon oil; pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should remain whole).
In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix until well combined. Divide into quarters; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hands into 3/4-inch-thick patties.
Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook, turning once, over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Serve burgers in pitas with sauce, avocado, and cherry tomatoes.

Serve with this yummy sauce :)

Yogurt Cilantro Sauce

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt and ground pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

"Enjoy the Season" my husband always says that. (something to do with the Minnesota Vikings!??!) Eat your fruits and vegetables and take Shaklee supplements to build your health.

"Go With What You Have" or "How to Grill Everything"

2010-06-07T15:19:00.002-05:00

I could get used to this...front row at a cooking demonstration. Imagine my excitement to have the opportunity to meet a famous chef, talk to her personally, have my picture taken with her. Macy's Culinary Council hosted an event promoting Iron Chef Cat Cora in their Edina store this past Saturday afternoon... I was in my "happy place". This all came to be because I recently joined a group of fellow "bloggers" called the "Blog Pantry" An amazing group of women using their gifts and sharing them with others.

Let me share a few things I learned about our celebrity chef. First of all she was in town to promote her third cookbook "Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist". If you've ever seen the Food Network show "Iron Chef" you know the Iron Chef is given a surprise key ingredient to use in several dishes to be cooked in exactly one hour, when we then find out "who's cuisine reigns supreme"! Cat is the first and only female Iron Chef, Bon Appetit Magazine gave her the award of "Teacher of the Year" and made her the magazine's executive chef. Cat is also president and co-founder of "Chefs for Humanity" which was developed in the wake of the 2004 Tsunami disaster. Cat has four young sons all under the age of seven, so "Cooking from the Hip" is what she does best at home...which makes her a great coach for home cooks like me.

When we sat down we were all served a fresh watermelon drink in a little mini martini glass...so cute, refreshing too. The main dish she demonstrated for us was a Chili Lime Marinated Flank Steak Tacos with a Grilled Pineapple Salsa.

1 teaspoon pure chile powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat

16 6-inch corn tortillas

For Pineapple salsa

1 small pineapple (3-3 1/2 pounds)

1 small red onion, diced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 fresh jalapeno or serrano chile, seeded and minced

Cooking Directions

For the marinade: In a small bowl, mix the spices, salt, pepper, lime juice, and oil to make a paste. Place the steak in a shallow dish and rub the paste evenly over both sides. Cover and let marinate for 1 to 4 hours.

For the salsa: Light a charcoal grill about 30 minutes before you're ready to cook or preheat a gas grill to medium-high.

Slice off the leafy top of the pineapple and just enough of the bottom so the fruit rests flat on a cutting board. Slice off the skin with a sharp knife, cutting from top to bottom and taking off as little of the flesh as possible, rotating the pineapple as you go. Discard the skin. Cut out any "eyes" with a paring knife and discard. Slice the fruit away from the core in 4 or 5 slabs.

Place the pineapple slabs on the hot grill and grill until the fruit is just beginning to show some browning, 1 to 2 minutes per side, 4 to 5 minutes per side if you want it charred.

Let the pineapple cool for a few minutes, then dice. In a medium bowl, mix the diced pineapple, onion, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and chile and blend well.

To cook the steak: Grill the steak for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or slightly longer for well-done meat. Remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, place the tortillas on the hot grill and grill for 10 seconds on each side, then wrap in a cloth napkin to keep them warm.

Slice the steak across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a serving platter. Place the tortillas and the bowl of salsa on the table and serve family-style.

Cat's note: The steak and pineapple can be cooked in an oiled ridged grill pan on top of the stove and the tortillas can be wrapped in foil and heated in a 350°F oven.

Cat's heritage is Greek, and she was raised in the South...Jackson Mississippi, so naturally her food is fresh Mediterranean fused with a homey Southern flair. Her style is inspired, fast healthful and family friendly. I say her recipes are easy enough for weeknights, but fancy enough for company. She shared how taking a common ingredient and using it in a different way totally enhances the flavor and adds interest to your dish. For example...she throws just about anything on a grill. Fruit, (pineapple salsa) even avocados, for a grilled avocado guacamole...I am going to try that one for sure. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Cat gave the crowd a great presentation, encouraging everyone to improvise in the kitchen...don't be afraid, "Go with what you have". Feel free to make substitutions, using the recipes as a guide. In her new cookbook she has side notes on the dishes "Cat's touches" and "Cat's techniques" which are little tricks to make a big impact on the plate. This next recipe is an example of Cat taking an ordinary, familiar dish and taking it to a fresh new level.

Grapefruit and Cherry Ambrosia

When I was growing up in Mississippi, ambrosia was brought to family reunions, picnics, graduation parties and potlucks. This version saves what was good in the original but uses fresh, juicy grapefruit segments and sweet, dark cherries in place of canned fruit. Because honey has so many subtle flavor notes, the cream that accompanies the ambrosia tastes much more complex than if it were sweetened with sugar.

Ingredients

1 cup grapefruit segments, membranes removed (2 grapefruits)

3 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple (1 medium)

1 cup pitted fresh Bing cherries or frozen, thawed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Honey cream

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the grapefruit segments, pineapple and cherries with the lemon juice; cover; and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the middle. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven just until it begins to turn golden, 5 to 7 minutes; don't let it get too dark.

For the cream: With an electric mixer, beat the cream, honey and vanilla until it forms soft peaks, 1 to 2 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, divide the fruit among 6 to 8 dessert glasses or bowls, leaving behind most of the fruit juice. Top with the honey cream, toasted coconut and chopped walnuts and serve.

Cat's note: You can go with a light honey, such as clover, lavender honey, or a dark, more brooding one, like a full-bodied buckwheat honey.

Thanks for sharing this experience with me. Let's follow Cat's lead...try to grill something unusual and "Go with what you have" hmm....maybe some of the carrots from last week 5lbs down 10 to go.

Speaking of carrots...

2010-06-02T22:55:00.001-05:00

Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it, but taste it? You can't taste the energy of the earth in a twinkie! Speaking of carrots, for some reason, David and I both took trips to the market and came back with loads of carrots...15lbs. in all. We might be turning orange soon, but I'll find ways to use them up...have any ideas? Carrot Harissa Mint Feta Salad has been on my mind since I read the recipe recently...it seemed like such an interesting combination...just had to try it. (recipe below) I love to help people learn the that fresh non-processed food is so much better tasting and not so hard to make. It can be as simple as dumping a drained can of garbanzo beans, add some lemon zest, juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, parmesan and some parsely...eat as is, or over some field greens.

I love that my daughter texted me that she has learned to make homemade pizza dough and it's awesome. Custom made pizza, what could be better? Another custom made one of a kind product is Shaklee's NutriFeron a patented, clinically proven blend of immune-strengthening plant extracts. When used daily, it increases the production of your body’s natural interferon, a critical activator of the immune system. NutriFeron works at the cellular level, by rapidly activating your immune system’s defenses
Take a look at this short video clip. http://kelli-abrahamian.myshaklee.com/us/en/whynow.html#/nutriferon

Today I received this great testimony for Nutriferon from a new friend and customer, Julia. "I made it thru cold and flu season and didn't get sick - I always get something! Last fall I added the Nutriferon and more vitamin D (another thing I swear by!), and I haven't had more than a day or two of sniffles. Thank you for introducing me to it! After 6 months of being on it, I'm swearing by your Nutriferon!!"

Here are the words that hooked me on this recipe. "Sweet, tender roasted garlic, hot ancho and guajillo chiles, and a fragrant mix of spices create a mouthwatering rub for succulent grilled thighs." Seemed like the perfect meal for Memorial Day, after a day of "prepping" the deck for the summer. I've decided to use a few small round tables with chairs (instead of one big one) to give the feeling of a bistro at our own house. I hope to give "Chez Abrahamian" a lot of use.

Chili and Roasted Garlic Grilled Chicken
(Savuer.com)

Roast a couple heads of garlic
(Cut the very top off the head of garlic, pour some olive oil , wrap in foil) place in 350 degree oven until soft and brown.

Grind in spice grinder (coffee grinder will do)
1/4 tsp whole all spice
1 tsp whole peppercorns
1/4 tsp whole cloves
1/4 tsp cumin seeds

Squeeze all of the roasted garlic cloves into a bowl and mash together along with the ground spices and 1 TBSP. apple cider vinegar, 1 to 2 tsp. of whole chili powder (ie. ancho and guaillo), a pinch of salt and 2 tsp. of dried oregano until thoroughly combined.

Rub paste all over chicken thighs (bone in skin on, I used a whole cut up chicken) No marinating involved. Grill over medium low heat until cooked through. This took a while, but as you see it was well worth it!! Great flavor.

Here is something else, that takes a little time...North African chile paste Harissa. It's not hard to make, you just need some spices and dried chilis, whirl it into a paste and you'll have a delicious addition to sandwiches, pasta, couscous, eggs, use your imagination. I now have a jar of the divine paste in my refrigerator. It is kind of hot...you just need a bit. We mixed it with plain yogurt and mayo, to make a great dip.

Tomato-pepper harissa

(The Wednesday Chef)

Makes 1 cup

4 ounces dried chiles (I used New Mexico chiles, but you could also use guajillo chiles or an equal mixture of both) You can find these at most grocery stores...even Cub Foods!!
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 sun-dried tomatoes, dry-packed
1 large red bell pepper
2 tablespoons best-quality olive oil, plus extra for storage

1. Roast the red pepper in the oven until blistered and collapsing on all sides. Set aside to cool on baking sheet. Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Let rest until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, then remove the seeds and stems from the chiles. Wear latex or rubber gloves when you do this to avoid irritating your skin.

2. Place the seeded and stemmed chiles into the bowl of a food processor with the garlic and pulse a couple of times. Add the salt, cumin and coriander. Process until smooth, pouring the olive oil into the feeding tube on top as you blend.

3. In a small bowl, cover the sun-dried tomatoes with boiling water and allow to soften, about 15 minutes. Drain. Remove the skin of the roasted pepper, and the veins and the seeds. Do not rinse under water.

4. Add the tomatoes and one-half of the roasted red pepper (reserve the rest for another use) to the chile mixture, adding a few tablespoons of water if needed to achieve the right consistency. The harissa should have the texture of thick paste. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate until needed.

Now that you've made the this wonderful condiment, you can make the recipe I had in mind and have been anxiously waiting to make. It might sound like an odd combination, but it WORKS!!

Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta and Mint
The Smitten Kitchen.com

3/4 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 crushed clove of garlic
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground (I used seeds but ground them first)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground (I used the seed but ground them first, again)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon harissa (for a solid kick of heat; adjust yours to taste, and to the heat level of your harissa)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
100 grams feta, crumbled or chopped into bits

In a small sauté pan, cook the arlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before eating. With a fork.

Ellen's Green Beans

This next recipe comes from my friend Ellen. She brought these wonderful green beans as an appetizer to a party and I couldn't stop eating them!! Spicy, fresh and addicting!!

2 lb. Bag of green beans (Costco's is perfect)
2/3 cup almonds
8 cloves or 8 t. crushed garlic
½ tube of red chilies paste
4 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup thinly sliced green onion
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt to taste

In a large pot, heat enough water to cover the beans. When the water starts to boil, add salt and the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Keep a large bowl filled with water and ice cubes ready. Remove the beans and plunge in the ice water immediately to stop the cooking. Once the beans are cool, drain on paper towels and keep aside. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Place the almonds, garlic in a food processor and process to form a coarse paste. Add red chili paste.

In a large pan, heat 2 T. oil and saute the onion till soft. Add the almond paste and salt and saute for a minute or two, add 2 T. more oil. Add the honey, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and mix well. Cook for 1 minute on high heat stirring frequently. Toss sauce with beans and enjoy.

Do you need a simple and wonderful base for the fresh berries of the season?? This fits the bill perfectly!! Pile on the anti-oxidants.

Yogurt Cake

(The Kitchn.com)
serves 8 or more

1 1/2 cups full-fat yogurt
2/3 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan lightly with baking spray or oil, and line the bottom with parchment.

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and nutmeg right into the liquids and stir just until no lumps remain.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, covering with foil at the end if the top is browning. When a tester comes out clean, transfer the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.

Serve the cake warm or at room temperature. When well-wrapped, this keeps very well for several days.

I love this quote from Dr. Shaklee. " I never belittle the medical profession, but we are two separate fields of endeavor. They are trained to treat disease, I'm interested in building health." Let's get together so I can show you how Shaklee can help build your familie's health.

A Balanced Life

2010-05-20T19:19:00.002-05:00

After my "colorful" and full weekend, I came home to a week of rain and gloominess. Recharging my "battery" was top order. I got some "sunshine" by making time to meet friends and family during the week. Life can be a bit out of balance as the school year nears an end, prom, ballet recitals, concerts and finals. It takes a bit of effort to say "No" to some things and not over schedule the family. I recently heard someone say, "when you walk past the lilac bushes...pause, inhale and say whoa!!" Before we know it they are gone...so appreciate the moment. Something everyone has in common is that we are constantly striving for balance in our lives. When we tip the scales in either direction we need to come back to center to get that feeling of calm that happens ...if even for a few moments...a time when we are "mostly" living in our priorities and keeping our health and wellness in mind. Of course we never "arrive", but we can get better and wiser knowing what our own individual balance looks like.

"Balance" is a word cooks use in relation to combining tastes in such a way that they complement one another, with no one aspect overpowering the whole. Think of it this way: Drinking vinegar straight-up is painful, but add some olive oil balance the zing and you've got a vinaigrette. (Although...drinking a few teaspoons of raw organic apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before meals is very healthful. We do this and have grown to really love it...well, love might be a strong word, but like and see the benefits Eating vinegar before each meal helps to balance blood sugar and lower insulin levels, which typically spike after a high starch meal according to the September 2005 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The vinegar is a weak ascetic acid that fires up the digestive acids needed to break down a heavy starchy meal. I am going to share some basic vinaigrette recipes that will let you mix and match whole grains, vegetables and proteins to make great hearty salads all summer long.

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Eggplant Chickpea Masala (aka healthy meal in 30 min...better than take-out)

Heat the oven to 425. Chop up a big eggplant into 1/2″ pieces and put them on a baking sheet. Add 1 lg can of drained diced tomatoes and 1 can of drained, cooked chickpeas Mince 4 or 5 cloves of garlic and chop up a 2″knob of fresh ginger. Add those to the eggplant mixture along with a lot of olive oil, salt, and 1 tablespoon of garam masala. Roast for 20 minutes, stir, and roast for about 20 minutes more, until mixture is crispy on the edges and your whole kitchen is fragrant. Serve with brown rice and chopped cilantro, maybe a dallop of plain yogurt on top.

to sum that up: Chop eggplant, drain and dump the cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) throw some minced garlic and ginger a few generous glugs of olive oil, salt and a Tbsp. of Garam Masala (can find in most market's spice aisles). Put a pot of brown rice on. Chop up some cilantro. Be sure to have some plain yogurt on hand.

Summer is coming and salads will be center stage. Learning how to make a basic vinaigrette...that can be customized any way you like. So a vinaigrette is a dressing (or sauce) that plays specifically on the balance between acid and oil.

Whole grains, vegetables, protein...chicken, beef can be mixed with a vinaigrette. Mix different herbs and vegetables that are so plentiful at the Farmer's Market.

Basic Red Wine Vinaigrette
Adapted from the Culinary Institute of America, "The Professional Chef."

Makes 1 cup of vinaigrette, enough for dozens of salads

¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallot
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch sugar, optional, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
¾ cup canola oil (or mix of canola and extra-virgin olive oil)

Combine everything but the oil and sugar in a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
Taste the vinegar mixture — it will be sour, but if it feels harsh, add a pinch of sugar.
Whisk the vinegar vigorously and pour the oil in thin stream. Alternatively, shake it all together in a jar with a lid, or zap it all in a blender or food processor.
The vinaigrette will eventually separate; just re-whisk or shake before using.

Basic Mustard Vinaigrette
This recipe uses mustard as a stabilizer and forms a much richer emulsion, nearly the same consistency as the mustard you start with. Adapted from the "Dean & Deluca Cookbook."

Makes ¼ cup vinaigrette, enough for 10-12 salads if you dress them very lightly, like me.

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon cold water (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk together the mustard and vinegar with a pinch of salt and a few cranks of pepper.
Now vigorously — don't go all crazy and splash yourself! — whisk the mustard-vinegar mixture while you slowly drizzle the oil in a thin stream. It should look as if the mustard is absorbing the oil, giving you a nicely combined sauce. If the oil starts to pool a little at the top, stop pouring and just whisk it all together before resuming. Alternatively, shake it all in a jar with a lid or zap it in a blender.
If it's too thick at the end (especially if you blend it), thin it with a tiny bit of water. (You'll be amazed at how much a little water will thin it.)
If the vinaigrette separates, just whisk or shake or blend it back together before using.

Spring Salad with Feta and Radishes
(A Homemade Life) www.orangette.blogspot.com

Prep time: 10 minutes

2.5 oz. mesculin greens (about half of one of those plastic containers)

1 belgian endive, root cut off and sliced into thin slices

4 red radishes, trimmed and sliced paper-thin

12-15 sprigs of cilantro, just leaves (leave them whole)

Red Wine Vinaigrette, to taste

1/4 c. goat cheese feta, crumbled

1 haas avocado, thinly sliced

In a medium bowl, mix together the lettuces, radishes, and cilantro. Dress with red wine vinaigrette to taste (I used about 2-3 tbsp.)

Divide salad on four plates. Top with sliced avocado and feta. Drizzle with a little more vinaigrette. Serve.

Healthy Peanut Butter Protein Balls

1 c. natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 c. honey
1 c. diced apricots
1 c. sliced almonds
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
3 Tbsp. Shaklee Energizing Protein
Cinnamon to taste

In a medium saucepan heat honey and peanut butter on stove over medium heat until texture is runny. Mix in apricots, nuts, oats and protein powder and cinnamon. Stir until ingredients are well coated. Let mixture cool in the refrigerator. Roll into bite sized balls. Enjoy!

Shaklee provides a HEALTHIER life for Everyone and a BETTER life for anyone!! By becoming a Shaklee promoter, you can have better health and make a good living...while all of the time maintaining a BALANCED life. Let me show you how you can get the best price possible on your products and receive a bonus check!

Colorful Memories

2010-05-12T23:44:00.004-05:00

We had a weekend of color. Flowers, food and the vibrant colors outdoors that are intensified by the warm sunshine and blue sky of Southern California. It was a weekend of milestones. My son left his teen years, my daughter graduated from college and I celebrated Mother's Day with both of my Moms. The celebration started on my in-law's patio with a wonderful lunch of beautiful salads and roasted chicken surrounded by my mother-in-law's garden which was exploding with color...roses, bougainvillea, camilias, and lemons to name just a few. She was kind enough to share the recipes and I will share them with you. Next there was lunch on the wharf, and dinner in a favorite Mexican restaurant to celebrate the birthday. Do you see a theme here...wonderful family time and great food. My daughter and her roommates planned a picnic after the graduation ceremony at a park overlooking the ocean. They made incredibly healthy food...our plates were a tapestry of color. A beautiful array of salads made with whole grains and tons of vegetables. The kind of meal you eat and feel very satisfied but not stuffed. My first thought was that I have to share these ideas with all of you...especially as we enter the summer months and the last thing you want to do is cook long involved recipes. These resourceful young women have found a way to eat healthfully on a budget with easy nutritious recipes. When you use a healthy grain, and loads of chopped vegetables, herbs, olive oil, lemon and some vinegar...you can mix and match and improvise.

You can see most of my children are grown, and lately I've been reminded that they are the main reason I started using Shaklee products and sharing them so passionately. As a young Mom I was and am very interested in the benefits of feeding children well and making sure they get the nutrients they need. I attended many seminars and then in turn shared what I learned with other Moms. I'm happy to say my kids love good food and are not picky eaters. They also request Shaklee vitamins because they see the value in taking them. I think this happened because they would be in on the food prep and I would always let them know the "why" taking Vita Lea (multi-vitamin) would help build good health....putting them in charge. It all started with the children's chewables...they used to have "suns, moons and stars" on them. Now they are even more fun to take.

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This first recipe was one of the great dishes at the graduation picnic. It's Vicki's Yummy Wheat Berry Salad. It takes a little time to cook the wheat berries, but it's well worth it.

Spanish Wheat Berry Salad

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

6 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups wheat berries, rinsed and drained
1 Tbs. sherry vinegar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup (1 oz.) shaved Manchego cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese, optional

To cook wheat berries: Combine 1 1/2 cups wheat berries, 6 cups of water and 2 teaspoons salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, until tender. This will take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Add additional boiling water as needed to keep grain covered. Drain Wheat Berries.

Whisk together remaining 5 Tbs. oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and garlic in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add wheat berries, bell pepper, almonds, shallots, and parsley, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Sprinkle with cheese, if using.

Wheat berries, also called hard wheat berries, are wheat grains from which the inedible hull has been removed. Toasting the grains before cooking enhances their nutty, chewy quality. Serve this salad warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

This next salad is my mother-in-law's recipe, beautiful in it's simplicity, brightly colored and delicious.

Carrot Salad with Cilantro
(Natalie )
1 3/4 lbs. carrots, finely shredded
1/2 c. orange juice
1/3 c. white vinegar (can substitute seasoned rice wine vinegar)
1/8 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (to taste)
Scant tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

Toss until well mixed. Refrigerate over night or several hours.

One thing I'm famous for saying is "Eat something from the cabbage family everyday!" So here is a great version of cabbage salad. It's cool and creamy and goes very well with spicy food.

Martha Stewart's Kitchen Sink Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flake coconut
1 cup raisins
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (pecans would be great too...toasted even better)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper.
In a large bowl with a wooden spoon, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Stir in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture until well blended. Add oats, chips, coconut, raisins, and walnuts and stir until well blended.
Drop batter by heaping tablespoons or with a 1 ounce ice-cream scoop onto silpat about 2 inches apart. Press tops down with the bottom of a glass to flatten cookies evenly. Bake until golden, about 16 to 18 minutes. Cool on pan for 2 minutes. Remove from pan, and finish cooling completely on wire rack.

Roasted Rhubarb Compote

Great on Greek yogurt or smeared on toast or whatever you can think of.

1 pound rhubarb
1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Rinse rhubarb under cold water, trim ends, and remove any leaves. Slice each stalk in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
Combine rhubarb, orange zest, orange juice, and sugar in an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish; toss together until rhubarb is well coated with sugar.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until the rhubarb has released a lot of juice and the mixture is bubbling, about 35 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking until the juices are slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Let me help you get started on a good solid Shaklee supplement program. Building a solid foundation of health for you and your family.

Anyone Can Cook!

2010-05-05T07:39:00.003-05:00

"Anyone can cook"...the title of Chef Auguste Gusteau's cookbook in the Disney epic "Ratatouille". Cute movie, minus the rats in the kitchen. It is true, anyone CAN cook. Hopefully I am sharing recipes you feel are easy and duplicatable in your kitchen. You know I don't make elaborate meals all of the time, especially during the week. We were busy last week with Spring activities, choir concerts, ballet performances. A few of the meals we had were really good, pretty healthy and simple to "whip up". Lots of rice and beans with some vegetables thrown in. With Pete's help, David made Crispy Black Bean Tacos. I think we also ate a lot of eggs. "Fry and Egg!", That was always one of my Mom's famous lines when there seemed to be nothing in the house to eat. Many people don't have much time after work or are racing to different activities to cook anything complicated. It pays to have a few "go to" meals that can be made in a flash, something you can make when it seems like you have no food in your refrigerator, only condiments. Believe me, I too stare at the open fridge, hoping something will jump out at me, and my kids claim they've been forced to eat "condiment sandwiches" when they don't see anything.

A necessary part of keeping your body healthy and strong is having a good amount of healthy bacteria in your system. It helps to keep your immune system humming. Bacteria have a reputation for causing disease, so the idea of tossing down a few billion a day for your health might seem — literally and figuratively — hard to swallow. But a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that you can treat and even prevent some illnesses with foods and supplements containing certain kinds of live bacteria. Since the mid-1990s, clinical studies have established that probiotic therapy can help treat several gastrointestinal ills, delay the development of allergies in children, and treat and prevent vaginal and urinary infections in women. Shaklee Optiflora A unique capsule transports live beneficial bacteria safely through the acidic conditions of the stomach. promotes colon health by supporting the growth of healthy microflora naturally found in the colon. Visit my website for more information on Shaklee products

This first recipe comes from Mark Bittman of the NY Times. He recreates the chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's fried rice, topped with crisp ginger and a fried egg. We LOVED it. I Didn't have any leeks, so I used some shredded cabbage and onion...worked well. Here's a video of Mark making the dish!

Ginger Fried Rice

peanut oil (or whatever light oil you have)

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons minced ginger

Salt

2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and dried

4 cups day-old cooked rice, preferably jasmine, at room temperature

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons sesame oil

4 teaspoons soy sauce.

1. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and brown. With a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and salt lightly.

2. Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low and add 2 tablespoons oil and leeks. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned. Season lightly with salt.

3. Raise heat to medium and add rice. Cook, stirring well, until heated through. Season to taste with salt.

4. In a nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining oil, sunny-side-up, until edges are set but yolk is still runny.

5. Divide rice among four dishes. Top each with an egg and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Sprinkle crisped garlic and ginger over everything and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

This next recipe was ultra simple with just a few ingredients.

Haydari with Carrots (Spread to serve with pita bread...or any crusty bread)

Ingredients:

* 3 Large carrots, grated
* 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
* 1-1/2 cups Greek style yogurt
* Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil, salt and pepper together in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat until the oil smells peppery. Add grated carrots and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and mix with yogurt. Mix in a pinch of salt if desired.

Chill well before serving.

Let's get you and your family going on the road to optimal health!! I would love to show you how Shaklee can improve your quality of life.

Heaven on Earth

2010-03-17T18:33:00.001-05:00

What would you choose as your "last supper" on earth? Interesting question. Maybe some people wouldn't care, but for those of us who live for the sublime tastes of real unprocessed delicious food, it's a question worth thinking about. This question is the topic of a beautiful picture book my son gave me for Mother's Day last year. It asks this question of chefs and gets their response on the setting, menu and guest list. The responses were diverse, yet quite often the answers were consistent. Simple divine foods, in beautiful settings with loved ones and friends. Certain tastes and smells evoke memories we hold on to. I'm not quite sure what all of my food choices would be, but I know the meal would take place on a certain patio in Los Angeles surrounded by family and close friends...I don't think I would cook it myself, but I know their would be garlic and good wine and lots of candles and beautiful flowers.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of dining with friends...(you hear me say that a lot). I would much rather get together around someone's table than go to a restaurant. My friend Ray is an incredible cook and teaches me something new all of the time. If you remember, in my last set of recipes, I sent out my families "tried and true" 40 Clove Garlic Chicken recipe, but Ray made us his recipe and quite honestly I was in heaven. He has a different take...no cream, but the sauce that is created is perfection and is incredible if you sop it up with a crusty baguette. It brought a tear to my eye. He also made a horseradish browned butter cauliflower dish and I made a balsamic glazed brussels sprout recipe (did you know brussels sprouts are sexy all of the sudden? A far cry from the mushy vegetable from our past that no one liked) Julie made an oh so simple appetizer that you will want to make over and over, and dessert was elegant and perfectly simple. I used aged balsamic vinegar from my absolute favorite little SW Minneapolis shop Vinaigrette. and if you don't live here, check out their website and just give them a call, they are more than happy to ship. They have a wide variety of imported olive oils as well and a ton of ideas of how to use them. The shop owner is very savvy and fun to talk to...I really didn't want to leave. I talked to other customers and got more recipe ideas, one I will share with you today.

As passionate as I am about good food, I get equally excited about Shaklee product and the QUALITY and EFFICACY of the products...there truly are no other products out there that can touch them. You don't have to take my word for it...watch this short video clip on "The Shaklee Difference" http://kelli-abrahamian.myshaklee.com/us/en/whyshaklee.html#/unique

I have no doubts you will be impressed. For over 50 years, generations of families have counted on us to do what no other company can do quite like Shaklee—make products that are naturally safe AND proven effective. Every product that goes into every Shaklee bottle is designed to improve health, work without compromise, and be gentle on the planet.

Let's start with the new 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
(recipe from Williams Sonoma)

Ray says the key is to dry your chicken and let it sit on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper at this point

2 chickens, each 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
40 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room
temperature, cut into pieces

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with the accumulated juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more.

Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil.

Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a sauce boat. Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside. Serves 8.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic vinegar

A customer at Vinaigrette said this recipe would be great with the addition of toasted almonds...I think she's right (I didn't have any...still fab)

- makes 4 servings -

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved
Balsamic vinegar
Salt

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Heat the oil over high heat in an iron skillet. When almost smoking, dump in the sprouts. Cook for a minute or two, until slightly browned.

3. Pour in enough balsamic vinegar to come 1/4 way up the brussels sprouts. It’s a lot.

4. Cover the pan with foil, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the foil, and return the pan to the burner over high heat. Cook until the balsamic vinegar reduces, about another minute. Season with salt and serve.

Julie's Super Easy Date Appetizer (You can't stop eating)

Mejool dates (pitted)
Goat Cheese
Crackers (get the good kind...we had the ones you find in the fancy cheese section of the store, the kind you break up yourself...they have a great rosemary version or plain sea salt)

Heat the dates for a few seconds...depends on your microwave until a bit soft.

I will use a microwave once in a while ( I kind of fear them..."the zapping of America") but to each his own, you could put them in a conventional oven if you have more patience)

smear goat cheese on cracker, top with date...ENJOY followed by a sip of wine :)

Berries in Balsamic

For this dessert I used fresh strawberries and blackberries. I cut up the strawberries, added blackberries and sprinkled with a bit of sugar (to taste) I let them sit at room temp while we ate dinner. Before serving drizzle liberally with aged balsamic vinegar and I know this might sound weird, but grind a few grinds of fresh black pepper on top.

Serve in a pretty glass or dish. I used a martini glass. Next a put a bit of creme fraische on top and stuck a (store bought) lemon and lavendar scented shortbread cookie on the side. So easy, pretty and delicious.

I keep forgetting to share this next recipe with you. We LOVE Indian food and find that it's really fun to prepare at home. You just have to have the right spices. This one was universally liked by all and very simple.

Indian Butter Chicken
(adapted from Sunset Magazine)

Serves 5 to 6

1 onion (1/2 lb.), peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 fresh jalapeño chili (about 1 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon salad oil
2 teaspoons garam masala (see notes)
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned chicken breasts, rinsed and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
Salt
1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine
6 cups hot cooked white basmati rice
Lime wedges

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan, combine onion, ginger, chili, and oil. Stir often over high heat until onion is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garam masala. Scrape mixture into a blender; add tomato paste and chicken broth. Whirl until very smooth. Pour mixture back into pan, add cream, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat (mixture is inclined to spatter). Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until reduced to 3 cups, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl. Rinse and dry pan.

2. Mix chicken with pepper and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set pan over high heat; add 1 tablespoon butter and the chicken. Stir until chicken is no longer pink on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sauce and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test), 3 to 4 minutes. Cut remaining 3 tablespoons butter into chunks and stir into sauce until melted.

3. Spoon chicken and sauce onto rice. Add salt to taste. Squeeze lime juice over portions.

Notes: If you can't find garam masala, use these seasonings: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon cracked dried bay leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Sprinkle chopped fresh cilantro onto individual portions of butter chicken, if you like

Here is the recipe from the customer I met at Vinaigrette.

Edamame Radish Salad

Simply thaw frozen Edamame and shell. Slice radishes combine with rice wine vinegar ( or whatever you have on hand) I got some wonderful Rhubarb Vinegar at Vinaigrette!!...so good for you)

Salt, freshly ground pepper. I think some chopped parsely would be nice with this too.

Remember what you eat makes a difference in your health and well being. I would love to coach you to feeling your best through good nutrition. Shaklee products can make a tremendous difference in the way you feel. Please let me know how I can help you.

Breakfast Club

2010-02-23T19:41:00.002-06:00

"Breakfast Club", the 1980's classic movie was on tv this week, and evidently today is "National Pancake Day", so it seems natural to talk about Breakfast foods today. Breakfast or Brunch, even "Breakfast for Dinner" is one of my favorite comfort meals. When you go out for breakfast, the treat is to have someone wait on you with a "bottomless" cup of coffee. What if you could have the best of the best at home? You can spread out the newspaper...lingering at your own table without being rushed by the stares of the people in long lines at the hot spots in town! The experts tell us that it's the most important meal of the day, so don't miss out. Even if it has to be "on the go" ...the first bite of the day can be the best!! Can you imagine a world without toast? (although Pete, my eleven yr. old doesn't like it, he asks me to "make it fresh" , meaning not toasted!" We usually eat Ezekial Bread, because it gives you the most nutrition for your buck, (LOTS of fiber) but we have also been enjoying this EASY Master recipe for crusty French Boule bread (great for toasting) from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, ...the recipe makes four one pound loaves. You don't have to bake it all at once..the dough keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. It gets even better the longer it sits. I will really work on taking pictures of these recipes...it's so beautiful when it comes out of the oven.

We have this little ritual on weekday mornings. The plates around the breakfast table are topped with Shaklee supplements (a Vitalizer strip)and a Nutriferon, an extra spoon for Vivix., and raw coconut oil and raw honey....first things first. Pete never likes to eat much first thing, so I at least get an egg (with hot sauce) in him (no toast remember?) or a Shaklee Cinch Shake...it's easy and I know he's getting the nutrients he needs plus it keeps him going until lunch. David and I like to drink a glass of water with Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar it's a great addition to a healthy lifestyle...google it, the benefits are incredible. Dan (our Son the chef) taught us in true Julia Child fashion how to make a French Omelette, so that is one of David's favorites. Our Daughter Maria (who will be 16 this week!) usually needs to take her breakfast in the car. A favorite of hers is a Fried Egg Sandwich. I use whatever is on hand, but they are fashioned after the sandwiches made at the "Good Day Cafe" in Minneapolis. Their version is made on toasted brioche, with fried onions, avocado, tomato, and a piece of thinly sliced ham...my usual order when I'm there, but you can truly make one just as good at home.

Weekends are a different story...pancakes rule! There are so many different recipes for Buttermilk Pancakes alone. I'll share one I made for Pete and his friend Charlie after a sleepover, with bacon (their favorite part) . The easiest way to make bacon is in the oven. I use one of my cooling racks on the cooking sheet I use for roasting vegetables. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 min..you know how you like it. I will share a recipe for" Sweet and Spicy Bacon" this week...pork products are ok once in a while, right? Be sure to get the nitrate and hormone free smoked bacon. Trader Joe's sells a good apple wood smoked version. Another hit of the week was something my Mom made for a dinner party, but I think you could serve it at a brunch too. She said it was a favorite at her party...scroll down (my way of getting you to read the entire post)

I'm going to start with a great crispy Cornmeal waffle recipe I got from a favorite food blog I read, "Kate in the Kitchen" She is a Minneapolis native who shares great healthy recipes and beautifully written stories. Last week she shared a great post about the devastating South Minneapolis fire that consumed a couple of our favorite neighborhood restaurants, Blackbird Cafe and Heidi's. http://kateinthekitchen.com/2010/02/20/memories-in-the-ashes/ Check out her post for "Inspirational Eggs" too, a great idea.

Buttermilk Cornmeal Waffles
(from Kristin at The Kitchen Sink Recipes, slightly adapted from Gourmet magazine and www.kateinthekitchen.com)

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone ground
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
6 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional oil for brushing waffle iron

Into a large bowl sift together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Repeat sifting 2 more times.

In another large bowl whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Add flour mixture all at once and whisk just until combined.

Preheat a waffle iron and preheat oven to 200 °F.

Brush waffle iron lightly with additional oil. Spoon batter into waffle iron, using 1/4 cup batter for each 4-inch-square standard waffle and spreading batter evenly, and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm, uncovered, in middle of oven. Make more waffles with remaining batter in same manner, brushing waffle iron with more oil before adding each batch.

Serve waffles with syrup.

David used to go to a Men's prayer breakfast. The older men would make breakfast for the younger men (David is 48, and was the youngest guy) These men were so dear and would make a huge pot of oatmeal with love..the same way every week. The meal was a good start to the day and vert filling, but most of the nutrition came from their words of wisdom they served with it. How about boosting the nutrition in your morning oatmeal? We love to add toasted walnuts or almonds and dried fruit too.

Arugula, Bacon & Gruyere Bread Pudding

Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 large eggs
6 bacon slices
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
7 ounces baby arugula or baby spinach (6 1/2 cups)
6 cups cubed (1-inch) country-style bread (1 pound)
5 1/2 ounces Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter a 2-qt shallow baking dish.

Whisk together milk, cream, eggs, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain, then coarsely crumble.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and cook shallot and garlic, stirring constantly, until golden, about 1 minute. Gradually add arugula and cook, stirring, until it wilts.

Stir arugula mixture, bacon, bread, and cheese into custard. Transfer to baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until golden in spots, about 10 minutes more.

When my older kids were younger and money was really tight, we'd have pancakes for dinner a lot!! We had the recipe taped on the inside of our cabinet in the kitchen...well we lost it somehow, so I am always looking for the ultimate buttermilk recipe. My Mom started the whole "from scratch" pancakes with the Betty Crocker cookbook recipe, which calls for separating the eggs and whipping the whites...that's a good one too. This one is easy to memorize.

Another Buttermilk Pancake Recipe

2 c. flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 c. Buttermilk (well shaken)

1 tsp. vanilla (secret ingredient)

Put the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Stir together until dry ingredients are mixed in. (do not overmix)

Heat the griddle with oil and a bit of butter if you want. A couple Tbsp. of melted butter is good in the batter too, but you don't need it.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon (made in the oven)

Gourmet Magazine 2006

1 ½ Tbs packed light brown sugar
Rounded ¼ tsp cayenne
Rounded ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 lb thick-cut bacon (about 12 slices)

Position an oven rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cayenne, and black pepper.

Arrange the bacon slices in 1 layer—not overlapping—on the rack of a large broiler pan. [Jimmy didn’t use a broiler pan. Instead, he lined a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and put the bacon on the foil. It seemed to work just fine.] Bake the bacon for 20 minutes. Turn the slices over, and sprinkle them evenly with the spiced sugar. Continue baking until the bacon is crisp and deep golden, about 20-35 minutes more, checking every 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain before serving.

Here is my "Teaser" recipe :)

This is what Mom made for her party! She used a few teaspoons of balsamic vinegar from this unique shop on 50th and Xerxes in So. Minneapolis...but I think they do mail order for those of you outside Mpls.

http://www.vinaigrettemn.com/contact_us_vinaigrette.html

Strawberries with Aged Balsamic and pepper
Food Network

6 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and large berries cut in half
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Place strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle vinegar over strawberries, and sprinkle with sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover, and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour but not more than 4 hours. Just before serving, grind pepper over berries.

She served it with a bit of creme fraiche and a bittersweet chocolate cookie from Rustica Bakery...the best in town.

Have a great week and make your first bite of the day the BEST! Taking Shaklee supplements every morning will make every day great. Remember all past recipes are archived on my blog "I Had a Delicious Time"
http://kelli-abrahamian.blogspot.com/

Kelli