I always make more pesto than I need for one meal so I have to come up with other ways to use it. One of my favorites is Crostini’s with fresh mozzarella and chopped tomatoes. I had a pint of heirloom tomatoes in the fridge and thought how colorful and pretty they would look propped up on a sliced french baguette. They are the perfect companion to any pasta dish and a leafy salad which I’m working on for dinner tonight.
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It’s been gorgeous weather this week and I decided to pick up some veggies and make panini’s for dinner. I sliced and assembled my veggies and went outside to set up the grill. It was sunny and in the upper 70’s, just perfect outside but I noticed that the wind was picking up. I drizzled my sliced veggies with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper and began grilling. Everything was going well but the wind was just wicked. About the time I finished, I realized that big clouds were rolling in. I had just enough time to let the grill cool and get everything inside before it turned dark and started pouring rain. The veggies turned out perfect and I piled them together between sourdough bread with some fresh mozzarella cheese, spinach pesto and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It was just the perfect combination!
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It’s that time of year again . . . Hockey is back and my Detroit Red Wings start a new season that kicks off tonight! I’m so excited and can’t wait until the puck drops! This is a special year for the Red Wings, they just moved into the Eastern Conference with the Atlantic Division which includes 3 other original six teams. The Red Wings are hosting the outdoor Winter Classic on New Years Day to be held at the University of Michigan. And it’s also an Olympic year in which many of the Red Wings will compete for their native country. Plus the Red Wings will be featured on the HBO series 24/7 this year. Special year to be sure! As you all know, I make a big platter of wings to celebrate opening day and wish my Red Wings Good Luck! They kick off the season versus Buffalo so I’m definitely NOT making Buffalo wings. Instead I’m going with Spicy Garlic Wings. The sauce is definitely spicy and paired with garlic, lime and coriander. Just the thing for game night. So here’s to a great season and Lets Go Red Wings!!
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This became my indulgence over the summer, home made ice cream! I’ve never been one to eat ice cream by itself, but rather alongside cake or pie, that is until I started making my own. This summer I made so many quarts of ice cream I can hardly count, but one of my favorites was this dark rich chocolate ice cream. I love the pure chocolate taste which is creamy and melts in your mouth like smooth pudding. I found this ice cream stands on it’s own and you won’t need anything else to satisfy those chocolate cravings.
It’s good to be back after a few weeks. Joe and I went to the East Coast and enjoyed some sun and sand, some hiking, and took in some historical sites. It was wonderful but at the same time exhausting. We walked many a mile each day while taking in every moment. It’s taken a good week to get back in the groove back here at home. Since we’ve been back the weather has cooled down considerably. The clouds and rain have descended upon us and makes me yearn for a bowl of chowder. Looking for something a bit healthier and vegetarian I went with some zucchini, corn and green chile. It was packed with flavor and spice which was just what I was looking for. I added a bit of finely grated Oaxaca Mexican cheese which melted perfectly and made the chowder extra creamy. I was hoping it would last for a day or two but someone found it in the wee hours of the night and it was gone by morning. Wonder who that could be?? I’ll give you 2 guesses!
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I have this thing (obsession) about berries and citrus, sometimes I just can’t have one without the other. I started out with a perfectly delicious recipe for raspberry buttermilk cake, but the citrus thing just kept creeping in so I added a bit of lime zest to the cake. And before I knew it I was in the midst of powdered sugar and lime juice stirring up a glaze. I love the sweet and tart combination that really makes this cake rock. Incidentally, this will be my last post for a few weeks as my gorgeous husband is taking me away for a long needed vacation. I’m looking forward to a few weeks just to relax, put my feet in the sand and enjoy someone else’s cooking. You all be safe and have a happy September!
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It’s been awhile since I’ve made any pasta. During the summer month’s I get caught up in grilling outdoors and picking up farmers market fruits and veggies that I can’t get any other time of year. Lately I’ve been feeling a need for some comfort food and pasta is especially good to bring back the comforts of home. I love anything pesto and this turned out especially good using fresh cherry tomatoes, inspired from Lidia Bastianich of “Lidia’s Italy”. The flavors that come through are so fresh but at the same time robust. I added some crisp bacon bits to compliment the fresh tomato. It couldn’t have been better! Continue reading
I love to watch “Eat Street” on The Cooking Channel . . . they showcase the best street food that can be found from vendors that prepare any and all kinds of delicious foods from vending trucks. One episode that stood out in my memory was Cross Cut Sliders. I can’t remember the exact way they prepared them, only that they sandwiched mini burgers between cross cut fries and there was a dripping melting cheese involved. It looked ooey gooey good! Since I have some fresh “Hatch” green chile on hand it sounded too good not to make some sliders with green chile and melting queso. They are too messy for finger food, you’ll definitely need a knife and fork for these guys.
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The blueberries have been abundant and very sweet this season so I’ve been stocking up. Anytime I find good berries I put a few extra pints in the freezer for future recipes. It’s been much cooler this August so I felt like baking and made two loaves of brioche bread. Nothing smells better than fresh bread from the oven! We ate one loaf and I set the other aside to make bread pudding. Since I had extra blueberries at the time it made sense to combine the two and I added some cream cheese to make it extra moist and almost cheesecake like. Joe thought it was the best thing he’d ever ate, but then again every time I make dessert he says that. What can I say, he’s just a sweet guy!
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Every summer when those green tomatoes start showing up at the farmers market, I just have to have a few. It’s one of our favorites and I think what makes it special is that I only make them once a year so everyone looks forward to them. This year I decided to re-create an appetizer that Joe and I had on vacation in Gulfport, MS a few years back. It was deemed a Gulf Coast favorite layering fried green tomatoes with a spicy cream sauce with crawfish tails, bacon, mushrooms and green onions. It was sinfully delicious and I knew one day I would like to try and make it myself. I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off but they were a big hit and now we can’t wait until next summer and our next fried green tomatoes.
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An Inspired Cook 