End of Summer Salad

I will be so sad when we don't have garden fresh veggies any more. . .it won't be too much longer. We have had an abundance of yummy, organic veggies from our garden this year: green beans, peas, zucchini, cucumbers, some okra, green peppers, jalepenos, thai chili, hungarian peppers, eggplant, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, herbs (Basil, oregano, chives, mint). I especially love garden fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil and will be super sad when these are finished.

On tonight's menu: chicken or lamb gyros with toppings and this salad!

End of Summer Salad
(1) can Northern beans, drained (can also use chickpeas/garbanzo beans)
(1) large jar pimentos, drained
(2) roma tomatoes, chopped
(1) medium-sized pickling cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 small green pepper, chopped
(1) small zucchini, chopped (skin-on)
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
(1) small red onion, chopped
salt/pepper/dried oregano to taste
3-4 T olive oil
juice of (1) lemon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, toss. Serve chilled, either as a side dish or as a meal on chopped greens. Yummy with pita crisps, too! **As a side note, you can also add some crumbled feta to this salad!**

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad

Thai Waterfall Beef Salad with Sauce

1 lb. top sirloin beef, grilled to your liking, cooled, thinly sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces

(we typically grill "too much" sirloin the night we grill steaks to purposely have leftover

sirloin so we can make this salad the next day!)

1/4 cup sliced red onions

3-5 Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced (or chopped), depending on how spicy you like it!

Sauce

1/4 cup fish sauce (can be found at an Asian market)

1/4 cup fresh sqeezed lime juice (approx two medium limes)

1 T sweet dark soy sauce (can be found at an Asian market)

3 T finely chopped fresh garlic

3 T minced fresh ginger

3-5 T combination of chopped fresh mint/basil/cilantro

1/4 c chopped green onions

1 T sesame oil

1 T regular vegetable oil (can also use chili oil - spicy!)

Combine all ingredients. You can serve this with Jasmine rice, even though it's room temperature, which is our favorite way to eat it . . .or . . .you can serve on lettuce greens with 1/4 c chopped or sliced cucumbers and 2 roma tomatoes (chopped or wedges), just toss beef salad with these ingredients and sauce and enjoy!

No words needed

Hungry yet? A FEW of the reasons why I love the food in Texas . . . Tex Mex is the bomb. . .fried catfish, fried okra, hushpuppies, pinto beans. . . CB's Sandwich Shop for the old-fashioned cheeseburgers (family, diner environment . . .it was my dad's favorite and it's ours) . . . OH MY!!!!!

Apricot Wine Spritzer to Cool You Off!

Need some "inspiration" to cool you off on this HOT, HUMID day? Here's a quick easy recipe for a wine spritzer.

Apricot Wine Spritzer
Your favorite wine glass
Ice
Apricot Nectar
Your favorite white wine (I used Riesling. . .I think Pinot Grigio would also be nice!)
Plain mineral water (Perrier, Mendota Springs, Apolinaris, etc)

Take your wine glass, fill halfway with ice, and then apricot nectar so it fills half of the glass. Add your wine (1/4 of the rest of the glass) and mineral water (1/4 of the rest of the glass). OILA! That's it - SO SIMPLE it's ridiculous! ENJOY!! STAY COOL!!!!

Pesto!

Are you a basil pesto lover like I am? Well, I'm glad to hear it! We just harvested a lovely "batch o' bunches o' basil" from our garden! Perfect timing for me to make some pesto!

Please note: I make my basil pesto "dry" so I can freeze it or put it in the fridge (it will last almost one week-the basil might discolor but this will happen when it is frozen as well. . .this does not take away from the taste or the appeal whatsoever!). I add the olive oil as I use the basil pesto "paste"- do not freeze the pesto with the olive oil already mixed in!

I think this is a great way to have a "sauce" ready for a quick mid-week meal and it stores well in the freezer!

Jen's Basil Pesto

Bunches o' Basil, triple-washed, stems and all! (I have found that if you don't grow your own basil, Asian stores sell bulk basil and some of the Asian growers/stands at the Madison Farmer's Market - Downtown also sell basil by large bags full) - enough to fill the bowl of a large food processor - DO NOT pack the basil in the bowl, though!

2-2/12 cups raw pignoli nuts (pine nuts) - you can also use raw walnuts, which I love as well

6-8 cloves garlic, peeled

8 oz grated Parmesan cheese - deli grated Parmesan is a good choice, or you can use already grated cheese found in the pasta sauce section of your grocer store, no worries!

*I do not add any salt as the Parmesan cheese has enough of a salty taste

Place all of these items in your food processor and chop until well incorporated and mixed together. The mixture will resemble bread crumbs when it is the right consistency - crumbly, somewhat dry. If you want to add more basil at this point, you sure can. I know some people like a really green pesto . . .so . . .feel free to add more after the first batch of ingredients has been combined!

This makes a large batch of basil pesto! I spoon this dry mixture into approx (7) small round Gladware containers and place in my freezer until ready to use (the individual serving size, like what you would put an individual serving of salad dressing in). You can unthaw the night before in your refrigerator. Add olive oil to reach the consistency that you enjoy to make a lovely sauce for pasta - just toss with your al dente noodles in bowl and it's ready to eat . . .top with more Parmesan. I also use pesto as a bruschetta topping, topped with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped tomatoes. Bueno appetito!

Garden Harvest #2 from the Z Garden

Just a glimpse of the second harvest of greens beans and peas from the Z Garden . . . MMMMMMMMMM! I love summer and summer veggies! My hubby, Ali, does fabulous job at planning our gardens. And taking good care of them. Me? Well I like to choose what veggie plants we'll have and then I like to pick the veggies/herbs when they are ready. I'm not so good at the "in between care" or planting or cultivating. I'm glad he likes to do these things, as our gardens give us yummy goodies to eat! We should be harvesting 900 zucchinis and cucumbers and tomatoes soon - GOODNESS I've never seen such GINORMOUS zucchini plants! EEK! And we think we have curtailed the pesky rabbits. Silly rabbits. . .Anyway, here's a wee glimpse of our harvest. . .how to decide what to make with them!

Curry . . .In a Hurry! :)

By definition (thank you dictionary.com), a curry is a spicy dish of oriental, especially Indian, origin that is made in many ways but usually consists of meat or fish prepared in a piquant sauce. Curry powder is a spice mixture with many different spices that are combined together, three of which usualy are turmeric, coriander, and cumin.

As a lover of Indian cuisine, it is sometimes a bit daunting to me to cook. So when I discovered a recipe for Ginger and Tomato Shrimp Curry (which my family really enjoys), I thought, why not tweak it and make it with chicken? That is what I did for tonight's dinner. I am sharing this pretty quick and easy Indian-inspired curry dish in hopes that you will enjoy it as well.

Tomato and Ginger Chicken Curry

olive oil (a few Tablespoons, enough to cover the bottom of your pan)

(1) package Trader Joe's Curry Chicken Tenders, approx 1.6 pounds, cut into big bite pieces (yes when I use "short cuts" I will be sure to let you know - they are already marinated in a yummy curry, very fragrant and I love that they are ready to use!)

(1) medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

(1) jalepeno pepper, diced with seeds (now if you like it a bit spicier, feel free to add more!)

(5) cloves garlic, minced

1/2-1 t. turmeric powder (remember this can stain, so be aware!)

1 t. chili powder

1 t. freshly grated ginger

(6) kaffir lime leaves (optional - can be found at a local Asian market - used to flavor, a bit non-edible like bay leaves)

1 can crushed tomatoes

2 large, fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped

2 T. tomato paste

1/4 cup or so of water

zest and juice of (1) lime

1/4 cup - 1/3 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: the greens of fresh scallions, finely chopped

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil (use enough to cover the bottom of your pan, a few tablespoons). Add the chicken tenders and cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion, jalepeno, and garlic. Saute for about 4 minutes, or until onion is tender and translucent. Add the turmeric, chili powder, ginger, lime leaves, chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so. Stir in lime zest and juice and cilantro. Season according to your tastes with salt and pepper.

Serve over white jasmine or basmati rice (cooked according to rice directions) and garnish with scallions. This is a nice dish paired with a dollop or two of plain, organic yogurt on the side to cool your palette . . . or. . .if you're ambitious use the yogurt to make a raita as an accompaniment! DELISH!