Caprese pasta salad

Consider: it's too hot to cook, but you have all of these beautiful tomatoes available in your garden/farmer's market/grocery store and they actually have amazing flavor. This situation will be non-existent by October 1. This should of course be the excuse for a meal, right?

Toss equal parts chopped fresh tomato, chopped fresh mozarella, and short pasta shape. I used oricchiette here, and the cheese is from a container of fresh mozarella pearls.  Make sure everything is about the same size. 

Chop a generous amount of fresh basil into thin slices (chiffonade) and dress with a couple glugs of olive oil, half that amount of balsamic vinegar, and season with kosher salt and red pepper flakes. Optional stir-ins: crispy bacon, capers. Dinner is served!

PAIRS WITH:

dry rose, dry lambrusco

You got Mexican Corn in my Pasta!

I don't know when this whole "Mexican Street Corn" thing started, but it's delicious, so screw authenticity. Also, I love pasta. PS, you can eat this hot or cold.

Mexican Corn Pasta

Serves 6

For the Dressing:
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise
juice and zest of one lime
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Tapatio)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the Pasta Salad:
8 oz. farfalle or rotini pasta

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups corn (frozen and thawed, fresh removed from cob, or canned and drained)

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced finely
4 green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
4 oz. crumbled goat cheese (or queso fresco, or a combo)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish


Mix all ingredients for dressing in a large bowl. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to directions in well-salted, boiling water. Drain and set aside.

Heat a skillet with the olive oil and add the corn kernels and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat until starting to brown- don’t stir too often. You should get nice dark color on some pieces.

Combine all ingredients together in a serving bowl. Stir to combine.

  

Pasta and spring things

This dish came about from various little tubs of leftovers; the steamed green beans and asparagus from the garden that had served as a side to grilled steaks, the last bit of yogurt-and-mustard sauce used for dipping grilled potatoes, and some of Alison Roman's glorious savory granola I always keep around. You can make all of these things fresh, or substitute your own steamed veggies and creamy sauce here, and I'm sure it will be glorious. 

Springy Leftover Pasta

Serves 4

4 cups steamed green veggies (peas, asparagus, green beans, broccoli, whatevs)
1/2 pound whole grain farfalle pasta
salt, red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt + 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
garnishes: lemon wedges, a bowl of savory granola or roasted nuts/seeds of your choice (toasted groats would also be good)

In a small bowl, combine the yogurt and mustard. Set aside.

In a well-salted pot of boiling water, cook the pasta according to package directions.  If you don't already have steamed veggies on hand, you could throw them in for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time. Drain pasta and, if you're using leftover veggies, toss together to take the chill off. Season with crushed red pepper, drizzle with some of the yogurt sauce, and garnish with a spritz of lemon and a generous sprinkle or granola. Eat hot or at room temperature.

Magic Sauce and two ways to use it

I can't get enough of this simple tahini-miso concoction, and I've been keeping a big jar of it in the fridge for otherwise uninspired last-minute lunches:

Miso-Tahini Magic Sauce

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup tahini
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon shiro (white) miso
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon warm water (add slowly until you get the consistency you prefer)

Place everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously until mixed.  If tahini remains clumpy, just stick a spoon in there and break it up.

You can use it as a salad dressing, and I particularly like is as a dressing for coleslaw.  Just toss some cabbage or Brussels sprouts in the food processor with carrot and cilantro and finely chop, add sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if you like, and add enough Magic Sauce to coat.

You can also toss it with soba noodles you've boiled along with vegetables (love broccoli) and a little reserved cooking water, then sprinkle chopped peanuts and squirt a little lime juice on top. 

And you could drizzle this sauce over any grain/tofu/veggie bowl you've put together.  Wait, is that three things?And what if you spiked your egg salad with it?...the possibilities might be almost endless. 

Alison Roman's Decidedly Not-Sweet Granola

Cook and food writer Alison Roman has come out with a new cookbook I just can't put down.  It's called Dining In, and it's chocked full of recognizable ingredients combined in some subtly surprising ways.  Recipes are meant to be low-effort (usually) but put-together enough for guests.  Though she lives in NYC these days, Roman's SoCal roots show in her love of fresh produce and the gorgeously sun-drenched photos remind me of summer, or every day I have ever spent in L.A.

As a savory breakfast fan, I got super excited about her recipe for "Decidedly Not-Sweet Granola" in the grains chapter.  She suggests several uses for this: breakfast with yogurt and cucumber, as croutons over salad, and as a snack.  I haven't gotten past the breakfast trick, which has kept me full and satisfied all morning today, and I can't imagine getting sick of it anytime soon.  Plain yogurt + diced cucumbers + this savory granola is her recipe; I added a squirt of lemon over the whole thing, as well.

I also made some adjustments based on what I had in the kitchen, as she encourages.  So, here's the actual recipe:

https://www.tastecooking.com/recipes/decidedly-not-sweet-granola/

I had no nigella seeds and didn't want more sesame seeds, as she suggests, so I threw in a scant 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut.  I also skipped the egg whites, because what am I going to do with three egg yolks?  The result is a finer granola that doesn't clump together, but that's fine by me. Finally, I just used plain old crushed red pepper flakes in place of aleppo. I mean, I got them at the tortilleria down the street, so I don't know if they're aleppo or not. Come to think of it, they look similar.

If you're in the market for a new cookbook that is also a feast for the eyes, get Dining In.  It's lovely in every way.  And make this savory granola for something, even if you're hooked on Pop Tarts for breakfast.  I promise you'll happily find a use for it.

Cauliflower rice and quinoa pilaf

So super easy, keeps remarkably well (even in the freezer), and goes with everything, including but not limited to steak, chicken, pork, fish, tofu, underneath a fried egg and/or steamed veggies, alongside a salad...

Cauliflower rice and quinoa pilaf

Serves 4 as a meal, 6-8 as a side

1 small head cauliflower
1 cup cooked quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt to taste
1/2 carrot, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 large garlic clove, minced
about 1 cup diced onion (I used  1/4 of a large yellow onion)
2 teaspoons minced ginger
Sriracha to taste (optional)
1/4 cup chopped or slivered almonds

Cut up the cauliflower into medium sized chunks. Then in a blender or food processor, chop the cauliflower until it looks like small-grain rice.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  When it becomes fragrant, add the carrot, onion, garlic, and ginger and cooking, stirring constantly, until onion softens, about 4 minutes.  Add the cauliflower "rice" and quinoa along with some salt to taste and continue cooking until cauliflower becomes softened, another 5 minutes or so.  Season with Sriracha if using, stir in almonds, and serve.

7-layer tacos

When I was a young freelance musician (I am now an old freelance musician), I used to rely on Taco Bell's 7-layer burrito, which was $1.79 in the late '90s in mid-Michigan, to get me through long drives to and from gigs. It was vegetarian, which I was at the time, and a total fat bomb that kept me full for hours. These tacos remind me of those times, only I can eat them at my dining room table and not drop food all over my concert black. (PS, you can use real ground beef if you hate animals, but Morningstar Farms Grillers crumbles are actually delish, and that's not a paid sponsorship).

7-layer Tacos

Makes about 6 tacos

6 small tortillas (I like the flour-corn hybrid ones)
2 teaspoons olive oil
6 oz. (1/2 bag) of Morningstar Grillers Crumbles or ground beef
1 garlic clove, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
6 oz. black beans
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large chopped tomato
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
guacamole (preferably homemade)
sour cream or plain yogurt
Crumbled fresh queso or shredded Mexican blend cheese
chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges for serving

Warm the tortillas and wrap in foil until ready to use.

Place the black beans, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash of lime juice in a medium bowl and smash together with a potato masher, fork, or back of a wooden spoon until it resembles refried beans.  Heat those bad boys up in chef Mike (the microwave) for about 60 seconds if you want.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet and add the garlic, Morningstar crumbles, scallions, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon chili powder.  Saute about five minutes over medium heat.

Build your tacos: lay down a tortilla, smear some "refried" beans all over it, then top crumbles, tomato, corn, guacamole, sour cream, and cheese.  Sprinkle some cilantro on top and squirt some lime over the whole thing.

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This is a great way to use up a jar of roasted red peppers (or roast your own in the oven), and it might be the fastest sauce I've ever made.

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serves 4

½ lb. rigatoni or other tubular pasta

2 cups broccoli florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ yellow onion, diced

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 8 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano

Salt and crushed red pepper flakes to taste

¼ cup plain yogurt

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to boil.  Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the broccoli in the last 4-5 minutes of cooking (if fresh, or the last 2 minutes if frozen).

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.   Add the roasted red peppers, about a teaspoon of salt, and Italian seasoning and cook another minute.  Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree, then return to the hot pan.  Stir in the yogurt and Parmesan cheese to make a creamy sauce. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.

Drain the pasta-broccoli combination and add to the sauce, stirring to coat evenly.  Serve hot!

Cauliflower and bulgar tabouleh

Add this to your not-salad-desk-lunch recipes. So refreshing and filling, and by soaking the cauliflower, it is highly digestible (if you know what I mean).

Cauliflower-Bulgar Tabouleh

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side

1/2 cup bulgar wheat
1/2 cup cauliflower "rice" (about half of a medium head of cauliflower, run through the blender until it looks like the bulgar)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
1 small tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons diced cucumber
1 bunch fresh parsley, minced (about 1 cup once minced)
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped almonds (I like smoked)
salt and black pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil

In a heat-proof container, place the bulgar, cauliflower, cumin, garlic powder, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1 cup hot water, give it a stir, and leave it on the counter for about an hour, or until all liquid is absorbed.  Then, add the lemon juice and zest and all remaining ingredients listed, from tomato through almonds.  Taste for seasoning and and salt and pepper if necessary, then drizzle a generous stream of olive oil on top and eat.

Pasta with Alfredo Sauce, featuring a surprise ingredient!

You know I'm always freezing pureed summer squash at the end of the season, and then it just sits in the freezer getting freezer-y tasting.  You can use the same amount of any squash puree--canned pumpkin, butternut squash, whatever--to give this sauce some heft and an extra infusion of veggies.  Think of it as a cheesy smoothie for your pasta...or maybe not...

Squash Alfredo with Fettucine

Serves 4

12 oz box fettucine
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup pureed squash
1 cup plain almond (or other) milk
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups pack baby spinach leaves

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook garlic for about 30 seconds.
Then, whisk to combine in the squash and milk. Add in the grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and continue to cook until leaves are wilted.

Add the pasta to the sauce and stir to coat.  If it's too thick to spread evenly through the pasta, you can add a little of the cooking liquid, a couple tablespoons at a time, until it's smooth. Top with fresh parley and parmesan for garnish.

Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Puree

This works just as well with any pureed squash that you preserved last fall (you crazy hippie, you) or canned pumpkin, which stands in for cream to hold things together in a much healthier way. Leftovers reheat beautifully, but this is also strangely delicious cold at, say, midnight. 

Baked Rigatoni with Pumpkin Puree

Serves 6-8
2 cups pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
Salt
1 pound rigatoni or other medium-sized pasta (like large shells)
2cups heavy cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 large garlic clove, minced

2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped

2 cups fresh spinach leaves, washed and torn
2 teaspoons dried oregano

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for exactly 5 minutes, drain and run cool water over it for about 10 seconds. Set aside in the colander.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin  with the cheeses, salt, garlic. chipotles, spinach, and oregano. Add the pasta  and fold together just until combined.

Spread the pasta evenly in a casserole or baking dish. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, until the top is browned and the bottom layer of pasta is just tender.

Gimme somma that sweet, Sweet Poppy Seed Slaw

Last week I made kimchi, and I had too much cabbage. The result was this lovely slaw, which I have been eating all week. (Hint: the dressing is great on its own and keeps well in the fridge, too.)

Sweet Poppy Seed Slaw

1/2 head green (or red, or mixed) cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small carrot, shredded
1 tablespoon chopped red onion

poppy seed dressing:
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
3 teaspoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil

Combine all dressing ingredients and whisk thoroughly.  Add vegetables and stir to coat evenly.  Refrigerate at least one hour (and then give it another stir) before serving.

What's it good with? 

Last week's Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice recipe

Kalua Pork

On top of fish tacos

Red Beans and Rice, hold the meat (unless you want it)

I always forget how great canned chipotles in adobo sauce can be--smoky, earthy. and spicy--and how little I need meat if I put them in a dish.  (However, Field Roast's "Mexican chorizo" is also kinda the bomb if you're into vegetarian "sausages"...)

Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 celery stalks, finely diced
1 large green bell pepper, finely diced
1 pound dry red kidney beans, soaked in water overnight, drained, and rinsed
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
2 teaspoons hot sauce (I like Franks Red Hot), more to taste
6 cups vegetable broth or water
Salt, to taste
Cooked rice and sliced green onions, for serving

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium high heat. Add in the onion and cook until very tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, celery, and bell pepper, and continue to cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.
Add the soaked and drained kidney beans, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, black pepper, chipotle peppers, red pepper sauce, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about two hours, or until the beans are very tender.

Season with additional salt and hot sauce. Serve with cooked rice and top with sliced green onions.

What to do with those terrible neon cheese balls at Safeway

You know those cheap cheese balls in the grocery store, the ones that are bright orange and covered in ground up nuts, stored next to the Sabre hummus and other things you really should just make yourself? In a rare moment of optimism, we picked one up at the beginning of the holiday season. It wasn't good.  It didn't cause any gastro-intestinal distress, but that's about all I can say for it.  So, we choked some down with crackers and beer one night and then shoved it to the back of the cheese drawer. TYhree weeks later, the thing was still edible, but not edible enough to actually put on any more crackers.  I hate to waste food, so I wondered what I could do with it.

If you have ever found yourself in this situation, I can highly recommend these two super-easy recipes that will also help you use up some other holiday meal leftovers shoved in the fridge. And if you'd like to try making a cheese ball you and your guests will actually enjoy for New Year's Eve, there's a recipe for that at the bottom, too.

Party Mac and Cheese

Serves 4

1/2 pound macaroni or pasta shape of your choice
4 oz. or so of your sad cheese ball
1/2 cup leftover vegetables (I leftover pesto peas from Christmas: pesto stirred into some thawed frozen peas and gently heated by Chef Mike while my dad carved the turkey)
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomato (optional)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and crushed red pepper to taste

Bring a well-salted pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta al dente and drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Stir in the cheese ball and Parmesan, if using, adding some of the cooking liquid if necessary (try a tablespoon at a time) to form a smooth sauce.  Stir in the cooked vegetables, sun dried-tomatoes, and season with salt and red pepper.  Serve hot.

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Cheese Ball Potatoes

Serves 8 as a side

4-6 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 cup (4 oz) leftover cheese ball
2 eggs

Mash everything together and spread in an 8x8 pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
OR, to make it faster, reheat the mashed potatoes in the microwave before adding everything, bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then move it to the top rack in the oven. Broil for 2-4 minutes (check at two minutes), until browned on top.

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Edible Cheese Ball

Serves: depends on how drunk you are

16 oz softened cream cheese 

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon (don't you dare use Bacon Bits)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped pecans 

Whip the cream cheese and cheddar cheese together in a high power blender, food processor, or stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Form the cheese into a ball, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until firm.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bacon bits, green onions, and pecans. Roll the cheese ball in the mixture.

Wrap the ball tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Wild Rice and Miso Soup

Planning on having wild rice again for Christmas dinner?  Just go ahead and plan on making this soup now, because you know you're going to have a big tub of the dried-out stuff taking up precious space in your refrigerator afterwards. I did this one after Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, and I already miss it.

Wild Rice and Miso Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon neutral oil, like peanut or grapeseed

1 small yellow onion, chopped

2 small carrots, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger

1 large garlic clove, minced

pinch salt (maybe 1/2 teaspoon?)

2 oz. dried shitake mushrooms

4 oz. mixed fresh mushrooms (portobello, white button, whatever)

6 cups water

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 packed cups chopped kale

3-4 cups leftover (cooked) wild rice

1 tablespoon white miso

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon dark toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) Sambal Olek or other chile sauce

In a Dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat and, when it shimmers, add the onion and carrots.  Saute until fragrant and slightly soft, then add the ginger, garlic, and salt.  Continue to cook until you can smell the garlic, then add the mushrooms.  Give them a stir, then add the water and soy sauce.  Cover and increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat again to maintain a gentle simmer.  Cook until the shitakes are soft, about 15 minutes, then stir in the kale and continue to cook another 5 minutes.  Finally, dump in the wild rice and break up any clumps. 

While the rice is coming up to the temperature of the soup, place the miso, vinegar, sesame oil, and Sambal along with about a tablespoon of the hot broth in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Shake thoroughly to break up the miso, and when you have a thick sauce, pour it into the soup.  Turn off the heat, give it a stir, and serve. 

Roasted Pumpkin and Spinach with Whole Wheat Pasta

After Thanksgiving I cut and roasted my pumpkins, which had been serving as table dressing until then. I ended up with some some puree for making smoothies or baking and some cubed, which I used in the recipe below. It's a totally satisfying, yet not overly rich, pasta meal that can be whipped together quickly for lunch or dinner.  If your pumpkin is already cooked, I still recommend tossing it in the oven for a short time to get those brown marks you can only achieve through roasting. 

Roasted Pumpkin and Spinach with Whole Wheat Pasta

Serves 4

1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 cups of cubed pumpkin
about 2 cups torn spinach
½-1 tsp chili flakes
½ lemon, zest and juice
salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup walnuts, finely chopped

Coat cubed pumpkin in 1 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and some of the chili flakes. Bake in a hot oven (425º F) for about 40-50 minutes, until pumpkin turns soft and gets lightly caramelized. 

Heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan. Fry onion gently on a low-medium heat, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn. Add chili flakes and garlic and cook for another minute or two stirring frequently.

Cook spaghetti for a minute shorter than you would normally.

Mash half the pumpkin with a fork or potato masher. Put both mashed and whole pumpkin chunks into the pan with onion mixture.

Add drained pasta and washed spinach into the pan. Incorporate them well into the pumpkin. Taste and season with pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and additional salt and chili if needed.

Serve immediately with chopped walnuts and lemon zest on top. Shredded Parmesan on the side is also a nice garnish. 

Chick pea and cauliflower bowl with tahini sauce

I have been eating horribly, and the Christmas parties haven't even started yet. So I put this pile of things together for lunch today and already feel far superior to the rest of you. But now you, too, can know the secret of true righteousness.  You're welcome. 

Chick pea and cauliflower bowl with tahini sauce

Makes 4 servings

For the sauce:

1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice 

1 heaping tablespoon plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt 

For the spiced chick peas:

2 cups (or a 15 oz. can) cooked chick peas

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

For the cauliflower and kale:

1 head cauliflower, chopped into bite-sized pieces

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped (about 3 cups packed)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

About one cup cooked grain (rice, barley, quinoa, etc.) per bowl

1 tablespoon chopped tomato per bowl

To assemble:

Heat the oven to 425F. Toss the cauliflower and kale with all ingredients on a large baking sheet and spread out in one layer.  Roast until browned, stirring once during baking time (so, I pop it in the oven for 20 minutes, take it out and stir it around, then cook another 10 or so).

Meanwhile, combine all chick pea ingredients in a reusable container (you'll probably have leftovers to refrigerate).  Combine all sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender. 

In a large bowl, put in your cooked grain, then top with chick peas and roasted vegetables to your heart's desire.  Top with chopped tomato (that's optional, really) and drizzle sauce over the whole thing.  Can be eaten hot or at room temperature. 

Everything can be kept in separate containers in the refrigerator for a week, so you can keep making these until you run out.  Extra sauce makes a great salad dressing, too. 

Thai curry squash soup

It has turned to fall for reals here in NoCo, and we are swapping out our late summer dinner salads (bye-bye, fresh tomatoes) for some warming soups.  You can throw in whatever vegetables you want, but I think the most valuable thing here is that the broth will help you utilize some of that massive pile of summer squash, if you're starting to lose hope but still don't want to just throw it in the compost heap...

Thai Curry-Summer Squash Soup

Serves 4

2 cups roughly chopped summer squash
1 vegetable bouillon cube
3 cups water
1 tablespoon red (or green, or yellow) Thai curry paste
1 cup chopped frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen corn
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1 cup cooked brown rice (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
roasted, salted cashews as garnish
Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add the bouillon cube and the squash, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 minutes.  Pour into a blender (careful to place a towel over the cover) or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.

Replace this thick broth to the sauce pan and stir in the spinach, corn, and cilantro.  Cover and simmer until vegetables are hot about 5 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, coconut, lime juice, and rice and season with salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until heated through and serve in bowls topped with cashews.

Borscht, how I love thee...

I know it's not cool to say this, but I really love beets.  And I particularly love them in borscht.  They are sweet, earthy, and a great carrier for all things acidic and creamy. Beets are doing great in the garden right now, so you should find your own favorite recipe and make it over and over until your poop looks like you're going to die (just kidding, that will happen after just one bowl).

This is a hot borscht that's very fresh but hearty for cooler weather. This recipe is vegetarian, but you could pop some pre-made little meat balls in at the end of the cooking time, as well:


Ukrainian/ Russian Steppe Borscht

Serves 6-8

3 medium beets, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled and shredded
3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1/2 medium head cabbage, cored and shredded
1 (8 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup sour cream, for topping
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill for garnish

Fill a large pot halfway with water (about 2 quarts), and bring to a boil. Add the beets, and cook until they have lost their color. Add the carrots and potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cabbage, and the can of diced tomatoes.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Stir in the tomato paste and water until well blended. Transfer to the pot. Add the raw garlic to the soup, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Taste, and season with salt, and pepper.

Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with sour cream, if desired, and fresh dill.


If it's still hot where you live, this summery cold borscht (very Lithuanian) is just the thing:


Cold Borscht

Serves 4

2 pounds of beets (5-6 beets, depends on size)
1 cucumber
2-3 eggs
5 green onions
Small bunch of fresh green dill
2 quarts of kefir or buttermilk
About 2 quarts of cold water
3 tablespoons of sour cream
Salt and black pepper to taste

Boil the beets skin-on and cool them down to room temperature; also boil eggs till hard, cool then down too; rinse greens and cucumber. Once boiled beets are cooled down, skin them: take a big cooking pot and grate the boiled beets into it using the large slots of grater. Peel and dice the eggs and add them to the cooking pot. Dice the cucumber and add to the cooking pot. Chop the green onions and add to the cooking pot. Add finely chopped fresh dill. Add 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Mix everything; add all buttermilk or kefir. Add about the same amount of water (or more, to taste) and mix everything. Cover cooking pot with a lid and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Recreating those great salsas from your neighborhood taco joint

...oh, you don't have a neighborhood taco joint?  Neither did I until I moved to northern Colorado, and my first trip up to the salsa bar was mind-boggling.  I've settled on three favorites, which I find work perfectly with everything from barbacoa to zucchini tacos or just dipping the chips you use to soak up your tequila-induced alcohol poisoning, and they're all quite simple to make.  Get to work on these recipes while you can still get fresh tomatoes and peppers from your garden or local farmer's market!

Creamy Avocado Salsa

3 ripe avocados
3 tomatillos
1 serrano chile

1 small lime
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons Mexican cream or sour cream
6 tablespoons water
1 tsp salt

Pit the avocados and remove the flesh. Peel and wash the tomatillos. Remove the stem from the serrano chile. Peel the garlic clove. Squeeze the juice from the lime.

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until very smooth. If the salsa is too thick to blend add water 2 tbsp. at a time until the salsa blends smoothly. Add salt if necessary.

Classic Pico de Gallo

4 fresh tomatoes

1/2 jalapeno, minced

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

juice of 1/2 a lime

salt to taste

Cut the tomatoes in half and gently squeeze the seeds and excess juice into a bowl. You can reserve this for soups or freeze into cubes in your ice cube tray for later use to add tomato flavor to anything. 

Dice the tomato flesh and add all other ingredients in a serving bowl.  Mix and salt to taste. 

Smoky Four-Pepper Salsa
8 ripe plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 poblano peppers
4 Anaheim chile peppers
1 jalapeno chile pepper, or more to taste
1 large green bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon mesquite flavored liquid smoke concentrate (optional)

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat.

Rub tomatoes with oil and grill for 10 minutes, turn. Place poblano, Anaheim, jalapeno chiles, and the green pepper on the grill. Grill 5 to 7 minutes per side, being careful not to let them burn. The skins should blister and brown. Remove tomatoes to a separate bowl. Place the chiles and pepper in an airtight container to let them steam while they cool so they're easier to peel.

Peel tomatoes and drain excess liquid. Peel and seed peppers. Place the tomatoes, chiles, green pepper, cilantro, vinegar, onion, garlic, and salt in the container of a food processor. Pulse 4 or 5 times. Add liquid smoke and more jalapenos if desired. Pulse until salsa as chunky or smooth as you like.