Taco Salad

Taco Salad

It has been extremely hot and humid the past few days....last night around 10pm it was still over 90!
I hate to turn the oven on when making dinner during this heatwave so I try to make recipes that can go in the crock pot or can be cooked on the stove top.

Or, I make a big salad. (That reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine always orders the "big salad" at the local diner).

I love a lot of the recipes from the New Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. This recipe is one of my favorites from the book.

Ingredients:


8 oz ground beef
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can dark red kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
8 oz jar taco sauce
3/4 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
6 cups shredded leaf, and/or iceberg lettuce
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
tortilla chips
sour cream


Directions:


In a medium saucepan, cook ground beef and garlic until brown . 
Drain off fat.
Stir in kidney beans, taco sauce, and corn.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat.
Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and green onions.
Toss gently and serve with meat mixture.
Top with avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream if desire.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Meat mixture

Salad

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does! What are your favorite recipes you like to serve on a hot summer day?

Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

Is there anything better than produce in the middle of summer? I am overwhelmed with the selection at the grocery store and farmer's market this time of year! I end up buying too many containers of fresh blueberries, and I can never keep up with all the ripening peaches.

 I decided to bake with the peaches and blueberries. I love the combination of taste, texture and color. Before I had to eat gluten free, I loved baking peach pies in the summer. But, let's face it, making pie crust is no easy task and making the gluten free crusts is a bit more time consuming. 

I found a really easy and delicious recipe from Ina Garten calledPeach and Blueberry Crumbles. I used a gluten free flour mix I had made up a few months ago and it worked well with this. This recipe recommends using ramekins or custard cups, but I baked it in a 9 in deep dish pie plate. Next time I would use the ramekins as it was a bit soupy.

All my gluten eating family members gobbled this down, except for my fussy teenage son, who also happens to be allergic to peaches. 

 

Ingredients

For the fruit:

• 2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (6 to 8 peaches)
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the crumble:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.

For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it's in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles in the refrigerator and bake before dinner

Roasting Vegetables

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

 I grew up eating very healthy meals prepared by my mother. She made 3 meals for everyone everyday that included many fruits and vegetables. I credit her for my knowledge of how to raise my children to eat healthy.

But, my mother never seasoned her food or fed us anything other than boiled vegetables. I grew up hating peas since they were canned and tasted completely different than fresh or frozen peas.

Roasting vegetables in something I learned from watching Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa, on the Food Network.  I love the simplicity of the way she cooks, using fresh ingredients with amazing results. Roasting improves the flavor of vegetables and is incredibly easy to do. It brings out the sweetness in them as well as gives them a crispy texture. This is especially important when trying to increase our daily amount of vegetables. Some of my family's favorites are roasted cauliflower, potatoes and brussel sprouts.


Ina Garten's recipe for Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt ( I like these salty like French fries), and serve immediately

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2/index.html

Try them! It will change the way you eat vegetables!

Dog Days of Summer

Oliver!

It is officially the dog days of summer and the weather is brutally hot and humid. Our dogs are doing a good job keeping our rabbit population under control, much to the horror of our animal lover daughter.

Tomato vine

 We have been lucky it has  stormed every few days to help out with the daily watering chore. Our vegetable garden is growing, and growing and growing! The solo zucchini plant is huge and producing more squash than I can cook or bake with, the tomatoes are ripening nicely and the guinea pigs eat fresh lettuce everyday! We also have a cucumber vine growing from the bottom of the compost bin!

cucumber vine

morning glory

The morning glory seeds I planted to disguise the wooden posts have climbed up those posts as well as any available tomato plant nearby! I cut back those eager vines daily before they choke out every plant in the garden.  Our crepe myrtle tree is blooming and it's arch providing a beautiful floral entry to our garden.

our "secret garden"

Check out the brown-eyed susans ! They are in full flower and are attracting hummingbirds as well as bees. They are ridiculously easy to grow and thrive in the hottest, driest conditions.

brown-eyed susans

I couldn't resist sneaking in a photo of this hummingbird perched comfortably on the feeder. We have about 3 or4 hummers around everyday. They swoop and fly backwards and forwards staking a claim on the feeders. I rarely see them feeding at the same feeder simultaneously.

female hummingbird

Thai Green Curry Chicken

Thai Green Curry Chicken

I really love Thai food and before having to go gluten free, loved eating out at Thai restaurants. The food is seasoned well using  fresh ingredients. So I decided to try some of the recipes, especially after learning to cook with my wok. Like with most stir-fry recipes, much of the work is in the prepping. The actual cooking time is quick and the resulting meal, well worth it!

packaged lemon grass from Safeway and Lemongrass stalks from Shoppers Food Warehouse

This recipe caught my eye since I was curious about using fresh lemongrass . I had heard of it, seen the stalks in the produce section in the grocery store, and my husband is growing it this year!

our lemongrass plant

I like that this recipe calls for zucchini, since we have a lot in our garden now. I have made curries before but always used the jarred green or red curry paste sold in the grocery store Asian section. This time I made my own and what a difference! Once the curry paste is made, the remainder of this recipe is quick and easy!

green curry paste ingredients in food processor

green curry paste after processing

Thai Green Curry Chicken


Green Curry Paste

• 4 small green Thai chilis, OR 1 -2 jalapeno peppers
• 1/4 cups shallot or purple onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  thumb-sized piece galangal or ginger, grated
• 1 stalk fresh minced lemongrass, or 3 T frozen or bottled prepared lemongrass
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 to 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1 (loose) cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 3 T fish sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 2 T lime juice

Curry Ingredients:

• 1 to 1.5 lbs. boneless chicken thigh or breast, cut into chunks
• 1 can coconut milk
•  1 tsp. grated lime zest
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1 zucchini, sliced lengthwise several times and cut into chunks
• Generous handful fresh basil
• 2 T peanut or vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Place all green curry paste ingredients together in food processor and process into a paste. If necessary, add a few Tbsp. of coconut milk to help blend ingredients. Set aside.

2. Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl around, then add the green curry paste.

3. Stir-fry briefly to release the fragrance ( 30 seconds to 1 minute), then add 3/4 of coconut milk.

4. Add the chicken, stirring to incorporate. When the curry sauce comes to full boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer.

5. Cover and allow to simmer 3-5 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally.

6. Add the red bell pepper and zucchini, plus the lime zest, stirring well to incorporate. Simmer another 2-3 minutes, or until vegetables are softened but still firm and colorful.

Breakfast with the Birds

resident catbird

During our hot and humid summer months, I tend to savor the mornings as well as the evenings for time outside. One of my favorite things to do is to have breakfast on our backyard deck watching the birds. There is so much activity this time of day....they are all flying around the bird feeders, pond and suet feeder. Our suet feeder is very popular these days with many woodpeckers, chickadees, blackbirds and my resident catbird. The exterior cage allows the smaller birds to feed inside while the larger birds can only grab a bit at a time. Before I had this type of feeder, the suet would be gone in a matter of hours!

suet feeder

Our pond

I have read that birds are attracted to the sound and sight of water. When our waterfall starts up each morning there does seem to be many more varieties of birds around. This year, a catbird routinely perches nearby when I am in the vegetable garden. I am sure she has her nest there and is patrolling.  She is less tolerant of Morris, our cat, and reprimands him frequently when he accompanies me. She is a bit camera shy and will only stay in one spot for a second!

Morris waiting for the hummers



What kind of birds are visiting your backyard this summer?

Zucchini-Banana-Nut Muffins

Zucchini-Banana-Nut Muffin

Our one and only zucchini plant is producing. It is a monster and I have a feeling, a lot of zucchini is in our future! Luckily, we all enjoy it..except for my veggie-challenged son. But, he does eat it disguised in a bread. So today, I decided to try making muffins! Fun and portable for my husband whose job takes him away from home every few days.

 I threw in a banana that was getting ready for the compost bin. I usually add a few chopped walnuts and some raisins, but you can certainly omit those.

Zucchini-Banana-Nut Muffins

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups raw, peeled, and grated zucchini
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• a few raisins (opt)

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray muffins tins with Pam or use muffin liners (this recipe is enough for 2 loaf pans if you do not want to make muffins)
3. Beat eggs until foamy.
4. Add oil, sugar and vanilla.
5. Add zucchini and banana, mushed up.
6. Sift together dry ingredients.
7. Add to egg mixture.
8. Fold in nuts and raisins, if desired.
9. Pour mixture into greased muffin pan/or loaf pans.
10. Bake for 20 minutes for muffins/ approximately 50 min. for loaf pan.


My son ate this one fresh out of the oven and gave it a big thumbs up!

Presto Pesto!

Basil

  Pesto! Even though I grew up having a big backyard garden full of vegetables, my mother never grew basil. I did not try pesto until a few years ago. Wow. I did not know what I was missing! This recipe is super easy and so full of flavor that it does not last long in this household. We slap it on everything from rice cakes to steak! Feel free to add some parsley or mint to change it up a bit. We have a lot of basil in our garden, but the grocery stores carry fresh basil this time of year or check out the farmer's market stands.

Basil Pesto

• 4 cups fresh basil leaves( parsley and/or mint)
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4-1/2 cup pine nuts
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

In food processor or blender, process the basil, cheese, pine nuts and garlic together.

With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and process again.

Pesto

Bubble Burst~featuring Guest Blogger, Conrad Gerstenberger

Gigantic Upward Transfer of Wealth No Conspiracy

by Conrad Gerstenberger

The recent financial crisis and resulting recession was no surprise to Ben Bernanke, Timothy Geithner, the FDIC, high ranking government officials, and many other bankers, executives, and various managers, according to a May 6, 2010 article by Richard Clark.  They all knew.  And yet it was no conspiracy, because the Wall Street investment environment has become so de-regulated that a new kind of wealth-creation strategy called "financialization" can flourish even while the real U.S. economy is mired in stagnation.  The Federal Reserve's role in all of this is two-fold: 1) provide a hospitable environment so that "bubble-making" can flourish (keep interest rates low), and 2) oppose any additional regulation on derivatives, securitization, and off-balance operations--- lethal operations that triggered the financial crisis in the first place.  The result?  The real U.S. economy will continue to stagnate while the chasm between rich and poor grows ever larger.

For full article:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/How-and-why-Wall-Street-ha-by-Richard-Clark-100505-837.html

Pure Tacos!

Ocean City, New Jersey

We are back from our week long vacation to the beach. Ocean City, New Jersey, to be specific. We have been going there for years, always stay at The Osborne Inn on 15th street, and the kids have fond memories of the sand, surf and boardwalk treats!

The Osborne Inn

Ocean City NJ  boardwalk

 Unfortunately, most of the tempting foods on the boardwalk are not gluten free or may be cross-contaminated, so I was thrilled to discover Pure Tacos!  Before we left for our trip, my husband researched my gluten-free dining options and discovered this gem.

Pure Tacos

Pure Tacos , is a completely gluten-free Mexican restaurant, featuring natural ingredients. They serve tacos, nachos and salads with a variety of meats, poultry, fish and beans. My whole gluten eating family enjoyed it and my brother, who feels better eating gf, ate there 3 times in 3 days! I ate the fish tacos twice, and also had the chicken. They serve tacos, nachos and salads with a choice of 3 toppings varying in spiciness. I had both the mild Tomato-Chipotle and the medium, Cilantro-Tomatillo and they also offer Habanero-Peach, for the bravest of tastebuds. They make their own tortilla chips that were crispy with just the right amount of salt.

Posted on the wall at Pure Tacos is a newspaper article featuring the owner, a Manhattan attorney, who has Celiac disease.

article posted on restaurant wall

My only criticism of the place is that it is small and there is no in house seating.It is not a big deal to sit outside on the benches along the boardwalk, but beware, the seagulls are adept at stealing food right off your plate! I witnessed several occasions from hot dogs to funnel cake swiping!

Did I miss Mack and Mango's pizza as well as Mallon's to die for sticky buns? Oh yeah, I used to love eating those foods. But it was wonderful to be able to indulge in some delicious Mexican fare at a friendly place without worry.

Check out Pure Tacos in Ocean City, New Jersey!