8.12.2006

My Husband is a Vegetarian

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Drunk Nectarines (with ice cream)


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Warm Golden Beet Salad with Blue Cheese

1 large fresh beet (I used a golden beet but use any)
2 cups chopped bib lettuce
1 tomato chopped
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Blue cheese, crumbled
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

Peel the beet and wash well. Chop into ½ inch pieces. Sauté in a small fry pan with a little olive oil over medium high heat. Add some salt and pepper and cook until they brown a little. Add ½ cup water and continue to cook until soft and the water has evaporated. Wash the lettuce and dry thoroughly (in a spinner or with paper towels). Chop or tear the lettuce into small pieces. Layer the lettuce then the tomato on a plate. In a bowl place about a tablespoon of vinegar and then whisk in a tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle the vinaigrette with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then add 2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese, and whisk everything together. Pour the vinaigrette over the lettuce and tomato and then add the warm beet pieces. Yes, I said warm. You can serve the beets cold you can even substitute canned chopped beets, BUT the warmth really brings out the olive oil and blue cheese flavor.
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Deviled Egg Salad


2 eggs
1 heaping tablespoon “light” or regular mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon or brown mustard
Sriracha hot chili sauce
Salt
Pepper
Onion or garlic powder
Curry powder
Put the 2 eggs in a small saucepan full of water over high heat. Once the water comes to a boil turn off the heat and cover the pan for 10 minutes. Drain the hot water and add cold water to cool the eggs. When the eggs are cool enough to handle take them out of their shells and chop into small pieces. Put the egg, mayo and mustard in a bowl, sprinkle a small amount of the dry spices and about eight small dots of the hot sauce (more if you like, keep tasting and adjust all spices). Stir and serve on toasted bread OR instead of chopping up the egg, use all the ingredients to make regular deviled eggs.

8.05.2006

Colorado is pretty great so far!




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Dog Paddle!

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Camp Fire Pizza

This was my first "pee outside because there's no bathroom" camping experience. Our friends at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts invited us to camp and then the next day we went white water rafting. It was a beautiful spot and our hosts stocked up on lots of great snacks.
This pizza was probably my favorite. What you do is cut up all different pizza toppings, much rooms, peppers, pepperoni, cheese and sauce, what ever you like. Then open up a half of a pita stuff it with toppings and seal the whole thing up in foil. Then, toss it on the fire for a few minutes. It was great camp grub. Thanks guys. I also got to shot my first hand gun at some tin cans.
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Salsa ala Cheetarah

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I served this hearty salsa at a party celebrating our friends Erin, Kat and Amber as they advanced in the World Competition of Trivia. Their team name was Cheetarah McNutt. This is basically my "sidewalk salsa" (see entry) with Black beans and Epazote and a little extra lime juice. Gather up all the usual suspects, canned diced tomatoes, peppers, onion, limes and also a can of black beans drained and rinsed as well as about 1/4 cup epazote leaves. Hold off on adding the tomatoes but combine everything else in a food processor and pulse a few times. I add the tomatoes at the end so it doesn't get too runny. That's it.

Tuna Salad (not plain but simple)

1 can all white tuna in water, drained
2 heaping tablespoons “light” mayonnaise
3 ribs celery, chopped
¼ cup onion, chopped (about ¼ of one onion)
Salt
Pepper
Onion or garlic powder
Curry powder
Cayenne pepper (optional)

Drain tuna, place in a bowl and break into small pieces with a fork. Add the finely chopped onion and celery and mix together. VERY IMPORTANT STEP: Mound the mayo in the center of the tuna mix, over the mayo sprinkle salt, pepper, onion or garlic power, curry powder and cayenne. Swirl the dry ingredients into the mayonnaise and then mix everything together. If you like you can add some chopped fresh cilantro or dill or chopped dill pickle or jalapeno peppers.
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Peas and Carrots Pasta (with no peas and carrots)

1 orange bell pepper
1 cup asparagus (1 inch pieces)
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Whole Wheat spaghetti (broken into 2 inch pieces)
Parmesan Cheese

Over medium flame on your stovetop or broiler, blacken the skin of an orange pepper. Once the pepper is totally black place it in a brown paper bag and close the bag.
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