If you were looking for us on Saturday, you would have found us sitting on the deck at some of our nearest and dearest’s house…kids playing, adults baby-gushing, wine in hands and the darling hosts feeding us some of the best guacamole on the planet and an awesome burger bar, to boot. Pretty sure it doesn’t get much better than that. This salad was my dish to share and it received pretty darn great reviews. Continue reading
So I sit here at my keyboard wondering how I can explain to you in words what the 4 o’clock hour is like in our house. How can I put it eloquently? What sort of words can I use to give you a visual in your head? But I’m blank. You want to know the only thing that comes to my mind? That old game show, Supermarket Sweep. No, I have not been using illegal drugs. Seriously, do you remember that show? The one where the people go absolutely insane running through the grocery store filling their carts with nonsense because they are running out of time. They look ridiculous…panicked and yelling running down the aisles grabbing food off the shelves. That’s EXACTLY how I feel inside during the 4 o’clock hour. Minus the chance to win $5000. Huge bummer.
The kids are awake from naps…and getting hungry. Nick is close to heading home. I’m getting snacks, cleaning up drool, folding laundry, changing diapers, making dinner, taking photos and writing recipes as I go all while hearing “Mommy, watch this” over. And over. And over. Love it, but I gotta tell you…sometimes I need a break from our typical 4 o clock hour. Which is when I go right to this recipe. Easy peasy. I make the vinaigrette while the kids are napping-which takes approximately 34 seconds-so all there is to do is grill the pork for a whopping ten minutes when Nick gets home. It’s super fresh tasting and the vinaigrette tastes wonderful on any grilled meat, fish or veggies…or tossed with mixed greens. But these grilled pork chops are our favorite way to enjoy it. So give this one a shot on your next hectic afternoon…it beats playing make-believe ’90’s game shows any day.
Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Citrus Vinaigrette
adapted from Gourmet, July 2007
Ingredients
4 Boneless Pork Chops, about 1 inch thick
1/3 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Course Black Pepper
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
3 Garlic Cloves
3 Tablespoons Cilantro Leaves
2 Teaspoons Dijon Mustard
1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Directions
Place 1/3 cup olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, garlic, cilantro, dijon and crushed red pepper flakes in a small blender. Process until combined and garlic is completely blended. Set aside.
Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil over the pork chops and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chops for ten minutes, or until cooked through, flipping once in the middle of cooking. Serve pork chops with vinaigrette drizzled over the top. Serves 4
I have been playing around with stuffed peppers forever. Quite honestly, I don’t love them. I’m not sure what exactly it is about them but the flavor has just never knocked my socks off; and the rice has always thrown me off a bit. Which is why I took them on a little trip down Mexico road 😉 And now? A taco in a pepper bowl…with all the goods piled right on top. I’m sold.
I’ve tested them all sorts of ways: precooking the meat before stuffing them, with rice, without, tomato sauce, or not, different cheeses and spices…but this is my favorite version. Easy peasy and delicious!
Mexican Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients
3 Bell Peppers, seeded, cored and halved
1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
1 Cup Pinto or Black Beans
1 (15 Ounce) Can Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3/4 Cup Frozen Corn
3 Tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 Avocado, diced
1/4 Cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 Cup Sour Cream
1/3 Cup Salsa
Directions
Preheat oven 350. In a large bowl mix together beef, beans, tomato sauce, 3/4 cup cheese, corn and taco seasoning. Stuff the mixture into the pepper halves and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is cooked through and peppers are beginning to soften.
While peppers are cooking, whisk together the greek yogurt, sour cream and salsa. Top cooked peppers with diced avocado and yogurt sauce. Serves 4-6.
Praise the Lord, it’s grilling season! Many nights, as our protein is cooking away outside, these potatoes are in the oven smelling our house up just wonderfully. They’ve got a crispy texture on the outside with a soft, warm center and the sweet and smokey combination is such a winner. Sometimes the most simple dishes yield the most sophisticated flavor…and this is one of those. What’s your favorite go-to grilling side? Share the wealth, my friends!
Sweet and Smokey Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
1 Pound Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 Pound Baby Red Potatoes, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
Directions
Preheat oven to 425. Place the potatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and chili powder and toss well to coat. Spread them out into an even layer and roast, in the oven, for 35-45 minutes or until they begin to crisp up, flipping once in the middle of cooking. Serves 4-6
Oh you guys…you guys. There are no words. This salad is something else. I mean it when I say it is one of my very favorite dishes I prepare. Farro is one of those forgotten grains that I swear you will fall in love with. It’s hearty, full of vitamins and minerals and the texture is just plain awesome. If cooked properly, as in this recipe, it has an awesome chew to it…no mush like quinoa or couscous can give you. This salad is a one dish meal filed with fiber, nutrients, protein and so incredibly much taste it will knock your flip flops off (i can say that, right? We haven’t had snow in over a month.) It’s also wonderful to take to a potluck or picnic…it can sit at room temperature and is such a crowd pleaser! The texture of the farro accompanied by the sweetness of the corn, the freshness of the basil and asparagus, the savory chicken and the tart goat cheese…well..I’ll leave the rest up to you.
Spring Farro Salad
*notes: Farro is simple to find and is available in the natural section of every market I’ve been to. You could also substitute frozen corn in here..but the fresh corn, to me, is one of the best parts about this salad
Adapted by this recipe
Ingredients
1 Cup Semi-Pearled Farro or Spelt Berries
2 Ears Corn
1 Pound Asparagus, woody ends removed
1 Pound Chicken Breasts
4 Ounces Fresh Goat Cheese, crumbled
1 Avocado, diced
1/3 Cup Olive Oil + more for drizzling asparagus and chicken
1/4 Cup White Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Minced Yellow Onion
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
1 Heaping Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Directions
Preheat the grill to medium high. Bring a 4 quart pot of water to a boil. Stir in the farro, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes or until the farro is a firm texture but cooked through; drain.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, onion, basil, dijon and salt. Or add all ingredients to a small jar and shake well. Set aside.
While the farro is cooking, drizzle the chicken breasts and asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place the chicken, asparagus and ears of corn on the grill. Cook the chicken for 15 minutes or until cooked through, turning once in between. Cook the corn until the kernels begin to lightly char, turning often, about 5 minutes. Cook the asparagus until crisp tender, turning often, 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken, corn and asparagus and let cool slightly. Chop the chicken and asparagus into bite sized pieces and slice the corn off of the ears with a sharp knife.
Pour the farro into a large bowl and add in the chicken, corn, asparagus, goat cheese and avocado. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the top and toss lightly to coat. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Can be made one day ahead. Serves 4-6.
My 2 year old, Georgia, is into telling stories these days. Story. After story. After story. All day long. Her stories about Jude usually go like this “One day, there was a tiiiiiiiiiiny baby named Jude and he had a mommy and a daddy and a Georgia. The end!”. Short, sweet and valid, for that matter. Her stories about Nick usually go something like this “One day, there was a daddy and he came home from work and we had dinner and wrestled and had a bath and watched a show and took a nap. The end!” Again, short, sweet and valid. My favorite story that she tells is the one about herself, “One day, there was a beautiful princess named Georgia. And she grew bigger. And bigger. And bigger. Until she was a bigger lady. The end!”. As I was putting her down for a nap today our conversation went like this:
G: Tell me a story, mama
M: Okay, but will you tell me one first?
G: One day, there was a beauuuuuutifuuulll princess named mommy….
(at this point I got very excited…the stories are never about me! What is she going to say?? That I love to cuddle? Or do puzzles? Or read books?)
G: ….and she loooooooved bacon. The end!
Lord, help me. Lets just shift pork gears…
This is Nick’s recipe for an absolutely awesome spice rub. It pairs wonderfully with any meat but our favorite way to eat it is with pork tenderloin. He rubs a liberal amount of the spice mixture all over the pork, drizzles the pork with olive oil and grills it up to perfection. The flavor is dynamite and the grill gives it that perfect smokey char. A perfect entertaining dish for this Memorial Day weekend that, I must mention, is supposed to involve 70’s and sunshine. In the meantime, please say a prayer that my daughter finds a new story for me.
*photos courtesy of the chef, himself 😉
Nicks Spice Rub
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 Teaspoons Course Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
2 Teaspoons Oregano Leaves
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Directions
Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl and store in an air tight container.
This weather. Oh this weather. It’s the kind of weather I can’t wait for in the middle of summer. Cozy, football-like weather that pairs so well with a warm bowl of soup. Give it to me in late August and I’m jumping for joy. Give it to me in mid-May and I pout like a 2 year old. Speaking of two year olds, Georgia asks daily, on the way home from our morning outings, if we can drive by the park to stop and look. Talk about heartbreaking. So we do, every single day. We drive up to the park and I stop in front of it and we look. “Oooooh, look mama, monkey bars! Maybe next time we can go on that slide!”. And then we pull away and drive to the house, “see you next time, park”, she says. I’m beginning to think she has forgotten the joy of actually playing at the park and has learned to love looking at the park just as much. The mind of a 2 year old.
This soup recipe is great for these kind of days. Days where you are looking for warmth and comfort food but don’t want the heaviness of a stew or a chili. It’s packed with nutrition and flavor and its an absolute cinch to throw together. Who needs 75 and sunny, anyway? ME!!!!! Not me.
Chicken Meatball Soup
Notes: Any fresh bread will do to make the breadcrumbs…just throw a few slices in your food processor and pulse it until it forms tiny crumbs. I prefer to use whole grain Ezekiel bread for this recipe….so nutritious and it tastes awesome in here.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
1 Pound Ground Chicken
1 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs
2/3 Cups Grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Garlic Cloves, grated or pressed
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
For the Soup:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, diced
5 Cups Chicken Stock
2 (15 Ounce) Cans Great Northern or Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 Cups Sliced Carrots
2 Cups Packed Spinach Leaves
Directions
In a medium bowl mix the chicken, breadcrumbs, parmesan, garlic, eggs, salt and pepper with your hands until just combined; do not over mix. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides (they do not need to be cooked through); remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside. Add the onion to the pot and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the stock, beans and carrots and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the meatballs back to the pot and simmer over medium low heat until meatballs are cooked through and the carrots soften, 5-10 minutes. Stir in the spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4.
Here is an oldie but goodie that a friend suggested I repost for those of you that may have missed it…the best dang pot roast to grace this earth, I swear. It’s all I’ve got for now, folks…our internet is down at home and we are expecting a full house this weekend to celebrate Jude’s baptism so I’m not really in any shape to lug these kiddos up to the coffee shop to edit photos and get a new post in. I’m actually laughing out loud imagining what that scene would look like: an unshowered, under slept mama that has a list of to do’s running thru her brain, a toddler that is behaving as though she’s eaten 452 pixie sticks accompanied by a teething drool bug…I think we would be kicked out in a matter of 3 minutes.
I must say, though, that I could not be more anxious for the weekend. Family and friends and lots of food all in the comfort of my own home? Bring. It. On.
Ps Jude requested this Tres Leches Cake for his celebration, just like Georgia had for her baptism. If you haven’t, you must. You just must. I’m making 2…one for me and one for everyone else. What? It’s mothers day weekend!
Take special care, my friends…I’ll be back next week. And to all you mamas out there…surround yourself with every little thing that makes your heart happy…you deserve nothing less! Xo
My darling friend, Jackie, came over for a visit yesterday. It was a perfect rainy day date that involved some much needed catching up and a little yoga for Jackie and Georgia (Jax-her cobra pose is looking amazing today 😉 ) She was planning to be here over lunch and being the procrastinator that I am I had nothing planned to serve. I had all of the fixings for a salad but needed something to add to make it special and not so “thrown together”. These maple walnuts were just the perfect touch. They are such an awesome addition to any salad but my favorite way to serve them is with mixed greens, bleu cheese, sliced apple and balsamic vinaigrette. They literally take less than five minutes to make and turn a pretty simple salad into an exceptional one. On another note, if you are looking for the perfect homemade hostess gift these are the perfect fit. They are so versatile; add some cinnamon or cayenne pepper for a different twist. Top them on a salad, nosh on them alone for a sweet treat…or dare I say it? On top of vanilla ice cream. Mouth officially watering.
Maple Walnuts
barely adapted from this recipe
Ingredients
2 Cups Walnuts
1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
Directions
Grease a piece of parchment paper with cooking spray or coconut oil; set aside. Heat a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add all ingredients and cook, stirring frequently until syrup is caramelized, about three minutes. Spread on to prepared parchment to cool completely. Makes 2 cups
Hello my friends! I apologize for my absence this week…family in town (and a VERY happy me). But here is something to snack on for now; If you are searching for the worlds easiest, fastest, most kid-friendly recipe on the planet check out my version of pizza burgers published here.
Have a stupendous weekend!
xo
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