Tex Mex Black Bean and Tortilla Salad

Leave a comment

This was a “wonder what’s in the fridge?” kind of supper. I had some lovely avocados and fresh corn tortillas and romaine lettuce and I thought – oh, salad!

It was good. Really good. I would happily make this again, and I’ll have to since we ate every bite before I could take a photo. Oh well, next time… (Made this again this weekend and it was just as delicious! I used corn tortilla chips, broken and warmed with the same spices. Good again, and I remembered to take a photo.)

1 head of romaine lettuce, quartered and cut into 1″ sections
½ cup baby tomatoes (mine were yellow – last from the garden)
2 small avocados, cut into roughly ½” chunks
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup sharp grated cheddar cheese
6 corn tortillas, chopped into 1″ sections, tossed with
– ½ tsp ground cumin
– ½ tsp salt
– 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
– 1/4 tsp garlic powder
– 1/4 tsp Tajin seasoning (Can substitute with chili powder and a little lime zest)
– 3 Tbsp olive oil

Mix dressing in a small bowl:
2 Tbsp plain full-fat yoghurt
4 Tbsp Salsa Verde
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Tajin Seasoning
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Good pinch of ground Cumin

Cut up tortillas on a cutting board and top with the spices listed right below. Hand toss to coat. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add tortillas and any spices left on the board. Sauté on medium heat, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Can reduce heat if they are starting to burn a little. Once they’re starting to get a little crispy, turn the heat off and let them cool for a minute or so.

Add lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, black beans and grated cheese into a large mixing bowl and add the warm, spicy corn tortillas. Pour dressing over and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Delish!!

Dill Pickle Potato Salad

Leave a comment

I found this recipe in the Wall Street Journal and have made it twice in the last couple of weeks. Since we’re staying away from home, I just used what I had. We went to an amazing potluck picnic with friends at a nearby lake yesterday and people really did come back for seconds.

I don’t really love regular potato salad, but since both Kumy and I love this version – served warm or at room temp – it will definitely be my go to potato salad.

Blue bowl with bamboo spoon. Potatoes in a creamy sauce with fresh dill and parsley sprinkled on top.


Ingredients
3 lbs. baby potatoes (I like the little Yukon Gold babies.)
1 Tbsp and 1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup dill pickles, chopped, and 1/4 cup pickle brine
1 Tbsp capers
2 Tbsp caper brine
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar (I actually used Chinese cooking wine)
½ tsp celery seeds (optional – I didn’t have any)
3 Tbsp fresh garlic chives, cut in 1/2″ pieces
1 cup mayo
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
½ cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup fresh dill fronds, roughly chopped

Fill a large pot about halfway full of water and add 1 Tbsp salt. Bring to the boil. Add potatoes and cook for at least 10 minutes, until they are soft when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes, but do not rinse. Let them cool a bit, and cut any larger potatoes in half.

In a large bowl, combine the pickle bring, caper brine, vinegar, celery seeds (if using) and salt. Dump in the potatoes, stir gently and let them soak for a good hour – stirring occasionally.

Drain off any excess liquid, but save it in case you need it.

In a small bowl, mix pickles, capers, chives, mayo, mustard and black pepper. Add to potatoes, and toss until everything is mixed. Check seasonings and it the mixture seems too dry, add the pickle liquid one tablespoon at a time. Add fresh herbs, saving a few for the garnish and toss gently. Serve warm or at room temperature. So good!

Chopped Salad with Chickpeas, Goat Cheese & Avocado

Leave a comment
Image of a white bowl with salad, croutons and a fork.


This recipe is from Lidey Heuck in the New York Times, but appears to also be from Ottolenghi. I made it with raw shallots the first time, but it’s better with the shallots sautéed in a little olive oil first. It’s a really delicious, satisfying salad that also keeps well. Something about the fresh herbs, the warm croutons and the creamy goat cheese is just so good!

Ingredients

2 cups bread, diced into 1/2″ pieces
6 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp grated (or minced) shallots
1 medium butter lettuce, cut into ½-inch pieces (can also use Romaine)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed & drained
1 medium (or ½ large) English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano or other green olives, roughly chopped (about 3 ounces)
1 Tbsp Capers
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallions–about 2 (green onions)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
1 avocado, halved, pitted and diced
¾ cup diced or crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, (I used dill and parsley – you can also use mint or basil.)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place diced bread on a sheet pan, drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss, then bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until well toasted. Set aside to cool.

In a small frying pan, sauté shallots in a little bit of olive oil for a few minutes until softened. Let cool.

Meanwhile, place lettuce, chickpeas, cucumber, olives and scallions in a big bowl.

In the small frying pan, whisk together olive oil with the vinegar, capers, cooled shallots, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Pour over salad and toss well. Add the avocado, feta and herbs and toss gently. Top with the croutons and serve.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Leave a comment


This soup is super fast and very delicious. I started with a recipe from Jamie at drivemehungry.com, but made tweaks based on what I had handy. It was the perfect supper for a cold, wintery day.

I used chicken thighs since I was out of chicken stock, and just added a bouillon cube. If you have chicken stock, you can use that instead and skip the bouillon cube. Jamie mentions that this is a flexible recipe and you could add sautéed veggies, too.

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 cups water and 1 chicken bouillon cube or 4 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
½ inch piece of ginger, smashed in one piece
2 stalks green onions, white parts cut off in 1″ pieces and green parts in 1/4″ rings
½ tsp fish sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp chili crisp (use less if you don’t like it too spicy)
salt to taste
½ package of Pho noodles or any really thin noodles, enough for 4 servings
1 Thai red chile, or a red jalapeno, very thinly sliced (also optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

In a stock pot, bring water to a boil and add chicken thighs and bouillon cube. If you really love ginger, you could add the ginger, too. Reduce heat and simmer for around 30 minutes.

Remove chicken to a plate and chop into roughly 1″ pieces. Strain chicken stock from pot into a bowl, discarding the yucky stuff, but saving the ginger for the next step if you used it.

Add olive oil to the pot, and add garlic, ginger and the white parts of the green onion. Sauté for a few minutes until the garlic starts to get brown.

Add chicken stock back in and stir well. Simmer for a few minutes and remove the ginger. (You can leave the onions and the garlic, which gets super sweet.)

Add fish sauce, sesame oil, hot chili oil, chicken and noodles. Cook for just a couple of minutes until the chicken is warmed back up and the noodles are softened. If you’re using a different noodle, follow suggested cooking times. Taste broth and add salt if needed.

Place noodles and soup in a wide bowl and garnish with green onion rings, cilantro and a few thin slices of red chili. Yum!

Salad with Bacon, Eggs & a Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Leave a comment
Not a beautiful photo – but ignore that and try this recipe, because it is super easy and delicious!

I saw a recipe for a spinach salad with bacon and eggs and decided to give it a try. I didn’t have any spinach, but I did have some Romaine. It has a nice creamy dressing with just a little tartness. Definitely a keeper!

Ingredients

4 cups rough-chopped Romaine or use baby spinach
2 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 strips bacon, (regular or turkey) cut into ½” pieces and fried until crispy

Dressing:
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp sour cream
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Few grinds of black pepper

Boil eggs, let cool slightly, peel and quarter. Fry bacon, and set on a paper towel to cool.

Mix up dressing in the bottom of a medium bowl. Add lettuce and bacon and stir well. Add eggs and stir gently.

Check seasonings. The bacon is pretty salty so you might not need any more.

It’s so good – I literally ended up eating the entire bowl!

French Chicken, Leek And Mushroom Pie (Tourte)

Leave a comment

I’m sure this recipe must have come to me from Pinterest, and the original recipe is from Pardonmyfrench.com. The first time I made it I followed Audrey’s recipe exactly. It was good, but I wanted a little more spice. The second time, I had tons of leeks so I made a few tweaks, (added leeks instead of onions and added red pepper flakes). Samir came for a visit this afternoon and tried a bit off the spoon. He asked if it was on the blog, and that’s when I knew it was a keeper. So Samir – here you go!

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
½ tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, divided
2 strips bacon, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
1 lb (450g) Portobello mushrooms, sliced
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 cups leeks, chopped and washed
6 Tbsp (50g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1½ tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup + 1Tbsp (195ml) water
3/4 cup + 1Tbsp (195ml) milk
2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
2 (13-oz [370-g]) packets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed for a good 40 minutes.
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp (15ml) milk

Directions:

It seems like a lot of steps, but it’s actually pretty simple. For the filling, you’ll cook the meats first, then the veggies. Then you make a white sauce and dump everything back in. So don’t be scared by the directions!

On medium high heat, heat olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a frying pan. Add bacon and cook until fat has rendered – at least a few minutes. Season chicken thigh pieces with salt and pepper and add to frying pan. Cook for several minutes, until chicken is cooked through and starting to brown a bit.

Remove chicken and bacon to a plate, leaving any bacon drippings and other oil. Add mushrooms, and cook for several minutes, until they have released their water and dried up again. Remove to chicken plate. Add a tsp more olive oil if needed and add leeks. Sauté leeks stirring frequently, until they have wilted and reduced a good bit. Remove from pan to chicken plate.

Mix flours and seasonings in a small bowl, and have ready.

Add 3 Tbsp butter to frying pan and melt. Add flour and seasonings and stir quickly for a minute. Add water and milk and stir vigorously until you get a smooth, thick consistency. Cook for several minutes stirring constantly until the roux has thickened up a good bit.

Add Dijon Mustard and stir well. Then add the chicken, leeks and mushrooms back in and and stir. Check seasoning – adding salt and pepper if needed. Take off heat.

Preheat Oven to 410 degrees.

Line a springform pan bottom with parchment paper. You can also line a cast iron skillet. Lay the Puff Pastry into the pan. If you’re picky, you can kind of roll it out first so it covers the bottom and sides. Prick with a fork all over.

Add filling and smooth it so it’s fairly even. Take top piece of puff pastry and lay over the top of the filling. Squeeze the top and bottom pastry edges together gently wherever you can.

Mix egg yolk with 1 Tbsp milk and brush over the top of the pastry. If your pastry is totally sealed (top and bottom) cut a 1″ slit in the top crust to let steam escape.

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake another 20 – 25 minutes until the crust is nice and golden brown.

Remove from oven, and use a butter knife around the outside edge of the pan. Release the pan side and cut wedges to serve. So good!

Sausage, Leek & Pea Pasta

2 Comments

This is a lovely recipe I found on LanasCooking.com. I did make a few tweaks – used a whole red onion instead of a shallot, added more peas and heavy cream. It’s really delicious – with a little sweetness from the leeks, onion and peas that works really well with the sausage. It’s fast and it makes a lot – I think this could easily serve 6 people. (It’s hard to tell but my skillet is huge!!)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb bulk sweet Italian Sausage
2 large leeks, rinsed well and cut into ½” rings
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 Tbsp butter
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1½ cups frozen peas
3/4 lb pasta (I used Trottole and Penne, but any short pasta would do.)
½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/3 cup heavy cream

Start a large pot of salted water boiling, and cook pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil and fry sausage until cooked through and lightly browned, 8 – 10 minutes. Add leeks and onion and cook until leeks are softened, and onions are translucent, another 8 – 10 minutes.

Add butter, black pepper, chicken stock and frozen peas, and stir well. Let come to a simmer, then add pasta, cheese and heavy cream and mix well.

Cook for a few minutes until everything is well combined and warmed through. Check seasoning, and top with a grind of black pepper, and a sprinkling of grated Romano cheese. I didn’t add any salt since the pasta was salted and the sausage is pretty salty, too.

Delish!

Spiced Tomato Stew with Cheesy Polenta

Leave a comment



From Sara Bradley, in the Wall Street Journal

We’re kind of swimming in garden tomatoes at the moment, and this recipe is a great way to use them. Sara’s original recipe calls for heirloom tomatoes, smoked cheddar and regular cheddar, but I had Pecorino Romano and Gruyere and garden tomatoes, so I just used those.

It was really delicious and I loved the rustic tomato sauce, which I’ll definitely make again.

Ingredients:

4-5 cups water
½ tsp salt
1 cup polenta
2 oz smoked cheddar (or gruyere), grated
2 oz white cheddar (or pecorino romano), grated
2 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 large shallots, thinly sliced or chopped
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sugar
4-6 cups roughly chopped tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves, torn

Bring salted water to boil in a medium pot. Add in polenta, reduce heat and cook 20 minutes or so, stirring from time to time and adding a little water if it gets very thick. Once the polenta is creamy, add in the two grated cheeses and the cream cheese. Stir well and set aside.

Meanwhile in a large frying pan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil. When hot, add in shallots and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Add garlic and stir another couple of minutes. Then add red chile flakes, fennel seeds, salt, black pepper and sugar. Stir for a minute or so, then add all of the tomatoes.

Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Check seasoning.

Scoop polenta into a wide bowl, and top with a nice big spoonful of the tomato stew, and some fresh basil leaves.

Vietnamese Tomato Salad

Leave a comment
  • Version #2 with grape tomatoes, cucumbers and cashews.


Saw Emily Paster’s recipe in Midwest Living Magazine and realized I had everything I needed to make it. It’s so good and ready in just a few minutes. The dressing would be great on other fresh veggies, too. It’s really the perfect summer salad and we ate every last drop!

Ingredients
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp honey (or agave nectar or sugar)
1 Thai (or Serrano) chile, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp light olive oil ( or a neutral oil like canola oil)
5 medium plum (or heirloom) tomatoes, sliced
1/4 of a red onion, sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs – I used regular basil and spearmint, but you can also use Thai Basil and peppermint
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped – I used half peanuts and half cashews
1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Directions

For dressing: whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, honey and the chile, then continue whisking whil you slowly drizzle in the oil.

Arrange tomato slices on a large platter. Top with onion, herbs and nuts.

Spoon dressing over salad, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve immediately.

Version #2; Used grape tomatoes, with some quartered, sliced cucumbers (about a cup) and used cashews instead of peanuts. It was good, too.

Easy Rhubarb Crisp

Leave a comment


My friend Dot made this amazing rhubarb crisp for dinner a few nights ago and I was gobsmacked. How have I never had a Rhubarb Crisp before? It’s sweet, tangy and a perfect summer dessert.

Dot was kind enough to share the recipe with me, which was from Nora at Savorynothings.com and I used her recipe exactly, just adding a little vanilla. A few nights ago we were having friends over to play cards and I loved being able to pop out in the garden and gather fresh rhubarb for dessert!

At some point, I might try swapping out the cinnamon for a little fresh & candied ginger, since we love Rhubarb Ginger Jam, but this is honestly just about perfect as is.

Rhubarb Filling
2 lbs. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ slices
¼ cup cornstarch
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumble Topping
1 cup oats
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 stick cold butter, in ½” cubes or grated (8 Tbsp)

Gently but thoroughly combine all rhubarb filling ingredients in a large bowl. Spread evenly in a 10 x 13″ baking dish.

Then thoroughly combine the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt in the same bowl. You can cut in the cubed butter (that’s what Nora does) but I find it easier to just coarsely grate the stick of cold butter directly over the flour and oats mix, and then gently blend so there are no clumps of butter left. Scatter the crumb topping evenly over the rhubarb filling. Don’t worry about overflow, this dish doesn’t rise, so it fits fine.

Bake at 400°F for around 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sweet, tart and crunchy. So good.

*Nora mentions that if you use frozen rhubarb, to thaw it completely and let it drain without squeezing it. Freezing makes rhubarb a little more watery so you may need to add another Tbsp of cornstarch.