Corned Beef and Cabbage

I have to admit, I had never made corned beef and cabbage before last weekend.  I knew I liked it, but usually made Ruebens for St Patrick's Day.  I was always afraid that cooking the corned beef would make a lot more than I wanted to eat.  I'm so glad I finally made it! This recipe was ridiculously easy and really darn tasty.  It uses Guinness as the cooking liquid instead of water and I highly recommend trying it.  And guess what? It didn't make too much!  I had a 3 lb flat and got 5-6 servings out of it.

Excellent pour by Kevin

Cook's Notes:
If you use a smaller brisket like I did, make sure you reduce the cooking time. 
We paired our Irish dinner with a Half and Half (Irish are offended if you call it a Black and Tan).


Corned Beef and Cabbage
Adapted From Steamy Kitchen
Yield: 6-8 servings

For the Corned Beef:
2 bottles Guinness beer (or other dark beer)
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3.5 lb corned beef brisket flat, rinsed well, patted dry
1 Tbsp pickling spice (or the spice packet that comes with the beef)
1/2 onion
1 head garlic, halved

For the Vegetables:
1 head cabbage
1 big spoonful of bacon drippings (can substitute cooking oil)
a few carrots, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 pound of red potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a large pot or dutch oven, whisk together the beer and brown sugar. Add the beef, it should almost be completely covered by the beer (I added about 2 cups of water to get the liquid higher). Add the pickling spice, onion and the garlic. Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, uncovered is best so you can keep an eye on it. Boiled-over beer is no fun to clean.

Once it begins simmering, cover the pot and place in oven to roast for 3-5 hours, flipping meat once during halfway point (reduce cooking time if using a smaller brisket). Remove from oven. Spoon out 2 cups of the corned beef braising liquid to cook the cabbage.

To make the vegetables:
Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. In a separate large, wide pot, heat up the bacon drippings/oil on medium-high heat. When hot, swirl the pan around to get the fat to evenly coat the pan. Add the cabbage wedges, cook until browned and turn to brown the other side. 

Add the carrots and potatoes and pour in the reserved corned beef cooking liquid, bring to a simmer and cover the pot. Turn the heat to low and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Use tongs or a large spoon to carefully remove the cabbage and set aside. Continue cooking the carrots and potatoes another 5-7 minutes or until cooked though (pierce with fork to check doneness). Sprinkle with parsley.

Slice the corned beef across the grain and serve with the cabbage and vegetables. Pour a bit of the sauce over the corned beef just before serving.

Pickled Turnips

I love the pickled turnips that come with the hummus platter or on certain "sandwiches" at Middle Eastern restaurants.  I didn't have plans for the turnips in the fridge so I pickled them.  I even had a few tiny beets from our garden to stain the turnips their signature pickled pink color.   The pickled turnips made an interesting and colorful addition to my usual veggie tray.  They were very popular too, I was constantly refilling them.  I know a few ladies that will be very happy that I finally posted this recipe.   Raw veggies and hummus are a favorite for snacking, but I think a lot of us get stuck in the pepper, carrot, pea pod rut.  Add some pizazz to the mix with pickled turnips!   Like most pickles vegetables, these turnips are much easier to make than you think.      Pickled Turnips
From David Lebovitz 
3 cups water, separated
1/3 cup (70 g) coarse white salt, such as kosher salt or sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup white vinegar (distilled)
2 lbs turnips, peeled
1 small beet, or a few slices from a regular-size beet, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

In a saucepan, heat one cup of water. Add the salt and bay leaf, stirring until the salt is dissolved.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, add the vinegar and the rest of the water.

Cut the turnips and beet into batons, about the size of French fries. Put the turnips, beets, and garlic slices into a large, clean jar or bowl, then pour the salted brine over them in the jar, including the bay leaf.

Cover and let sit at room temperature, in a relatively cool place, for one week. Once done, they can be refrigerated until ready to serve.  They'll keep well in the fridge for about six weeks.

Roasted Cabbage

Is everyone still playing along with Pinterest?  I know I am!  I saw roasted cabbage go by recently and since I have a surplus of cabbage, I decided to give it a try.

I think this might be my favorite way to eat cabbage!  I was really surprised how good it was.  The intense flavor of the cabbage diminishes and picks up a roasted sweetness.  If you prefer, pass a bottle of vinegar to sprinkle onto the cabbage, they go great together.  I thought it was great without it, but either way you should definitely try this recipe!

I've got a few more cabbage recipes up my sleeve so stay tuned!

Roasted Cabbage Adapted from Everyday Food, April 2010 Yield: 6-8 servings  

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 head green cabbage, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tsp caraway or fennel seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with one tablespoon of the olive oil. (My cabbage was large so I needed two baking sheets and a little more oil). Place cabbage in a single layer and brush with the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with caraway or fennel seeds (if using). Roast until cabbage is tender and edges are golden, 40 to 45 minutes.

Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado Salad

I knew I wanted some kind of tex-mex/southwest type of salad.  I love avocado, lime and cilantro (guacamole anyone?).  I really like black beans, but wanted to go another way with the salad.  I don't use quinoa regularly.  I've only experimented here and there so when I found this recipe I had to try it.

Quinoa is a great source of protein, and it's very filling.  We actually used this for our entree, and added a side of pasta salad and fresh veggies for dinner.  This recipe calls for rinsing and toasting the quinoa.  Some quinoa is packaged as pre-rinsed, but the the toasting process adds a nutty flavor.

This salad surprised us.  We didn't expect it to be as good as it was.  Kevin couldn't stop raving about it.  It was bright from the lime jalapeno dressing and we loved the pop of sweetness from the corn.

Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado Salad

Adapted from Marie Simmons’ “Fresh & Fast Vegetarian” as seen on Ezra Pound Cake

Yield: 3 as a main dish or 6 as a side dish

1 cup quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from ~2 ears)

1 cup red peppers, diced

1/4 cup thin-sliced scallions (white and green parts)  (I used a bunch of chives)

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime-Jalapeno Dressing:

2 tsp cumin

5 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

1 Tbsp jalapeno, minced and seeded , plus more to taste

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp salt

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for at least 45 seconds. Shake the strainer to remove as much water as possible.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the rinsed quinoa and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it is light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups water to the quinoa, and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and appears to be uncoiling, 18 to 20 minutes.

Let stand, uncovered, until cool, about 10 minutes.

To Make the Dressing: Sprinkle the cumin in a small skillet, and toast over medium heat, stirring, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. When the skillet is cool to the touch, add the oil, lime juice, jalapeño pepper, garlic and salt. Whisk to blend.

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Spoon the salad onto a large platter, and sprinkle the avocado and cilantro on top.

Beet and Orange Rocket Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Okay, my family is in Atlanta already!  Jim and Melissa ride in the ADA Tour de Cure on Sunday.  They would really appreciate your financial support.  They're only $200 away from their fundraising goal of $5000, please donate if you can.  I'm baking cookies for donors, see details about your thank you cookies here.  Go Team Wolfepack I'm so proud of you!

I actually made this salad last summer and I'm just getting around to telling you about it.  We really loved everything about this Beet and Orange Rocket Salad!  It was sweet from the oranges and candied walnuts, set off by the earthy beets and peppery arugula.  And who doesn't love the tart creaminess of goat cheese?  This salad is the perfect accompaniment for dinner on the deck on a warm summer night.     Once the beets and vinaigrette are ready (both can be made ahead), this salad is easily thrown together.  Since the grill is most likely being used for other parts of your dinner, it just makes sense that you'd cook your beets on the grill too.  This salad can be mixed together, but it also makes a great presentation if you arrange everything on the plate.
I look forward to making this again, especially once our garden comes in.  Hopefully our beets will be bigger than a golf ball this year!
Oh, and just in case you come across "rocket" in a recipe, it's just another name for arugula.
Beet and Orange Rocket Salad Original Recipe
Arugula (from our garden, yay!) Assorted lettuce (I used a mix from our garden) Beets, scrubbed and ends trimmed, chopped Mandarin Orange Segments (I used canned oranges, always soft and sweet) Goat Cheese Candied Walnuts Orange Vinaigrette (recipe below)
Before prepping everything else, you need to get the beets cooking.  Preheat the grill.  In a bowl, drizzle a little olive oil over the beets (just enough to lightly coat).  Create a foil packet around the beets, close it up, and poke a few steam vents.  Place the packet on the hot grill, cook for 30 minutes or until beets are tender.  Remove beets from packet and let them cool for at least 10 minutes before adding to the salad.
Combine all ingredients or arrange them on the plates and serve with orange vinaigrette.

Orange Vinaigrette From Michael Symon's Live to Cook Yield:  1 1/4 cups
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 Tbsp shallot, minced 1 tsp garlic, minced 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped 1/4 tsp pepper 1/4 tsp kosher salt 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a small non-reactive saucepan, bring the orange juice to a simmer.  Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Combine everything except the oil in a medium mixing bowl.  Start whisking in a few drops of oil at a time, then add it in a thin stream.  Whisk continuously until all the oil is incorporated.  Taste vinaigrette and adjust seasoning if needed.

Pasta Salad

Just a reminder that my siblings are riding 37 miles for diabetes in the Tour de Cure.  If you donate, I'll bake you cookies.  See details here. 


Summer's coming and I'm on the lookout for some different salads to try.  I'll be featuring salad recipes throughout May so check back to get some new ideas.  Or at the very least get a new recipe for a classic summer staple, like today's recipe. 

Up first is my Gram's pasta salad recipe.  It's easy, colorful and full of veggies.  If you want to keep it vegetarian, it's still great even without the pepperoni.  This pasta salad tastes best if it's made at least a few hours before serving.  I try to make it the day before if I can.  And I love to eat it for lunch with leftover grilled chicken.


What are some of your favorite salads?

Pasta Salad
Adapted from Gram Valentine
Yield: a ton!

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup red onion (about 1/2 of a small red onion)  I don't like raw onion so I don't add much, feel free to bump it up
2 (15 oz) cans black olives, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 oz pepperoni slices, quartered
8 oz NY sharp cheddar, cubed
1 box (12 oz) tri-color pasta
1/2 cup Italian dressing, plus about 1/4 cup more when you serve it

In a large pot bring water to boil, salt it (the water should taste salty like the sea), and add the pasta.  Cook to al dente (2-3 minutes less than the package specifies).  Strain the pasta and run cold water over it until it cools (to stop the cooking process).

Dump all the ingredients except that last 1/4 cup of dressing into the largest container you have and mix until evenly distributed.

Before serving add the 1/4 cup of dressing to the salad and mix.

Ham Asparagus Quiche and Spinach Mushroom Quiche

Spring time always makes me think of brunch.  I love brunch any time of year, but the association of brunch and Mother's Day makes me think of it as springtime activity.

Some of my family members were in town for the weekend recently.  Saturday night we picked out our dinner at The West Side Market, then cooked it together at home.  Before they left on Sunday, we brunched.  I made food I could prep before everyone arrived.  The spread included quiche (two flavors), a potato bacon casserole, fruit with yogurt, and coffee cake.

Quiche is perfect for making ahead, it can be kept in the fridge or frozen if you're making it more than a few days in advance.  This recipe was great, the quiche was soft and moist and there was a good ratio of egg to mix-ins.  Quiche is great brunch option, but pair it with a salad and you've got yourself a nice lunch.

Cook's Notes:

1. The partially baked crust is an extra step that you can skip if you want, but I think it's worth doing.  For one thing, it keeps the bottom crust from getting soggy.  Another reason is that the unbaked pie dough can shrink, and the egg mixture might overflow behind the crust.
2. Don't overfill the crust (make sure to keep it 1/2 inch below the top).  
3. I ended up with a little egg mixture leftover so I made mini quiches.  Line a few cups in a muffin tin, sprinkle with a little cheese or other mix-ins, then fill cup 2/3 full with egg mixture.  Bake until egg is set.

Ham and Asparagus Quiche
Adapted from Baking Illustrated
Yield:  1 quiche, 8 servings

2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
A pinch fresh grated nutmeg
4 oz (1/2 cup) Gruyere cheese, grated (shredded Swiss can be substituted)
4 oz baked ham, diced small (thick cut deli ham works well)
8 asparagus spears, cut on the bias into 1/2 inch pieces (~1 cup)
9-inch partially baked pie shell (warm), baked until light golden brown, about 10 minutes  (pre-made pie shells can be used)

Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Blanch asparagus in 1 quart salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly. 

Whisk all remaining ingredients except cheese, asparagus and ham in medium bowl.  Spread cheese, asparagus and ham evenly over bottom of warm pie shell (if the pie shell has been previously baked and cooled, place it in the preheating oven for about five minutes to warm it, taking care that it does not burn).

Set shell on oven rack. Pour in custard mixture to 1/2-inch below crust rim. Bake until lightly golden brown and a knife blade inserted about one inch from the edge comes out clean, and the center feels set but soft like gelatin, 45 to 50 minutes (the center of the quiche will be surprisingly soft when it comes out of the oven, but the filling will continue to set--and sink somewhat--as it cools). Transfer quiche to rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variation for Mushroom and Spinach Quiche:
Replace the Gruyere, ham and asparagus with mushrooms, spinach and cheddar cheese.

1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
Salt
8 cups baby spinach, wilted and squeezed dried (see Baked Spinach for instructions) or 1 box frozen
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Heat a pan to med high heat, add olive oil.  Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, season with salt. Spoon half of the spinach mixture into the crust, add the cheese, then top with the remaining spinach mixture.


Make Ahead and Reheat
Quiche can be kept in the fridge for a few days, otherwise wrap it in plastic wrap and foil and put it in the freezer.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
While oven is preheating, remove quiche from fridge to let it warm up a bit (10-15 min).
Bake quiche for 10 min (covered with foil to keep moisture in and prevent browning)

Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

Hunger Games Week: Every day this week, I'm going to post a recipe that was inspired by food mentioned in The Hunger Games  trilogy.  In anticipation of the movie, Cleveland's Plain Dealer hosted a Hunger Games recipe contest.  The recipes had to be original, and we were allowed 50 words of description and one photo. 
I submitted six recipes, and I've already revealed Creamy Mushroom Soup, Goat Cheese Wrapped in Basil, and District 12 Ration Grain Biscuits. 
The winners of the recipe contest were announced in the Taste section of today's paper and the Roast Groosling with Sweet Roots WON!  Check out the paper's web version here.  The recipe below is what I submitted, you'll notice it's a little different than the one in the paper because they adapted the recipes.  

Side Note:  I don't agree with their choice of winner for the Breads of Panem category.  The winning bread is not at all like the District 12 bread described in the book (flat and dense).  However, it's a great fit for District 11 (crescent shaped and sprinkled with seeds), so maybe it was just a typo.  If that's what happened, then I think it was a good choice.

Groosling shows up quite a bit as a source of food, especially in the Arena.  An important alliance between Rue and Katniss was developed while sharing a meal of groosling.  Foraged root vegetables make a great accompaniment to the roasted meat.

Roast Groosling with Sweet Roots (aka Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables)

Original Recipe

Yield:  6 servings

3 lbs various root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, katniss roots, etc.), chopped into similar sized pieces (~ 1 1/2 inches)

2 onions, peeled and quartered, root ends removed

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 (~4 lb) groosling (chicken can be substituted), plucked, head, feet and innards removed and cleaned

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, place the chopped vegetables.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried herbs.  Mix until everything is thoroughly coated.  Distribute evenly around the pan leaving space in the center for the groosling.

Rinse the groosling with water and pat it dry.  Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place in the prepared roasting pan.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 375 F and cook for 80 minutes or until juices run clear and thigh meat registers 165 F.  

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.  If the vegetables aren't done, put them back into the oven while the chicken rests.  When the vegetables are done cooking, mix them around with the pan juices.  Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted root vegetables.

 

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

You're not going to find good fresh tomatoes in the Midwest this time of year.  However, you can give those flavorless off-season tomatoes an added kick by roasting them in the oven.  Once you've got them roasted, you can add a blast of tomato-y flavor to anything (they're also delicious for snacking).  I've used them in roasted veggie pasta and lasagna, but they'd also be a great addition to a veggie side dish or tomato sauce.  Oooh!  What about crostini with ricotta, olive oil and roasted tomatoes?!  I might have to make that for my New Years party. (Update: I made it and shared the recipe here.)

Whether we're in the heart of tomato season or the depths of winter, roasted tomatoes will always have great flavor.  They are so easy and can brighten up any dish.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

From Smitten Kitchen

Cherry, grape or small Roma tomatoes
Whole gloves of garlic, unpeeled
Olive oil
Herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)

Preheat oven to 225. Halve each tomato lengthwise (the Romas I used were a little larger so I quartered them) and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.

Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.

Either use them right away or let them cool.  Cover them (and the peeled roasted garlic) with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge.

Baked Spinach

I made this baked spinach recipe for a dinner party and it got rave reviews.  In fact, everyone thought it tasted so good that you could serve it as an appetizer and scoop it up with tortilla or pita chips.  It really is that good!  I had to share it with more people so I brought it to Thanksgiving.

Prepping and cooking the spinach was really quick because I didn't have to stem the leaves.  The stems on baby spinach are soft when they're cooked.  If you use regular spinach, the stems won't softened as much, so you should remove them.  Since spinach is the main flavor, I recommend using fresh leaves, but in a pinch, you could probably use frozen spinach that's been thawed and squeezed of excess water.

You can definitely make this ahead too.  You can stop after the spinach is cooked and finish the rest closer to dinner.  You could also prep everything up to adding the cheese and seasoning the spinach.  Then just before you're ready to put it in the hot oven, add the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.


Baked Spinach
Adapted from Annie's Eats
Yield: 6 servings

3 lb fresh spinach I used baby spinach.
3½ Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
Salt and pepper
1½ Tbsp flour
1 cup stock (milk, broth, or cream)  I used cream both times.
3/4 cup grated cheese, divided (Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Gruyere, etc.) I used parmesan and romano.
2 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs

Stem and wash the spinach, draining it but letting drops of water still cling to the leaves. Place the spinach in a large pot covered with a lid over high heat. (Since spinach takes up some much space, I had to cook it in my largest stockpot in 2 batches.)  Cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted (2-4 minutes for baby spinach, 4-6 for regular spinach). Transfer the spinach to a colander, fill the pot with cold water, and immediately return the spinach to the pot with the cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again. Working with a handful at a time, squeeze the spinach to extract as much excess water as possible. Coarsely chop the spinach. (You should have about 3 cups of chopped spinach.)

Wipe out the pot and then melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the moisture has been boiled off (when the spinach starts to stick to the pan).

Reduce the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour over the spinach. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Stir in about 2/3 of the cooking liquid a small amount at a time, scraping the bottom of the pan as you go. When the liquid has been added, stir for another minute or two. If needed, add in the remaining liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375. Mix ½ cup of the shredded cheese into the spinach mixture and then spread the mixture into a lightly greased baking dish. Toss the remaining ¼ cup of cheese with the bread crumbs and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top. Melt the remaining 1½ tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the top. Bake until lightly browned and heated through, about 30 minutes.

Beet Risotto

I had a collection of root vegetables (beets, parsnips, potatoes and sweet potatoes) laying around so one night I decided to roast them all.  I cut everything up and on one baking sheet mixed the parsnips, potatoes and some sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.  On another baking sheet I had the rest of the sweet potatoes on one side and the beets on the other (both mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper).

I decided to use the variety tray to make a soup (I pureed the veggies with chicken broth).  The roasted beets made their way into risotto, and the leftover sweet potatoes were used as a side/garnish.  I filled a measuring cup with risotto then turned it upside down on a plate for a fun presentation.

I was really happy with how this turned out!  You get a nice roasted earthy flavor from the beets mixed with the creaminess of the rice and cheese.  Plus it's bright pink, so it'll make any dinner plate more colorful!

Beet Risotto

Original Recipe

Yield: about 3 cups of risotto

4 small beets, scrubbed, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with foil and add the diced beets.  Drizzle olive oil over the beets, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, then mix it all around so the beets are evenly coated.  Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally) for about 40 minutes or until the beets are tender.

After the beets have been roasting for about 20 minutes, heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan (not boiling).  In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, saute the onions in butter until soft, 3 minutes.  Add the garlic to the pan for 30 seconds before adding the rice and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes without browning the rice.

Pour 3 cups of the hot stock into the rice mixture and stir.  You don't have to stir constantly, but keep an eye on it so the rice doesn't burn.  When almost all the stock has been absorbed by the rice, add the roasted beets and the last 1/2 cup of stock.  Stir until the stock is absorbed.  Remove the risotto from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quinoa Salad

Whelp, I haven't posted since my blogiversary back in June, and it directly coincides with my job description changing for the summer (and into fall).  I'm usually in the office doing civil engineering things at my desk all day, but since mid-June I've been out in the field inspecting.  I'm out on a job as long as the construction crews are out there so my days are long (7 AM start and usually 10-12 hrs on my feet), but I love it.  I've always said I want to be in the field more and I finally got my chance.  Once I get home from work, I shower then make dinner, but since I'm so tired, dinners have been pretty random.  When I was making something worth blogging about, I didn't take the extra time to photograph the food.  I do have recipes I've been meaning to blog since before June, but it's hard to sit at the keyboard and whip up a post when I just want to veg out before my early bedtime (now).  I was feeling guilty that I hadn't posted anything in July so I had to get this quinoa salad recipe out before August got away from me (oops, too late).  

Onto the food!

Quinoa is one of those foods I started hearing more and more about in the past few years.  My first attempt using it was to make stuffed peppers using quinoa instead of rice.  It worked really well.  One night I wanted something to go along with our grilled dinner of pork chops and zucchini.  This salad had a nice fresh summer flavor especially when the produce comes from your own garden!  I ended up chopping up the leftover zucchini from our dinner and adding it to the leftover salad.  It made a great lunch the next day.

Quinoa Salad

Original Recipe

2 cups Water

1 cup Dry Quinoa

3 Plum Tomatoes, seeded and diced

3 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Crumbly cheese such as goat cheese, feta or Boirson

Zucchini, cut into planks, coat with olive oil and S&P before grilling, then chop before adding to salad (optional)

Bring the water and quinoa to boil in a pan with sides.  Boil on high for 5 minutes, then set it aside covered for 15 minutes.  In the mean time, seed and dice the tomatoes, and chop the basil.  Mix the tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil together in a bowl.  Once the quinoa is cooked, add the tomato mixture (and zucchini if using) and stir to combine.  Refrigerate until chilled.  Just before serving, crumble the cheese onto the salad and stir to combine.

Israeli Couscous with Grilled Veggies

I just sort of threw this together one night, and it became an instant hit so I wanted to make it again for the BBQ. I had never prepared Israeli couscous before so I just treated it like pasta because it is actually is a pasta product rather than a grain. This dish is very versatile, it can be served warm or cold, and you can substitute a wide variety of veggies, cheeses and seasonings. The zucchini, summer squash and red peppers are great, but mushrooms or eggplant would also be a nice addition. How about some Italian dressing for marinating the veggies or even just for dressing the couscous? If you try something different, let me know how it goes, I'm always up for a new variation.

Israeli Couscous with Grilled Veggies

Original Recipe

2 Zucchini, sliced (I like to slice it long-ways into planks b/c it makes it easier to flip on the grill without them falling through the grates)

1 Summer Squash, sliced (same as zucchini)

2 Red Peppers, seeded and cut so that you can lay it out flat

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

1 cup Israeli couscous

Goat Cheese (I used Garlic Herb goat cheese)

Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the grill. Toss zucchini and red pepper with olive oil, salt and pepper, and put them on the grill. Cook the Israeli couscous in boiling salted water for about 6 minutes or until done, then drain off water. Add goat cheese and parmesan to taste, and stir so they melt into all the warm couscous. If it's too dry, add a little olive oil.

Once the veggies are done, take them off the grill and cut them into bite size pieces. Add the veggies to the couscous and mix. Give it a taste, does it need more salt, pepper or cheese, if so, add some until you get the right flavor. The leftovers are good warm or cold.

If you have too many veggies for the amount of couscous, you can always save them for later to use on pizza, in pasta or on top of some crusty bread.